by Jenny Foshia
Why did Janice have to be so logical? He had to admit, her idea was good. “I can do that. Let me go check on her and we will see what we need to do.” He slowly stood up. The dizziness was gone but the headache was still there. Janice grabbed his hand and helped him walk into Brielle’s room where she was propped up on some pillows and Cole was wiping her forehead with a damp rag.
“What are you doing out of bed Ryan?” she asked him when she saw him walking in.
“I can’t just lay around doing nothing and since I am not allowed to leave to help rescue my girl your mom talked me in to helping you out considering I have a little medical experience.” He joked with her and she laughed but quickly stopped as another contraction hit her.
“How long has she been having contractions? How long do they last and how far apart are they?” He fired off questions as he took a seat at the foot of the bed between her legs.
“She has been having them for the last couple of hours, they last for a couple of minutes and are only 2 minutes apart.” Cole answered.
“It looks as if she has already broke water so I am going to check to see how far she is dilated. I will need scissors, something to clamp the cord with, warm water and fresh towels.” He gave the orders and Cassie and Janice went to work to gather the items he needed.
“Ok Brielle, I am going to check you. I know it is going to hurt a bit but I need to ascertain how far you are. Are you ready?”
She nodded and he inserted his hand into her vaginal opening and felt along the interior. He smiled. “Ok Brielle, you are almost ready to push. You are dilated to 8/9 and it shouldn’t be much longer.”
“Oh, will they be ok? They are a little early, which I know is normal for multiples, but I am still worried.”
He leaned down and listened for a heartbeat. With his wolf senses he was able to hear 2 distinct beats aside from Brielle’s. He nodded before answering her, “They sound nice and strong. They will be fine, you are right that multiples come earlier. You have nothing to worry about right now. Everything seems to be running smoothly. Just tell me when you feel the urge to push, ok? You are doing so well Brielle, you are so very strong and these little ones definitely take after their mama.”
That comment made her smile but that was soon wiped off her face as another contraction came. She breathed through it and then relaxed when it passed. His head was pounding so he asked for some Tylenol. Janice left to get him some along with some water. He thanked her and accepted the medicine just in time for Brielle to begin pushing.
“That’s it Brielle. I need you to push with each contraction. Ready; one, two, three, push.” He coached her through the contraction as Cole held her hand and kept her cooled with the wet rag. Janice and Cassie were waiting, nervously, for him to hand the babies to them as soon as they were delivered.
“Brielle, you are doing great. I can see the head of baby number 1. This one has some dark hair just like mama. I need you to push with the next contraction and we can let this little one meet his or her family.” He braced himself as she pushed and within seconds he held a petite little girl. “Congrats you guys. Baby number 1 is a beautiful girl.” He passed her to Cassie who walked to a counter they readied to clean the babies up. He turned back to Brielle and said, “Ok Brielle. One more to go. On the next contraction you need to push so this little one can join big sister.” She nodded to him and as soon as the contraction started she hunched down and pushed. Baby number 2 was coming.
“Ok Brielle, I see a full head of blond hair. Just one more.”
She pushed, hard, and baby 2 came out. He laughed, “Baby 2 is another beautiful baby girl.” Brielle flopped back onto the pillows and cried, “I have two daughters. Cole, the three of us have daughters.” She closed her eyes and Cole wiped her hair from her face. He kissed her cheek, “Thank you Brielle. You did wonderfully. I can’t wait for Max to find out that we have 2 daughters.”
Ryan went to the bathroom to wash up and by the time he walked back in the room Cole and Brielle each held a daughter in their arms. Their faces were filled with such joy that Ryan instantly calmed down. He couldn’t wait until He, Adrian and Dani were holding a little one of their own.
“So, any names picked out?” He had to ask.
“Brielle and I are going to wait until Max gets back so we can decide, together, what to name our girls.” Cole answered before turning his attention back to the little blond bundle in his arms.
“That sounds like a great idea. I am going to go back and lie down, give you two some peace and get some rest myself. If you guys need anything just let me know.” He left the room after their both nodded and headed to his room. He laid down on the bed and allowed himself to offer up a plea that they were able to safely rescue Dani and make it back, soon.
Chapter 21: Adrian
Adrian became more agitated as they passed through the gates and followed the driveway to the back where Lucien said he would meet them. They couldn’t get there fast enough in his mind. Dani was being held there and they were doing who knows what to her and he was pissed! He hoped that Jax wasn’t there, he wasn’t ready to confront his ex-best friend. He was afraid that if he did he would end up killing him, which was actually no less than he deserved.
“Ok,” Max began, “Lucien said that he would meet us here at this door.” He said as he killed the engine to the car and they wait until they saw a door open. The three of them got out of the car and walked to the guy standing in the doorway.
“Hello guys, follow me. I was able to fill her in on the plan that I was helping you guys. I told her that I needed to appear to be following orders and had to strap her to the bed.” Lucien was talking as he led them through the walkway and as soon as he mentioned strapping her to the bed Adrian about lost it.
“I didn’t hurt her so calm yourself down. I assume you are Adrian, one of her mates?” Lucien asked as he looked at Adrian over his shoulder.
