Chapter 15 Ivy
Ivy
Everything around me was hazy, and yet so in focus. The minutes it took to push felt more like hours, time slowing until there was only me and the next flood of pain.
“I need you to give one more push,” the midwife said. “I see the head. This one already has some dark hair! Definitely a shifter baby.”
I gritted my teeth, growling as the contraction forced me into a near-seated position. I could feel my wolf clawing at my insides with this one. She wanted to help birth her pup and tried to give me strength.
Behind me, Elias’s hold was firm, giving me the power I needed to push this last one out.
In the back of my mind, I heard them all; Damon from the corner of the room where he helped Adrian clean our son, telling me how good I was doing; Maeve at my feet, who had taken over for Xerxes, giving me strength; Xerxes saying something in his own language, one he wanted to teach our children; Adrian soothing me and our newborn, ready to reunite the twins once our last was born.
The others were more gentle with their help, quieter, aware of how overwhelmed I was. They knew better than to overload me with too much. Just Arthur’s touch alone was helpful, same with Rowan’s. Orion and Hawk, steady presences, guarding me while I was in my most vulnerable state.
Hell, even my best friend was doing her part. Wiping away the sweat and tears burning my face, working with one of the guys to keep the cloth cold and damp.
With that final push, our second child was born.
The cries this time were quieter. Maybe a little more curious. This time, Orion was the one to take the offered infant once the cord was clamped and cut. Through the bond, I felt my mate’s terror as he slowly walked the baby over to me, eyes locked on the little thing in his arms.
“She is beautiful,” Orion murmured. “Our daughter is beautiful.”
A girl. I was a sobbing mess again as Orion lowered her to my chest. My little pup.
She had dark hair, just like the midwife said she would.
Just like her brother, she had Elias’s underlying scent.
Pine and earth hidden beneath blood. She had the same grey-pink skin as her twin, too, which would be cleaned away later.
For now, she was on my bare chest, not crying at all. Behind me, Elias curled around me, his chest rumbling.
“Precious girl,” he murmured, holding me tighter. “I love you so fucking much. You are amazing.”
I sobbed as Adrian joined us. I felt everyone around me now, especially as baby boy was lowered onto my breasts with his sister.
They were no bigger than my forearm, so small I couldn’t believe they’d come out of my body together.
Though, to no one’s surprise, our little pup was bigger than her brother.
I was pretty sure that was a wolf thing.
“Holy shit, Ives. You did it,” Thea whispered, moving off the bed before I could stop her. “Congrats.”
“Don’t you dare leave yet,” I croaked, looking at her. “Don’t you want to know their names?”
“Of course I do,” she said, rolling her eyes as tears filled them. “But I figured you needed some mate time.”
Behind me, Elias grunted. “Not just yet.”
“Yeah,” Adrian murmured. “You should hear them.”
Thea took a tentative step towards the bed and crossed her arms. “Now you’re scaring me.”
I released a shaky breath and held firm to both babies as I said, “I would like to name our little boy Theodore, after you.” I looked up and found tears running down her face. “For you and Adrian’s dad.”
My best friend covered her mouth, closing her eyes. Rowan wrapped an arm around her shoulders while she cried, and maybe for the first time since they became friends, she didn’t shove him away.
“I had to do some research for our girl,” I whispered, keeping my eyes on them. “Not knowing what we were having was tricky. But that’s why I like lists. And I would like to share that her name is Keira.”
There was a rumble of agreement from Elias behind me, and through the bonds, I sensed my mates liked the name a lot.
My half-Fae mate moved closer, arms crossed. “Where’d you find that one, Princess?” Hawk asked.
My throat thickened with emotion, making it difficult to speak. But Maeve could explain it for me—it was her idea. “Keira is for both Kerry and Sable,” my vampire stated.
Rowan made a strangled sound. “You want to name her for my mom?”
I nodded once. “She might have meddled a lot, but if it weren’t for her, it wouldn’t have been you guys who found me. It might have taken us longer to meet. It would have taken longer for us to fall in love.”
“You’re going to make us all cry,” Damon mumbled from the end of the bed as he swiped a hand beneath his eye.
The others laughed, but as I looked down at my settled babies, I knew it was the right call.
Teddy and Keira. My little charm and pup.
My hearts, my little fighters, here at last.
I’d never felt more exhausted in my life.
Not after fighting my way to escape Dante’s prison, running through tunnels with no shoes and carrying children while also dealing with a quickened pregnancy.
Not even after the battle when I fought him and actually won, reclaiming my magic as well as my life.
No, giving birth hurt more and left me more drained, somehow. But I was also content as both Teddy and Keira were placed in my arms. They slept soundly, colour finally forming on their skin. And they were clean, not covered in mucus and blood.
