<b>Chapter </b><b>175 </b>


    I traced the edge of the quilt one more time before I heard the creak of the stairs and heavy footfalls, the kind that could only belong to my mates. A momentter, all four of them crowded the doorway<b>, </b>broad shoulders filling the frame.


    Xavier arched a brow. “What’s going on up here?”


    Haiden leaned against the doorjamb, arms folded. “You disappear with your mum, and now you’ve got that look on your face. Should we be worried?”


    I straightened, wiping my eyes quickly with the heel of my hand before turning to them. “Oh, good.


    You’re here.”


    Levi’s gaze narrowed in suspicion. “That tone.never means anything simple.”


    Noah crossed his arms. “Do we need weapons or gloves?”


    I smirked and swept a hand across the room. “Neither. You need to carry some stuff for me.”


    Haiden blinked. “Carry what?”


    I gestured broadly, heart swelling as I looked at the crib, the shelves, the curtains that had been


    waiting for decades. “Everything.”


    The four of them went still. Xavier’s eyes softened as he took in the nursery, the memories it held, the future it promised. Noah’s lips parted, awe flickering across his face. Levi muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a curse under his breath, while Haiden just huffed augh, shaking


    his head.


    “Of course,” Haiden said finally, pushing off the doorframe. “Our girl wants everything, so we’ll bring her everything.”


    Xavier stepped forward, brushing his hand across the crib railing before looking back at me with that steady, grounding smile of his. “Okay, but can you go and sit down literally anywhere in whatever realm you deem fit? Maddox is hassling me to get you to rest and honestly, <b>I </b><b>agree</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>


    I rolled my eyes, even as my lips tugged into a smile. “Sit down? While you four turn this room upside down? Not likely. I’d rather supervise.”


    Levi pinched the bridge of his nose like I’d just confirmed his <b>worst </b>suspicion. “Supervise<b>,</b><b>” </b>he


    9:53 Fri, Sep <b>19 </b>


    repeated tly. “Because you’re the picture of restraint.”


    Haiden snorted. “Careful, brother.”


    Xavier gave me that look, the one that was half exasperation, half I’ll–do–anything–you–say. “Envy…” His voice was low, coaxing. Maddox stirred inside him, restless. “Please.”


    I sighed, relenting just enough to perch myself on the edge of the rocking chair by the window. “Fine. But if you ding that crib, I’ll kick you all into oblivion.”


    Noah cracked a grin, already rolling his sleeves. “Great. So we either break our backs hauling a lifetime of furniture through a portal, or we get kicked. Fantastic odds.”


    Mum, who’d been standing quietly beside me, chuckled softly. “Wee to my world, boys.” She squeezed my hand, her eyes misting again. “I always hoped this room would be used someday. I can’t think of anyone better to fill it with life.”


    For a second, the weight of it all pressed against my ribs. The losses, the fights, the close calls. And here we were, arguing over who carried what for our babies‘ room.


    Haiden pped his hands once, breaking the spell. “Alright,ds. Let’s get moving before she decides. she wants the whole damned house.”


    “Don’t tempt me,” I warned, grinning despite myself.


    The quads exchanged looks, equal parts smirk, sigh, and surrender and then they moved. Levi started dismantling shelves, Haiden hefted boxes like they weighed nothing, Xavier carefully lifted the crib, and Noah grumbled the whole time while still grabbing armfuls of curtains and looking suspiciously like he was in awe of everything. And I sat in the rocking chair, heart swollen, watching my future carried piece by piece into my present.


    The room had turned into chaos, controlled chaos, but chaos all the same. While everyone was busy collecting things, Noah came to kneel by me and cleared his throat. “While we’re gathering everything for the little ones… maybe it’s time we make something else official.”


    The boys froze, heads turning toward him like he’d just dropped a live grenade in the middle of the


    nursery.


    Xavier was the first to ask. “Official?”


    Noah’s gaze didn’t leave mine. “Macey. She’s ours in every way that matters. We raise her, <b>we </b>love


    <b>9:53 </b>Fri, Sep 19


    :


    her, she calls this home. It’s time we put it on paper. Adoption papers. Make her ours, officially.”


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    The room went still. Even Mum, who had been smoothing the nket across my knees, looked up sharply, her lips parting. My chest clenched thinking of Macey’sugh, her little hand gripping mine, the way she’d told Elliot he was lucky for having two mums when she “didn’t even get one.” Gods,


    she already was ours.


    Levi set down the shelf piece he was holding with slow precision. His voice was low, steady. “That


    girl has been family for a while now. Paper or not.”


    Haiden, softer now, added, “But paper would mean no one can ever take her away.”


    Xavier’s jaw ticked once, and then he nodded firmly. “Do it. Whatever it takes.”


    I pressed both hands over my belly, my heart swelling so much I thought it might burst. “Yes,” I whispered. “Yes, let’s do it. Let’s make her ours forever.”


    Noah’s smile broke through then, weary but true. “Good. Because those papers have been sitting on my desk for months, I was just waiting for the right moment.”


    Haiden groaned. “Gods, Noah, you could’ve led with that.”


    Levi smirked faintly, shaking his head. “He wanted the dramatic reveal. ssic.”


    “She deserves it,” I said softly, my gaze sweeping over each of them. “But we should give her the option. She’s been through enough choices made for her. This one… it should be hers.”


    Xavier tilted his head, nodding slowly. “You’re right. She’s strong enough to make that decision.”


    Haiden dropped heavily onto the edge of the crib like it was a chair, his grin quick and boyish. “I think we should make it fun. Not just shove papers under her nose and say, ‘Sign here, kid.‘ She’s ours, we should celebrate it.”


    Levi arched a brow. “You mean, like a surprise party.”


    “Yes,” I said, feeling my smile grow. “Exactly. A little something to make her feel special. Balloons, cake, maybe even a banner if any of you are brave enough to attempt one.”


    Noah’s lips curved faintly, his voice quiet but steady. “She’d love that.”


    Mum made a soft noise in her throat, pride thick in her expression as she brushed my hair back from


    9:53 Fri, Sep 19


    my face. “You’re right, sweetheart. That girl will shine under your love. She already does.”


    I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Then it’s settled. We’ll give her the choice, but we’ll make it a moment she’ll never forget.”


    Haiden smirked. “Guess that means I’m in charge of cake.”


    Levi groaned. “Gods help us all.”


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