by Layla Silver
I felt tears cascading down my cheeks, or maybe it was sweat, I couldn't tell right now.
Julian laughed and kissed the side of my head. "You did it, sweetheart. Our genie is finally here."
I nodded and laughed too, feeling my eyes sting from the happy tears. But all that sweat from labor was probably somewhere in there too.
"You have a baby girl, congratulations."
Our eyes widened in surprise as the doctor brought our daughter to us.
"Hi, little one," I said in awe, taking in her little form when she was put into my arms, and I placed her on my chest.
Everything about her was so tiny that I worried that she might break if I held her the wrong way. But I knew that she was strong, just like her father.
"She looks just like her mom," Julian said, making me chuckle.
"It's too early to tell. Tomorrow she might look completely different," I told him.
"I'm pretty sure that's called baby swapping."
I laughed. "You'll see."
"Can dad come with us to take care of the chord? We'll just clean her up real quickly, and then you can feed her," a nurse said, and I nodded, letting her do her job.
Julian followed her, and they did what they had to do before bringing back my little girl so that I could breastfeed her. She took to her milk like a pro and was soon out like a light afterwards.
"She's so precious," Julian said in awe, his eyes still on his daughter. "I'm glad it's a girl."
"You would have been glad if it was a boy too," I reminded him, and he laughed.
"You think she came out as a girl just to mess with us?" My mate laughed again and squeezed me gently as I held our daughter. He leaned in to kiss her head.
"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works, but who knows? Our little genie is probably capable of anything," I said as I inhaled her scent.
Our little baby was perfect, and my heart felt complete. I forgot all about the pain I had just been through, knowing that I would go through it all over again just to have her in my arms like this. It was surreal to finally meet the little person who had been residing in my belly for the last better part of a year, and she was exactly all I had ever hoped she would be. Beautiful and all mine.
"She's a lazy baby," Julian laughed, kissing her forehead again.
The baby had just cried once then slept. After the doctors had checked if everything was alright and the nurse had cleaned her up, they let us hold her for a little while.
"Just like her daddy," I teased, feeling the exhaustion begin to catch up with me and I yawned.
"You should rest, they'll take good care of Baby."
I scoffed. "We should have picked a name."
"You were so convinced it was a boy, and you kept suggesting terrible names," he said.
"Well, we'll just keep calling her Baby until we agree on a name," I offered, looking at the little bundle in my arms.
"I will know the first time I look into her eyes."
"Hmm, I guess you can take her now," I said sleepily after looking at her enough to memorize her face for my dreams.
"She really is perfect, isn't she?"
I nodded and felt myself drifting off as Julian chuckled next to me, his warm lips leaving a mark on my forehead. I had everything I could ever want right here in this room. My loving mate and my beautiful child.
"I love you," Julian whispered, making it the last thing I heard before I slept. Just like he did every day.
I wanted to tell him that I loved him too, and Baby. I would just tell them both tomorrow when I woke up. For now, I slept with a smile on my face.
Epilogue – Julian
"Everyone is seated now," Martin said as he walked into the room holding Liana. "Are you ready?"
I nodded and fixed the collar of my shirt one last time even though it was already perfect. I just couldn't help it, I wanted everything to be perfect for April.
"Your daddy is so nervous, yes he is," my friend cooed, making me frown.
I looked at Martin as he threw my daughter in the air, and the little girl giggled with joy as he caught her once more. She had no idea that she could fall, or perhaps she did and was enjoying it nonetheless. My little daredevil.
"Stop looking at me with that evil eye," Martin said without even looking at me.
"How do you even know I'm looking at you with an evil eye? And this is not an evil eye, this is my I-will-kill-you-if-you-drop-my daughter eye."
He chuckled and handed Liana to me before replying. "I have children too, you know? And they are doing just fine."
"Thanks to your mate," I replied, smiling when my daughter giggled as if she understood the joke.
She really did take after me in so many ways, though I wasn’t sure whether that was fortunate or unfortunate. I was loving every second of watching her grow up. I especially loved it when she threw a fuss whenever Jeremiah held her, just like her daddy had told her to. The man still gave me a hard time every once in a while, so I decided it was only fair that little Liana did the same.
"I think you’re teaching her all the wrong things," Martin said with a laugh. "And you should never have taken my advice to name her after yourself."
