Winterstoke Wolves Collection : An MM Mpreg Shifter Romance Bundle

by Sasha Silsbury

  “You’re too far along: almost seven centimeters dilated. You’ll more likely end up giving birth at the side of the road, long before we get there,” Jax takes his hand and squeezes it. “You’re doing amazing, and labor progressing this quickly is usually a good thing. Statistically, that cub is almost certainly going to just pop right out without giving us any trouble.”

  Cal wants to smack him. The cub might not be giving Jax any trouble, but Cal is hurting like hell. Where the hell is Luke?

  Once again, Jax appears to read his mind. “He’s on his way. Adam said he left town half an hour ago. I tried calling but it just went to voicemail. He’s probably in one of the deadspots on the road.”

  “Yaaaaaah,” Cal shouts by way of a response as another enormous contraction washes over him. His vision fades as he goes cross-eyed with pain. He’s only half aware of Jax squeaking as Cal squeezes his hand through it. The contraction fades slowly, and he finds himself panting hard with the effort.

  Jax pulls his hand away and shakes it at his side. “They’re getting closer. Luke better turn up soon or he’s going to miss it. You talked names yet?” Jax says, trying to distract him.

  Cal manages a smile through pants. “A few. Nothing settled. We’re going to see what she looks like first.”

  The other omega laughs. “Ha! Well, let’s hope she takes after you, pretty boy, and not my lumbering oaf of a brother.”

  “I heard that,” Luke says, walking into the room.

  His eyes settle on Cal, and Cal can see him taking stock, giving Cal a visual check from scalp to toe, making sure that he’s okay.

  It’s a very Daddy alpha thing to do, and Cal feels his whole body relax with it, even as his nose picks up the familiar and comforting scent of Luke.

  Luke’s wearing the blue-checked shirt and cardigan combo that makes him look like the biggest nerd out there, and Cal’s heart feels like it can’t expand any further, because no one could look that geeky and also be super gorgeous the way his Luke can.

  Somewhere in the distance, Cal hears Jax say, “I’ll give you a minute.”

  Luke comes up to where Cal is squatting on the bed all hot and sweaty like a toad out of water and rubs his nose up against Cal’s temple and kisses him with soft lips. “You okay?” he whispers against Cal’s hot skin.

  Cal can’t help it. Even through the pain, and the heaviness of his belly, and the heat in the room, there’s something about Luke that makes his heart race faster and want to do nothing else but spend the rest of his life grinning like a madman. “Yes, I’m fine. I love you.”

  Luke rubs his cheek against Cal, and all Cal can smell is Luke. Even the pain doesn’t seem so bad with him here, as if the baby knows that his father has finally arrived.

  Another contraction starts to build, and Cal starts puffing away like a steam train. Luke takes Cal’s hand, with a concerned expression on his face.

  “Everything alright?” Jax says, coming back into the room. He’s carrying a load of towels, as if the ones covering the bed, and the stack on the armchair aren’t enough. Jax is looking at Luke when he says it, and Cal gets the idea that there’s something they’re not telling him.

  He loses the thought when another contraction hits, and there’s nothing but a wave of pain and the scent of Luke to hold onto that helps pull him through and out the other side.

  Cal can feel it. The baby is coming. His stomach tightens and contracts. He’d imagined this moment in a hospital somewhere with Luke at his side telling him to push.

  But Luke doesn’t need to say it. Nor Jax. No one needs to tell him to push. It’s happening whether he likes it or not.

  Cal’s body takes over, acting on pure instinct. His stomach contracts and pushes, while Cal hovers above, just waiting for it to do its thing. Somewhere in the surrounds, he’s dimly aware of Jax giving Luke measured calm orders, even as Jax’s hands reach between Cal’s legs.

  Stupid squatting. Cal’s thighs ache, and his calves are quivering with the effort of staying upright. He wants to lie down, and just let Jax pull the baby out, best method or not be damned, but then Luke’s arms are there, strong and warm, and holding him up when he needs it most.

  It’s the most peculiar feeling and also a very natural one: the baby’s head stretching the space between his legs. It hardly hurts: the contractions have made him immune to additional pain and part of his mind wonders if that’s what they’re really for.

