Saving Cinder

by Maggie Hemlock

  “I don’t see anything,” I frowned.

  “Hold on. Sometimes Baby is hard to see at the first ultrasound, but I’ve spotted him. Let me zoom in and I’ll give you guys a peek.”

  “Him? Can you tell it’s a boy already?” I asked.

  “Sorry. I always gender babies. Don’t worry. I’m usually wrong. It’s a running joke at the clinic.”

  The screen zoomed in on one small part of my womb and our little jellybean came into view. My breath caught in my throat. I never thought I’d live to see the day a life grew in my womb.

  “There’s our baby,” Seth whispered to me.

  “Can I ask a weird question?” I asked the doctor.

  “You can ask me anything you like. I’m almost certain I’ve heard them all before.” He chuckled.

  “The baby isn’t big enough to have fur yet. So, how are they upsetting my fire?” I asked.

  “The cells for fur and hair are all there. It’s a little different than the cells that make up scales. The fire just gets a little irritated.”

  “Will it hurt my baby?” The air caught in my lungs.

  “No, not at all.” Doctor Christopher quickly shook his head. “It’ll just make your morning sickness and indigestion a little worse than if you were carrying an egg.”

  “Okay.” I looked at Seth.

  “It’s going to be okay.” He squeezed my hand.

  “I’ll just print you guys some photos and leave you some vitamins and fire-soothing tablets. Then I’ll get out of your hair.”

  “Thank you for coming all the way out here.” I grinned.

  “We’re going to be daddies,” Seth whispered in my ear as the doctor left.

  “We are. I’m holding the proof.” I couldn’t stop looking at the ultrasound printouts. “I don’t want to call anyone just yet. I want to spend a while just looking at these.”

  “We can do whatever you want,” Seth settled in behind me on the sofa and held me close.

  “We’re good, right?” I asked him.

  “Why wouldn’t we be?” Seth laughed.

  “I don’t know. I just… We’re on the same page with this, right?”

  “I’m ecstatic. Between when Stacy died and when we met, I never imagined kids in my life. Those were crazy years. Now, this is us.”

  Cookie jumped onto our feet as if she thought we spoke of her.

  “She’s going to be a big sister now,” Seth grinned.

  “We’re a family now.”

  “Don’t be silly. We’ve been a family since the day I dumped fish guts on Reggie.” Seth laughed.

  “My hero,” I looked down at the medal.

  “Just mine.” Seth said and kissed me hard.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Seth

  Congratulatory cards and e-mails came in from around the globe. Most were from people we never met. Of course, Cinder’s big baby announcement video might’ve had something to do with that. Along with cards came gifts and gift cards. Before it became too much to manage, we asked our followers to send their gifts and donations to their favorite charities.

  We kept the handmade personalized items and donated anything we had double or more of. We still did a lot of online shopping for clothes and trinkets for our baby. It was impossible not to think about the little person about to enter the world helpless and totally reliant on us.

  A week passed and everyone knew we were expecting. Carter was already the doting grandfather who called every afternoon to ask if his grandchild needed anything.

  “A visit from his grandpa,” was always Cinder’s answer.

  Lars called more often too. It all made me wonder how my parents would have reacted when Rhett’s children were born. They’d be surprised I had kids at all. I pushed the thoughts away, because those thoughts often led to the need of a meeting and the island still didn’t have those.

  “Stay in the moment,” my wolf nudged my ribs.

  One week before our wedding, Cinder’s pregnancy cravings really kicked in. Gone was his random all-day sickness which left him tired and less than enthusiastic about being the host to a pup. He never complained, but I knew all the stomach problems made him miserable. He ate through bottles of fire-soothing tablets and gallons of ice cream. They helped, but not as much as I hoped they would.

  The first morning he woke up without darting into the bathroom I heaved a sigh of relief. We wanted a baby and morning sickness was part of the parcel, but I still felt a bit guilty for making him so sick.