I also had been given a quick bath. Super healing made sure most of my internal wounds and vagina were a lot better compared to six hours ago when I pushed baby girl out, so although I was sore, I wasn’t in as much pain as I would have been were I human.
It also helped having an actual healer here, who ensured the worst of it was fixed, and gave my mates a balm to use over the next week while the rest went back to normal.
But now, babies were in my arms, and they were alive. They were safe.
And damn, they were beautiful.
Teddy yawned, little lips parting as he buried his face in my chest. Keira was still, though I could hear her soft little snores as she slept.
Keira’s hair was soft and thin, but it otherwise covered her whole head.
Meanwhile, Teddy was so bald we had no idea if he’d inherit mine or Adrian’s hair. It was fun to wonder, though.
“So, they’re getting a little antsy,” Rowan stated, voice low as he and Damon reappeared in the bedroom.
We’d moved from the temporary birthing room back to the main bedroom about an hour ago once we knew I was completely stable and okay.
“We’ve reassured them you’re okay, and Thea is with them now.
But they’re still worried and want to see you. ”
I finally pulled my gaze from the twins and found everyone standing around me.
All of my mates were anxious; the feeling flooded the bonds on all sides, no matter how badly they tried to hide it for my sake.
And they were also fighting their possessive, protective natures right now, the sides of them that demanded they hide me away from everything and everyone for at least a month while I recovered.
“I want them to come up and meet the babies,” I replied, offering my mates reassuring smiles.
Rowan nodded once, and with Damon close behind him, they went to get my sisters.
Maeve sat gently on the edge of the bed, brow creased with worry.
“Let us know if you get too overwhelmed. They are your sisters, but you also just went through something that will affect you for weeks. Not only do you have to worry about the human side of hormones, but you will also have your magic battling against you to protect them. You and I know the kids aren’t threats, but do not be afraid to say enough. ”
I swallowed hard and bowed my head in a nod as the guys returned. Eloise appeared first in the doorway, her wide eyes taking everything in: my mates surrounding the bed, the piles of pillows keeping me upright, and then me with the twins bundled in my arms.
She stepped hesitantly into the room, holding the hands of the younger two, keeping them from jumping on the bed. “You’ve gotta be quiet,” she murmured, holding them tightly. “Okay? No loud sounds or jumping.”
Maisie, for the first time in a while, wasn’t a ball of energy. Concern bled into her blue eyes as they took me in. “Are they…” She lowered her voice. “Are they real?”
I laughed quietly. “Come on. Come meet them.”
Even though Elias guided them further into the room, they were still hesitant. Ginny looked more worried than anything, her brows scrunched together, eyes shining.
“Join me on the bed,” I said, clearing my throat as emotion built into a lump. “Careful.”
Eloise took Maeve’s spot beside me, while Elias lifted Maisie to sit beside me, Arthur helping Ginny so the pair could be on my other side. It put them close to me and the babies, but instead of feeling any worry, I just felt…right.
I waited for my magic to turn possessive like Maeve warned, or maybe have my emotions completely turn around on me. But neither happened. Not because I was in any rational state.
As I looked at my sisters, I realised I wasn’t holding my only babies. Eloise, Ginny, and Maisie were just as much my children as the ones I’d birthed.
And so, of course, my magic and postpartum hormones didn’t kick in for them. They were as much my own to defend as the newborns I cradled, and I would do anything to protect them all.
“I want you to meet Theodore and Keira,” I murmured, looking at each of my sisters, taking in the tears welling in their eyes.
“They’re so small,” Ginny whispered, unable to take her eyes off them.
“Little babies,” Maisie said, laying her head on my shoulder so she could stare directly into Keira’s face. “She’s a little wolf.”
I swallowed hard, glancing towards Elias, who watched the interaction with soft eyes, eyes that filled with tears. “Yes,” I said, chuckling. “She’s going to be a little wolf. Not for a while, though. And Teddy is going to be a mage.”
“Teddy?” Ginny snorted. “That’s funny.”
“I think it’s perfect,” Eloise murmured. “Can—can I hold one of them, maybe?”
I met her stare, took in the fear shadowing her eyes, and blinked my own tears away.
“Of course, you can,” I said, voice thick with emotion.
“Nothing is going to change, okay? I want you three to know that. Just because…just because I’ve had them, doesn’t mean you guys aren’t my babies, too.
Okay? I love you guys so much. We all do. ”
Eloise swiped a hand beneath her eye as she nodded. “Love you, too.”
My mates, the loves of my life and my protectors, surrounded us, a vision of something I could never have dreamed of.
It was everything and more.
A happily ever after not even I could have written.