49. Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Forty-Nine
Bellarose
-Three months later-
“ A re you sure you want to do this?” Councilman Gerard asked as he looked over the paperwork. “If you do this, and he comes back, he’ll have a claim over the alpha title, and you won’t know who he is anymore.”
“We’re sure. Adam is ours, and we want him recognized as such,” Cade assured the man, his anger bubbling beneath his skin at the man's words against Adam. I grabbed the mal de ojo bracelet around my wrist, trying to hold my tongue. I put it on after I got out of the hospital, unwilling to leave myself vulnerable again.
Uncle Helios was working with Zi to make everyone one, so what happened to me didn’t happen to anyone else. He’d already assured me he would make one for my twins once they were born. It was reassuring, especially since we had hit a dead end in searching for Martha’s supposed sister. Who the fuck knows where that woman went every time she visited California.
I was five months pregnant now and overdue. Evie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Anna Valeria, almost a month ago. I was as big as a house, and seeing Cade holding another newborn made me all the more anxious to have my little ones in my arms. Everyone’s eyes were on me, which I wouldn’t mind, other than I felt like I was waddling like a duck everywhere I went. I’ve heard them making bets on the time and day I was going to pop, and I got the stink eye from James yesterday because he’d bet on the day before. As if I was closing my legs to keep them inside just so he’d lose, and have to wear a bikini to the next training session.
Our pack house was almost complete, and the houses for pack members were getting the electrical wiring and plumbing inspected before they could put the drywall up. We would be able to begin moving our pack into permanent housing next month, as long as we passed all the inspections. We also chose to rename the pack to New Forest Moon, since everyone was getting a fresh start.
Cade’s pack had been amazing and welcoming, and it was a breath of fresh air not to feel like I had to watch every move I made or try to be perfect. They appeared to love me, and I was loving them right back.
To my utter shock, my old pack members had been so happy to see me back as their luna. Chris explained that the spell to isolate me likely extended to them, and that now that the spell was lifted, they were showing exactly how much they loved me, but I was still a little weary. I didn’t want to get my hopes up and then hear them talking behind my back. Dr. Campbell told me it was okay to feel this way. Wounds took time to heal.
Last month, Cade and I decided we still wanted to officially adopt Adam despite the fact he was gone. I made him a promise that he would always be mine, and I was going to keep it. I knew he was out there, and something in my heart told me I would see him again. I wore the dog tags in a necklace around my neck now, ensuring he was always with me. Zi was even kind enough to enchant them so it could shift with me. It helped Coyo feel closer to him, knowing he would be hanging around her neck as she ran when she could shift again.
“Okay. I will file this paperwork, and Adam William Pierce Salonen will be recognized as the son of Alpha Cade Pierce and Luna Bellarose Salonen,” the councilman said.
“Thank you,” I said, relieved that we didn’t get more pushback than what we got.
I understood his hesitation, but he didn’t know Adam. We did, and it didn’t matter if we saw him again in a year or fifty. My Adam would never do anything like what he was insinuating.
Cade helped me stand from the uncomfortable conference chair, and walked me over to the bathroom without me having to ask. I would say he was psychic, but I practically lived in the bathroom these days. My pups were very big and active, always pressing on my poor bladder.
“Come on, babies, come out, already,” I begged my twins as I waddled towards the kitchen.
Violet was in there most of the day over the last few weeks, at a little table to the side so she was out of the way. She was always hungry, and her ankles swelled too much to be walking back and forth from the alpha floor. She barely had my sympathies. I’ve been wearing Cade’s slippers for the last two months. My shoes didn’t fit and my feet felt like they were permanently swollen.
Some days she stayed on the alpha floor hanging out with Chris, but she hated being up there alone. When she knew he was going to be working or running around on errands, she would park herself near the closest source of food. This afternoon, Chris was training the beginner class, so we knew she would be there. Chris was already on paternity leave, but a last-minute issue with Zi and her previous pack had James flying with her to New York, and Chris agreed to step in for him, until he got back.
“Where' s Chris?” Cade asked, looking around suspiciously.
He and Chris had taken it upon themselves to never leave us alone over the last two weeks, in case one of us went into labor.
“I forgot my tablet and sent him upstairs for it,” Violet answered.
“It’s right here, Vi,” I told her, pulling it out of her backpack.
“I know,” she smirked, popping a cookie into her mouth.
“Cold, Violet,” Cade chuckled.
“He said I made a cute penguin,” she huffed.
Cade laughed and I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Why’s that funny?” I asked.
“Not funny. Insensitive. Bad Chris,” Cade corrected right away.