  “How about chocolate ice cream and french fries or we could do strawberry ice cream on top of steak. Actually, can I get both?” Cinder asked.

  “You can have anything I can get my hands on.”

  “Then add a milkshake to the order too.” He laughed.

  The local restaurants were good about not questioning the strange orders we placed throughout the day. We cooked at home as much as we could, but more often than not Cinder was in the mood to order out. We both quit coffee for the baby. Cinder didn’t guilt me into it, but I didn’t want to feel as if I was lording my ability to drink coffee over him. Especially, since he gave up one of his favorite drinks for the sake of our baby. Caffeine withdrawal left us both dragging ass for the first few weeks and ordering out was just plain easier.

  Our routine didn’t change much from the outside after we discovered our baby. We still shared all our meals and spent as much time together as possible. Together we worked on stock piling blog posts for when it was time to take a break and focus on our little bundle of joy. Cinder stockpiled a few prerecorded videos too.

  Each day we did a little something to get ready for the baby. We put the crib together and decorated the nursery. We took turns scouring the house and moving sharp objects to high shelves. We bought covers for all the outlets and locks for all the bottom cabinets in the kitchen. I crawled around on the floor checking for lost objects under furniture that our pup could find and choke on. Then I had Brendan come in and cast unchewable charms on our wooden furniture. My parents loved telling the story of how I chewed through the leg of Dad’s favorite armchair one day while he napped in it. According to them the chair toppled nearly killing us both. I didn’t remember anything of the day in question.

  “I think the house is safe enough for every baby in the world to come and visit,” Cinder plopped down on the sofa one day after dinner. “Really, Alpha. I think we got everything.”

  “I just want to make sure we’re ready,” I said and stretched out next to him.

  I ran my fingers over the smooth flesh of his stomach. It was still a little too soon for him to show, but from all the books we read I knew he’d start to show any day now.

  “You fight dragons and elves without batting an eye, but a baby sends you into a frenzy,” Cinder laughed.

  “Being responsible for not fucking up a little person scares the shit out of me. I mean, therapists always blame the parents.”

  “Therapists?” Cinder asked.

  “In rehab, my therapists said my parents favored Rhett over me and that’s why I turned to addiction. They were full of shit, though. I turned to addiction after Stacy died.”

  “I don’t think we’ll fuck our kids up. We’re pretty normal. They’ll get to see the world with us, but always have a place to call home. They’ll speak multiple languages and taste food from different cultures. They’ll have their cousins to grow up with too.”

  “I know they’ll be okay, but my wolf isn’t going to rest until the den is secure.”

  “The den’s secure, Wolfie,” he laughed and playfully scratched behind my ear.

  Unable to resist, I leaned into his hand and let the tingles travel over my body.

  “I didn’t think that would work,” Cinder laughed.

  “Me neither.” I stole a kiss.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Cinder

  Each morning I examined my stomach for signs of growth. Day-by-day nothing changed. Then overnight, I had the first slightest hint of a
baby bump. When I turned to the side, I could barely see it. Shifter pregnancies were shorter than their human counterparts. Just three to four months in most cases. Eggs on the other hand could take longer or shorter. They weren’t as predictable, because it was impossible to see inside the egg. Our little pup would grow at the average rate for a wolf cub. Thoughts of the baby filled my thoughts day in and day out. I lay awake at night wondering how their soft little coos would sound. I traced hearts and stars over my stomach praying the baby knew they were wanted more than anyone had ever been wanted in the history of shifterkind.

  During the day, Seth doted on me even more than before. It’d be a lie to say I didn’t like it. His close proximity soothed my worries and eased the effects of my hormones. My dragon tucked his head under his wing and slept soundly without Alpha around.

  “How’s our baby?” Seth asked arriving home from the dock to pick up my parents.

