Little Piper’s head began to retreat.
“I need you to push again, Sarah,” he urged. “Her head is going back. It never came all the way out.”
“What do you mean it’s going back? Babies don’t have a reverse direction during birth.”
“Then she goes against the grain just like her mother, because that’s exactly what just happened.” Erik felt Sarah’s worry mingling with his own and was so happy to hear the front door opening. “Stephanie is here now. Just hold on. She’ll know what to do.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the sound of running footsteps came through the house. Stephanie skidded into the room and came to an abrupt halt when she took everything in.
“You had one of the babies already?” She seemed stunned, her eyes wide as she blinked slowly, but she quickly managed to pull her focus together and approach the bed. “How are you two doing?” she asked as she gently checked over a snoozing Peyton. “You did a good job securing the cord, Erik.”
“Something’s wrong,” Sarah panted, and Stephanie’s attention snapped back to her. “Piper went back up. I was pushing, and Erik saw her head, even said she had my blonde hair, but then she just slid back up. Why would that happen?”
“Let me get scrubbed. I’ll need to do an exam.” Stephanie’s clipped answer did nothing to sooth Erik’s nerves. In fact, it only confirmed his suspicion that something was really wrong when she ordered, “Don’t push.”
His mother entered the room next. Her eyes lit up when she glimpsed Peyton on the bed, and she came to Sarah’s side. Erik noticed her wrinkled clothing and figured that she must have tied them to carry in her wolf form as they’d run over.
“I see you two got started without us,” she teased. “So who are we still waiting for?”
“Piper seems to be having second thoughts,” Erik replied.
Stephanie stepped back into the room, came to the foot of the bed then leveled a stern stare on Sarah. “I’ll have to examine you. This will involve my reaching inside to check Piper’s positioning and it will not be pleasant,” she warned. “I know you don’t do well with pain, but if you kick me, we’re going to have words.”
“I can handle it. Just hurry.” Sarah was being as brave as she could, but Erik knew the truth. She was running the risk of completely losing control as her fear escalated. If that happened, her body might force a shift, and in the past, Stephanie had made it clear she was not a vet.
“Okay, on the next contraction, breathe through it, and I’ll see if I can feel what she’d hung up on.”
Angela picked up little Peyton when he stirred on the bed, the commotion in the room disturbing his attempt at rest. “I’ll go get him bathed and let him visit with his uncle Adam while you do this. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just call if you need me quickly. You are doing great, Sarah.”
“Thank you,” Sarah panted.
Erik sat by her side, holding her hand as her womb did its best to expel the child inside, whether Sarah helped or not. They both groaned and curled in as it reached the peak again.
“Don’t push, Sarah. I know the urge is strong, but you need to fight it.” Stephanie’s tone of voice told them she was in total medical mode. “Okay, it’s easing off now, and I’m going to check on Piper,” she explained as she donned her long surgical gloves. “Let me know when you feel another contraction coming on.”
All Erik could do was hold his mate’s hand as Stephanie placed one open palm on Sarah’s belly while the other disappeared under the sheet. In the next instant, Sarah jerked and tried to scoot back, her heels digging into the mattress as her eyes flew wide.
Erik did his best to soothe her and cautioned her to be still so Stephanie could do what she needed for Piper. He felt an odd sensation in his lower abdomen that felt as if his insides were being shifted about, and he knew what he felt was only a portion of what Sarah did.
“Fuck! Her cord is around her neck. That’s why she pulled back in, it’s acting like a bungee cord.” Stephanie shifted, moved her hand over on Sarah’s stomach and pressed slightly. “Yes! It’s around her neck then under one arm, so it’s not strangling her.”
“So what does that mean?” Erik asked. In his opinion, it still didn’t sound much better.
