Kane lets out a pained groan. I move slowly, riding him carefully. His hands on my hips help guide me. We’re both eager. It has been too long since we last had sex.
He reaches for my clit and rubs it gently till I’m coming, convulsing around him. He continues to move me over his cock, his hips thrusting upward to meet me. His blue eyes are hazy as pleasure overtakes him. My back is killing me so I lie down beside him on the silk sheets.
We’re both panting, our bodies slick with sweat. Kane turns to me and k*sses me again.
“I love you,” he says.
“I love you too.”
We’re wrapped up in the afterglow. I trace senseless patterns on his chest with my fingers. He closes his eyes, content and at peace. I’m drifting off to sleep when the pain in my back begins to intensify. I feel my stomach muscles tighten and realize this isn’t just back pain. This is a contraction.
I’m in labor–the baby is coming.
Too Much Labor
Kane
Emory sits up, her face scrunched up in discomfort. I’m about to ask her if she’s okay before she lets out a pained scream. I lean up, placing a hand on her back to comfort her. She’s breathing quicker, her sen eyes wide in realization:
“The baby is coming.”
I nearly jump out of my skin. Fear has me by the throat. It’s too soon. The baby isn’t supposed to come for a few more days. Even then, that’s earlier than we initially expected.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
Another contraction makes Emory grab my hand, squeezing my fingers as she breathes through the pain.
“I’m sure,” she groans. “He’s coming.”
We get dressed as quickly and carefully as we can. It takes Emory longer as the contractions are coming quicker. We make our way to the infirmary. I bark orders at guards and servants.
Nettie runs to find Dr. Martin. Helga goes to get Helena to assist the doctor. Rainer and my most trusted guards are stationed outside the door, ensuring the clinic is the safest place in the castle, I help Emory to lie down on a hospital bed, and she refuses to let go of my hand, holding onto me like a lifeline.
Dr. Martin appears and immediately looks Emory over. After timing the contractions, he says, “Emory should be ready to push in a few hours. We just need to wait for the baby to drop more.”
“A few hours?” Emory repeats, her face in disbelief. “I’m in pain now.”
Dr. Martin is professional as ever and replies, “You’re not fully dilated yet. The contractions will be coming sooner.”
He leaves to start preparing with the nurses. Helena appears and goes to her
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Tid Muhl aber
daughter, taking Emory’s other hand in hers.
“Emory,” she says, her voice warm with motherly affection, “it’s happening.”
“Not for a few more hours,” Emory grumbles. Her face crumples through another contraction. “Mama, why did you do this twice?”
Helena k*sses Emory’s knuckles. “It’ll be worth it when you hold your baby.”
“We haven’t even picked a name yet.” Emory look doesn’t have a name, Kane.”
> me in concern. “He
“We have time,” I reassure her. “When he’s born, the right name will come along.” I catch Helena’s blue gaze and silently ask for her help. “Right?”
Helena nods encouragingly. “We- I didn’t pick Coit’s name until he was born.”
“Why?” Emory asks.
“I couldn’t decide,” she explains. “Then I saw Coit’s face, and the name came to me. It could also have been the epidural talking.”
“Don’t let me pick a name when I’m on drugs, Kane,” Emory says. “I want to be fully sober when we pick a name for our son.”
“Of course.”
“Promise me.”
I k*ss her cheek. “I promise.”
Emory leans back on the hospital bed as another contraction takes over.
It’s going to be a long night. “Dr. Martin, when can she have an epidural?”
***
Lola
I’m not allowed in the medical wing during the birth of the baby. Nettie and Helga say there’s already a lot of people in there, and they don’t want me in the way. I tell them that I’m not going to be in the way, but no one bothers listening to me. They’re all excited about the baby.
Everyone in the castle is practically buzzing. The servants are huddled in the
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Ren &AodelSn
kitchen, waiting for any updates. I’m told that it has been a very long time since we’ve had a royal baby. They have been waiting many years for Kane to have
an heir.