  My knees shook at the thought of Carter and Dad on the same boat. Sure, Augustus was a thing of the past, but I didn’t want our little wedding overshadowed by their history. I didn’t want Dad to worry about the past when the future lay in front of our whole family with so many possibilities.

  “Hungry as always.”

  “I wasn’t talking about Cookie,” he stole a kiss and whispered in my ear. “Your dad has a kid with him. He’s adopted a little girl.”

  “What?” I blinked.

  “That doesn’t make sense. He hasn’t been away long enough to have a baby. Who would he even have a baby with?” My dragon stood up and sniffed around searching out the strange scent accompanying that of my parents’.

  “Smile. They’re right on my heels,” said Seth.

  I plastered a smile on my face and walked into the living room. Carter stood outside the open door as if he waited for us to invite him inside. Dad sat on the sofa with a dark-haired little girl on his lap.

  “Aren’t you cute?” I smiled.

  “This is your big brother, baby,” Dad told her softly.

  “Cindy!” She cheered.

  “Cinder,” I corrected her.

  “She has trouble with her er sounds. She’s in speech therapy at preschool. She’ll get the hang of it soon. Want to tell your brother your name?” He asked the little girl.

  “I’m Dori,” she said and turned to hide her face in Dad’s chest.

  “Hi, Dori,” I said and shot Dad a look that said I needed a little more explanation to know what was going on.

  “She’s your little sister, Cinder.” He laughed and then whispered something to Dori.

  She slid from his lap and raced into the kitchen. “PUPPY!” She shouted a moment later. Cookie barked something in return that I liked to think was “MUNCHKIN!”

  “You can come in,” I glanced at Carter. “We haven’t started biting since you were last here.”

  “In here, Carter!” Seth saved the day by calling from the kitchen.

  Carter disappeared into the kitchen and Dad let out a sigh of relief. Tension visibly left his shoulders and he resumed his normally relaxed posture.

  “Take a load off,” Dad patted the spot next to him on the sofa.

  I sat down next to him and waited for answers.

  “You could’ve warned me that Carter was coming.”

  “He’s my father. You didn’t think I’d invite him?” I sighed.

  “I didn’t know how close you two had gotten. He’s already friends with your mate.”

  “Actually, they already knew each other before I met Seth.”

  “Oh.” Dad crossed his legs.

  “What’s going on? Are you okay? Is this a mid-life crisis? I mean, I didn’t tell you I was talking to Carter, because I didn’t want to upset you, but you haven’t told me everything either, have you?” I asked.

  “Dori’s four. She was left at a firehouse as a baby. Everyone thought her parents didn’t want her. They were only half right. Her father didn’t want her because she wasn’t a vampire. Her carrier was dead before she turned four months old. She was born in one of those dirty stateside breeding farms. She lived in a children’s home near Hemlock Mountain. I started volunteering there, because someone told me getting out of my own head would help. It did. They treated the children so well there, but it’s not the same as having a family. I fell in love with Dori the first day I met her. She’s so sweet, Cinder. You’re going to love her. Now, Dori and I are figuring out how to get over our pasts together.”

  “Are you happy?” I asked him.

  “I’m getting there. I have the second baby I always wanted. Later than I hoped. Too late to grow up with you,” he tasseled my hair. “But just in time for Dori. I’m going to be a grandfather. I get to watch my son on the internet. I’m happyish. I just need more time to get all the way there. The little lioness helps with that.”

  “That’s why I couldn’t scent her. I don’t think I’ve ever met a lion.”

  “She’s a sweet little girl.”

  “Dori seems really sweet. I’m so glad you two found each other, but I need you to do something for me.

  “What’s that, baby?” He searched me for signs of ill health.

  “I need you to talk to Carter,” I said before I chickened out.

  “Honey, that was so long ago…” Dad’s words trailed off.

  “I’m not playing matchmaker. I’d like it if you guys were okay with being around each other. There are going to be other events I invite you both to and I want you guys to be able to enjoy them without avoiding each other. He wouldn’t even come inside with you here until I told him to.”

