Swallowing His Pride

by Serena Pettus

  “It’s getting worse, Lynn,” she panted.

  “We need to move out guys. She was already dilated three centimeters last I checked, and that was a while ago. I need to talk to that doc of yours and see what meds she can have that won’t do anything crazy to the baby.”

  “Our bodies burn up any kind of medication really quick,” Liam announced. When Lynn gave him a disbelieving look, he shrugged. “We have really high metabolisms.”

  Jag sauntered back in to the room and threw a wad of fabric to the other two men. A pair of sweats smacked Liam in the face, and Lynn laughed. “Put those on, playboy. You don’t want to ride in with your ass shining to the world.”

  “You’re a really good shot, Lynn,” Jag stated when he came to stand next to her. “Thank you. I appreciate the courage it took to put yourself at risk to help us.”

  “Courage? She stood behind the stone entrance to your cave,” Liam pointed out.

  “She’s also human and, therefore, doesn’t have our healing abilities. If she had taken a bullet from their shooter, she could have been killed. As it was, that bastard grazed me twice.”

  At that bit of news, Samantha watched Lynn do a fast visual assessment of Jag from top to bottom. Like the others, there were some scratches and scrapes that were already healing, but nothing serious.

  “Okay, we’re going now,” Dylan called.

  “Somebody has to get the truck. Jag took it somewhere to throw them off our trail,” Lynn said.

  She was right. Great, Sam thought, at this rate I’ll be popping this kid out on Jag’s rug.

  “No worries,” Liam chimed in. “He didn’t make it far because they’d already followed you guys. It’s parked just around the hill where they ambushed him.”

  “Ambushed?” Sam asked.

  “Seems they thought, with you guys neatly cornered, they’d get rid of your guard first. They never saw me and Dylan coming.” He threw a glance at Jag. “You’re not the only one with stealth skills.”

  “Then get a move on!” Lynn ordered.

  Soon, once again, Samantha found herself bouncing around in the front seat of the truck, this time with Dylan driving and Lynn by her side, timing her contractions. Liam and Jag were in the back, holding on lest they be thrown out on a few of the more prominent dips they hit on the way.

  “Hold on. We’re almost there. Just a few more—shit!” Dylan’s outburst was punctuated by the impact of a large mountain lion ramming into the truck.

  Samantha gasped as Jag leapt from the bed, shifting mid-flight, and tackled the other animal as it prepared to launch itself again. “Stop! We can’t leave Jag.”

  “We can’t stay either,” Liam called. “There could be more and I need to make sure you and Dylan make it back to the clinic. I’ll come straight back as soon as we have the three of you secured.”

  Sam faced Lynn, who was still turned in her seat, hand against the window as she watched the vicious fight between the cats while they drove away. “He’ll be okay, Lynn. Dylan said he was one of the Pride’s best fighters.”

  “Yeah, but against how many?”

  And there was a damned good question. Just how many of these intruders were there?

  Chapter Ten

  As it would turn out, Samantha didn’t have much time to worry about what was going on outside after they got her to the clinic. Her water broke as soon as she stepped from the truck and when they got her on the table she was found to be fully dilated and ready to begin pushing.

  The pain was intense, but when Dr. Lewis informed Lynn that she could give Samantha whatever she needed, her friend immediately went in search of meds. Whatever she’d given Sam was enough to take the edge off and allowed Samantha to put everything she had into delivering her child.

  “One more push, Sam!” Lynn called out. “I can see the head, and there’s a good bit of hair, too.”

  “As bad as my heartburn was, there should be,” Sam groused.

  Bearing down one more time, she felt the pressure release as her child slid from her body into the arms of her best friend. “It’s a boy!”

  Glancing to the side, Sam saw how Dylan beamed at the squalling baby. “A boy,” he whispered, looking back at her. “He’s so tiny.” There were tears in his eyes, and Samantha found herself falling in love with him all over again. He would be such a wonderful father.

