Xael sat on the couch between her Grandparents and rested her head on her Grandad's shoulder. He jumped when her ears popped out too, tickling his face.
"Babe?"
"I'm fine Adam, just tired. I think that's Minh and Beau."
Tank and Dozer's tails started to wag so Adam handed the baby to Xael as he went to answer the door. Xael pinned her ears to her head as she gently rocked the snoozing Pup.
Door opened, Adam was getting hugs and a large gift bag.
"Thanks you two, you didn't have to bring anything!"
"I know! I know!" Minh was waiting to move past Adam to see the babies but would wait until the Alpha allowed him to get close to his Mate and Pups. Adam stepped to the side and Minh rushed past him. Adam and Beau hugged then headed inside.
Xael had tousled her hair, which she now wore down, to hide her ears. The Pup's ears were another story as theirs perked up when Minh got close. He sat on the floor next to Xael after giving everyone a hug. Skylar, Adam's dad and Charles were going into town to get pizza for dinner tonight so they headed out and Minh took Charles' seat. Grandpa had handed Xael her Pup.
"How you feeling Xael?"
"Tired but doing much better physically."
"Good! How are they with feeding?"
"Voracious, here. Adam?" Xael was handing babies to whoever had a free hand.
"What is it babe?"
"I'm leaking." Xael rushed to the bedroom, to pump some milk for later and filled up four bottles. Changed, Xael came out of the bedroom to see Minh snuggling away in baby heaven with his arms full. Adam walked into the kitchen to see how his Mate was doing.
Fridge door closed, Xael turned and went straight for his arms. Adam closed her in a hug and rubbed his nose in her hair.
"I love it when you wear your hair down."
"Mmmm."
Adam could tell that Xael was still exhausted. "Babe get some sleep, mn?"
"Okay."
Back in the living room, Xael asked Minh if he would mind watching the Pups; he almost cried out of excitement. Pups safe, Xael went back to the bedroom to rest. Adam sat next to Minh as Beau was on the floor playing with Tank and Dozer. The Alpha loved the fact that he got to play with real wolves.
Adam relaxed onto the couch, his arm going onto the back of the couch behind Minh.
"Adam, is Xael feeling okay? It's kinda strange for an Omega to leave her Pups so soon."
"She's just exhausted. Today was her first real meal after giving birth and you...Uncle Minh, are going to be tasked with babysitting. Me and Xael want those that are going to baby sit to bond with the Pups."
"Ahhh I see!" Minh was very gentle with the Pups as they rested on his chest. " They are so---are those ears?!?" The little ones whimpered slightly and fidgeted but quickly settled down in the Male Omega's arms.
"Yeah, they popped out a bit ago."
"Crazy. These are some quiet newborns, especially being away from their momma."
"Yeah, but I'm here so they'll be fine."
Minh and Beau both took turns loving on the little cute bundles. They cuddled with the babies for about an hour then they started to fuss. Adam knew what the babies wanted and took them into momma who was already sitting up in bed. Inside their room, the Pups were taken out of their moss bags. Adam was giving soft growls to his babies while Xael got ready to feed them, one at a time.
Adam just gazed at her as he loved watching her feed their babies. Fed and burped, they let the little ones lay out for a bit between them. Adam changed them, then started up the washer. Xael asked him to let Minh and Beau hold them some more, he could put them in the bassinet when he wanted to; she was going to sleep. A kiss, then he went back out, arm full of babies.
Minh and Beau left before dinner time as it was getting late. Adam placed his boys in the bassinet next to Xael who ended up sleeping through the night. When Adam joined her in bed, he made sure to give her plenty of healing energy that night.
Xael woke up feeling like her normal self except for the fact that she had leaked breast milk all over. Showered and changed, she woke the Pups for an early morning feeding. Adam was sound asleep so Xael just let him rest. Pups fed and changed, she wrapped them up and headed out to the kitchen, Tank and Dozer right by her side. Grams and Skylar were there quietly enjoying a cup of coffee. Xael handed off her Pups to them so she could take care of her four-legged boys.
"How you feeling Puppers?"
"Much better Unc, everyone still asleep?"
"Yeah."
"You know how long folks are staying?"
"Till the end of this month. The Elder is going to stay till after the snow."
"Good, good."
"Nope, back to momma little boy! Xael this one is hungry and I can't help him." Tanis was trying to latch on to a nipple.
"Hahaha, I'll get the bottles ready."
Bottles warmed up, she handed one to Skylar and Grams. Xael sat next to Grams and rubbed her back as the Elder fed the baby.
"Xael they sure are eating a lot!"
"I know! They ate before we came out here."
Adam was soon coming into the kitchen also. A kiss to Xael's head and he headed straight for the coffee pot.
"Make that two son."
"Yes sir." Adam's dad followed him in and had a seat by Skylar.
Babies back with their momma, Xael was a pro at holding both twins at once. Xael linked Adam that she wanted to go to the diner to get something to eat and to give the Grammies a break from cooking. She was feeling much better and wanted to get out. Plus she wanted the others to see the babies.
