“You can and you will. You’re not going anywhere, and your brothers can join you in a few moments. Now, set her down.”
Raine whimpered and clutched at him as he kneeled and placed her gently on the floor. The pelt she wore was wet with fluid and cooling quickly; helpful hands stripped it off and gently removed the hoody, shirt and pants she wore beneath. Fingers attacked the laces on her boots, took off her socks, and to her surprise, she found the room warm.
“Over there, Quinn, and keep quiet. This is Raine’s time and you haven’t given her much to play with.” Tiny hands stroked the hair back from Raine’s sweaty forehead and she blinked at the tiny redheaded female who smiled sweetly at her. Amber eyes similar to Cabhan’s expressed every emotion. “Okay, honey, this is not the way we’d planned this to go for you. Rom and I are friends with your mates, have been for a long time, so you’re safe here. Your pups will be safe. This space,” she gestured to the room around them, “is for you if you like it. They’ve left you too long without a nest, and you need one now.”
What she needed was an epidural, morphine and a C-section, stat.
“Anything you need, we can get. Quinn is in the corner, Dubhlainn and Finn are downstairs talking to Romulus. If you need me, you shout. I won’t be far away.”
“I don’t understand.”
Brenna patted her hand, rubbed it. “Dubhlainn asked Romulus if he could bring his pack under the protection of the werewolves in exchange for working with us. Your mates might be shifters but they’re wolves at heart. We don’t turn away our own.”
“I-I’m human.”
“I know, as was I once. Still, this is your home now, your family now, if you wish it.” Brenna winced as Raine’s fingers caught hers in a death grip. “Breathe, honey, just breathe. Pant through it, I know it hurts.”
“Fuck!” Raine whined and curled into an awkward ball.
“It won’t be much longer. Make your nest as best you can, then I’ll come check and see how far dilated you are. The way those contractions are coming, you won’t have to wait long to meet your pups.” Brenna rose and slipped away.
Raine looked around in a panic. The room was warm, the walls a soft yellow flickering in the glow of candlelight. Several candles were set in sconces around the walls, making it cozy even though there was an electric light in the ceiling. Piles and piles of cloth were everywhere.
Whimpering softly to herself, Raine crawled to the nearest heap and plucked out one piece of material, then another. Ferrying back and forth to the far corner, doubling over between contractions, Raine built a nest without thinking of where she placed each pillow, each duvet and quilt. She just did it, adjusting kinks that looked out of place, fluffing others.
“How long has she been at this now?” Dubh murmured.
Her ears pricked up as she finished the safe place. Casting a critical eye over the mound of fabrics, she crawled into it and rubbed herself over every inch, but it still didn’t smell right. On a frustrated huff, she stomped out and over to the corner where Dubhlainn held a muttered conversation with his brothers.
She grabbed their hands and dragged them silently to the nest, pushing at them until they got in and immediately filled her sanctuary with their scent. Growling to herself, she wriggled between them and blew out a long breath.
Yes, this was so much better.
For a while she laid there, anticipating the tightening of her stomach muscles and panting through them. Wondering what her babies would like, whether she’d be a good mother or not, all manner of questions until pain eradicated all thoughts in her head and she was screaming through gritted teeth.
Voices all around her, hands touching and petting, wiping away the sweat forming everywhere. Body contorting, mind twisting into madness.
“You’re doing so well, Raine. Just one big push for me now, honey. One big push and you can meet your firstborn.” Brenna’s voice was distant, swirling through the fog of her brain, but Raine listened and she obeyed.
Muscles strained, screams became soundless whines, until she flopped back exhausted and the faint cries of an infant drowned out everything but maternal instincts.
She reached blindly toward the sound, eyes fluttering open to see a sleek, slimy black bundle being roughly toweled off in slender hands. It mewled, tiny pink mouth seeking what only she could give it.
“Mine?” she asked wondrously.
Dubhlainn’s voice was suspiciously choked as he pressed a kiss to her temple. “Yes, precious, all yours.”
Brenna handed the pup to Quinn first, who looked like he had tears shining in his eyes. He held it up to eye level and nodded. “This was meant to be, sweetheart. This...this is all us. Our destiny full circle.” Gently, he laid the pup on her chest, guiding her hands to it and helping her settle it against her breast.
“One little boy safe and sound,” Brenna said brightly. “Let’s see who’s next, shall we?”
Raine’s heart swelled. A boy. A beautiful little boy with a pelt as black as any of his fathers. She winced as he latched onto her nipple, sucking fiercely and sending indescribable sensations coursing through her, followed swiftly by another vicious contraction. “Ah fuck, not again, not so soon!”
“Sorry honey, once they start, they rarely hang about.”
Raine groped for her son as he was lifted free of her breast, her instincts kicking in as he protested loudly. Prepared to fight to the death for him, she found herself torn between the fight and the pain.