  “Elijah North,” she proclaimed. It was a good name, strong just like his father, and one that would serve him well in life.

  Dr. Lewis finished his check of little Eli and brought him over to Samantha. Despite being two weeks early, he was already filled out with the cutest little chubby cheeks she’d ever seen. There was a thick cap of light brown hair streaked with copper on his head, and when he opened his eyes, they were the same amazing gold as his father’s.

  “He’s perfect, Prima. Prime, you have a very sturdy boy there. He’ll no doubt grow into a powerful man and a good leader, like you.”

  “Thank you, doctor.” Dylan looked down to Samantha. “Once you’ve recovered a bit, I want to take you to the resort so you can rest more comfortably. I have a room we can use there.”

  She was all for not staying at the clinic. Nothing against the shifters milling about, though they did keep finding random reasons to poke their heads in, causing Dylan to growl. Obviously, they were curious about her, and she had been expecting that. It was just the thought of staying in a hospital, something she’d always hated, that made Dylan’s offer of a hotel room so appealing. “Sounds wonderful. I’m beyond exhausted after today, so I can only imagine you are, too.”

  He smiled down at her, eyes shining, “Sweetheart, I’m on cloud nine right now. I’ve got the love of my life safe by my side, and you’ve just given me a healthy son to boot. You’re just lucky I’m not roaring the news to the whole Pride.”

  “Roar away. I can’t tell you how scared I was when I heard all that fighting outside the cave. When I heard your voice on the other side of that door, I couldn’t get it opened fast enough.”

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t promise that I won’t fight again. It’s part of who and what I am. I’ll always protect what’s mine, but you and our son are my number one priority, and nothing will take me away from you.”

  As Samantha took in her new family, she prayed that Dylan could keep that promise, because if he ever left her—no, she refused to go there. They were together now, and it was what she would focus on. No amount of what-ifs would dampen the joy of this moment for her.

  * * * *

  Samantha sat in the wheelchair the clinic had allowed them to take, since she was still too sore to walk, and held their son while Dylan pushed them through the resort and into the elevator. Many of the shifters in the community had come out to meet her and extend their blessing to the newest little member of the Pride. Everyone had been so nice to her that Samantha was having a hard time believing some of them could be opposed to humans, but Dylan assured her most of them were fine with his choice in mate.

  It would seem the ones who opposed were generally not members in Prides, Clans or Packs, but drifters like the ones who’d come for her.

  As she stifled a small yawn, Dylan announced, “I’ll be taking your Prima to rest now. She’s had a very trying day, but we thank you for coming out.”

  “Yes, it was so nice to meet you all,” Samantha added.

  Dylan wheeled her to the elevators, giving the top of her head a kiss as he backed them inside. The doors were closing when Liam jumped on.

  “Hey, guys! I wanted to sneak a peek at my new nephew before you turned in for the,” he glanced at his watch. “Morning.”

  Samantha adjusted the blanket they’d wrapped Eli in and presented him to his uncle Liam. “He’s in a milk coma right now,” she joked. “The boy can really pack it away.”

  In fact, she’d not only breast fed him, but then had to immediately follow that up with a bottle of formula. It seemed that high, shifter metabolism meant their son would eat like a teenager fr
om day one.

  “Aren’t you gonna be a lady-killer,” Liam cooed. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know, buddy. Don’t you worry.”

  Dylan rolled his eyes, but he’d yet to stop smiling, and she had a feeling it would take much more than Liam’s teasing to get the curve of his lips to change. “I’m just taking Samantha up to see the surprise I’ve been working on. They just brought the last of everything in last night, and it should all be set up now.”

  “About time. I’m heading back to the security building to see if there’s any word on the two shifters they have in custody. I’ll give you an update tomorrow.”

  “Any word on Jag yet? Has he come in?”

  Liam’s whole demeanor changed in an instant. His face shut down, those playful eyes lost their liveliness, and she knew it wasn’t good. “We haven’t found him yet. Then again, we didn’t find the other shifters either. There wasn’t a whole lot of blood in the area, so for now they’re searching.”