“Violet, I can’t find it, baby.” Chris walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, looking defeated and frustrated.
“Oh, it was right behind my fuzzy blanket. My bad,” Violet deadpanned, making Chris narrow his eyes at her.
“That’s not very nice, Little Warrior.”
“Sorry, I don’t respond to that name, anymore. I was relabeled as a penguin this morning.”
I bit the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t laugh at the helpless look on Chris’ face. In Violet’s defense, we were both ready to have our pups in our arms instead of inside our bodies. Chris was a sweetheart, and I knew he was trying to be adorable when he said it, but you don't tell a pregnant woman she'd make a cute penguin.
I wasn’t worried, though. He’d be a pro on what not to do by the next one. So would Cade for that matter. The number of times I almost made him sleep on the couch throughout this pregnancy, made me a little ashamed at how badly my moods swung, but I never actually made him sleep there, so it was fine. The only time I actually half meant it, he refused to sleep on the couch, telling me he was my gum. Whatever that meant. I didn’t fight him too hard on it. I loved waking up to him by my side.
Chris walked over to Violet and lifted her, before sitting down in her seat and placing her on his lap. He buried his face in her neck, and I saw Violet’s eyes glaze over as they mind-linked and made up. It took less than a minute for Violet to put down her cookie and wrap herself around him. Those two were adorable, and could barely stand to be away from each other, let alone stay angry.
I was still over the moon to be able to go on this journey with my sister. The time we spent together in Montana bonded us so much, that I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it every day. Thankfully, I wouldn’t have to experience it again. If I wanted to see my sister or any of my siblings, I simply had to take a short drive to see them.
“Alright, My Queen. Let's get you to the dining room for an actual lunch. You’re going to give birth to bunnies at the rate you’re eating those carrots,” Cade chuckled, helping me out of my seat.
I took two steps, and then I felt a pressure burst in my lower abdomen, and the pair of Cade’s sweatpants I was wearing became soaked.
“Fucking finally!” I breathed out in relief.
Violet squealed next to me and Cade froze.
“I’ll get a mop,” my mate said after twenty seconds of standing there.
“Umm, why don’t you take her to go change, and get her bag. I’ll clean up,” Chris chuckled.
“Right. That’s a much better idea,” Cade replied, not moving from his spot.
Violet giggled when I rolled my eyes, grabbed onto his hand, and pulled him behind me.
Thankfully, Cade was back to his usual self by the time the elevator doors opened to the alpha floor. He guided me to the bathroom and removed my clothes, coming back with a large maxi dress we bought for this very moment. Once I felt clean and comfortable, he grabbed the bag and ushered me out of our suite. We rode back down in the elevator, and Violet and Chris were waiting for us by the doors.
“I linked Cory, Lucien and Mom and Dad. I texted Areli, but she won’t make it out until tomorrow morning. Dr. Roswell will meet us at the hospital,” Violet informed me.
“Thank goddess for you, sister.”
They walked me to the hospital, small contractions hitting me on the way there and slowing us down a little. By the time I got there, though, I was only a few centimeters dilated and Valeria warned us to get comfortable.
People came and went throughout the day, and I made Chris and John drag Cade out so he could eat something. I was still barely five centimeters dilated by the time dinner time came, there was no sense in both of us being hungry. I was starving, but they wouldn’t let me have anything but damn ice chips. I should have sneaked lunch before I got here.
Mom decided to wait with me while they ate, laughing when I complained about how long this was taking. Then she told me it was payback for the twenty seven hours of labor Cory and I put her through. Cade came back from dinner less than twenty minutes after he left, sitting beside me as the contractions came and went. Over the next few hours, they began increasing in intensity, making it hard for me to breathe through them properly.
“Breathe, Bells,” Cade took a deep breath to show me how it was done as I tried to keep my cool through a particularly intense contraction.
I glared at him when the pain passed.
“I’m fucking trying. That one hurt,” I spat.
“Oh,” Violet’s quiet gasp made us turn toward where she and Chris had been sitting most of the evening. Water began dripping from her seat, causing Chris to stand up as if it were lava, his eyes glazing over immediately.
Valeria ran in less than a minute later, along with a staff member carrying a mop.
“But, I’m not due for another week,” Violet reminded her, looking concerned.
“That’s fine. Most due dates are estimates. A week ahead or behind the date isn’t cause for worry. Let’s go get you into another room.”
“Bu—” Violet’s eyes flickered to mine, and I understood her hesitation right away.
Valeria looked from me to Violet, catching on quickly.
“You want to stay in here with Bells?” she asked.
