the tremendous, splitting pressure as his child was slowly born.
“Push,” Everard said, and when the next contraction came, Finch let it wash over him and
allowed nature to take its course. He pushed like he never had before.
“You can do it,” Hugh praised in a whisper as he squeezed Finch’s hand. “You can do anything.
I’ve always known that.” He kissed Finch’s cheek. “I love you so much.”
Finch, meanwhile, held on to his father and his mate and labored to bring his first child into the
world.
The ringing cry that sounded when the babe was finally born was the sweetest sound Finch
could imagine.
“It’s a boy,” Harrison revealed. “Can I wash him?”
Finch was too tired to think of doing anything other than being in bed. He closed his eyes and
nodded, hearing rather than seeing Harrison leave for the en suite bathroom. Water ran. While
it did, magic flowed through Finch once more, making him tremble from the pleasure it brought.
Magic,he thought, is my new favorite thing, right after Hugh, our child, and an efficiently
organized desk.
Finch didn’t open his eyes again until a soft, small bundle was placed in his arms. Harrison
had brought back his son. The child was naked and quite warm to the touch, his face small
and wrinkled. A dusting of dark hair covered the top of his head. He was perfect. Utterly perfect.
Finch was already in love.
“Look at him,” Hugh whispered in awe as he drew Finch into his arms. “Finch, he’s more
amazing than I could have ever dreamed. Look at him. Look how small he is. Can you believe
it? And he’s ours now to love forever. Our son. Our pride and joy. Our Theodore.”
Love hummed through the mate bond from Hugh, which Finch met with love of his own. It was,
perhaps, the greatest moment of his life to be here in bed with his mate and son, and
surrounded by family who loved them. And if it was not the greatest, it would still be the moment
he’d hold up to every other wonderful thing to happen to him over the course of his long life.
* * *
While Finch fed his son, three dragons and an omega-beta made themselves useful by setting
the room back to rights. When the last pillow was placed back on the bed, Everard asked, “Are
you up to visitors? Although I’m fairly certain you won’t have much of a choice soon enough.