Chapter 243: The Reveal

"Ah, Brad really went all out," I murmured.

"He sure did," Reid whispered into my ear, his arm anchoring around my waist as the crowd let out another collective cheer. "My father doesn’t do anything half-assed."

The drivers of the two sports cars gave one last synchronized, ear-splitting rev of their engines before cutting the ignition. The doors glided upward, and two staff members in black suits stepped out, holding a pair of remote triggers tied directly to the setup at the edge of the lawn.

"Alright, alright, quiet down!" Brad called out, stepping up to the center of the patio with a mic in hand, his face practically glowing with pride. "Before we trigger the final reveal, I believe some people have a few final wagers to finalize!"

The Serpents erupted again. Russo was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, holding up a hundred-dollar bill like a battle flag. "Pink! It’s a girl! I felt it in my bones during morning skate three weeks ago!"

"You’re full of it, Russo!" Miller yelled back, holding up his custom skates by the laces. "It’s a boy! Future center for the Serpents, taking over the family business!"

"Alright, boys, settle it," my father grunted from his chair, though a rare, amused smirk was tugging at the corner of his mouth as he watched the team practically tackle each other over the bet.

Reid stepped up behind me, pulling me flush against his chest so I could rest my heavy back against him. His broad hands rested flat over the high, firm curve of my stomach, his rich pine scent wrapping around me like a warm blanket, keeping the lingering third-trimester fatigue at bay.

"You ready for this?" Reid murmured, his breath hot against my shell-like ear. I could feel the deep rumble of his heartbeat right against my spine.

"I’m ready," I rasped softly, leaning my head back against his shoulder. My hand covered his over our baby, feeling a sharp, energetic kick right beneath our palm—as if the little one could feel the electric energy buzzing across the lawn.

Brad pointed the microphone toward the two drivers standing beside the gleaming pink and blue supercars. "On three, everyone!"

The entire crowd joined in, their voices echoing over the water.

"THREE! TWO! ONE!"

The drivers pressed their remotes simultaneously.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

A series of heavy, deep thuds echoed across the lawn as the smoke cannons exploded to life, shooting massive, dense plumes straight into the clear blue sky. At the exact same second, the dual exhausts of the sports cars released specialized, colorful tire smoke, billowing out over the green turf in a thick, dramatic cloud.

The vibrant, undeniable color burst through the air, painting the entire backyard in a blinding, glorious shade of pink.

For a split second, total silence fell over the estate—and then the entire back lawn erupted into absolute pandemonium.

"YES!" Russo screamed at the top of his lungs, throwing his hands into the air and sprinting toward Miller, and practically threw himself at him before he even realized it, Miller catching him like it was the most natural thing ever, holding his thighs to keep him steady. "I TOLD YOU! IT’S A GIRL! I CALLED IT!"

Miller simply laughed. He lost, but he couldn’t get upset when Russon reacted that way. He had even more energy than me, the expectant mother.

But I wasn’t even paying attention to them anymore.

Half of the Serpents were groaning as they pulled out their wallets while the other half cheered, diving into a massive, chaotic team huddle right on the grass.

My mother let out a loud gasp, clapping her hands over her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. "A girl... a little girl!"

Chloe and Chleo were squealing, grabbing Marina’s arms as they jumped up and down, while my father simply sat back with a massive, unstoppable grin stretching across his face, shaking his head in fond disbelief. Brad and Fidora shared a bright, triumphant embrace near the patio, watching the pink smoke drift lazily over the lake.

I froze in Reid’s arms, staring up at the brilliant pink clouds swirling against the sky. A thick, overwhelming wave of emotion surged straight up into my throat, completely bypassing my defenses.

"A girl..." I whispered, my voice breaking softly.

Reid didn’t say a word. He turned me gently in his embrace until I was facing him.

The Alpha who had dominated the NHL, retired without a single regret, and was on his journey of facing down corporate empires to protect me... had tears shining in his grey eyes.

A breathless, beautiful smile broke across Reid’s face—the softest, most raw expression I had ever seen on him. He slid his hands up to cup my face, resting his forehead directly against mine as the cheers of our friends and family roared around us.

"A daughter, Kain," Reid rasped, his voice thick and uneven with pure, unadulterated joy. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to my lips, before dropping to his knees right there on the grass.

He pressed his face directly against my bump, wrapping his broad arms tightly around my waist, his warm tears soaking straight through the fabric of my shirt.

"We’re having a baby girl," Reid whispered against my skin, his hands trembling slightly as he held us both. "A daughter. My daughter. Our daughter."

I let out a soft, breathless sob, burying my fingers in his thick blonde hair, looking down at my husband.

"Don’t be so dramatic," I whispered, my voice trembling as a watery smile broke through my tears.

Reid lifted his gaze up at me, his dark grey eyes shimmering with unshed emotion. "You’re one to talk," he laughed, a breathless, wet sound, though the tears were already spilling freely down his face.

He didn’t make any effort to wipe them away. Instead, he leaned forward, resting his cheek flat against my bump once more, his large hands carefully molding over the rounded curve as if anchoring himself to this exact moment in time.

I buried my fingers deeper into his soft blonde hair, leaning down as much as my belly would allow to press a soft, lingering kiss against the crown of his head. The thunderous roar of the Serpents echoed in the background—Russo still perched comfortably on Miller’s hip, waving his hundred-dollar bill in the air while the rest of the guys hollered and tossed stray confetti—but inside our little bubble, everything was completely still.

"Kain," Reid said softly against my shirt, the vibration of his voice seeping straight through to my skin. "It’s going to be a sweet, stubborn little girl who’s going to have you wrapped around her tiny finger from day one."

"Me?" I let out a wet, breathless chuckle, looking down at the intimidating former rookie who was currently on his knees in the grass, utterly unbothered by his tailored trousers getting dirtied. "Look at you right now. You’re already wrapped around her finger, and she hasn’t even been born yet."

"And I’ll stay wrapped," Reid murmured, shifting upward to press a reverent, warm kiss directly to the center of my stomach before finally standing up.

He didn’t miss a beat. The moment he was on his feet, his broad arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me gently off my feet just enough to take the weight off my tired joints, pulling me flush against his chest. I wrapped my arms securely around his neck, burying my face in the crook of his shoulder, inhaling the rich, soothing scent of frozen pine that completely blanketed my senses.

"Hey! Cap!" Russo’s loud voice broke through the air as he finally dropped down from Miller’s hold, jogging over with a huge, manic grin plastered across his face. "You better prepare yourself! She’s getting her first pair of skates the second she can walk! I’m buying them!"

"Over my dead body," Miller called out, walking up behind him with a warm, steady laugh. "You’re not corrupting the kid with your terrible skating form, Russo."

"I have a Stanley Cup ring, Miller! My form is pristine!"

"Come here. I’ll correct your form," Miller dared to say out loud but Russo quickly hid into the crowd, worried they’d get exposed because Miller was just too imposing.

Reid let out a low, deep chuckle against my ear, his grip tightening around me protectively as the rest of our family began moving toward us. My mother was wiping away her tears with a tissue, my father walking right beside her with that rare, radiant pride shining in his eyes, while Brad and Fidora approached with champagne flutes ready for a toast.

I looked at all of them, then back at the man holding me like I was his entire universe. The fear, the paranoia, and the lingering scars of the past months officially faded into nothingness under the clear blue sky.

We were home, we were safe, and we were going to be parents to a beautiful baby girl.