  Jax’s measured voice breaks through his thoughts, “Almost there. You’re doing so well,” and Cal feels a fleeting sense of affection and appreciation for his brother-in-law. “Okay, just wait now, Cal. No pushing. I’m just getting the shoulders through.” Cal closes his eyes and concentrates, trying to stop his body from pushing. “That’s it. Well done.”

  Luke’s hand is still gripping Cal’s, and the blood and sweat smells of the birth are completely subsumed by the familiar and reassuring scent of his mate telling him that everything is going to be okay.

  “Good job, Cal,” Jax’s voice says. “We’re almost there. Just one last push. You can really go for it now.”

  Cal grits his teeth and obeys, putting the last of his body strength into pushing. He feels the baby slip between his legs and Jax’s forearms on the sides of his thighs, making sure his daughter is secure.

  Then she cries and it’s the most beautiful sound Cal has ever heard. Through sweat-glazed eyes, he glances over at Luke, and his gorgeous blond alpha is somehow managing to grin like a lunatic and cry all at the same time, and he’s beautiful too.

  Jax is doing something underneath his legs, then reaches up and Cal sees his daughter for the first time. She’s stopped crying, although her little face is still scrunched up and red.

  Her eyes are dark and curious, and she has a full head of dark black hair just like his. Luke takes her from Jax and cradles her in his strong arms. He’s still crying.

  Cal wants to hold her but he’s not sure he has the strength to hold his arms up. He needs to lie down.

  “No, stay where you are,” Jax says. “We’ve still got the placenta coming. It won’t be long. Hang on. You okay?”

  Cal nods.

  “Good,” Jax says.

  Cal reaches out and touches his fingertips to her soft lips. She turns instinctively and quests towards the touch, mouth suckling.

  “Here,” Luke says. He puts the baby to Cal’s nipple and his daughter turns her head and begins to suckle. Luke chuckles. “Quick learner.”

  There’s something gross happening between Cal’s legs. He ignores it. Jax can deal with that. He’s got a daughter to stare at adoringly for the rest of his life.

  “I’m so proud of you,” Luke whispers into his ear. His head is laying on Cal’s shoulder, and he has one finger caught tight in the clutches of a chubby baby fist.

  “Okay, that’s it,” Jax says. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Luke takes the baby and she wails in complaint at being taken away from the nipple. The sound of it breaks Cal’s heart.

  Luke shushes her and makes soothing noises and silly faces. You dolt, Cal thinks affectionately. She can hardly even focus yet to see those.

  He can’t believe he ever thought Luke might hurt her. One look at Luke’s face and anyone would be able to tell that Luke loves her more than life itself.

  Cal shifts when Jax tells him as he cleans up, then Jax helps him off of the bed and into fresh clothing, as well as helping put a pad in place that is big enough to be one of their new daughter’s diapers.

  Luke carries the baby, and Cal leans on Jax while they make their way into the second bedroom where there is a fresh bed that someone hasn’t just given birth in, and finally Cal gets to hold his tiny daughter in his arms.

  She feels like almost nothing in her arms, and he can’t help thinking that this is the smallest she is going to ever be. He can’t imagine this tiny little baby as a toddler or a ten-year-old or a teenager. It feels so far in the future as to be almost impossible.

&
nbsp; For now, there’s just the hardly-there weight of his daughter in his arms, and the weight of Luke on the bed beside him, and the scent of family all around: the familiar books and fiction smell of Luke, Jax’s lingering scent of cherries and – Cal sniffs her head – the sweet-lemon smell of the baby.

  He opens his mouth to tell Luke to smell her, but there’s something wrong. For a moment, he can’t put a finger on it, and then he realizes.

  Their perfect book-cherry-lemon family scent has been invaded by something else: the dark stink of burned coffee.

  White-hot fear skitters up Cal’s spine and he doesn’t want to look up, but his eyes can’t help it. His brain forces his gaze to the man now leaning in the doorway, a smirk on his lined face.

  “There’s my boy,” Reed says.

  LUKE

  burned coffee and bloody palms

  “I do hate to break up such a sweet family scene, honey,” Reed says, “but you know this isn’t where you belong, my dear.”

  Pure white-hot rage courses through Luke and it’s everything he can do to stop himself from shifting where he stands and launching his jaws at Reed’s neck. Instead, he clenches his fists so hard that his fingernails break the skin on his palm.

