Page 53 of Rejected Wolf

Days?!To be honest, I’d spent most of my time reading the baby books focusing on the chapters of what could go wrong, instead of what I could expect. I turned around tolook for Vesta, but she was still sitting in the grass, a soft smile on her face. Next, I looked down at Pax who was crouched down beside us picking wildflowers. “Hey, Pax. Do you know when the baby is coming?”

He looked up at me with his wide, blue eyes, his brow furrowed as he thought about what I’d asked. “Um, today?” His shrug didn’t help me believe him.

What did help? Morgan gasping and tensing in my arms, before a warm liquid began to drip down my torso. “Please tell me you didn’t just pee on me,” I groaned.

“No, but I think my water just broke.” Morgan gave me an apologetic smile, and I couldn’t have loved him more than in this moment.

This seemed to be the catalyst to jumpstart his labor in earnest. As his contractions built in strength and grew closer together, it seemed that Pax’s prediction might just be true. Morgan walked laps around the camp to help the baby along, and before dark, he was ready to push.

Pax had barely left Morgan’s side, babbling excitedly, only half of which I could understand. He seemed to think he was going to help, but as quickly as he was advancing in his studies, I wasn’t quite ready to let the toddler deliver our baby.

“Come on, Pax. Time for bedtime,” Dylan said, coming to our cabin to retrieve his son.

Pax’s face scrunched up in an angry scowl. “No!” he shouted. “I helping!”

Dylan tried for a little tough love, carrying Pax out, but the child began to thrash. Tristan was called in as backup, but finally, an exhausted Morgan panted out, “Maybe we can find him a job?”

Dylan reluctantly gave in, mostly because we couldn’t tell if it was toddler stubbornness or fate guiding his actions, but I heard him whisper to Tristan, “When did he get so excited about becoming a midwife?” It was the first birth in our pack since Pax himself was born, but if this was a sign of things to come, he would be trained up and taking over in no time.

Vesta gave Pax a little bowl with some pungent oil in it so that he could rub it all over Morgan’s belly, “To ease the pain,” she claimed. Needless to say, it got a little messy, with a toddler essentially finger-painting all over Morgan’s belly and chest, and eventually his face too. The pup was very focused on the task, and it kept Morgan distracted too.

We’d started off with a bit of an audience, but one by one, the others left us. I held my mate’s hand throughout, offering him encouragement, and Pax held his other hand with the ferocity of a young wolf. Considering it was past his bedtime, I was surprised he seemed determined to stay.

Morgan bore down whenever Vesta told him to push, and all of the fear and worry I’d had about complications disappeared. My omega was bold and brave and absolutely incredible. I was in awe of him.

Just before midnight, our beautiful daughter was born. She had a full head of dark hair and a strong set of lungs. As she gave her first cry, I heard an echoing cheer of celebration from outside, welcoming our newest pack member and congratulating Morgan on a job well done.

Pax kissed Morgan’s forehead then crawled off the bed, going to see the baby, but he looked ready for bed now that the excitement was over. Vesta held our daughter up for me to snip the cord with one extended claw, and then she cleaned her up and set her gently on Morgan’s chest for her first feed.

“She’s so beautiful,” Morgan said, happy tears straining his cheeks.

“She is,” I agreed, draping a soft blanket over them both before cuddling in as close as I could get. I wanted to imprint her warm scent in my memory, almost a nutty fragrance, like roasted chestnuts. “What should we call her?” We hadn’t even picked out names because Morgan had said he wanted to see the baby first.

“I was thinking… Jesse,” he suggested, peeking up at me through his lashes as he bit his lower lip, waiting for my reaction.

My eyebrows jumped. “After my father?”

“Yeah. I was just thinking about how brave and resilient he was to persevere, and I figure he’ll make a pretty great role model for our child. Do you think he would mind?”

I smiled gently, settling my head on Morgan’s shoulder so I could watch our baby. “Not at all, I think it’s perfect.” I traced my fingertip over her delicate hand. “Welcome to the world, Jesse.”

“And welcome to the Grim Wilds pack,” Morgan added, tilting his chin up to me for a kiss.

Chapter 22

Morgan

It was December 21,which turned out was a pretty big deal in the Grim Wilds pack. The winter solstice was a time of magic and spiritual energy, but all I could think was… “It’s almost Christmas!”

“Yes, Morgan. You may have mentioned it once or twice.” Tara rolled her eyes at my abundance of enthusiasm, but she was smiling.

“Well, I think it’s nice.” Sasha beamed up at me from the lounger Tara had set up for him near the bonfire. Months later, he was still limping, but the fact that he was able to walk at all seemed like a miracle to me. Tara had barely left his side this whole time. They might not have been fated mates, but I could see a bond forming between them all the same.

Even though I was the only one in the pack who celebrated the holiday, it was one part of being human that I wasn’t willing to give up. Sure, some could argue that it had become a commercialized holiday, but that wasn’t why I loved it. It was the sheer joy and anticipation that vibrated through the air leading up to a full day of time with family and friends, good food, and yes, presents. I didn’t exactly have a lot of money, but Sasha had been teaching me to knit in secret, and I’d made everyone matching slippers. I couldn’t wait to see their faces when they opened them!

I’d strung garlands around the chicken coop, draped tinsel on the eaves, and hung a wreath on our front door—not to mention, the tree I’d decided was our pack’s designated Christmas tree was practically bowing under the weight of all the home-made decorations I’d adorned it with. I’d put the kids to work making popcorn garlands and gluing googly eyes to pinecones.

The others were all playing along, smiling and nodding, like I was some kind of novelty, but I would bring them over to my side yet.