“It means she’s going to be fine, but Sarah is going to have to really work to push her out.” Stephanie fixed her gaze on Sarah’s and added, “I can’t do a C-section outside of the hospital. It’s too risky. You’re going to have to dig deep and give it all you’ve got. You can rest once she’s out, but you need to push as hard as you can on this next contraction. Her cord could be pinched once she’s lodged in the birth canal, and it could restrict the flow of blood and oxygen getting to her.”
“I understand. Let’s do this,” Sarah replied, already bracing on her elbows and ready to go.
Angela rushed back into the room and moved to Sarah’s other side. “Glad you didn’t get started without me,” she joked. Together, she and Erik lifted Sarah’s shoulders and offered support as the next wave came.
“Push, Sarah!” Stephanie ordered.
The sound of Sarah’s teeth clenching as she bore down was enough to make Erik’s jaw ache, and he worried she’d crack a tooth, but the praise from Stephanie stilled his tongue when he would have spoken. If it was working for her, he wouldn’t distract her in any way.
“Again, Sarah. Don’t stop now. She’s nearly there. Keep going. You can do this!”
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s do this. Squeeze my hand, rip off my arm, whatever you need to do, but don’t give up.”
She looked up at him, her amber eyes pleading, and he felt her utter exhaustion. Sarah was spent, but Erik knew his wife wasn’t a quitter.
A rather robust cry from the other room had both their heads turning towards the door, and Erik remembered something he had read a few weeks back. Twins were often in sync with one another. Was Peyton sensing his sister’s distress? Erik heard his brother speaking softly as he tried to soothe his upset nephew, but Peyton’s cries only seemed to grow more frantic.
As his son’s cries seemed to reach a crescendo, Stephanie suddenly became loud herself as she barked orders. “Push now, damn it! Her head is nearly out, and that means the cord is depressed. She could be suffocating, Sarah! Push now!”
Stephanie’s shouting seemed to do the trick as Sarah growled low in her throat, released Erik’s arm and dug her sharp nails into the bed. He watched as his mate curled herself forward and pushed as hard as she could, her face turning an alarming shade of crimson.
The intense pain he’d felt when his first child came returned once again, and he was immensely relieved that he was sitting down and that Stephanie was there to oversee things.
Erik chanced a glance down and saw Stephanie quickly unwrapping the umbilical cord from Piper’s neck, but the baby’s head was the only thing out. A little turn of the shoulders, and the rest of her small body finally emerged, followed by a lot of blood and what he assumed was the afterbirth.
Piper made no sound. Her tiny body lay motionless in the cradle of Stephanie’s arms, and Sarah’s anguished wail matched the one inside his head as they took in the sight. The ability to verbalize his pain was completely gone, as he watched Stephanie turn away with their daughter in her arms.
He and Sarah clung to each other, crying and riding the waves of grief that crashed between them through the bond. Their poor baby girl.
“It’s all my fault,” Sarah cried. “I shouldn’t have stopped pushing. I should have been stronger for her.” Sobs racked her body as she clung to him and did something he never thought to see. She completely broke down. Sarah, the strongest woman he had ever met, crumbled in his arms, and Erik’s heart was doing the same.
“You had no way of knowing, Sarah. These things just happen sometimes. It’s just the way of nature. You need to be strong now and remember you have a son counting on the two of you to be there.” His mother was trying to be helpful, but in a situation l
ike this, there were simply no words that would bring any level of comfort.
Chapter Five
“She’s breathing!” Stephanie’s announcement brought a gasp from Sarah’s lips, and everyone held their breath. Little Peyton had calmed somewhat in the other room, and once again, Erik wondered if there was a bond there.
“Can I see her?” Sarah asked, her voice cracking with emotion, and Erik felt lightheaded with the combination of their joy.
Piper is alive! His mind reeled, his heart raced and tears streamed down his face.
“Absolutely. I’m sorry if I scared you, but she didn’t look very good at first and I needed to get her suctioned immediately. She didn’t cry, but after a few breaths, she started to pink up for me. We’ll watch her closely for the next few days, but I think she’ll be just fine,” Stephanie explained as she brought Piper over to Sarah’s waiting arms.