  Sam’s heart sank. It didn’t look good at the moment. “Does Lynn know?”

  “I haven’t seen her, so no.”

  “Don’t mention it to her until you know something,” Dylan commanded. “Right now, Dr. Lewis is explaining the differences between humans and shifters from a medical standpoint. That should hold her attention for a while. I’m pretty sure she’s teaching him a few things, too, but either way, it will only upset her.”

  Samantha agreed, but still… “If she asks, tell her. Otherwise, let it ride. Hopefully he’s just busy running them off Pride land and will be back soon.”

  “You got it. Goodnight, you two.”

  Liam stepped back off the elevator, and Dylan pressed the button for their floor before kneeling next to her. “Don’t worry. It’s not uncommon for Jag to take off. I’ll admit, it’s not the best timing, and he certainly should have at least let us know he was safe, but let’s not worry until we have a reason to, okay?”

  “I’ll try.”

  * * * *

  They came to a large set of double doors at one end of the short hall, and Dylan slid the key into the lock. “Now, before we go in, I wanted you to know I designed this suite for us. This is somewhere I can keep my family safe from anyone who would dare try to take you away from me.”

  What would she think of their new home? He knew she’d understand staying in her place, given his position within the Pride, would leave them as an open target. Last night had taught her that. When she gave him that sleepy, sweet smile of hers, he felt his spirits lift. “We’ll have to put my house on the market soon then. I don’t see the point in paying for something we don’t use.”

  “And what about Lynn?”

  “What about her? She’ll come and visit here, I’m sure, or I can go to her apartment.” She looked up at him with wide, uncertain eyes. “They will let her onto Pride territory even though she’s human, right?”

  “Of course, they will. She’s your friend and you’re the Prima, so it won’t be an issue at all, but do you think maybe she would be up for living in your home?” he asked.

  Lynn, living in the country all by herself would no doubt be entertaining. The girl really did prefer being surrounded by other people, but he hadn’t missed the way she seemed to relax when at Samantha’s house.

  “Do you think it would be safe?”

  “She’s not a part of the Pride, nor is she romantically involved with any shifters. That should be enough to ensure her safety, but I’d still have a few of the others patrolling to be certain,” he promised. “I’ll see what we can do to make sure she’s comfortable if she decides to make the move. Besides, didn’t we already discuss keeping Eli’s godmother close by?”

  Samantha smiled down at their son sleeping in her arms. “We certainly did.”

  “Okay, let’s introduce you to our new home then you need to get some rest. Now keep in mind, we can change anything you want; just say the word.”

  Dylan opened the door and wheeled her into the foyer. He’d had bamboo floors laid throughout the suite, with the exception of the bathrooms and kitchen. There he had large twelve-inch tiles put down. The walls were painted light beige with white crown molding and baseboards that helped give it a clean and crisp look.

  The living room was open a roomy with a massive L-shaped, deep-red sectional and a matching plush recliner off to the side. Floor-to-ceiling windows ran along the far wall, allowing them to look out over the open land. Dylan had heard Samantha comment, on more than one occasion, how much she enjoyed watching the sunset, and now, she could enjoy it every day. There was also a feature that would let them fog the windows to give some privacy, and blackout curtains that were tied back at either side.

  Samantha’s head was swiveling this way and that, but she’d yet to say a word. Didn’t she like it? “I wanted to add rugs, but I needed to make sure you were okay with everything, like the colors and furniture, before we go and—”

  “It’s beautiful.” She spoke softly, her voice cracking, and Dylan was on his knees at her side in a second.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “This is perfect, Dylan. I can’t believe you had time to do all of this.”

  “I had some help. Are you sure you like it? We can change anything you want.”

  “No, it’s great just the way it is.”

  “Wait until you see the nursery. Now, it’s in neutral colors right now, since he wanted to be stubborn and hide from the ultrasounds, but we can change it. I’ve got a jungle theme in here, complete with a cartoon lion.”

