“Stop hitting your brother!” Tess shouted, “Ugh, I can’t wait for the day that you two can understand me.”  She rubbed at her belly which was already pregnant with another set of pups.  Everyone was surprised when they’d heard she was having twins on her first go, but a second pair? This was ridiculous.

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Cynthia offered. 

“I’d be more excited if Connor weren’t so busy all the time.  We barely get any alone time together with these two around.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.  I’m sure you two will be back and frolicking in the wind in no time,” Cynthia finished washing the dishes and joined Tess.

“So how long are you guys in town this time?” Tess asked.

“Probably another couple days,” Cynthia replied.  She picked up a rattle from the floor and returned it to the table.  Tess had given birth to not one, but two loveable children.  A girl and a boy.  Tess named the daughter, and Connor the son. 

“Well, Henry and Sophie are going to miss you guys,” Tess said, “And I’ll miss all the help you’ve been able to give me this past week.  I haven’t had a wink of sleep in a month.”  She laughed. 

“Does Connor help out at all?” Cynthia wondered. 

“Of course he does,” Tess replied, “It’s just that most the time he just gets them riled up before bedtime, and then I’m stuck lying with them for an hour hoping they’ll get to sleep.  Seriously, don’t let Alex play with your kids before bedtime.”

Cynthia laughed, but it was a nervous laugh.   Connor entered the kitchen where they were playing.

“Hey ladies,” he said, “having fun?” 

“If you think changing dirty diapers is fun, then sure,” Tess said, “It’s so fun, we should trade jobs.  I’ll go outside and build houses and you can come in here to take care of babies.”

Connor leaned in and kissed Tess on the forehead, then rubbed her belly.  The belly rubbing was always the worst part of being pregnant. 

“Maybe when you’re a little less pregnant,” Connor said.

“So does that mean you’re giving up on sex, then?” Tess scoffed.

“No can do,” he said, “I just find you too damn attractive.” 

Tess laughed while Cynthia rolled her eyes.  Connor looked the same as he always had after the last year, stacks of muscle and shirts that were always too tight.  But, the love that Connor and Tess shared was more than just appearance. 

Cynthia secretly hoped that was the same bond that she and Alex shared. 

They were all rocked from their thoughts as the sound of a loud thumping engine rolled its way down the driveway. 

“What the hell is that?” Connor wondered.  He walked outside.  Tess stood up as fast as she could with her pregnant belly to join him.  The den had grown over the past year.  The once shoddily built houses that lined the dirt road were rapidly disappearing to make way for real homes.  Nothing large and fancy, anyway, just something cozy where you could keep a roof over your head on a rainy day.  The person they had to thank for that was Samantha.  She’d come through for them on so many levels.  With her newfound wealth she paid off the mortgage and help fund the housing venture. 

She was, after all, the godparent to Tess’s first two children.  She had to spoil them. 

Waddling her way to the patio, Tess saw what was causing the commotion.  An old, yellow truck.  She thought it sounded familiar, but it had been so long since she’d heard the sound of that engine that it faded from memory. 

“What is this!?” Connor shouted, running out to stare at the shiny new paint job. 

“It’s a gift,” Samantha said, “Remember?  I destroyed your last one?” 

Tess wasn’t there, but she’d heard stories of how Samantha grew into a massive bear right before Connor’s eyes.  Such a small girl, yet so powerful. Deserving of the title of alpha.

“I had to take the thing down to base parts, I tried to salvage as much as I could but it’s basically brand new from the ground up.  I thought you might like it.”  She plopped the keys in Connor’s hand. 

“For me?” he asked.  Samantha nodded.  He wrapped himself around her so fast that her head spun. 

From the passenger seat of the truck stepped Billy.  Yes, that Billy.  He and Samantha had been dating for the last six months.  She once told Tess that he was nice to her when she was stuck in the cage.  They’d chat every night, and Billy would keep her company till she fell asleep.  It sounded romantic, in an awkward way. 

“At least he found somebody,” Cynthia said, gagging. She didn’t like the idea of Sam dating that creep, but if he made her happy what could she say?  Her mind wandered when she heard the sound of Alex’s motorcycle start to make its way into the den.  He crawled past the new truck that stood in his way and pulled to a stop a moment later.  Kicking out the stand and pulling off his sunglasses, he examined the beautiful new truck.

“Who’s is this?” he asked.

“Mine,” Connor said with pride.

“Damn, I’m going to have to find out who your mechanic is.”  Samantha smiled and waved at him.  “No way, you did this?”  She giggled as Billy came around the truck to hold his woman.

Alex couldn’t help but wonder what she saw in him. Nonetheless, he had something else on his mind.

Cynthia tackled Alex.  She had something that she wanted to tell him but her nerves weren’t allowing her to. 

“Hey Cyn, can we talk?”  He looked over the people that were gathering around the truck, “… alone?”

At least this would make things easier. She walked arm in arm with him to the side of the old farmhouse.  She remembered this spot clearly from a long time ago.  It was the place where they’d first shared a real kiss, and the same spot where he’d asked her to run away with him before the fights started. 

“We’ve been together for almost two years now, and it’s got me thinking.  The memories we’ve shared together, the experiences, I think we’re a really good match,” he said.  He fumbled with something inside of his pocket.  “I can’t imagine going anywhere in life without you.  You’re my best friend and my partner.”  He knelt down on his knee.  Cynthia shuddered all throughout her body, her knees became weak, and a lump stuck itself in the back of her throat.  “Will you marry me?”  He held up a ring box, inside was a simple ring.  A gold band with a small diamond inset. 

Cynthia did her best not to cry, but she couldn’t help herself. “Yes.”

Alex stood back up as Cynthia leapt into his arms.  She covered his face with kisses.  It probably wasn’t appropriate for the children watching from the kitchen. 

“I have something to tell you, too.”  She was still overcome with emotion.  Alex returned her to the ground and she wiped at the tears on her face.  “Alex, I’m pregnant.”  His face went blank.  She worried that he was going to take back the ring.  He was a man that valued his freedom.  He went out of his way to make sure he had it.  Having kids would only slow him down.

“I have never loved you more than I have right now,” he said.  He snatched her by the arm and ran to the front of the farmhouse where everyone stood nonchalantly. 

“Guys, I have an announcement!” he said.  They all perked up with smiles on their faces.  “Dammit, you already know, don’t you?” 

Samantha coughed into her hand.  But, Billy was the one that gave it away.

“Connor told us you was goin’ to town to buy a ring, and Tess told me that Cynthia was pregnant.”  He said.

Alex smacked his hand on the truck, giving it a new dent.

“What the hell man!  That was a brand new fender!”  Connor shouted.  Samantha waved her hand. 

“Don’t worry about it.  Now that you have it back, that probably means it’s time to start a new adventure anyway.”

Really, they already had found their new adventure; family.  The future never looked brighter.