  “Cinder, that was a long time ago. I don’t know what to say to him. I was young and stupid. I know I wrecked his life and nearly got you killed too. I know that. I’m trying to make up for it with Dori.”

  “You didn’t nearly get me killed. Reggie almost killed me because he was a psycho.”

  “You wouldn’t have… Never mind. It’s complicated.” Dad stood up and called for Dori.

  “Dad, don’t,” I hissed under my breath. “You came for my wedding.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. I just…” He couldn’t find the words to finish.

  Dori raced back into the living room with Cookie on her heels. They both climbed into Dad’s lap when he sat back down.

  Clarence and Medwin were the next guests to arrive. Then Rhett and Brendan. Soon our home was full of people we vaguely knew from restaurants and shops. The wedding reception was still tiny compared to the last one when the whole Moonscale Flight turned up.

  I made the rounds careful to keep a smile on my face.

  “Congratulations,” Carter said when I walked into the kitchen exhausted.

  “Thanks,” I hugged him hello. “Sorry, it’s taken me a bit to get in here. I didn’t realize how many people we invited. I swear, the whole island is here. How have you been?”

  “I’m fine. What about you and my grandbaby?” He grinned.

  “We’re okay. A little stressed, but that’s just wedding jitters.”

  “Wedding jitters or crowd jitters?” Carter asked.

  “Is it that obvious I hate crowds?” I laughed.

  “Family trait.” Carter shrugged.

  “I know Dad’s acting weird, but don’t let him ruin your good time. You’re just as welcome here as he is and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

  “Thanks. I’m just staying out of his way.” He looked down at the floor.

  “Don’t, because I don’t want you hiding at the back of this wedding. I want you front and center celebrating with the rest.”

  “I don’t know if I should apologize to him or what.”

  “Apologize to him? He’s the one who lied and….” I bit my tongue, so I didn’t roar.

  “We were kids.” Carter shrugged.

  “Cinder, where are the ultrasound photos?” Seth called from the living room.

  “Come on,” I tugged his arm. “Come join the party. You aren’t the caterer.”

  “Alpha, mak
e them play nice. I don’t know what to do,” I tugged at Seth over our mating link.

  “Me neither, mate. Carter’s hardheaded. He doesn’t want to make Lars feel uncomfortable. They have history. It’s something they have to figure out together.”

  “I still haven’t told Dad Carter’s giving me away like he should’ve at my first wedding.”

  “It’s your day. I will move mountains to make it perfect, but I’m not telling Lars that,” Seth laughed.

  “That’s fair enough, but still I don’t want to either.”

  “Then don’t. He’ll figure it out soon enough. I mean, who else is going to do it? Clarence?”

  “Families shouldn’t be this complicated.”

  “We can do it ass backwards and have Rhett give me to you,” Seth teased.

  ***

  The next morning my hands shook as I straightened my tie. Seth and I played around with the idea of getting married in t-shirts and jeans but decided against it in the end. Eventually our children would look through a wedding album and we wanted them to have something to cherish. Sure, jeans were comfy, but suits made for a better photo. Besides, anything was better than the heavy wedding robes omega Moonscales were supposed to wear.

  Seth was still in the shower when someone knocked on the front door.

  “Just a minute!” I called and ran my fingers through my hair.

  “Probably someone else coming to tell us we’re getting married wrong, because we spent the night before the wedding together,” my dragon rolled his eyes.

  I sniffed the air and Dad’s scent hit me. Cringing I made my way to the door hoping he hadn’t changed his mind about coming to the wedding. I still hadn’t told him about Carter giving me away. Had someone else beat me to it?

  “Good morning,” I smiled opening the door.

  “Good morning,” Carter said.

  “Oh. Wow. Is everything okay?” I asked looking from Carter to Dad holding a sleeping Dori.

  Butterflies erupted in my stomach. I swallowed hard and gripped the doorknob.