<b>Chapter </b><b>177 </b>
<b>Noah </b>
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“Where are the kids?” I asked, ncing around as if Elliot, Macey, and Elias might burst through the door at any second.
Envy’s smile was soft, tired, but sure. “ying with Nanna and Pa. Mum’s got them building towers out of biscuit tins, and Dad’s pretending he’s not enjoying himself.”
“Perfect,” I said, already rolling my shoulders with purpose. “I’m going to set up a room for Macey in the Underworld. She deserves her own space.<b>” </b>
Levi didn’t even look up from straightening the nkets in one of the cribs. “I’ll handle the nursery there. Duplicating this one is easy. One snap, exact copy.”
“Good.” Xavier pped Haiden on the back, the two of them already exchanging smirks. “We’ll start on Macey’s party. Let people know. Nothing too much, but enough to show her she’s ours now.”
Envy nodded, her hand on her bump, eyes soft but mischievous. “I’ll keep the kids distracted. That gives you all the time you need. Now, hop to it, boys.”
We all moved at once, like we always did. I headed straight into the Underworld, letting Hawk stretch inside me as the stone corridors hummed with life. I knew the perfect spot for her, a spare room, just down the hall from Elliot’s. It was quiet, tucked in but not hidden, the kind of ce that felt safe. With a sweep of my hand, walls reshaped, ster turning to warm cream with little vines carved delicately into the trim. I conjured shelves already half–filled with books and jewellery boxes and trinkets I’d seen her eye before. The bed came next, soft, wide, draped invender sheets and a quilt that looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. I added a desk, a wardrobe, and a rug with shifting patterns that changed when viewed from different angles. But the most important detail was the door I opened in the far wall, one that led directly into Elliot’s room.
Family, blood or not, it didn’t matter. They needed to be close. Inside Elliot’s room, I added a second bed, fitted with dark green bedding. Elias might not stay every night, but when he did, I wanted him to feel like he belonged here just as much as his brother did. When I stepped back, I breathed it in, the scent of home. The room wasn’t just four walls and furniture. It was proof. Proof that Macey wasn’t just visiting. Proof that Elias had a ce, too. Evidence that this family was whole, stitched together by choice<b>, </b>by magic, by love.
<b>Levi </b>
9:48 Sat, Sep 20
84
Duplicating the nursery was simple enough; magic made it so. We had already chosen the room nestled right between ours and Elliot’s room. With a breath and a flick of my hand, the stone shifted, folding in on itself until it matched what we had upstairs. Four cribs, four sets of colours, four mobiles. Rocking chair by the fire. Shelves stacked with nkets and toys. Every detail mirrored, down to the curve of the curtains. I stood back, arms folded, letting myself absorb it. Perfect. Our pups would always have two homes, one in the mortal world, one here, and they’d never want forfort in either. Curious about Noah’s progress<b>, </b>I stepped out and crossed into the new space he’d carved for Macey. My lips tugged into a rare smile. He’d done well, really well. Cream walls warm and soft, avender bedspread, shelves already lined with things she’d love. And the door that led into Elliot’s room? Smart. She’d feel safe here. Belonging. But something was missing. With a snap of my fingers, a wardrobe appeared along the far wall. Big. Beautiful. Fit for royalty. I swung the doors open and filled it, row after row of fluffy, bright princess dresses,yers of tulle, silk, sequins, every colour she could want. Shoes followed: glittering ts, little boots, even a few pairs of heels she’d grow into someday or y dress up in now.
Noah nced at me and smirked. “Going overboard, Levi?”
“Not overboard,” I muttered. “Perfect.”
Beside the wardrobe, I conjured a vanity: a delicate table with a matching stool, a drawer filled with y makeup, brushes, and sparkly lip glosses. Above it, a tall mirror bloomed into existence, framed in silver filigree that sparkled faintly in the light. For the final touch, I opened my hand and let tiaras scatter across the vanity, gold, silver, rose–tinted, some studded with gems, others glittering in. Enough for her to crown herself queen of the Underworld every day if she wished.
I stepped back again, nodding once in approval. “Now it’s hers.”
Noah’s grin widened. “She’s going to lose her mind.”
“Good,” I said. “She deserves to.”
Noah stayed beside me, his arms crossed, his head tilted as if he was trying to see it through her eyes. It wasn’t just a room anymore. It was a promise. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Just silence<b>, </b>thick with something that wasn’t heavy but grounding. A weight that came with realising how far we’de.
Finally, Noah let out a breath and said quietly, “Can you believe this is our life now?”
I huffed augh, low in my chest. “Not a chance.” My gaze flicked to him, to the way the corner of his mouth curved up, but his eyes, his eyes held the same disbelief as mine. “If you’d told me a few years ago, I’d be standing in the Underworld making a princess room for a little girl I consider
9:48 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b>Sep 20…
mine… I would’ve thought you’d lost your damn mind.”
Noah chuckled, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Yeah. Same.” He paused, the humour slipping into something softer. “But I wouldn’t trade it. Not for anything.”
I let that settle, feeling it in my bones, the truth of it. We’d been through blood, war<b>, </b>loss, and yet here we were, making space for family. For love. My throat tightened as I muttered, “We don’t deserve this.”
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His head snapped toward me, sharp. “Don’t start with that shit, Levi.” His voice was firm, but not unkind. “After everything? After what we’ve fought for? We deserve this more than anyone.”
I shifted my weight, staring at the tiaras catching the firelight. “Maybe. I just…” I blew out a breath. “Sometimes I can’t wrap my head around it. The kids areughing upstairs. Envy alive. Us, all of us, together. It feels too good to be real.”
Noah’s handnded on my shoulder, steady, grounding. “It’s real. And it’s ours. You’ve gotta let yourself have it, Levi. Be grateful, yeah. But don’t question it like it’s going to disappear.”
I met his gaze, and the conviction there rooted me to the moment. He believed it. And if Noah thought it, maybe I could, too.
“Grateful,” I echoed, softer than I meant to. I cleared my throat. “I am. More than I can say.”
His lips quirked. “Good. Because tomorrow we’ll probably be knee–deep in chaos again. Might as well hold onto the quiet while it’s here.”
I smirked at that, the heaviness easing. “You always know how to ruin a moment, don’t you?”
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Visitor
12 hours ago
so we dont get to read about the babies? thats a shame
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