The next contraction blasted through me, compelling me to lift from the bed and grip both knees, bearing down hard as I felt the head crowning. The tumult of pain persisted, and still, I withheld asking for aid. Perspiration saturated my hair, plastering strands against my forehead and neck. Before I had a chance to recuperate from one contraction, the next was rioting through me, and I pushed with all I had left in me.
I howled, struggling through the pain as I pushed until I felt the babe slip free. I breathed harshly, reaching for him. Ryder’s hands encompassed mine. My eyes lifted, finding him watching the babe slowly making his way out. Golden eyes glanced at me as I bore down, growling as I shook violently.
“You’re doing well, Pet. Keep going, sweet girl.” He smiled and the stress and fear lessened as I pushed again. “That’s it, you can do this. I know you can. One more time,” he coached while adjusting to be able to catch the babe if my hold slipped.
My hands released, letting him replace them, so I could grab the rails of the bed. I groaned as another wave of pain worked through me, endlessly battering against my stomach and spine until Ryder’s eyes sparkled, and he held up the babe.
Ryder set our son on my breasts before I rested back against the pile of pillows. When he issued a lusty, unhappy wail at being evicted from my body, I smiled. My body continued contracting, which wasn’t anything compared to moments ago, and all the while, Ryder looked on in shock, opening his mouth before snapping it closed.
“I can’t believe we just did that. What the fuck? That was . . . amazing and terrifying at the same time,” Ryder whispered, gaping at the babe I held against my naked chest and smiled up at him.
“Shhh,” I fussed, cradling the babe, who moved his arms and legs angrily while furiously whimpering.
“You’re not supposed to do that shit without help!” Ryder blurted, gawking at the full head of dark brown hair and hints of caramel colored highlights added in to make an ashy brown mix of wild, untamable hair.
“I had help. You helped me, didn’t you?” I teased as the babe made soft cries that had us both shifting focus to the newest member of our family. “Shhh, it’s all right, Dristan,” I cooed. “We got you,” I vowed, shifting my watery smile to Ryder, who’d gone mute again. “Welcome to the world, baby boy.” The healers entered, shifting their worried stares between Ryder, me, and then to the babe I cradled. “We don’t need help.” They scurried out, stumbling over one another to evade Ryder’s wrath.
Dristan wailed as I stroked his head, smiling at the miracle we’d created. His eyes were already a soft sky blue, which had a golden outline around them. After clamping his cord off and ensuring it was secure, I cleaned both of us up with magic and slid my legs over the side of the bed. Ryder panicked, holding his palms out while his eyes rounded with worry. His attention lowered to the babe I carried in the crook of my arm.
“You just had a baby, Synthia. Sit back and calm the fuck down for a moment, please?” he pleaded with uncertainty.
“Goddess, remember? It doesn’t hurt anymore.” His mouth opened and closed before a slow smile softened his lips. “I’m a little weary, but already healing, Ryder.”
Ryder’s fingers roved over his son’s cheek as the babe investigated him back just as curiously. Dristan, who seemed infatuated with his father, managed to work his tiny fist against his mouth and began sucking his fingers, making the sweetest little noises.
“He has Dristan’s heartbeat.” Ryder noted, but his words were weighted with pride that had tears burning behind my eyes. “His hair,” he continued, sinking into his chair while he held his hands out. I passed him Dristan, and he held him securely against his chest. The babe looked even tinier against Ryder’s broad, massive chest. “He’s perfect, Synthia.”
“Of course he is, Ryder. He’s ours, and I’d predict nothing less from you than the perfect babes you’ve helped me create. Let’s hope he’s less flirtatious than your brother was.” Golden-colored eyes glistened with delight before returning to take in the sweet boy as the curtain was tugged open.
“Oh, Flower,” Ristan whispered as he moved to stand beside Ryder. “He’s absolutely perfect. You create the most beautiful babies.”
“I helped, asshole.” Ryder grunted, but there was nothing but admiration and love stamped on his face when his gaze collided with mine. “She’s perfect, isn’t she?” he asked, which had his brothers chuckling while they took in Dristan.
The women huddled over him next, and one by one, we introduced our family to our newest, tiniest member. Zander and Cade smiled from the far side of the curtain.
“Come meet your brother, boys,” Ryder ordered, reluctant to surrender his hold on the babe yet. “Your mother is something else.”
The boys moved closer, grinning while they felt Dristan’s full head of wildly colored hair, which was a throng of diverse shades of brown, and light brown blended together. I regarded them as my heart expanded with love, which was dulled solely because Kahleena wasn’t here with us. Ryder’s brilliant stare met mine, as if he, too, felt the piece we were missing.
“Welcome to the tribe, little brother. You’re safe with us,” Cade reported.
Zander chuckled, sliding his finger into Dristan’s grip. “We’ll always protect each other, no matter what, little guy. You’re one lucky boy, you know? We have incredible parents who, while unorthodox, are pretty damn perfect.”
Tears surged in my eyes and rolled freely down my cheeks while they vowed and promised to protect him as Ryder had once done for his brother. Our eyes remained locked together and didn’t lower even as we spoke to the people flooding the room to welcome the babe into the family.
Once everyone had a chance to meet the babe, Ryder brought us to the apartment, where he attended to me while I fed his babe. There was sorrow in him, but there was also hope for a fresh start and a new chance to his vow to the brother he’d lost in the war.
“You realize that now that I’m aware of how smoothly you birth my babies, I plan to produce an army of them, right? It’s the ideal excuse to have you in my bed, squealing my name while I breed your ravenous pussy. You were incredible today, Pet. I love that you’re already healed and ready for me hours after birthing our babies.”
“Breed me?” I snorted, offering him an offended scowl. “You always express the sweetest shit, Fairy. Furthermore, I may have given birth with no help, but that doesn’t mean I’m keen to overlook the discomfort of doing so. You keep your swimmers to yourself for now. After we’ve ended the prick who . . . killed Kahleena, we’ll create an army of babes if you crave them, but not a moment before.”
“I can agree to that.” He smiled, leaning over to look as Dristan eagerly suckled from my nipple. “We didn’t get to do this with the others.”
“No, we didn’t,” I agreed, wincing as the babe clamped down harder on my nipple. The vibrant coloring of his stare was filled with fragments of lime-green specks that mirrored green sandstones.
A tiny hand pressed against my breast, and he made a satisfied sound while suckling. He was smaller than I’d expected, weighing in at a lofty seven pounds and five ounces. Obviously, he’d been offended by his father, brothers, and extended family mentioning how tiny he was and intended to sprout up quickly. The babe made a sound of pleasure, and his vibrant gaze grew heavy with sleep, even though he didn’t stop sucking.