Page 76 of Invasion of Sorority Z

“I can look now?” Rem asks again to be sure.

“You can look,” Stee-vee answers, her voice cracking as she does.

Even more pride settles into my chest as my friend lays his eyes on my boy. Rem has nothing but wonder consuming his face, a breath of air sticking in his chest at the sight before him.

“He looks just like you,” Rem tells me, giving me a heartwarming glance.

“He does,” my mate agrees, peering down at the bundle in her arms. “Just like your daddy, hm?” A sweet babble leaves his smacking lips, almost as if he truly understands her. The babbling does not continue as he nestles into her, making himself comfortable before drifting off into a slumber.

“Do you have a name?” S’rah asks quietly, gently touching Stee-vee’s arm.

“We have not decided,” I admit sheepishly. I almost begin stumbling over an explanation as to why when my mate’s soft voice speaks.

“Actually, I was thinking…Marcel. Beginning with Mar, like you and your brother, but still not a super uncommon name for humans. It’s sort of perfect, having a bit of both. What do you think?”

I look at our son, sleeping soundly on her chest and I am inclined to agree. “He is Marcel. I like it very much, clever mate.” My lips dust her forehead.

And she is clever, crafting such an idea. Any time I began thinking of a name for our child, I could not. I did not feel entitled to such a task, even when explicitly asked for input. All of the work growing our miracle and bringing him to life, that is my Stee-vee’s doing. She has always had the right to name him whatever she wished in my mind.

“It is not as glorious a name as mine,” Rem teases. “But a strong name indeed.”

My mate laughs softly, and looks into my eyes. “Do you want to hold him?”

Immediately I am speaking. “Yes.”

Carefully, she lifts her arms and passes me Marcel. I coddle him with every protective bone in my body whilst still remaining gentle. “Hello, my child,” I greet him, softly touching a fingertip to his nose. “You are as sleepy as your mother.”

Everyone chuckles before S’rah and Rem offer us some time alone with our child. “But I will return to hold my nef-few,” Rem adds, playfully threatening.

“Nephew,” S’rah corrects with a roll of her eyes.

“This is what I have said,” Rem disputes, following her from the room.

I disregard their bantering in favor of staring at my son. Marcel is more Aprixian than he is hu-nim, but he does truly resemble his mother as he clings to his relaxed and sleepy state. It is not uncommon for babies of our kind to sleep for many hours before deciding to hunger for their first meal. They cling to the memory of resting inside their mothers, resisting the call to grow up even a little bit. It is an endearing thing to witness firsthand.

“Thank you for this gift,” I tell my mate, kissing her brow. “You did amazing. So strong and brave, delivering our son to us. I was already eternally thankful for your love, but now I am even more in awe of you. You are the heart of my soul, little blossom.”

“I love you so much,” she whispers, tears now falling to her cheeks.

“All my love belongs to you and our children.”

She chokes on a laugh. “Already thinking about baby number two?”

I grin. “I am always thinking of your stomach round with my child.”

“Greedy,” she accuses.

“For you? Always.”