Brie
“I can walk, really,” I say with a hint of annoyance as Maeve wheels me in a wheelchair down the hallway.
“You just had a person exit your body rather violently,” my sister quips, obviously enjoying herself at my expense. “I wish I’d seen it.”
“I’m glad you weren’t in the room,” I reply, sniffling dryly as she takes a sharp corner, nearly tipping me over. “It wasn’t a fun time.”
“It didn’t sound fun,” she admits, laughing sharply. “You scared me to death!”
“You didn’t have to linger outside the door, you know.”
“Where else would I have been? You’re my sister. You just gave me a nephew. Of course, I was going to be there.”
She stops at a seldom used elevator and slams her fist against the button, tapping her foot.
“I can walk–”
“No, this will be faster.”
“No one uses these elevators, Maeve. If we get stuck–”
“We’re not going to get stuck,” she grumbles, pressing the button repeatedly until the doors finally slide open. Then, she wheels me inside, flipping me around to face the doors again.
Kieran was born three hours ago, and I haven’t seen his face in person. Mom and Misty took pictures of him and showed me, of course. I tried to mind-link with Logan, but I’m… spent. I couldn’t shift right now if my life depended on it. Maeve, however, is buzzing with energy. She taps her foot like a nervous tick, and the moonstone amulet around her neck is brighter than I’ve ever seen it before, glowing under the pressure of her raging powers.
She was… terrified, wasn’t she? When I was fighting for my life and Kieran’s? She waited outside the door from what I was told, slumped against the wall or pacing until she left tracks on the carpet. She didn’t leave that spot. She stayed there, and when Logan left, she raced in and didn’t leave my side again.
The elevator opens to the first level of the palace. Maids run around, elated, stopping to bow and rush out their congratulations. Maeve smirks at each of them as she wheels me to the infirmary built on the back side of the castle, but when we get close to the doors, she asks, “How fast do you think this thing can go?”
“Don’t you dare–” The words are stolen from my tongue by a yelp as she sprints, tearing down the hallways with me at her mercy in a wheelchair. “Maeve!”
But I’m… smiling. Tears of happiness slide free, and I don’t try to stop them. It feels good to be home with my family. It feels right that Kieran was born here, surrounded by everyone I love, even if this wasn’t part of the plan.
But my smile fades into something deeper, something I can’t even begin to describe, when Maeve slows to a crawl and wheels me into the room where Kieran has to stay for a few weeks, at least, and I see Logan holding him, his eyes closed and head leaning back in a big armchair with Kieran resting against his chest.
Maeve wheels me beside him, squeezing my shoulder before planting a kiss on the top of my head, and leaves, closing the door behind her.
I’m not sure what to do or think. My hand shakes as I reach out to brush my fingertips over Kieran’s skin, into his soft, light brown hair. He’s so little and just… perfect. My son. Our son.
Logan stirs, grunting softly as he blinks into the bright warming light heating the room. He looks at me, slightly surprised to see me, but gives a sleepy smile that makes fresh tears blur my vision.
Then the dam breaks, and those tears slide free… for both of us.
With great care, he rises and places Kieran in his crib, then helps me into the chair he just exited. He drapes a blanket over my weak legs, tucking me in, but his chest heaves as he unbuttons the hospital gown Mom helped me change into before allowing Maeve to take me down to see my family.
Kieran wakes up as Logan places him on my chest. He looks up at me, blinking into brightness he’s not used to.
“Oh, my darling,” I whisper, my voice shaking. “Look at you. You’re perfect. You were ready to be here, weren’t you?”
“He didn’t want to miss all the fun.” Logan chuckles, kneeling next to my chair, his hand resting on Kieran’s back, which makes the baby so much smaller than he actually is. He could fit in Logan’s hand perfectly, I bet. Kieran’s lower lip trembles before he closes his eyes again and nuzzles against my skin, his mouth suckling as he roots for my breast.
“He’s going to be here for a while, they said,” Logan says tearfully. “But he’s okay. Just little.”
I nod, holding back my tears as Logan’s hand moves to rest in my lap. He presses his forehead against my cheek, wrapping his arms around us while still kneeling on the cold, hard tiles. And then, I think, he silently lets himself unravel. I lean my head against his, closing my eyes as the world fades away, leaving only the three of us. Safe, warm, and whole.
“I love you,” he whispers. “Brie, you did so well.”
“I love you, too,” I echo, tearfully. “I love you so much.”
Logan and I fall to pieces together, our bond pulled tight as we pour all of our love into our son–into the greatest gift we’ve ever been given.
* * *
Aviva smiles down at Kieran as the sun sets over Moonrise. Family has been arriving the past several hours, eager to see me and meet the baby. Ryan and Logan are standing off to the side, and I can tell Ryan is proud even if he’s trying to keep cool and composed. He keeps clapping Logan on the shoulder, his eyes brimming with tears as he glances at Aviva holding Kieran, and the sight is just… everything.
That rift between that side of the family has been mended, sewn together with strands of pure love, and it warms my heart to be able to see it in real time.
