by Harms, C. A.
“Hi ladies, take a look around. Girls clothes are over here.” The petite brunette signals to the right of the store, “and boys are on the other. If we don’t have the size you need let me know and I’ll see if I can order it for you.” She and Amelia walk off together talking and Lily starts looking at outfits.
By myself, I look at little dresses and smile, imagining Olivia wearing them. She’s gonna be tall like her daddy, I can feel it.
“I have to get her alone, we can grab her then. They want the baby and don’t want to wait any longer.”
I grip my belly protectively and glance around the store. It’s only my friends and me. I close my eyes and listen hard.
“She’s got that shifter bitch sticking close.”
My stomach cramps and I rub my belly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Fear clogs my throat and I’m frozen where I stand. I feel anger, such deep seated anger. I move toward the girls when a blinding pain rips across my belly.
I bite my lip to keep from crying out. I quickly glance around the store and spot the girls by the counter. Someone in a dark hoodie stands toward the back of the store watching me. Chills run up and down my spine. They start moving toward me. I open my mouth to scream, but it’s like my mouth won’t work.
Pain grips my belly again. I reach behind me until my hand lands on the door handle. I quickly pull the door open and then rush out onto the sidewalk. Marissa’s store is down the street, if I can make it there she’ll protect me.
Fuck, I wish I could run right now. Can Merick sense I need him. There are people everywhere and their thoughts bombard me.
“He’s only with her because she’s pregnant. He’s an honorable man.”
“I still don’t understand what Merick sees in her.”
I spot Marissa’s store and I move to cross the street quickly. When I reach the door another cramp hits me hard. I lean against the door, breathing through the pain. Once I open the door and step inside some of the fear leaves me.
“Taryn?” Marissa comes out from the back. “Come here child.” She takes me by the arm and leads me to a chair. “What has you spooked?”
I tell her about thoughts I heard at the store and then the person in the black hoodie. I moan as another pain hits me. “I-I’m having the baby.”
The door opens and it’s the girls. They all come rushing toward me. “What’s going on?” Lily gets down next to me, holding my hand in hers.
“I need Merick, I have to get out of here.” I push up from the chair and water gushes out of me, leaving a puddle at my feet. “Oh my god. This can’t be happening right now.”
Amelia takes charge. “Rowan call Merick and guard the door. Lily, help me get her into the back.”
They help me into the back and Marissa makes a pallet of blankets. Another cramp hits and I double over. There’s pressure between my legs making it hard to move. “Come on sweetheart. Just a little bit farther and we’ll lay you down.” Amelia says as I try to breathe through the pain.
Once I’m on my back they shove a bunch of pillows for me to lean on.
Rowan shows up in the doorway. “Taryn honey, Merick’s on his way.” She gives me a smile and then heads back out front.
Amelia gets down on her knees by my feet. “Honey, I need to take your bottoms off. Someone grab my bag, it’s in Rowan’s car.”
Lily runs out front and returns a few minutes later with her bag. In the meantime, Amelia got my bottoms off.
The witch dons her gloves. “Okay, let's bend your legs and see if we can feel what baby Olivia is doing.”
Lily gets down by my head and grabs my hand. Amelia checks me then shares a look with Marissa and Lily.
“Oh god, what’s wrong?” I cry out.
“Don’t panic, but sweetie, the baby’s coming now. I can feel her head.” Amelia takes off her gloves, grabs stuff out of her bag, and smiles at me. “This little angel wants to meet her mommy.”
Marissa gets down on the floor next to me. She places her hands on my belly and warmth spreads through my body.
“Merick needs to get here or he’s going to miss the birth of his child,” Amelia says, in her mind.
Pain ripples across my belly and the desire to push is overwhelming. “She’s coming out. I can feel it.”
“Taryn!” I hear roaring and then Merick is running into the room with Jonathon on his tail. “Fuck, baby.” He gets down on the floor next to me.