The twins were definitely growing quickly and eating a lot. Mornings, Xael took care of breakfast after feeding her boys. She was able to wear one baby safely in the baby sling and hold the other. Xael mostly made quiches and casseroles; nothing that had to be cooked on the stove top. As per usual, Xael was the first one up. Some mornings Xael left the Pups in the bassinet with Adam sleeping next to them in bed.
About a month had gone by and the Pups were doing good and even trying to sit up on their own. Thanks to their furry babysitters, Tanis and Chrissin had furry backrests when they tried to sit. Each wolf had naturally paired with a baby; Tank with Chrissin and Dozer with Tanis. Soon as the babies were placed on the floor, the wolves were right there with them, momma and daddy keeping an eye on them. The wolves never let the little ones get too far and watched as they rolled about on the floor.
A little past a month. Charles and Ella wanted to head back to the city before the first snow hit since they were towing an RV. They had planned on staying through winter but after hearing how bad it could get, they thought it best to head back. The day before they left, Xael let them care for the Pups for most of the day so the Elders could get some much needed bonding time in which gave her and Adam time to be alone in the bedroom for some much needed couple's time. Xael had pumped enough bottles of breastmilk that the little ones would be fine for the day; if they got too fussy Xael would take them but they never did. Adam and Xael just snuggled in bed together and shared tender kisses; thankful that they were surrounded by family to care of their boys.
The morning the Grandparents were to head out, Xael made sure to get plenty of hugs from Charles and Emma. It would be a few months before they would see them again but Xael promised to facetime them often. The Alphas helped get the RV ready as Grandma Ella got the last of the baby snuggles in and Xael got more hugs from them.
Adam's dad left the following week. Since GG was staying over the winter, he wanted to make sure her house would be okay with being gone for so long. Plus it would allow him to do some repairs to the inside of her cabin. The Elder Shado would take GG's dogs back with him. For some reason they had preferred to spend their time outdoors, probably with the wild wolves that stayed in the area so they were rarely seen.
GG and Grandma Emma taught Xael a lot concerning young Wolven Pups. If cared for properly, they rarely needed to see a western doctor if at all. If Pups did get sick, natural remedies would be better for them as it would help to keep their immune systems strong. The first time Xael ever saw a doctor was when she joined the military. Adam was right there with Xael learning beside her.
Adam ended up going into the station a couple of times. Things were going fine and Max and Parker always shoved him out the door. Grams and Skylar; now that Xael was doing good with the babies, went into town about twice a week to check on the diner renovations, make sure things were going good and do a little shopping at the local market.
Kai's lawn business was doing great and Uncle Dentin's dreams of being just a 'secretary' didn't last long as the lawn business was booming to the point that he needed to help out. James was doing great and had made the kitchen his own. He had gotten ordering down pat and had a nice rotating list of specials. James' side gig was also going good and kept him busy once his time at the diner was done for the day. He even managed to get a nice, sizable amount of savings going since he didn't have to pay rent anymore.
Chris, Eli and Ted stayed busy and were kept busy. Their three man crew had branched out to the two of the nearby towns. Now most of the businesses along the main road had studio apartments above them. The guys ended up renting one of the empty storefronts in town for a makeshift office and warehouse. Houser and Ms. Ester had made things official but wanted to wait till springtime to have a small ceremony.
The first snow at Grandma's house with the twins was exciting and interesting. Adam had gotten used to spending time with his Mate and Pups to the point that he didn't really want to go back to being a sheriff but he knew the feeling was just temporary.
GG was loving having babies around, plus she didn't have to cook or clean. She did miss her boys but Tank and Dozer made up for that. Xael loved having her there as she was able to learn so much from the Elder. Sometimes at night it would be just Xael, GG and Grams, sitting and talking. GG wanted to make sure her knowledge was getting passed on.
The twins grew fast in the three months since they had been born. They were already sitting up on their own and reaching and grabbing for things and scooting little booties across the floor. Luckily Tank and Dozer would gently take hold of the babies clothes and pull them away from danger; careful to not let the twins fall. The little buckskin boots that Skylar made them never left their little feet all winter and kept their toes nice and warm. When there was a good amount of snow on the front deck, Xael and Adam took their Pups out to let them experience their first snow fall. Little feet in the cold snow, the babies just babbled and kicked their legs at the new sensation.
Their little ears sort of never went away but Grams said Xael was the same way; in fact her ears lasted till she was about 3 years old. Another reason her parents had decided to stay with Grams. During some nights, Adam and Xael slept with the twins between them. When the Mates needed closeness with each other, the twins were placed in their bassinet.
It wasn't long before Adam had made the twins a permanent spot next to their bed as they had gotten too big for the bassinet. It was a play pin with a double mattress. A couple of nights during the dead of winter, everyone had to sleep in the living room near the fireplace as the power had gone out; a common occurrence that far up the Pass. A stranger looking in would have sworn that they had stumbled on a wolf pack from how close everyone was and seeing actual wolves laying with them. It was truly a sight and of course GG was given the comfortable couch to sleep on.