That had been April's idea actually, but I didn't tell my friend that. After a week of calling our daughter Baby, my mate had complained about how the baby favored me more than her. And how she was going to be just like me when she grew up; a little Juliana in the making. I was not for it, but April had just winked at me and said the J and the U would be silent. I remembered laughing at her antics, but Liana seemed to love her new name and hadn't given April any more trouble after she started calling her that.
We walked out, and I took in the beautiful setting of our mating ceremony. It was now dark outside, which made the soft glow of the hundred candles look so breathtaking. I had never thought I would get to do this, but April had given me so many things I'd never thought I would have. And I was about to promise her that I would spend the rest of my life doing the same for her.
When I got to the end of the aisle, Kenneth stood and gave me a nod of approval. I smiled back at my old friend, grateful that he had welcomed me into his family. The Alpha cleared his throat, and I took my position, facing the entrance.
"May we all rise," Meshack’s strong voice commanded softly.
Everyone obeyed, and I looked at the people closest to us who had come as witnesses to our ceremony. Jeremiah stood next to Kenneth, and I was pleased to see that the man actually looked happy. I supposed I had finally won him over, or maybe Liana had brought us all together. Whatever it was, I was happy to have him present because both my girls loved him, as he did them. Martin and his wife stood on the other side, completing the witness circle as per the mating ceremony requirements. But everyone disappeared the moment April came out and took my breath away for the millionth time since I had bumped into her in that parking lot.
Her dress was white and simple, with embroidery similar to that on my shirt. Only the words were different because somewhere in the beautiful patterns were our vows to each other. Mine were on her dress, and hers were on my shirt. Her mermaid style dress showed off every curve I would definitely be exploring tonight and for the rest of our lives. Old curves I had loved before and new ones she had developed after the birth of our child. Simply put, she was beauty incarnate. I might have held my breath until she got to me, I wasn't sure. In case I passed out, she could bring me back to life with those red lips. Where had she found such a shade anyway and could we get more where that came from? Because it was sinful and I had to clench my fists by my side to stop them from grabbing and kissing her right then.
"Hi," she said with a smile, tucking her long hair behind her ears.
There was a crown of flowers in her hair, and they provided a sweet scent that was in contrast with her natural, sexy one. I might have growled because she laughed, taking my hand in hers.
"Behave," she whispered, then winked.
The Alpha cleared his throat once
more, and we faced him to allow him to do his job.
"It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to this ceremony. As with our fathers before us and theirs before them, this is one of the greatest steps a shifter can take in their lives. A mating bond is for life, and we do not take our gathering here today lightly."
I nodded at his words and saw April doing the same.
"Is the Circle of Four present?" he asked, and every one of our witnesses answered in a uniform 'yes.' "Do the witnesses present here acknowledge that these two enter into this union of their own free will?"
Another chorus of agreement.
"And do the witnesses consent to giving their blessing as is our tradition, to support and encourage the pair as they begin this journey?" Meshack asked the final question, to which the witnesses agreed once more.
"Very well, the Circle of Four may sit down," he said.
"Four and a half, it seems," I laughed along with everyone, looking at Liana who had just burped.
"With the power vested in me by the laws of our people: I give you the blessing of the witnesses on behalf of the pack, and I give you the blessing of the Alpha on behalf of our fathers. You may exchange your vows, April may go first."
She took a deep breath, and I smiled, squeezing her hand.
"I love you, Julian Rollett." She stopped for a moment and looked at me with all the love she felt. "It seems as if everything around us conspired to bring you into my life, and I will forever be grateful. You make me so happy that sometimes I worry if I can ever give you as much as you give me. And you gave me the greatest gift in my life; you gave me our child."
"Keep talking like that, and I'll give you many more," I said in the lowest voice I could manage, making her chuckle.
"I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and the family you have given me. I want to laugh at your silly jokes and shake my head at you when you are being impossible. I want to learn new things with you and give you the best parts of me. Because you have given me your heart, and that is the best part of you. I will cherish and protect it as if it were mine, and I can't wait to start forever with you."
I felt as if I could cry at that moment because this woman was all mine. For reasons I still had to understand, she loved me. And she wanted to do that for the rest of her life.
"Wow, now everyone is going to be so disappointed with my vows," I sighed, making everyone laugh.
"April Grant, you made my dreams come true before I even dreamt them. You gave me something I never knew I needed, and you granted every wish I had never dared making for myself. I will probably never deserve you in this life or the next, but I will die trying. I give you my past, my present, and my future; I give you all that I am. If I ever find a way to give you more than that, believe me, I will. Because you deserve it all; you deserve every good thing."