Lily grabs me behind the knee and pulls it back. Merick does the same, everyone else is going to wait in the other room. I watch everyone walk through the doorway, leaving me with my mate and my bestie. “Okay Taryn, I want you to push during your next contraction okay?”
I nod, and then look up at Merick. “I’m so glad you made it.”
He leans down and kisses my lips and I focus on his beautiful face. “I’m scared.” I whisper.
“It’s going to be okay, baby.”
A contraction hits and Amelia instructs me to push. I bear down, pushing with all my might. I feel like I do this for a while before an intense burning sensation hits me. I cry out as pain and fear runs through me.
Merick brushes my hair back from my face. “You’re doing so great baby. I love you so much.”
“Taryn I can see her head, give me one more big push.” She looks to Lily and Merick, “pull her legs back.”
“Come on Taryn, you can do this.” Lily smiles at me.
The pain flares again and this time I push as hard as I can. A scream rips from my lips as the burning becomes too much.
“Okay, sweetheart the heads out.”
That’s when I hear the most beautiful sound in the whole wide world. My daughter’s cries echo through the room.
“She’s almost out baby. Fuck, I can see she’s already beautiful like her momma.”
I push and feel her shoulders slip out of me and then the rest of her body. Amelia picks her up. “Guys, let's get her sweater off so they can do skin to skin.”
Lily and Merick quickly peel it off of me and then Amelia is laying my daughter on my chest. Tears roll down my cheeks as I hold her to my chest. Her dark hair is covered in goo, but I can tell she’s got a lot of it.
“I’m going to call and see if I can get a medical transport to get them back to your place. I have a friend who can help us on the down low.” Amelia tells Merick. “Let me clean the baby up and then you can hold her while I tend to Taryn.”
My mate simply nods as he looks down at our daughter. I can see he’s in love with her already. I feel Lily kiss my forehead.
I smile down at my baby, but then my eyes start fluttering. “S-Something’s wrong,” I whisper to Merick.
He looked down at me and his face turned ashen. “Taryn?” My vision turns black, I feel someone take my daughter from my arms, and I hear Merick shout. “Taryn!” Then … nothing.
Merick
“What's happening?” My heart is racing as I hold Taryn in my arms. Her body is limp, dead weight. “Amelia,” my booming voice echoes through the small space and everyone stands around staring at the woman I adore just as lost as I am.
Suddenly Ryder is at my side and draping a small sheet over Taryn’s body. “We need to move her.”
“No,” I say as fear rips through me and I grip her tighter in my arms.
“Merick, I know the plan was to avoid the hospital, but I think in the current situation its best.” Looking away from my beautiful girl, with the full intention of arguing with him I stop immediately. I see the worry and determination in his eyes. I also understand that Ryder would never attempt to override my authority when it came to Taryn unless he felt there was good cause to do so. “Let’s go.”
He begins to pick her up, and I move him out of the way, lifting her on my own. I don’t want anyone to touch her, the worry I feel is crippling me.
Taking one step toward the door, I look back over my shoulder and see Amelia holding my daughter securely in her arms.
“Ryder,” that's all I have to s
ay, he knows I am entrusting him with Olivia. With nothing more than a nod, he takes my daughter in his arms and together we move through the store and out onto the sidewalk. Carefully loading Taryn into the back of the ambulance, I hurry inside and lower her to the gurney. Ryder sticking close, he sits at my side holding a bundle of pink in his arms.
Looking out I see all the women standing close, Jonathan remaining strong as he assures them all that everything will be okay. It has to be okay, I won’t accept anything less.
The ride was long, or so it felt. With each passing second, I swear I felt myself die a little more. The fact that I had no idea what had taken place, no clue as to why Taryn passed out, was overwhelming.
I can’t fix this, and that’s what kills me the most.
Once we arrive at the entrance of the hospital, everything happens quickly. They rush Taryn inside, along with my daughter.