“Is that too much?”
“No. It’s fine. I’ll have another doctor on call in case we need him, but otherwise, I should be able to handle both of you,” she assured Violet.
“Thank you,” I called out as she went to grab another bed.
“Well, I guess we started the journey together, we finish it together,” I told Violet, gripping her hand in mine encouragingly.
Another bed was brought in with monitors, and moments later, Mom and Dad ran in with their bag, excitement on their faces.
How many people did Chris manage to link in the short time it took for us to realize Violet was going into labor?
“ O n the next contraction, one big push,” Valeria instructed.
‘It’s not fair. I was here first. Why does she get to go first,’ I whined at Cade as I watched my sister push an hour after her water broke.
‘I don’t think that's how it works, My Queen.’ Then, when I glared up at him as a contraction hit, he added, ‘She’s cheating. She’s got a cheater code somewhere and jumped the line.’
‘Don’t talk about my sister like that!’
‘W—I—She—' Thankfully my poor mate didn’t have to figure out what to say, because Violet’s whimpers turned our attention to the couple next to us.
“That’s it, big push, Violet,” Valeria encouraged her.
“It hurts,” Violet cried, when her contraction passed.
“You’re strong. You can do this, Little Warrior,” Chris encouraged from behind her.
He’d had Violet leaning against his chest since her water broke, providing her with warmth and strength as she pushed.
Violet let out a big scream when she pushed on her next contraction, and then slumped back against her mate while Valeria lifted a baby and handed it to a nurse. A few seconds later, a big cry echoed through the room, followed by thunderous cheers from outside the room.
Happy tears left my eyes as I watched my sister stretch her arms out to hold her newborn pup.
“It’s a boy,” Valeria told her as she passed the baby.
I looked up at Cade and whispered, “Take a picture. They’re going to want to remember this moment.”
Cade chuckled and kissed my forehead, pulling out his phone to comply.
“I have a feeling this is a moment neither of them will ever forget, my love.”
Seeing the way Chris was looking down at his new baby boy and his mate, I had to agree, but before I could, a major contraction took the breath from my lungs.
Cade was back by my side in an instant, using the bond to help with the pain. Even after three months, the sparks were still as intense as the first time we felt them.
“Alright, Violet. I’m going to let Nurse Amy here finish up, while I take a look at your sister, okay?”
“Thank you,” Violet answered, nodding.
“What are you going to name him?” I asked when my contraction passed.
“Oliver Markus Knight Salonen,” Chris was the one to answer, as he moved from where he'd been sitting, so the nurses could take care of his mate.
“Oh, sure, take all the in-law brownie points why don’t you,” Cade joked, making Chris and Violet chuckle.
“Okay, you’re just about there, Bells. I think we can start pushing in another half hour.”
“Thank fuck,” I breathed.
“I'm going to let your parents and Chris’ parents in for a few minutes so they can see the baby. Is that okay with you? I can close the curtain if you want some privacy.”
“Not necessary. They can come in,” I assured her.
I watched the moment Violet handed Oliver to Chris. The happiness on her face as she watched Chris become completely enraptured with his son, made me feel incredibly honored to witness it. Those two had worked through so much together, and this was their reward. Cade’s hand came to rest on my stomach, and I looked up at him to see him watching Violet and Chris with the same smile I had.
Mom and Dad walked in with Gabriel and Brenda, heading straight to my sister.
“Guys, meet your grandson, Oliver,” Chris told everyone.
The grandparents gushed over the little guy for a while, then Mom and Dad let Chris’ parents hold the baby first, and they walked over to check up on me.
“How are you doing, mija?” Mom asked.
“Ready to get these pups out of me,” I breathed out, giving them a tired smile.
“It’ll be over soon, and then you won’t even remember this part.”
“Really, Mom? Cuz you keep reminding me of how long it took you to give birth to us,” I teased, making her blush and Dad laugh.
After fifteen minutes of fawning over their new grandchild, Valeria kicked the grandparents out and came over to check on me.
“Looks like we’re good to go, Luna. Are you ready to push?”
“Goddess, yes. I want to meet my babies!”
“Alright, on the next contraction, we start pushing, Mamá.”
“You’ve got this, Bells,” Violet called from our side.
The contractions increased after I started pushing, and I was having trouble managing the pain. I felt like I was getting split in two.
“We’re almost there, Bells. A couple more pushes,” Valeria assured me.
“You’re doing so well,” Cade whispered from behind me.
I was pretty sure I’d broken at least one of his hands in the last twenty minutes.
“We should have another contraction soon. You ready, Bells?” Valeria asked.