I stopped and looked into her beautiful eyes for a moment before continuing. "I didn't know what love was until I met you. I didn't know that love had green eyes and a lovely sense of humor. I didn't know that it was kind and brilliant and never gave up on trying out new things. I didn't know that it could be strong and worth fighting for. I didn't know that for me, love was you, April. Love is you, and love will always be you and the family you have given me."
She pulled me in for a kiss right then, and I smiled against her lips when I heard the Alpha mumble something about how we were made for each other. He had no idea just how much. I grinned as I finally pulled away, licking my lips to savor her fruit-flavored lipstick.
"May the witnesses come forward," he said and took Liana into his arms so that Kenneth could link his hands with the other witnesses.
We knelt down, and the four formed a small circle around us. They all said blessings, and we smiled through it all. When they were done, the Alpha gave our daughter back to her grandfather, and I could tell that she was just about to fall asleep. Good thing the ceremony was almost over and getting to my favorite part. Judging by the look on my mate's face, it was going to be her favorite part too.
"With all the steps fulfilled, you may now kiss your mate. Again."
April laughed, and I leaned in for a quick kiss this time.
"Congratulations to you both." The Alpha smiled, then nodded to the woods. "You may run."
I grinned and took my mate's hand in mine. We ran until we couldn't see the glow of the candles anymore, and we laughed like carefree children, finally collapsing into each other's arms.
"Are you ready for this?" I whispered into her ear, pressing soft kisses against her neck where my mark would be. The final seal to our mating.
"I have been ready for months now," she smiled, showing me her still sharp teeth.
I growled and bit her skin gently. "You will be the death of me."
"Well, don't die before I've had my way with you," April laughed, starting to undo my shirt.
I helped her out of her dress and undergarments and just marveled at her beauty in the moonlight. It almost distracted me from what I had to do now; almost. I leaned in to kiss her tempting red lips once more before moving to the left side of her neck and marking her gently. I held her as she stilled in my arms, then shook with the pleasure of her release. I whispered how much I loved her and rocked her gently until she recovered enough to return the favor.
"I love you," she said, kissing the mark she had just put on me and making me shiver with pleasure.
"I love you," I said with a wink. "And I love this whole bonding thing, can't wait to do it again."
"And again?" She laughed, making me nod.
"For the rest of our lives, sweetheart. Now, will you run with me?"
April looked at me for the longest time as if trying to make sure that this was really happening. I felt the same way, but now I had her mark to always remind me.
"Always," she finally replied.
We both shifted, and for the first time as we ran, I let her win.
THE END
Hi lovely! Thanks so much for reading Julian and April’s story. I hope you enjoyed it. Would you like to read Dakota and Lincoln’s story too? Then be sure to…
Read book 2 of the “Shifter Surrogate Agency” Series:
The Bear’s Surrogate
Cruel, cruel man.
I’m alone in the big bad city.
I’ve run away from home, straight into him.
His devastatingly good looks and gorgeous smile floor me immediately.
He’s cut for the gods, and there’s something primal about him.
Something possessive…
He fixed my car, but I want him to fix my life, too.
I want his strong arms around me to protect me from the danger that’s coming.
I want to soothe that haunted look in his eyes and heal his shattered heart.
There’s just this tiny little thing standing between us.
There’s a little cub right here in my belly.
I’m a surrogate for a stranger.
We can’t be together.
I can’t see him again.
But just when I think of all the things I can’t …
A Bear is about to show me that I can.
Read “The Bear’s Surrogate” now
About the Author
Hi there! I’m Layla Silver, and I’m so happy to see you here :) I’m a mom of three adorable kids and after all these years, still wildly in love with my awesome and hard-working husband. I LOVE to write about hot shifters, whether Wolves, Bears, or Dragons, who are looking for their mates and will do anything to protect them no matter what comes their way. When I’m not writing or spending time with my family (which is pretty rare, but I’m not complaining!), I like to be in the mountains chasing paranormal dreams.
Check out my author page on Amazon and click “Follow” to get updates on new releases.
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Books by Layla Silver
“Shifter Surrogate Agency” Series
What's a very
hot shifter to do if he hasn't found his mate yet but can't wait to have a baby? Go to the Shifter Surrogate Agency of course, where he might just get more than he bargained for...
Each book in the series is a standalone story with a guaranteed HEA.
The Wolf’s Surrogate
The Bear’s Surrogate
The Alpha’s Surrogate
The Lion’ Surrogate
The Dragon’s Surrogate