Together, Erik and Sarah took in the sight of their daughter. She was like a little angel with her blonde hair, fair skin and pink cheeks. When she opened her eyes, they all sucked in a startled breath. They were amazing! Peyton’s had been the same silvery blue of every other Wolfe family member, but Piper’s had what looked like an amber starburst around her pupils that faded into the silver of the iris.
“Will you look at that,” Angela whispered. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
“She’s going to be a stunner when she grows up, that’s for sure,” Stephanie piped in. “You better buy a shotgun, so you can clean it when the boys start showing up on your doorstep.”
That would never happen, mainly because Erik had no use for guns. If any man ever hurt his daughter, he’d simply let his wolf out for a nice little hunt. Problem solved.
“Is everyone decent?” Adam called from the hall. “I think little man here would like to see his mother. He’s been pretty fussy, but he’s calming down a little now.”
Stephanie called out for him to hold on for a minute, and Angela set about helping her tidy up.
Once Stephanie had finished cleaning Sarah as best she could, she pulled the blankets down over her legs and disposed of the soiled towels and linen in the basket in the bathroom. “I’ll take these to the laundry and get them started so maybe they won’t stain. You guys just call if you need anything.”
As she exited the room, Adam entered with a wiggly Peyton in his arms. “He’s a strong little guy, that’s for sure.”
“Takes after his daddy,” Sarah replied, shifting Piper and accepting Peyton with her free arm.
She sat with both children in her arms, and it was an amazing sight. His cubs, his mate, all together and gazing at each other for the first time. It warmed his heart, and Erik felt more tears trail down his cheek. The happiness bouncing between Sarah and him through their bond built until she giggled.
“They’re both so small, but so perfect. Peyton looks like you, but I think he’s going to have my temper, while Piper looks like me, but she seems to be pretty mellow just like you,” Sarah whispered.
“They are a perfect blend of their parents,” Adam cut in. He leaned closer and ran his finger gently down Piper’s cheek. “Hey there, little lady,” he cooed. When Piper opened her eyes, Adam’s widened as well. “Wow!”
“Aren’t they amazing?” Angela asked. “Absolutely enchanting. They look like little jewels.”
“They’re gorgeous. You’re Aunt Eva will be so happy to know you two are finally here. You have a cousin to play with, too.”
Erik smiled, knowing he would be just as soft where his children were concerned as Adam was with little Adalynn. His brother, Ethan, would be a pushover as well, but Abraham was the wildcard. He was a complete marshmallow when it came to Stephanie, but he’d never really been around children.
The first meeting he’d had with little Adalynn had been downright comical. His larger brother had been downright terrified of the baby girl, thinking he would crush her because she appeared so fragile.
Stephanie had just shaken her head and settled Adalynn in his arms while the rest of the Wolfe brothers had watched as sweat beaded on his forehead. It was nice to know Abe was just as nervous as the rest of them.
Now, the question was: who would be next?
Epilogue
Christmas had arrived, and the Wolfe children were thriving. Adalynn was now six weeks old, while the twins had reached their one-month milestone.
Everyone took turns holding the babies, and it was obvious that these three would be spoiled beyond belief. The Christmas tree was a prime example of this. Regardless of the fact none of them could play with toys yet, beneath the dangling ornaments the floor was littered with toys and stuffed animals that had been unwrapped by the parents.
Ethan and Abraham both appeared to be more comfortable with the infants as they each held one in their arms while they napped.
Stephanie gave Sarah a wink before saying to Abraham, “It looks like you’re getting the hang of that.”
“Yeah. I’m still not comfortable with the strong pats on the back that you all give to make them belch, but I like holding them.” He paused before adding, “They smell nice.”
“All babies smell nice,” Stephanie laughed. “I’m really glad you like it.”