“No,” I whimpered.
“Yes, you are. You can do this. If I can do it, you can. You’re the strongest woman I know.”
Violet’s words filled me with strength, and I clenched my jaw, nodding at no one in particular.
When the next contraction hit, I thought about being able to hold my babies in my arms, and pushed as hard as I could. The ground started rumbling beneath us. I couldn’t control it, though. The harder I pushed, the more the room trembled.
“Breathe, my love,” Cade whispered in my ear when the contraction passed, and the rumbling stopped.
“You’re almost there, Bells. Last push for baby one,” Valeria assured me.
I whimpered, but nodded. When I felt the next contraction hit, I pushed with all my might. The ground rumbled. The windows cracked and the panels above us started falling.
“Look out!” I vaguely heard someone scream before I heard a loud thunk. I felt the pressure between my legs subside, and I slumped back in relief.
“The first pup is a girl.” Valerie smiled at me as she handed my pup to the nurse.
A moment later, her tiny cries filled the air and my heart felt like it would burst. Cheers filtered through the door from the waiting room, and the nurse brought my pup to me, laying her on my chest. I couldn’t look away from her perfect face.
“Chris, are you alright?” Violet’s concerned voice brought me out of my happy haze.
“Yeah. I’m good. You’re safe. We’re good.”
I turned to look at where my sister was. A large vent had fallen from above where Violet’s bed was. Thankfully, she and her baby looked unharmed.
“That thing fell on your back,” Violet looked worried, trying to hold onto her baby, and make Chris turn around to look.
Chris humored her, and as he turned around, I noticed the large tear in the back of his shirt.
“It doesn’t hurt. It must have fallen on its side when it hit me.”
“No, that fell right on top of you,” one of the nurses said, pointing at where one of the corners of the vent was bent, a piece of his torn shirt caught on the bent edges.
“There isn’t a scratch on you, baby,” Violet whispered loudly, her hand feeling his back to ensure herself that he wasn’t harmed.
“Maybe it’s the gift?” Cade suggested from behind me. When everyone looked at him, he explained, “Cory told me every mate in your family, and your uncle’s family, receives a gift when they’re marked and mated.”
“What’s the gift?” Violet asked.
“Maybe he’s invincible.”
Chris chuckled at the nurse's suggestion, but no one else was laughing.
“I don’t think the Goddess would make me invincible,” he assured the room.
“Why not?” I asked. “I mean, everyone has gotten some sort of gift that either complements their mate or their talents. Dad shares Mom’s fire. Evie’s gift complements her natural abilities. David shares Areli’s invisibility and Cecilia can levitate by displacing air around her. Violet’s gift is a shield. Defensive. Protective. Like you. Maybe you’re not invincible, maybe the Goddess made you bulletproof. Maybe she made your body a shield of its own.”
Everyone was quiet as they processed my words.
“How do we check?” Violet asked.
When no one answered, Chris took a step back, picked up a shard of glass and stabbed his arm, making a few of us jump. The shard broke into small pieces, but his arm and hand remained unmarred.
“Christopher Moises Knight! What if she’d been wrong?” Violet yelled, holding her little boy close to her chest.
“It would have healed, Little Warrior, and now we know,” he answered, stepping back to her and holding her tight to reassure her.
“What’s going to be my gift?” Cade asked.
“I dunno.” I shrugged, looking back down at my pup, then I grinned and looked up at him. “Maybe your gift is me.”
“Well, I won’t complain about that,” Cade grinned back, kissing my temple.
“You want to hold your daughter?” I asked.
“Damn right, I do.”
I handed her over and watched the way his face transformed.
“What’s her name?” Violet asked.
“Cora Isabella Pierce Salonen,” I answered. Cade and I had picked two sets of names for the twins in the chance they were girls, and two in case they were boys.
“She looks just like you, Bells. My queen has given me a little princess who looks just like her.”
The emotion in Cade’s voice made my eyes sting, but then another contraction started ramping up, and I gasped. Cade reached and grabbed my hand with his free hand, shaking his head with a low growl at the nurse who tried to take Cora away from him.
“Here we go, Bells. Next baby’s coming. You ready?”
“Maybe we should move Violet, Doctor.”
“I’m not leaving,” Violet said stubbornly as the ground began to rumble. I felt the cold current of the air conditioner stop, before my sister told me, “Do your thing, Bells. I’ve got you.”
Pieces of the ceiling continued to drop for the next fifteen minutes as I pushed, but none hit us, the nurses around us or Violet and her little family. Soon, I heard the cry of my second pup fill the air and I sighed with relief, happy tears leaving my eyes.