  Reed’s hands are empty. He doesn’t appear to have a gun or any other kind of weapon. He’s smaller than Luke, but more solidly built. His muscles are clearly defined through his white t-shirt. His hands are scarred and rough. Those are the hands that killed the Mulholland pack, Luke thinks.

  He realizes suddenly that he can’t take Reed physically. Maybe he could if he got lucky, but he probably won’t. Luke needs to be clever about this. He needs to protect his family first and foremost. Cal is giving off great stinking waves of fear, but he and their baby are safe by Luke’s side for now, and Jax–

  Where is Jax? Luke was so wrapped up in Cal and their daughter that he hadn’t paid any attention to what his little brother was doing. Cleaning up in the other bedroom, he thinks.

  Reed takes a couple of steps towards them, and everything disappears out of Luke’s head except the instinct to protect his mate. He can’t help it. He growls, giving off a low rumbling from deep in his chest. The baby, scenting the combined rage and fear of her parents, bursts into tears.

  “I’m not here to cause trouble, Papa Wolf,” Reed says putting his hands up. “I’m just here to collect my omega and then I’ll go. I’m not looking for a fight with you or your brothers. You’re more than welcome to keep the cub. I don’t want it.”

  “She’s not on offer,” Luke growls.

  Reed shrugs, muscled shoulders rolling under the material of his shirt. “Well, we have some common ground then. Look, you’ve bred my omega and I’m willing to overlook that, but you do know you’re not going to be able to keep him, right? That’s not how it works. I claimed him first. He’s mine.”

  Luke growls again, trying to hold back the rising fury under his skin. His teeth want to tear into Reed’s neck and destroy the threat in a single bloody instant.

  Reed raises his eyebrows. “You going to fight me now, Papa Wolf? You that sure you can beat me? You’re going to protect both your little omegas and your cub all at the same time?” Reed takes another step forward, that horrible ever-present smirk still stuck on his smug, infuriating face. “You’ve got balls I’ll give you that. Dumb as an ox but got the balls.”

  Both your little omegas.... Jax. Luke can’t think straight. He’s trying so hard not to lose control and do something stupid, that he’s been focusing purely on the threat in front of him. Jax needs to run. Luke opens his mouth to scream at him in the other room, but it’s too late.

  Jax enters the room carrying a glass of ice water. He’s staring at his phone.

  Reed is lightning fast. He reaches out, and in a flash, he’s got his arm around Jax’s neck.

  The glass falls to the floor and smashes into shards that spill across the floorboards.

  Another wave of fear assaults Luke’s nostrils; this time it’s his brother’s and this time it’s nothing he’s ever smelled before. Jax has been scared before, but not like this. He’s always had three big alpha brothers to stand behind him.

  Luke can’t control it anymore. His protective instincts go into overdrive. He growls again and begins to shift.

  “Uh uh,” Reed says, tightening his grip on Jax’s neck.

  Jax starts making a choking sound that hits right at the pit of Luke’s stomach. Luke stops in his tracks, and he’s ashamed of the begging tone that comes out of his mouth. “Please.”

  “Your brother gives off such a lovely scent when he’s scared,” Reed says. “Did you know it’s possible to rip someone’s throat out in under three seconds from this angle? I bet you didn’t. You seem like such a nice young man. Bet you’ve never even tried it. You should. It can be great fun.”

  “Let him go,” Luke snarls. It takes everything he has not to launch himself at Reed’s neck. Jax’s face is turning red.

  “Nope. You know what you can do?” Reed asks, tightening his grip on Jax’s neck. “You can slide me your phones. I don’t need you calling your brothers for back up. Come on. Quick quick. Little omega here doesn’t have much time before he runs out of air. Come on, do it.”

  Luke obeys. He can’t do anything else. He can’t stand here, and watch Reed strangle his brother to death because he got precious over a phone.

  “Oh, well done, Papa Wolf,” Reed says, but he doesn’t let up on Jax’s neck.

  “Please stop,” Luke begs. He can’t take this anymore.

  “Please, Reed,” Cal says, soft and low. “Please.”

  The defeat in Cal’s voice breaks Luke’s heart.