We were moved to a room outside of the infirmary, in one of the private apartments in the upper levels of the castle. Kieran has everything he needs here–nurses to keep watch over him. The warming lights. Special milk to supplement my breast milk, which hasn’t come in yet. In the few hours after his birth, he’s proven to be a strong kid already. He’ll be fine. He’ll be better than fine, I know it. A few years from now, when he’s scaling the walls and scaring us to death, I’ll think of this quiet time we had with him fondly, even if right now it feels like… everything went wrong.
I’m resting in an armchair picking at a plate of food when my grandpa arrives, looking worn but happy to see everyone gathered in one place after a long time apart.
Maeve shifts her weight in the chair beside mine, however, when Grandpa Ryatt goes to speak to Misty again, and the two of them turn to look at Logan and Kieran.
“What’s wrong with Grandpa?” I ask quietly, ensuring I’m not overheard.
“He’s been weird all day.”
“I haven’t seen Grandma in a while, either,” I add, picking up my cup of tea and bringing it to my lips.
Maeve breathes. “That’s because she’s in Veiled Valley, fetching Arthur.”
“Arthur?” I gasp. “Why?” I think of the tiny, ancient… being, who has been alive since what seems like the dawn of time, who haunts the library in Veiled Valley.
Maeve licks her lips. “Have you seen Kieran’s ears? They’re pointed. None of us have ever seen anything like that before.”
“Some people in Emberfyll have them,” I cut in. “Kieran is perfect–”
“I never said he wasn’t, but Grandpa is uneasy about it, so Grandma went to fetch Arthur to run a few tests.”
“They want to test Kieran for powers?”
“They want to test Kieran and Logan for powers,” she corrects, swallowing hard. “Ryan and Aviva had him tested years ago as a child. It was inconclusive. But he never developed anything outside of being a wolf.”
I have a sudden memory of the night the royal armada of KiloKilo attacked our ship. Logan’s eyes… I thought it was just a trick of the mind, a reflection of the sunlight off the water, but his eyes had glowed. I’m sure of it.
“Does anyone in Emberfyll have powers?”
“There aren’t many people left, remember? And no, not that I’ve seen or heard of. And Logan… Logan would have told me if he could do other things than just shift–”
“I don’t think…” Maeve tapers off, biting her lip. She shakes her head. “They’re just a different kind of wolf, that’s all. Like Aviva and the tribes are different from you and the shifters in our family. That’s all.”
“Sure,” I murmur under my breath, but unease prickles through my skin as Grandpa Ryatt approaches Logan and Ryan, dropping into what looks like an easy conversation.
I glance at my parents, who are talking with Sydney and Sarah, and wonder if anyone else is wondering why my son has pointed ears… because now I wonder why he does.
Maeve must have been watching my face, watching the questions bounce behind my eyes, because she leans in, saying, “Logan told Grandpa it was common for a baby’s ears to be shaved down shortly after birth. Logan has very faint scars, I don’t know if you’ve noticed.”
“I haven’t.” I swallow the words, blinking as I try to come to terms with what she’s describing. “I haven’t noticed them at all. He never said anything, and we won’t be doing that to Kieran. I refuse.”
“It’s all right, I know you wouldn’t.”
“Why would they do that?”
She sighs heavily, her shoulders going slack. “The only thing I can think of is… trying to hide that part of themselves and their children, whatever it is.” We both look at Kieran, still tucked in Aviva’s arms, at the same time.
“What is he?” I whisper to myself, then glance at my mate. “Logan has no idea, does he? That they’re different somehow?”
“Logan doesn’t care. He only cares about the two of you. Don’t worry about it, Brie. You can refuse the testing.”
I chew my lower lip as Maeve rises, mentioning something about getting some fresh air, and leaves me with my tangled thoughts.
It doesn’t matter, does it?
In the end, we’re all wolves.
Me, my mate, and our son.
My Alpha King, and our prince.
Aviva notices me staring at her and brings Kieran over. Sarah moves the food tray from my lap while Aviva rests the tiny bundle of blankets in my arms. The conversation around me fades as I hold my son, smoothing my fingertips over his face, his hair, and those perfect, pointed ears.
I barely register people leaving the room. I don’t notice the time going by until Logan sits down beside me, smoothing his hand down my thigh.
I blink up at him, smiling faintly.
“You need to get some rest. I’ll take him for a while.”
“You need to rest, too.”
“We have plenty of help here.” He laughs. “Our whole family has made it sound like they’re all staying for a while. It’s a big reunion. Kieran won’t know what it feels like to sleep outside of someone’s arms, that’s for sure.”
“He’s a lucky kid, isn’t he?”
“He is.”
We look down at our son, smiling through sighs of relief.
Weeks from now, when he’s fit to travel, we’ll return home to Emberfyll. We’ll bring a prince back to the island where Logan is working tirelessly to rebuild his homeland, his pack. Alpha Alex and Luna Monica will have their first baby soon, a few months from now, and time will move on, always forward, and never back.
And Logan and I will rule together, as mates, as lovers and friends, while raising this child and all of our children that come after because I want more, and I know he does, too.
I got my Alpha, didn’t I?
I smile at the silly thought, leaning my head against Logan’s shoulder, and drift to sleep, utterly, and wholly happy.