Cool air swirled around me once the rumble stopped, and Violet lowered her shields.
“Another girl, Alpha Cade. You’re a blessed man.” Valeria let him know. Cade’s face lit up, and he looked torn between continuing to hold Cora and wanting to grab his other daughter.
The metal surgical table made a sudden noise and scraped toward us, making the nurse pick up our child with a squeal and jump out of the way.
The nurse came forward and placed my second-born in my arms, her poor heart running a mile a minute.
“What’s her name?” Valeria asked.
“Elizabeth Aurora Pierce Salonen.”
“Now who’s trying to get brownie points,” Chris taunted.
“So, we’re just going to ignore the way the table poltergeisted?” The nurse who almost got trampled by the table asked, her voice a shaky mess.
“You’re part of Crescent Moon and Guardian Moon. You can’t really be that surprised, Rena,” Valeria reminded her.
“I think it was me. I wanted the table to be closer, and then it was,” Cade answered her question.
“Telekinesis?” I asked.
“No. I’ve been trying to pick up other things.”
“Try the vent that fell,” Chris motioned to the smashed hunk of metal.
Sure enough, the vent levitated a bit before it fell back with a thunk.
“Huh, so just metal?” Cade sounded almost disappointed.
“Maybe. You have time to figure it out. Maybe it’s all earth like Bells, or just a portion. Like minerals. Metal is a mineral isn’t it?” Chris asked Violet, who nodded.
“Why didn’t they work until now?” Cade answered, switching pups with me so he could hold Elizabeth.
“Maybe they’ve been working since we mated, but today’s the only time we noticed,” I suggested.
“Oh, maybe. I’ve never looked at a table and wished it was closer to me before,” he conceded.
A knock on the door made all of us turn toward it.
“Can we come in?” Dad’s question filtered through the door, and Valeria turned to me.
“Up to you. I can kick them out and make them wait until tomorrow, if you want.”
“I can see them,” I assured her.
Valeria stood and moved toward the door, but she paused and looked around.
“Actually, let’s get you girls into another room that isn’t cluttered with debris. They can see you there.”
“Sorry,” I ducked my head, embarrassed that I couldn’t control my powers during the delivery.
“It’s never a dull moment with Salonens,” Valeria winked at me, before she opened the doors. “Alright, back up a few steps. We have a mess and we’re moving the girls and their pups to the next room. You can see them once we’ve gotten them settled. Shoo!”
Once we were settled in a room that wasn’t destroyed, Valeria let everyone file in. They were oddly subdued as they approached, and I wondered why until James asked, “Well, can we get near yet, Dr. Roswell?”
“A few at a t—” Valeria didn't get a chance to finish before everyone crowded around both beds.
“It was a good try,” I called out to her, making her shake her head and smile.
“What are the names?” Cory asked, standing between us with Leo and Lucas asleep on his shoulders, while Evie was carrying little Anna in her arms.
“Oliver Markus,” Violet said, making Dad’s eyes mist as he realized he was holding his namesake.
“Grandpa’s got Elizabeth Aurora,” I motioned to the pup grandpa was holding.
Mom grabbed onto Dad and squealed, her eyes lighting up at the name.
“And Lucien’s got Cora Isabella,” Cade answered.
Cory’s eyes lit up and he looked over at Mom smugly.
“I got a first name,” he said.
I was going to tell him we didn’t name her after him, but Cade mind-linked me before I could.
'Let him have it, My Queen.’
“There’s zero chance she was named after you, Cory,” Miguel countered.
“Cora. Cory. She’s named after her favorite uncle.”
“Hey!” Lucien called out indignantly.
“She probably just likes the name,” Miguel insisted.
“Cuz it’s mine. Shut up, Miguel and go find your mate.”
“Yeah, go find your mate, so I can have more grandbabies, too,” Uncle Lalo called out.
“Yeah, I want some nieces and nephews running around the floor,” Adrien added.
“I haven’t beaten Mom, yet,” Miguel complained, making me shake my head at his dumb promise not to look for his mate until he beat his mother, who was the best warrior in the packs.
“You’re past your peak already. Give it up before your sperm shrivels up,” Aunt Kassie shot back.
“I’m twenty-five! I’m in my prime!”
“If you guys don’t be quiet, I’m throwing everyone out!” Valeria called out, making everyone grumble and quiet down, but I secretly loved all the noise.
For eight years I felt like I’d been forgotten and exiled. I spent eight years in the darkness and silence. Now, it was loud and chaotic, and I was home.