“Yes, I am. How did you know she was mated?”
“I can sense things like that. I can read a person’s aura and emotions. She was scared and she is deeply in love with you and her other mate.”
That calmed him down, knowing that this guy knew she was in love and spoken for.
When they reached the door to the room Lucien said Dani was being held in they heard voices. Adrian shot Lucien a questioning glance, which he read correctly.
"That is my brother, Paul, and your friend, Jax.” He answered.
“That would be our ex friend. No true friend of ours would do what he has done.”
Lucien nodded, showing support toward Adrian’s feeling.
“Ok, I am going to go in there and tell them they’re needed outside. That should buy us some time to get in there and free your girl. Are you guys ready?”
They all nodded and he walked in through the door. They heard muffled voices and then shouting. Dani screamed and Adrian rushed, bursting through the door he saw Dani still strapped to the bed and Lucien lying on the floor with blood coming out of his nose. He was beginning to sit up and Wes rushed over to help him as Adrian and Max worked to defend themselves from the attack. Jax and Paul charged at them knocked Adrian against the wall with a hard hit to the jaw. He bounced off the wall and slammed his shoulder into Jax’s chest and threw him across the room. He slammed into the corner of the fireplace and fell to the floor. When he made to stand up Adrian walked over to him and kicked his heal into Jax’s forehead causing him to hit the back of his head against the stone fireplace and he was out cold. Adrian turned just in time to see Max struggling to fend off Paul. Before Adrian made it to them Lucien charged his brother with a knife and slit his throat. He dropped the knife as Paul crumpled to the floor and Adrian ran over to the bed and freed Dani’s hands as Wes unstrapped her ankles. She threw her arms around Adrian’s neck and he picked her up and headed to the door.
“Are you guys ok?” The three of them nodded, Lucien looking a little lost as he stared at his brother’s lifeless body. Adrian addressed him
, “Lucien, you are welcome to come back with us. A little time away will help you, I promise. Plus, we owe you for your part in saving Dani.
Lucien looked up at Adrian and then at Max and Wes, “I would like that. Thank you.” He stood and the five of them walked through the walkways and back out to Max’s car. Adrian held Dani in his lap and they drove away after they all piled into the car. The drive back to Max, Cole and Brielle’s was a quiet one, each of them reflecting on the events of this night. Adrian felt for Lucien, not only losing his brother but being the one to end his life. He owed Lucien everything and had no idea how to repay him. He was deep in thought when Lucien interrupted him, “Stop. You do not need to repay me. I did what was right and I would do it again. I don’t know why but my brother turned when he took over as Alpha and hasn’t been the same since. You guys did not deserve what he put you through. You have all suffered enough. Let us just move forward, passed this, shall we?”
Adrian agreed with him and when they got to the house they all walked together into the living room where they were greeted by Mark, Joe, Janice, Ryan and Cassie.
“Where are Brielle and Cole?” Max asked the group.
“They are upstairs with your daughters.” Janice answered with a smile. As soon as she was finished with her sentence Max was out of the room and running up the stairs.
Adrian introduced Lucien to the group and filled everyone in on what happened. The mood was somber as they mourned the loss of Jax and Paul, for Lucien’s sake. When Adrian looked at Lucien he noticed that the guy seemed transfixed with Cassie, and she with him. He looked at Wes and he was under the same spell as the other two. He laughed and saw that the others noticed too.
“Another mating to come soon, eh?” He asked Janice and she just smiled at him. Oh yeah, another one will be taking place soon.
He grabbed Dani’s hand and the two of them, along with Ryan, said their goodnights to everyone and went upstairs to bed. He needed to be with her and he felt her need and Ryan’s need, for them to mate. They needed the sense of security that came to them when they mated. They needed to celebrate the beginning of the rest of their lives.
“I love you, Dani. So very much.” He said as he leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back before replying with, “I love you too, Adrian.” She turned to Ryan and said the same to him before kissing him.
The three of them fell onto the bed and proceeded to make love, multiple times that night.
Epilogue: 3 Months Later
Dani was happier than she had ever been. Her sister’s girls were now 3 months old and they were the joy of everyone’s lives. But they were going to soon be joined by a new little cousin as they had just found out that she would be following in Brielle’s footsteps and having twins. And just as with Brielle, each twin was fathered by its own father. She was tremendously blessed.
She had signed over management of her vet clinic and took a back seat in her business. She enjoyed spending time with her family and decorating the house they had built on some of the property Max and Cole gave them as their bonding gift.
When she was bonded with Ryan and Adrian they were also made co-Alpha of her father’s part of the pack and they were doing a wonderful job of leading their pack alongside Max and Cole.
She was rubbing her belly and smiling when the guys walked in.
“Are you feeling ok?” Adrian asked her.
“I feel fine, just a little tired.”
“Why don’t we go to bed?” Ryan suggested and she agreed. She allowed them to lead her to the bed and they made love. She never got over how great it was to be with these two men. They were her reason for living and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now all they had to do was convince Cassie to give in to her guys. Everyone knew she was destined to be with Wes and Luc (a.k.a. Lucien). How much longer was she going to fight it?
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