pack hauled away Grogan’s body.
I couldn’t believe it.
My mind was reeling with what he had told me. Was any of it true? Did my dad want me gone since I was sixteen? I had to talk to my dad. I needed closure. I needed some sort of justice.
The cramps in my abdomen worsened as I stood up from the bed.
“I heard a gunshot. The guests left after hearing it,” said Jade, running into the room. Her eyes widened as she watched my pack shifted back into their alpha forms, carrying away the body. “What the hell just happened?”
“He attacked me,” I sighed. “I’m so glad he’s dead now. He killed my mother.”
“He what?!” roared Jatix, dropping Grogan’s body on the floor. “You never told us this Keera. Tell us everything. From the beginning.”
And that’s what I did. I didn’t have a choice this time.
I told them everything. The first time I’d seen Grogan, and what Grogan had said about my father just now.
“I have to see my dad,” I said.
“Yes, let’s kill him next,” said Jatix.
“Let’s go right now,” said Darius with a low growl.
My pack was riled up, and there was no way I could calm them down. I was riled up myself. This was the second attempt on my life. I had no idea if my father truly wanted me dead or if Grogan acted on his own accord.
“Jade, I’ll see you again another time,” I said, hugging her. “Thank you so much for coming and for the gifts.”
“You’re welcome, my friend,” said Jade. “I’ll see you when you go into labor.”
I knocked on the front door of my dad’s house.
I knew my dad was home from the TV blaring in the middle of the night. I knocked three more times urgently.
The door opened, and my dad peeked out. The chain blocked the door from opening all the way. His mustache stuck out from the little opening, his beady eyes full of internal rage.
“You’re with the Lustfur Pack,” he said, eying my pack behind me. “What do you want bitch?”
“Grogan came for me tonight. Did you send him?” I asked.
“He’s so stupid. Failed again, didn’t he?” he grunted. “Why can’t you die?”
“Did you tell him he could have me when I was only sixteen?”
He paused, his face recalling the memory.
“Well maybe…”
“That’s all I needed to know,” I said and gestured to the beta police and delta officers hiding around the house with tape recorders. Darius nodded to his fellow delta brethren. They had heard the admission of guilt, and that was all that was needed.
“Move back!” ordered a beta officer, kicking in the door. My dad stood there in shock as the dust flew around his face. He glared at me, his eyes roaming over my swollen belly.
I laid a hand protectively over it.
“I would never put my baby in danger like you did,” I said with all the vengeance in my voice. “I hate you for what you did. It was your fault that Mom died. All your fucking fault! I hope you rot in jail.”
He looked taken aback by my accusations as they stuffed him into the cruiser.
‘You bitch!’ he growled.
He had always been evil, and I was ready to see him behind bars.
“Good job,” said Silus, cuddling me in the backseat of Shawn’s van.
Shawn was driving. Darius sat on the passenger side.
Jatix was sitting next to me. I still couldn’t believe the nightmare this day had turned out to be. I was battling a ton of emotions as Silus held me, the rumble in his chest calming me. Jatix had his hand on my thigh, stroking me softly.
“All this wasn’t good for the baby,” said Jatix, his hand moving to my belly. “Try to relax, sweetheart.”
“How could I?” I said. “My mom died, and now my dad is behind bars. I have no one.”
“You have us,” said Jatix. “And you’ll have your little one if you try to calm down.”
I took several deep breaths as we drove away from my old house. I never wanted to see it again or step foot in it.
Ever again.
I felt another wave of cramps hit my belly. This time a gush of liquid broke through, soaking the seat underneath me.
“I think the baby’s coming,” I said.
“Oh my god,” said Shawn.
“Stay calm, everyone,” said Jatix. “Open your legs, sweetheart.”
Another tightening around my belly. It felt like a vise trying to push the baby out. I groaned.
“Just follow my instructions,” I gasped out. “When you put a finger in there, what do you feel?”
Was this the type of pain birthing mothers felt?
I suddenly had a wave of empathy for all the mothers I helped. At the time, I thought they were exaggerating, but shit.
This was too much. Holy hell. I could barely breathe through the pain.
“I can feel the head,” shouted Jatix, no longer calm and collected.
“I thought I was supposed to have way more time,” I said. “Usually, first-time births are slow, but it’s happening quickly. We need to go to the hospital.”
After my last coherent sentences, I took deep breaths to get through each wave of contractions.
When we reached the hospital, I hoped not to see the director there. The one who fired me.
It wouldn’t be a fun birth if I had to see her snarky face.
As I was rolled into one of the rooms, I shut my eyes as another wave of horrible pain crashed over me. This was too much. I contemplated pain medicines, but I wanted to experience everything. I opened my eyes to see my old beta co-worker, Tim. Fuck this. I didn’t want him to be the one all inside my pussy.
“Is there another doctor?” I shouted.
“Why?” asked Silus. Then to the nurses and Tim. “Get the fuck away from her. We need another doctor”
“There isn’t anyone else,” said Tim.
“It’s fine,” I said, closing my eyes in pain.
“Do you want pain meds?” Tim asked. His face was twisted in empathy for me. “It’s great to see you again, by the way.”
“No,” I said, gritting my teeth.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m fucking sure,” I snapped, holding my stomach in pain. I wanted to feel everything with my first birth.
“Damn, she’s vicious,” said Jatix. “I’m getting turned on watching her yell at everyone.”
“Shutup Jatix,” I said. This pain was real, and they would never know how it felt.
Darius and Silus chuckled behind me when I snapped at Jatix.
After three hours of hard labor, I was breathing hard when I could finally hold my baby.
“Congratulations on your baby boy,” said Tim.
“Thank you, Tim,” I smiled as I kissed the baby’s forehead, softly touching his hair with my hand. I looked up at Jatix. He had teared up with tears running down his cheeks. Shawn was taking pictures at my request, and Silus kissed my cheek, also gazing at the wonder in front of us.
“I love you,” Silus whispered in my ear. I turned my head up, and we kissed on the lips.
“I love you too,” I said. “I love all of you.”
One by one, the men kissed me on the lips while Jatix held the baby in his arms, looking at him proudly.
“His name will be Lionel,” said Jatix. “Lion for short.”
“Our little Lion,” I crooned, smiling. “I love it.”
