Page 42 of His Damaged Purpose

I shook my head. Though now that he mentioned it, I—

Pol let out a yowl that sounded closer to his cat than his human form. I held on for dear life as he squeezed my hand in a death grip. It was the first push of many, but twenty minutes later the most glorious sound I’d ever heard filled the air—the cry of our first child.

Mortimer cleaned her up a little bit and then placed her on Pol’s chest.

“Natalie,” Pol said, looking down at her intently. “I think she’s a Natalie.”

“I agree.” Her short, dark hair was swirled with a cowlick, and her bright blue eyes studied us carefully. Unlike our wild counterparts, our babes were born with their vision unhindered. I loved that the first time she looked up at us, she could see us clearly.

“She’s beautiful,” I said. I was on the bed with Pol now, and my hand had mostly recovered from the squeezing.

After cleaning him up and making sure all was well, Mortimer left the two of us alone to bond with our daughter. He promised to be just a room away if we needed him.

Pol lifted Natalie higher on his chest so that she was nearly tucked under his chin. “I can’t believe she’s ours.”

I kissed his temple. “She is, mate. She’s our family.”

An hour later, Pol shifted, our daughter seeing his beast for the first time, and the three of us went home, with our sweet baby in my arms. The shift helped Pol heal faster, and he shifted back into his human form as we arrived home.

I scented baked goods before we even opened the door, but I didn’t think anything of it. Nathan lived here, and he might’ve had a sweet craving. It wouldn’t be the first time. But as I walked into the kitchen, I saw a pile of bakery boxes on the table.

“Did you do this?” Pol asked.

“Nope.” I didn’t even know what “this” was yet.

Pol put on a pair of sweats and held Natalie while I looked through it all. Eventually I found a note:

Mortimer said today was the day! Here are some nursing cookies, cinnamon rolls, and protein granola bars that are a new favorite around here. Congratulations.

~Ralf and Louis

PS There are a lot of other things too for when the others come.

“That was sweet.” Pol was feeding Natalie. “What do you think they meant by the others—”

He was cut off by a knock on the door.

When I opened it, it was our pride, our family, carrying an array of food, beverages, and gifts. They had come to welcome our sweet baby girl into this world.

“This… thank you. This is like… It’s the same…” Pol’s voice cracked with emotion as they filed in. “How did you know?”

Morgan smiled, “When you first arrived, you mentioned your pride’s tradition of feeding the new family. The presents are because we want to spoil our newest pride member.”

My mate’s life before Asilo hadn’t been good, but that didn’t mean it all needed to be discarded.

We ate together, laughed together, and enjoyed Natalie’s first day with the pride. Our home was filled with so much love. Asilo was where we belonged. Any doubt of that was long gone. This was our family.

When everyone had left for the night, Silas and I climbed into bed, our beautiful daughter asleep in the co-sleeper beside Pol.

“Is it weird that I’m glad I got thrown down that ravine?” I snuggled beside Pol.

“No.” He kissed my cheek. “I wish it didn’t have to happen this way, but if it’s what it took to bring us here to this moment, I am glad too. I love you, alpha mine.”

“As I love you, omega mine. As I love you.”

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