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“Okay, hon, just a few more pushes. Yes, just like that. You’re almost there.”
Before the doctor could inform us, a loud cry broke through the room, and I knew that our boy was here. And he had a healthy set of lungs on him if the screeches coming from his mouth, were any indication.
The doctor pulled his small body away for a second, clearing his nose and cleaning him off, before bringing him over and lying him on Halley’s chest. And my heart started beating faster as I looked at the little guy. His hair was bright blonde, eyes blue, and even though it was clear my blood didn’t run through his veins, I didn’t care. This was my son.
“Do you have a name for him?”
We had discussed names for countless hours, each of us having our favorites, but a few days ago we had finally decided on one. And as I looked at him, gripping his mother’s finger in his small palm with all the strength he could, I knew the name fit perfectly.
“Callan.” I spoke, glancing at the center of my entire world.
Our little warrior.
Madden
“Callan! Gracie! Get down from there before you hurt yourselves!” Halley’s voice echoed throughout the castle and I had to hold back my chuckle.
Having two toddlers was quite the workout. I found myself constantly chasing them, keeping them out of trouble. Halley was usually the one to finally calm them down, but as she walked into the room, out of breath, I knew her belly was slowing her down.
We had wanted a large family and we had gotten to it. Callan was now three, Gracie almost two, and Halley was once again seven months pregnant. I wasn’t complaining though. There was something about watching her pregnant that made me fall in love with her again and again every day.
As Halley walked past me, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close to my body. Nipping her ear, I whispered.
“What did our hooligans get into this time?”
Sighing, she leaned against my body. “They decided to try to put the star on top of the Christmas tree. Since they couldn’t reach, Callan grabbed a chair and started stacking books from the library. I swear, they’re aging me faster.”
I couldn’t disagree with her words more. To me, Halley hadn’t changed at all since the first day I had found her. Her hair was still wild, her eyes still filled with the fire I had fallen in love with, and her body was sexy as ever.
Pulling her close by her hair, I let her know how I still felt, pressing my lips hard against hers. Opening her mouth, my tongue tangled with hers, a low moan falling from her mouth. Lifting her up with my good arm, I pressed her body into the wall behind us. No matter how much time passed, I knew I would never get enough of having her body.
“Mommy!” A little voice yelled, breaking us a part, but we only smiled at each other.
Rushing into the fireplace room, I saw Callan and Gracie both lying on the floor, the books toppled over from their makeshift ladder.
Callan’s yell at alerted the others, Knox, Eli, and Wilder spilling into the room to check out the commotion. All five of us chuckled at our two children once we realized that neither were harmed.
Eli scooped down to pick up Callan, ruffling his blonde curls. I bent down, picking up Gracie, her short hair black hair tickling my nose as she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in my chest.
The seven of us stood in a circle and my heart beamed as I looked at my family. I was no longer the grumpy Shifter I had been years ago, this family had changed me, these children had melted my heart until I was laughter and smiles almost every moment. And I knew that if I could go back, if I could prevent all the struggles we had been through, I wouldn’t change a thing, because then we wouldn’t be here.
Wilder
My body was too warm. And heavy. I knew my blankets didn’t hold this kind of weight and so peeking my eyes open, four sets of little eyes stared down at me.
“Happy birthday daddy!” They all screamed and I reached forward, tackling them to the bed and tickling them until the screamed with laughter.
“No, daddy, we’re supposed to tickle you!” Lenora yelped, Gracie joining her sister in attacking me with small tickles on my stomach.
“Cake! Cake!” Miles chanted, his chubby cheeks wide in a smile.
“I helped Mom bake the cake.” Callan stated proudly and I smiled at my four children, climbing out of bed as they followed me.
Walking down to the kitchen, the four kids tailing me and giggling amongst themselves, I walked into the room decorated with streamers and balloons. A large cake sat in the middle of the table, the other four standing with grins.
The kids ran around the table, each going to one of their parents to pick them up, while I sat before the cake. After one birthday several years ago, I had admitted to Madden that after my father died, I hadn’t celebrated. Ever since, each birthday was a bigger celebration than the last. The Shifter couldn’t trick me anymore, I knew I was really his favorite.
Once I was sat down, the eight of them began singing happy birthday, the notes so off key that it hurt my ears, but my smile was wide nonetheless.