I can feel it as one by one my family begins to arrive. Some that I’ve seen almost daily and others that have arrived in town. They now know that the protection of Taryn and Olivia is needed more than ever.
The rebirth of a new generation, one that holds the power to bring us all together. The gift opens the world for us, awakening everything that has remained hidden for far too long. The birth of our daughter, just her existence alone is the key to everything we need to become the most powerful force.
Olivia is our anchor. And that makes her our enemies biggest target and biggest threat.
“The pain was too much.” I stand guard at Taryn’s bedside. Our daughter is in a small bassinet at her side. Near the door not one but three shifters, all standing with their arms crossed and chests puffed. Dominant and protective, they are all around us. I feel them, without even taking the opportunity to see for myself.
The connection is stronger already, with Olivia’s birth. I turn my focus back to the doctor.
“The adrenaline she was riding kept her alert, but after the birth, once that wore off,” the doctor pauses, and looks around the room. I can visibly see his throat bob as he swallows hard. He is intimidated. “She gave in to the pain and passed out.”
“And now?” My body is strung tight with nerves, feeling powerless which is an emotion I don’t deal well with.
“She is resting.” He clears his throat and again focuses on me. “I’ve given her a small dose of pain medication, and her vitals remain strong. She will fully recover with a little rest and your daughter too.”
A small suckling sound pulls my attention from Taryn. I watch as Olivia brings her hand up to her mouth and begins sucking on her fist. For the first time since Taryn passed out I take a moment to watch our daughter. So small and so perfect.
I don’t know how much time passes but I briefly hear the doctor excuse himself as I reach out and gently run my finger along Olivia’s arm.
“We’ll be outside,” I look toward the door right as all three men exit. I still wasn’t completely sure of their names, but I knew their purpose. I’d been warned by my father, hell by all of my ancestors that have already arrived in Stone Ridge. The birth of my daughter would open up the arrival of many. They would come to protect our legacy, they would stand strong at my side to ensure that Olivia is guarded and safe.
They weren’t lying.
I can feel them, there are so many. Strong powerful forces, they were here.
“Merick?” For a moment I thought I’d imagined her whispering my name. I long to hear her, to know that she was okay. I hear her voice in my head often, when I need it the most I see her smile and imagine that this is again one of those times.
Until I hear it again. “Is she okay?”
Staring at Taryn, I blink a few times in disbelief. My chest grows tight and I feel the tension in my legs give a little. Wobbling on my feet I reach out to brace myself on the edge of the bed and watch as Taryn slowly opens her eyes in search of me. A lack of focus is obvious as she blinks multiple times and then I notice when I become clear.
Her eyes fill with tears and she lifts her hand, reaching out for me.
Part of me wants to snatch her up and hold her close and tight, but I know that I can’t. So instead, I lower myself to her side with ease and thread my finger through hers. “Hi beautiful,” I fight my own urge to cry. I had never in my life felt fear, then excitement followed by crippling agony in such a short time frame. My emotions were all over the place, but now, even with the unknown ahead of us, I felt peace.
“Olivia?”
“She’s perfect,” I reply, and as if that is the only worry she has, she closes her eyes and slowly once again giving in to the exhaustion.
I remain at her side, holding her hand in mine, watching her sleep. A soft grunt awakens me from my daze, and I look toward the bed that holds my daughter once more. She is wrapped so securely in a soft pink blanket, A matching hat upon her head. One hand at her mouth, two fingers tucked between her lips as she gently sucks.
My world has changed, my life is whole.
Reaching out I lift our daughter and instantly bring her in close to my chest. Pressing my lips to her head I simply breath her in. The tears that I had been fighting began to fill my eyes and the burning sensation in my chest takes over.
“I love you my little angel. Daddy’s going to protect you forever, or die trying. You and your momma are my everything.” Olivia’s mouth opens in a teeny tiny yawn that makes me smile, and all I can think is that she’s already got me wrapped around her little finger.