“What’s not to like? Well, except the diapers. Those do not agree with my heightened senses, but I will admit they don’t seem to like it either judging by the looks on their faces.”
“So you don’t mind changing diapers if you need to?” Sarah asked, playing along with Stephanie.
Abraham shifted in his seat, obviously wondering why he’d suddenly been targeted for questioning. “I could do it,” he cautiously answered. His big muscular frame made all of the babies seem even smaller when they were in his arms, but he was so gentle with them, you’d think they were made of the most delicate crystal.
Stephanie came to his side and sat down, leaning in close. “Do you notice anything different since you’ve been home?”
Abe had been on assignment overseas with a U.S. dignitary and only returned home that morning. Those five weeks had been long and grueling for Stephanie, but she hadn’t let on since he couldn’t feel their bond that strongly from the great distance between them.
He studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing before he smiled. “You cut your hair some. I like it.”
He was right, she had, but that wasn’t what she’d meant. “Do I smell any different to you?”
“You always have a sweet scent, Steph. I’ve missed it these last weeks, and I plan to be wearing it before the night is over,” he growled, leaning closer to nuzzle her neck.
Stephanie blushed, and a few of the others chuckled, but Abraham froze. As he slowly pulled back, his face pale and hands shaking, he whispered for Adam to come and take the sleeping child from his arms.
“When?” Just one word, that’s all he uttered as he stared into Stephanie’s eyes.
“My guess? It probably happened the night before you left. I just started getting sick about a week ago.” She nervously chewed her bottom lip, and nobody could blame her. Abraham’s face was blank, no emotion showing at all. “Say something,” she begged.
“I’m going to be a father,” he whispered, his eyes going to her stomach. “Thank you.” The moisture in his eyes when he looked back into hers brought a smile to her face. Suddenly, he jumped up, grinning like a loon, and shouted, “I’m going to be a dad!”
The cheers that followed startled all three infants, but there was no shortage of open arms waiting to soothe them.
Lacy rose from her seat, still in her police uniform, and proposed a toast. “To the growth of the Wolfe family. May our children find the happiness and love in their lives that their parents were fortunate enough to find in their own.”
Everyone sipped their drinks and congratulations were given to the soon-to-be parents.
“So when are the two of you going to give us a grandchild?” Angela asked Lacy and Ethan from her perch on her husband’s lap.
“I think we can work on that,” Lacy replied, giving Ethan a heated look.
He responded by pulling her down for a passionate kiss. “I’ll just handcuff her to the bed until things are settled,” he teased.
“I can definitely handle that.”
Another round of cheers and catcalls went up as the party continued.
“Are those Eva’s sugar cookies I smell?” Erik sniffed loudly and rose to head into the kitchen licking his lips.
“Stay out of my cookies!” Adam shouted, taking off after him. The crash that came shortly after had both Eva and Sarah shaking their heads. It seemed the battle was on, but Eva decided she would just wait until she told them there was a batch for everyone.
The Wolfe family was a rowdy bunch, but they were loyal to each other no matter what, and the strength of their love was something that ensured they would always remain close to each other.
Well, as long as cookies weren’t involved.
About the Author
Hello, all! I am a mother of two and am happily married to my high school sweetheart. I work full-time in the medical field and spend my down time with family and friends, reading or, (of course) writing. I am currently writing paranormal romance and hope to branch out to Contemporary soon.. The paranormal element allows me to give reality a new depth by integrating paranormal creatures into my everyday world. I mean, come on, who wouldn't want a little excitement added into their everyday life? The Southern/Gulf Coast culture that I have grown up in plays a big part in my writing, forming not only the cultural traits of the characters, but also the ambiance of the geography in many of my stories.
I am new to the writing world, and who knows where it will take me? But I'm having fun nevertheless, and if people enjoy reading my work, then it's all been worth it. HAPPY READING!!
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Resplendence Publishing
The Cub Club Page 4