Our son is in Finn’s hands, precious. He is right beside you. Relax and breathe, focus on bringing our next pup to the world. No one will hurt you here.
She was in a world of hurt, worse than taking the knot. She keened loudly as she grabbed the hands supporting her, almost breaking bones as she bore down on Brenna’s orders. She was too tired to push anymore, and her son was crying for her.
“There you go, Quinn. Get your second son dried off and let momma say hello.”
“T-Two? Two boys?” she croaked.
“Two beautiful black-pelted sons, honey. Absolutely gorgeous. Dubh, why don’t you give Raine a little bit of that ice? Not too much, I’m fairly certain we’ll be heading for round three before too long.”
Cold moisture ran over her lips, dripped onto her tongue as another tiny mouth nuzzled at her breast. Two pups crying for her, wailing in tandem. “No. No, three’s too many. Keep that one in there.”
Brenna laughed and squeezed Raine’s upraised knee. “It’ll be over with soon enough, I promise. I know you’re exhausted but we’ll get you settled with the pups just as soon as we can.”
Raine ran her fingers over the damp fur of the pup on her chest and wished she could go to sleep with her sons on her breast and her wolves around her. Anything else seemed far too taxing to contemplate, but her body had other ideas. It didn’t seem like five minutes passed before Brenna was once again telling her to break her body’s limits and push.
“I can’t!” Raine sobbed. “I can’t fucking push anymore!”
“You can, honey, I promise. One more, one big one.”
“Fuck you! Fuck all of you!” Weeping as she obeyed, Raine screamed the words.
“Good girl, all done now. All done, and look, you have a very pretty little girl to show for it. Here you go, daddy.” Brenna passed the bundle to Quinn who dutifully rubbed it briskly, his eyes wide with surprise.
“What? What’s wrong with her?”
Quinn’s eyes lifted and he shook his head. “Nothing, sweetheart. She is absolutely perfect. I’ve never seen anything like her.” He held her up, a squalling little lump of attitude already squirming energetically in his fingers. Her pelt was the color of a blood rose, such a dark red it held a black sheen. But a redhead she was. “I’d say she’s her mother’s daughter.”
Overwhelmed, Raine reached for her daughter, her sons. Quinn passed her the little girl, Dubhlainn the firstborn son and Finn pressed a gentle kiss to the soft head of their second son before laying him down with his s
iblings.
“We should name them,” Finn murmured, his attention riveted by their second born. “How are we supposed to name them?”
“They’re part of you,” Raine said quietly. “You should name them.”
Dubh reached over her shoulder, ran a fingertip down the line of his heir’s spine. He chuckled when the pup grumbled and rooted for her nipple. “They’re part of us all, precious. But I like Carrick for this one. An Alpha needs a strong name to lead his people, and he will lead ours one day.”
She could live with Carrick, she decided. Actually quite liked the ring of it. And it did have the power of an Alpha. She smiled and ran a finger along his nose. “Carrick. Yes, I like that. Finn, do you have a name in mind for this one?” She switched her touch to the little male her youngest lover was fascinated with.
“Faolan,” he said with a smile so sweet he made her heart ache. “It means wolf.”
Well, she couldn’t argue with that, could she? She laughed softly, hissed as her ravaged body protested. She barely noticed Brenna between her legs, but when she did, she chose to ignore her. There were more important things to worry about.
“Okay, Carrick and Faolan. Quinn?”
He picked up the little girl with the unusual coat and nearly had his fingers gummed for the trouble. “Neala. For she’s a female champion if ever there was one. She’ll be a fighter like her mother, maybe with the cooler head of her fathers, but there’s no doubt she’ll take the world for one hell of a ride.”
An hour passed with Brenna doing what she needed to, and Raine learning how to attach one pup, detach another without pulling her nipples off. By the time the pups were fed and asleep, Neala with Quinn and Faolan with Finn, Raine was struggling to keep her eyes open.
Carrick slept on her chest, snuggled between her breasts while she rested in the cradle of Dubhlainn’s limbs. He stroked the pup quietly, lost in thought as she drifted, so completely exhausted and yet unbelievably content. When she whimpered in discomfort, she wasn’t alone.
Arms came around her from all sides, her wolves comforting her as the life she never dreamed she wanted came to full fruition. Monsters who hungered for her, guardians who loved and treasured her, and wolves who knew the meaning of mating for life.
The End
Other Works by Kay Elle Parker:
Limitless Series:
Crossed Wires - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074RCSKG4
Snapped Wires - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078JJZ7LM
Hangman’s Haunt Series:
Wild - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1980350965
Nocturnal - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1980655650
Eclipsed - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXPH3CQ
Sanctuary (coming Spring 2019)
Heaven and Hell Duet:
Damnation (2019)
Absolution (2019)
Club Dubh Grá Series (BDSM):
Tongue Tied – Book 1 (Spring 2019)
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