With one hand resting over Taryn’s and the other holding my daughter securely I did something I hadn’t done in longer than I could remember.
I talk to my mother. I ask her to protect my family, her family.
I beg for safety, for solace.
And most of all, I tell her how much I wish she was here to meet my girls and love them like I do.
Taryn
I sit in the middle of my bed while Lily braids my hair for me. My eyes stay locked on my daughter as she nurses, greedily. Shifter babies are apparently big eaters. Luckily, the tea Marissa gave me is helping with my milk production.
We’ve been home for two days and it’s been a dream. I can’t stop staring at her. Merick has been such a pro at this daddy thing already. I’ve spent a lot of time watching them together. Olivia loves taking her nap on her Daddy’s bare chest. His large hands cover her entire body as they protect from the world.
After Lily finishes my hair, she takes her goddaughter from me, burping her then kissing her head. “Get changed, I’ll take this sweetie pie downstairs.”
I climb off the bed and look at my best friend with my daughter in her arms. “I’m so glad you decided to stay.” I start to cry, because my hormones have been all over the place. I cry when I should laugh, get angry when I should be pleased, I’m a rollercoaster. But they said I should start balancing out soon. “Sorry I don’t mean to cry. I’m all over the place right now.”
Lily comes around and stops in front of me. “As crazy as all of this is, because yes it’s super crazy, I’m really happy I’m here too.” She leans in close to me. “A vampire was holding your baby like she was the most precious thing in the world, that’s amazing.”
Since Olivia’s birth the town has been overrun by supernaturals. A lot of Merick’s pack have returned. Ryder’s clan are on their way here. They can only travel at night, obviously. Josef, Ryder, and Jonathon have been keeping away visitors. It's not that we don’t want them, but we wanted things quiet and low key for the first couple of days.
Tomorrow is the day we introduce Olivia Ann Samuelson to her pack and the rest of our extended family. I feel bad that my parents aren’t here, but I haven’t figured out how to tell them everything. I only hope that they’ll understand that I was protecting them.
Lily kisses my cheek and then disappears with Olivia. I throw on some black leggings, a dove grey nursing cami, and a bright purple cardigan. In our bathroom I look at myself in the mirror. My breasts are enormous, and my stomach has gone down quite a
bit, but I still look pregnant--just not full-term.
The pads I’m wearing are so huge, but I have to remember that it won’t be forever. I slip on my black UGGs and head downstairs. I find Lily standing at the window, staring out into the yard.
I step up next to her and look outside. Merick and Jonathon stand in front of a group of men. He looks every bit the alpha of his pack. The men all look at him with respect. I try to listen, but hear nothing--no static, no thoughts … nothing.
I knew there was a possibility that I’d lose my powers, but as much as I thought I’d be happy about it, I’m kind of sad they’re gone.
“I know he’s your man, but Merick is pretty sexy when he’s Mr. Alpha.” Lily smiles at me, and then hands me my daughter.
I smile, knowingly. “Oh I know.” I bring my daughter up to my mouth, kissing her forehead.
Lily smiles and kisses my cheek. “I’ll be back in the morning. I love you and I love you, Olivia.” She kisses the baby’s forehead. “See you tomorrow.”
I watch from the window as a couple of the younger shifters walk Lily back to the cabin. They’ve been guarding the perimeter of our property--including the cabin. I lay Olivia down in the bassinet and head into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. When I come back into the room, I smile as I watch the steady rise and fall of my daughter’s chest.
Her thick brown hair stands up like Albert Einstein. It’s so adorable, and I spend a lot of time rubbing my hand over it. I can’t wait to see who she looks like. The front door opens and my mate comes walking in.
Merick smiles when he sees me. “Hi my beautiful mate.” He gives me a kiss and then bends down to kiss our daughter on the forehead. “Hi my beautiful angel.” I think she’s a daddy’s girl already because as soon as she hears his voice she opens her eyes and starts getting agitated until he picks her up and cradles her to his body.