  “Well, since you both ask so nicely.” Reed loosens his grip, and Jax starts breathing in great gulps of air. “I am losing patience though. Cal, get out of the bed or I rip out this fellow’s neck right here. Your choice.”

  Terror flashes white-hot through Luke’s flesh. He can’t let Cal go anywhere near Reed, and he can’t let Reed hurt his brother. He’s never felt this helpless in his life. He never even knew it was possible.

  “Get a move on, sweetheart. Unless you want me to kill your pretty friend here, then kill your boyfriend and the baby. If you want that, then you just keep lying there and let me do my thing.”

  Luke is paralyzed. His body is a maelstrom of rage and terror, and it’s pinning him to the spot.

  “Promise you won’t hurt any of them,” Cal says.

  Luke spins on his heels. “No!”

  “You don’t have a choice, Luke,” Cal says in a low voice. His face is white with fear, but the line of his mouth is tight and determined. “I knew this would happen. I knew Reed would find me one day. I knew it the minute I ran the first time. I can’t have you get hurt or Jax or the baby. Not for me.”

  Luke can hear the blood rushing in his ears. “No,” he says, but he knows the argument is lost. Either Cal goes with Reed, or Reed is going to kill the rest of them and take Cal anyway. This is the only option they have where no one dies.

  “I love you,” Cal says. He bends down and kisses the cub tenderly on the top of her soft head, and Luke can see him draw in a deep breath as if knowing it’s the last time he’s ever going to breathe in her sweet lemon scent.

  Then he passes the cub over to Luke, gets out of the bed gingerly and hobbles over to Reed. The sight of his mate struggling to make it across the room for a man who doesn’t even care if his cub lives or dies, makes the rage in Luke rise all over again.

  “Don’t do anything stupid now, Papa Wolf,” says Reed. “We’re doing so well.”

  Cal reaches Reed, and as fast as Reed grabbed Jax, he lets him go and pushes him across the room at Luke, then grabs Cal’s arm. “Pick up those phones now, sweetheart. Don’t want your Winterstoke boys setting a trap for us down the road.”

  Cal obeys and passes them to Reed who puts them in his pocket. “Okay, well this was fun and all, but I think it’s time for us to hit the road. Come on, honey,”
Reed grips Cal’s arm hard enough that Luke can tell it’s going to leave bruises. “Always nice to meet the locals. I’d pop by and get to know you better later, but my sweetie here made me promise not to. I do keep my promises, don’t I, Cal?” Cal nods. “Ah, there you have it. Cheerio.”

  Cal’s eyes meet Luke’s, and Luke can see how sorry he is. Cal is still looking him in the eye with desperation when Reed drags him out of the room.

  LUKE

  names and taillights

  Luke waits all of thirty seconds — as long as it takes for him to hear the front door of the cabin closing behind them — before he shoves the baby at Jax and races out of the bedroom.

  He’s not dumb enough to go racing out of the door. He’s not that stupid. Reed is nothing if not the kind of man who’d rather kill an omega than give him up. Luke’s not going to give him any reason to hurt Cal, but he can’t just do nothing either.

  He watches helpless from the corner of the cabin window as Reed pushes Cal into the passenger seat of his car. Luke doesn’t have a plan yet, but the moment he works out what that plan is, he doesn’t intend to be more than a minute away from Cal and being able to carry it out.

  Only when the taillights disappear at the bend in the road, does he slam the cabin door open and race to his truck.

  Where Reed has knifed all his tires. Jax’s too. Of course, he has.

  Shit.

  Luke stands beside his truck, keys in hand. His skin feels as if it is freezing in the warm fall air, even as heat flashes through his flesh. He begins to shiver uncontrollably as the sound of Reed’s engine dwindles into the distance.

  Cal is gone. Luke feels his absence like the loss of a limb. He can’t imagine how Cal must be feeling: terrified and alone with Reed, still raw and bleeding from the birth, his little girl left behind where he might never see her again. Luke feels like he can’t breathe.

  Someone puts a warm hand on the ice-cold skin at the back of his neck and Luke jumps.

  “We’ll get him back, Luke,” Jax says gently. He’s cradling the baby in the crook of one arm. Her eyes are closed, and she looks far too content for a child who just lost a parent. “Come inside, Luke. Your daughter needs you too.”