From beneath the privacy sheet, Maxwell called, “That’s it, keep going!”
Caleb screamed as pain ripped through him. I hated hearing him suffer, but knew it would all be worth it in the end. His moments of pain were going to end soon, and leave behind a beautiful baby.Ourbaby.
“Come on, Caleb!” Benji encouraged. “You’re doing amazing! Push that baby out!”
“I’mtrying!” Caleb snarled.
A new scream pierced the room, sharp and high-pitched. Caleb gasped deeply like he’d been holding his breath under water. His eyes snapped open.
“There we go,” Maxwell murmured. A bright smile lit up his face, and a moment later, he stood upright with our baby held carefully in his hands.
Benji gasped. “Oh!”
Immediately Maxwell took her behind us to a table he had prepared at the last minute, and began cleaning her.
“Everything’s clear. She’s crying, which is a good sign,” he mumbled, mostly to himself. “Good weight, looks healthy even though a few days early…”
Caleb was drenched in sweat and looked exhausted, even though the birth had been relatively quick. I couldn’t imagine the pain he’d been through, but I was glad the ordeal was over.
“My baby,” Caleb murmured.
“She’s coming,” Benji reassured him. “The doctor’s just taking a look at her.”
Maxwell returned grinning ear to ear. He handed the bundled baby to Caleb. “Here you go, new dad. She’s perfectly healthy.”
Silent tears ran down Caleb’s face. “Oh, look at her, Adriel…”
My own heart clenched with pure affection and joy. “She’s beautiful.”
“You did amazing, Caleb,” I told my mate, then kissed his cheek. “Look at the life you’ve brought into the world.”
Even though Maxwell said she was healthy, she was still pitifully small - a vulnerable newborn that instilled a fiercely protective urge in me. I would never let anything happen to her, even if it meant dying to keep her safe.
“You should rest now,” Maxwell told Caleb after washing up and removing his gloves.
“Can the others meet her first?” he asked. “I want the rest of the family to meet her.”
Maxwell said, “Sure.”
My brothers joined us, entering the room with a sense of awe and curiosity. Pierce had witnessed the birth of his own daughter not too long ago, but he didn't look any less amazed.
“Caleb, she’s gorgeous,” Pierce murmured. “Congratulations.”
“You guys are gonna make me cry with all these babies,” Theo complained, his eyes red and puffy. “Stop having them! I don’t wanna cry!”
Caleb laughed. “Sorry. Maybe tell your brothers to stop knocking us humans up, then.”
Theo crossed his arms. “You hear that, guys? Cut it out with the baby-making.”
Pierce and I exchanged glances and just laughed.
“Well, the only human omega who hasn’t had a baby yet is Maxwell,” Pierce said with an impish smirk. “And the only vampire alpha who hasn’t had a baby yet is - “
If Theo could have blushed, his face would have been fully red. “Ahh! Shut up! No! It’s not gonna happen!” he interrupted before Pierce could finish.
“Ignore them,” Benji said, rolling his eyes and patting his brother on the shoulder. He glanced down at his niece. “I’m more interested in you, little one. Oh, you aresocute.”
“She is,” Caleb said with a sigh. “I can’t stand it. Why are babies so cute?”
“Probably to make up for the fact that we have to painfully push them out of our bodies,” Benji added, grinning.
“True.”
“Well?” I asked. “Are you going to share her name with the family?”
“Oh, yeah!” Caleb said.
All eyes were on Caleb and the baby, waiting impatiently for the answer.
“Everyone,” Caleb said with a smile, “meet your newest family member: Luna.”
