WILLIAM

ONE YEAR LATER

I watched Mom, now Grandma, beaming down to the triplets.

No, not all mine. But that's what we called our little blood babies. Blake's prediction was right. All went into labor on the eclipse. One girl, and two boys now scooting around a blanket laid out on Grandma Merris's floor. All the nonshifters were busy that night. Usually most nonshifters just babysat the children while shifting caregivers were out running, but that night those with any medical training ended up playing midwifes. Luckily, Moon Goddess usually lets new dads off the hook for force shifts at births on the full moon, so we were able to be there for our women and watch the births, but Dr. Nyx never gets that same treatment.

Eric was comforting a crying Josephine as his older three kids were running amok in the back bedroom, now made into a playroom. She didn't want him to go. "It's alright JoJo. Daddy's going to be gone just for a few hours and you're going to watch a song movie with Mom and Gramma M. That's okay, right?"

She just cried on and dug herself further into his chest.

I smiled and looked down to our Ava, dressed in a pink romper with a hand stitched wolf on the front. I loved when she clung to me like that. My sweet angel. She had me wrapped around her little finger, that's for sure. Just as Levi had Eric, and Oliver had on Blake.

I looked over to Jeremy now rubbing Bree's feet. I couldn't believe Dad talked him into coming fishing too. Bree was due with his own little pink bundle any day now. At least she wouldn't be born on the full moon. I wasn't sure how many crazy kids this pack could handle.

Dad chuckled at the noisy room and commanded attention. "Alright, alright family. I know you all want to stay and play with the babies, but it's fishing time. And we're letting the ladies have some time for their Musical Monday. Come on."

Eric handed Josephine off to Andrea, and I stepped over to the couch and kissed Kara. "I've got to go Love. Let me know if anything happens. We can be back in an instant."

She snickered and pecked me again. "You're always so worried. We'll be fine."

"You two are my life. Of course I'm going to be worried."

"Go fish, you." She playfully smacked my away.

"Love you," I smiled and started stepping to the door.

"Love you," she mirrored.

Ava's little feet and arms started batting the air like mad and I instead stepped over to her. The smile that then rose over her precious gummy face was the best thing I'd ever seen in my life. Her smile was my favorite thing in the world.

I didn't have hardly any pictures hanging on the walls before Kara, but that smile on Ava was my favorite sight ever. It was blown up and set over our fireplace in the front room. Right where I could see it from my armchair when I rocked Ava to sleep.

Matching my little girl's grin, I patted her stomach and cooed back to her, "Daddy's going to go with Grandpa for a few hours. But I'll be back soon."

I leaned over her and gave her a wet kiss on her chubby cheek. Her responding giggle was the best sound in the world.

"Family," Dad complained, looking at the clock on the wall. "Time's a ticking!"

Mom shooed him, eyes never once moving from her triplets. "Oh just leave dear. They'll follow eventually."

He chuckled. "Alright. Bye Nora."

Jeremy finally gave Bree enough kisses and stood, with Eric and me following.

We all smiled at the scene one last time before we went out the door.

Life was the best.