  She giggled, as was his intention. He couldn’t bear to see tears in her eyes for any reason.

  They continued the tour, placing Eli in his bassinet which was located in the master bedroom. This is where Dylan insisted on being in charge. In the center of the room stood a massive four-poster bed, easily big enough to sleep four people. Nightstands were on either side with matching dressers and a chest of drawers on one wall. He’d hung a large flat-screen television on the wall facing the bed so they could relax and cuddle during movies.

  He showed her the closet and dresser, which was filled with clothing for her. Then he helped her to change into a nightgown and exchanged his clothing for something clean as well, before helping her crawl into their bed. She was moving a bit slow due to the lingering pain from birth, and he pulled the blanket over her, before joining her on the other side. Now, he had to do something that had his nerves—and his lion—completely on edge. “Sam, I need to ask you something.”

  “Anything.”

  Damn, his palms were sweating already! Here he was, the leader of an entire Pride of shape-shifting lions, and he was terrified of how she might answer his simple question. Taking a deep breath, he continued. “You know I love you, and that we’re mated by shifter standards, but I wanted to make sure you fully understand what this means for us.”

  “Okay, go on.”

  “When we bond, it’s for life. There’s no divorce amongst our kind. It’s instinctual for us, our animal halves recognizing the ones who are our matches. I’m not sure exactly how it all works. All I know is that I’ve never seen a legitimate mating fail.” Taking her hand in his, Dylan looked deep into her bright blue eyes. “Hell, a hundred years wouldn’t be long enough for me where you’re concerned, and with our lives now joined through our bond, we’ll be able to enjoy a very long life together. I want an eternity full of your smiles, those sweet little giggles, and your amazing eyes looking at me just like you are now, like I’m the man of your dreams.”

  “That’s because you are.”

  “Sweetheart, we’re bound in the eyes of my kind, but I want my claim to carry over to yours, as well. I want my ring on your finger. I want you to take my last name as your own. I need you to be mine in every way possible.” Reaching into his bedside table, Dylan pulled out the ring he’d had for weeks now. “Will you do me the greatest honor and become my wife as well as my mate?”

  It wa
s no coincidence he’d waited to propose until they were in their new home. He wanted their new life to begin in every aspect, starting right here, in the heart of his people.

  “Of course, I will!” she cried, her slender arms wrapping his neck in a fierce hug. “I love you, Dylan.”

  “I love you too, Sam. So much.” He slid the ring onto her finger, a stunning carat-and-a-half diamond set in white gold with dozens of smaller diamonds trailing around the band on either side. “Now, do you think Lynn will be up for helping plan a wedding?”

  There was that laugh he loved so much. He’d make it his priority to ensure he heard it every day for the rest of their lives.

  “As long as I promise not to put her in a frilly pink dress, I’m sure she’ll be happy to help.” Samantha yawned, and he pulled her close.

  “Sleep, Sam. I’ll get Eli if he wakes up. You’ve been through a lot and need to get some rest.”

  “Are you sure? You can just wake me up when he’s ready to eat again. Besides, if you don’t, I’ll end up getting really engorged.”

  “All right. He just ate, so that should buy us enough time for a short nap at least.”

  Cuddling into his side, it took no time at all before her breaths evened out and he knew she slept.

  Dylan felt himself drifting as well, his heart happy and his inner lion content with the fact he’d claimed his mate in every way possible. It had been a rough start for them, but who knew it would be as simple as swallowing his pride for him to achieve everything he’d ever dared dream?

  Epilogue

  Lynn had been given a room at the resort to relax after their ordeal with the rogue shifters, and had fallen into a restless sleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Jag was still out there somewhere. He hadn’t come back after his heroic defense against the mountain lion who’d attacked them as they raced back to the Pride clinic, and now that she’d finally reached a level of exhaustion that would allow her to rest, despite her worry, someone was banging the hell out of her door.