Winds of Change
Page 30
Chance frowned. He’d been quiet in his corner; absolutely present and his eyes fixed on the monitor but not saying a single word. His gaze cut to Finn’s looking startled and wanting confirmation.
Skye looked closer to a full term pregnancy than someone approaching the halfway mark but even she knew that was to be expected with multiples. She had been reading what to expect when you’re expecting despite Finn’s rude noises about the thing when he caught her flipping through it on her breaks at the front desk.
She tensed, the muscles in her belly flexing when Finn sounded surprised and her grip tightened on Lee’s hand,
“What?” She demanded, trying to push up to see what he was frowning at on the monitor. It didn’t help Finn keep the baby on the ultrasound and they lost him, or her, when Skye moved. She looked from Finn to the fuzzy screen, demanding, “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. Be still.” Finn soothed. Her movement meant that he had to find the third baby again.
“Another boy.” He said impatiently before he moved the probe again, more pressure to poor Skye’s belly.
“Wait wait… Look. Why you hiding?” Finn spoke to the screen as the fourth infant showed up. Smaller than the rest, it kicked a protest against the wand as a warning to the man disturbing its sleep. “And four, let’s get a look at you…”
The baby kicked again and Finn caught the still. “Baby girl. Alright, two boys and two girls.”
“No,” Skye said flatly, like her genius husband was mistaken. She looked from his delighted smile to the other three who were just as pleased.
“No,” she told them all like there was a choice. “I love you all. I want to have your children but NOT ALL AT ONCE.”
She gave Finn a look of really pretty damn reasonable panic. She’d only just gotten used to three babies as an idea but four was just too much. It was too damn much.
“Count again,” she instructed Finn, waving her hand towards the ultrasound machine. She might have sounded just a touch hysterical. “It’s already hard to take a deep breath. Where are we going to put the fourth one? I can’t have four babies, I haven’t even told my parents that I’m having ONE baby and they’re going to be here next month. Finn!”
“Calm down honey, if some crazy human woman can have eight of them in there you can have four.” He said, moving the wand again. “Look, here’s big ‘un here, a boy. Baby girl over here on your right lower side, then here we have this little chunky boy here… and crammed all the way up in your ribs is the last little princess.”
He showed her again, counting each baby as his hand moved. “Can’t take it back now honey, we told you that they come in litters. It’s a bit too late to change the recipe now, turkeys half way done.”
Rory bit back a laugh at Finn’s analogy, Lee looked concerned. “But, not usually four Finn! They always come in twos or three’s.”
The big man shrugged at them all. “First time for everything, and believe me this is not the first of this. It’s alright, things are alright. We have four healthy babies and now we just need to make sure we keep momma healthy enough and not freak her out with our own worries.”
Rory walked to Skye’s head, he kissed her gently on the head. “Thank you, Skye,” was all he could muster.
A muscle flexed in Chance’s jaw and he rubbed the taunt skin. He was moving easier these days, his ribs and even the damn shoulder had started to mend but his gaze remained fixed on the monitor. He couldn’t keep the troubled look from his eyes and he glanced at Finn as Rory bent down to give Skye the tender kiss she absolutely deserved. A litter of four was damn unusual at the best of times but two girls… Two baby girls born of a witchborn mother.
Chance turned and slipped out, trusting that the other three would distract Skye from his sudden absence but he knew if he couldn’t keep his tension under control, he’d certainly not make matters better if he stayed in the room.
Skye’s gaze turned back to Finn, disconcerted by Lee’s worries. Fortunately, she missed the fact that Chance slipped out of the room as she turned to Lee.
“You were one of four, weren’t you, Lee?” Skye said softly, reaching out her hand towards the smallest of her mates. It was different, though, he’d said that was rare and they were all told to be omegas. “I’m sorry, I know you don’t like to talk about them. It’s going to be okay. Right, Finn? They’re all healthy and that’s what matters.”
Finn gave Lee a look that communicated clearly that reassurance would do the most good.
“We were all fine, you’ll be fine.” Lee replied, his gaze turned away from Skye.
Finn took her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “You’re going to be just fine, Skye. They are all healthy, there is nothing to worry about. Let’s worry about how we break the news to mom and dad so they don’t get off the plane next month and catch an eyeful of baby.”
As Finn distracted Skye from concerns that it would do no good to fret over right now, Rory slipped form the room quietly too.
Chance hadn’t gone far, standing still and his gaze blindly fixed on the nearly complete house across the way. Rory stopped his mate, a hand on his shoulder to quiet him and offer silent reassurance. Lee soon followed, and his hand found Chance’s forearm, the grip tight; it was as much to offer comfort as it was to seek reassurance.
Despite what they’d said, four babies was rare and complicated, even for a shifter female. Finn was very good at what he did, and they’d make certain Skye had the best care. Medical technology had come a long way.
Of greater concern was the fact that Skye held in her womb not just one, but two little girls. That was near unheard of and born of an alpha like Skye… That was a prize great enough that packs would go to war for such a thing, to say nothing of the Council.
Silently they stood, the vow between them needed no words. No Council, no wolf pack, no threat - near or far - was going to ever steal their children.
About the Authors
Kat Keppeler and Guinevere Eveland have been partners in crime for almost a decade now. The Belcrest Saga is their first published work. Their most current antics can be found on their website.
https://katkeppeler.com
You can also stalk them on social media. Their facebook group has teasers for upcoming books as well as the expected hijinks and insanity.
Additional Books
The Belcrest Saga
Wolves of Winter
Perfect Storm
Winds of Change
Frost Bound
Witches of Fairfax
Midnight Flame*
Risen from Ash*
Tales of Belcrest
Springborn*
* - Coming Soon