Emory hasn’t told me what she’s naming the baby. She let me pick the middle name, and I like the one I chose. Even Queen Agatha didn’t protest when I revealed to her what it was. She’s agreed to keep it a secret until the baby
comes.
“What do you think they’ll name the baby?” Thomas, one of King Kane’s footmen asks.
“I’m not telling you a thing, Thomas Caldwell,” Helga retorts, sternly, “I would never betray Princess Emory’s secrets.”
“It’s not a secret if we’re just guessing.” He shrugs. “It’s all for fun, Hels. No
harm done.”
Helga rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t push Thomas away when he wraps an arm around her chair. I know Thomas has been planning to propose for a while. They really like each other even if Helga pretends like she can’t stand him. Thomas is nice even if his nose is sharp like a bird’s.
“Most probably they’ll name the baby after King Kane,” Nettie says. “Or Kane as a middle name. That’s how royals like to name their children.”
“Maybe after King Kane’s father or grandfather,” Thomas suggests. “Unless Princess Emory wants to name the baby after her family.”
“Not Bernard,” I pipe up, making them all look at me. “Our dad’s not very nice, so Emory won’t name the baby after him. Not even a middle name.”
An awkward silence overshadows the servants before they try to laugh it off to
break the tension.
“What are popular names for shifters, Lola?” Thomas asks. “Wolfgang? Wolfram?”
“No.” I roll my eyes. “No one has names like that. Not unless they’re super old.”
The servants laugh again. I smile as they throw even more ridiculous names at me, trying to find the most outrageous name they can think of. They’re all so
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silly. I’m glad I get to wait here with them.
Growing up, I was so alone. I couldn’t play with the other kids as they either didn’t like me or their parents wanted them to stay away. I never felt like I belonged with my own family, aside from Ember. This castle is filled with nice people who always make me feel I finally have a place that I belong to.
I never want to leave.
Emory
The labor takes longer than expected. The pressure and pain in my back worsens as the contractions come closer and closer until I get the epidural. When Dr. Martin deems me ready to finally push, it’s exhausting. My mom and Kane throw encouragements at me that I barely hear.
My body is sweat–soaked and overheated. I have to push along with the contractions. I want to scream. I feel like howling, wanting to sink my teeth into something, anything to help ease this.
“You’re doing great,” my mom says. “You just need to push more.”
“I don’t want to push more,” I sob. “I want him out.”
“I know. I know.” Kane rubs my back, his hand squeezing the back of my neck in reassurance. “It’ll be over soon. Just a little more, Emory.”
“Why can’t you do this for me?”
Kane snorts. “I would if I could, honey.”
“Don’t laugh at me!” A contraction makes me yell. “I hate this!”
“You need to push, Emory,” Dr. Martin tells me, his tone infuriatingly calm. “I can see the head.”
I’ve suddenly hate Dr. Martin. I hate the medical wing. I hate this castle. And after this is over, I’m leaving and never coming back.
“Push, love,” my mother reminds me. “You’re almost there.”
One big push, and the baby’s head is out. He must have the world’s biggest
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head for a baby. The rest of him feels deceptively smaller. He’s covered in blood and fluid as Dr. Martin brings him over so I can hold him.
I burst into tears. He’s wrinkly, and his little face is scrunched up like he’s angry that he had to leave my womb. He’s crying, howling like a little wolf. My heart feels like it’s expanding to make more room for all the emotion I have for this tiny little human.
Kane’s eyes are wet with tears, and he k*sses my tempe. My hair is sweaty and sticking to my skin.
“Thank you,” he tells me, softly. “For him.”
I don’t even care about all the pain and exhaustion from the past few hours. None of it matters. All I care about is this little baby in my arms. His eyes open, and they’re a pale blue just like Kane’s.
He needs a name,” I say.
“What does he look like to you?” Kane replies. “Lowell? Alaric?”
“No.” I only think about it for a moment, but I know what’s the right name.” Michael.”
Kane’s eyes stare into mine, uncertainly. “Are you sure? That name has a lot of history attached to it.”
“It’s not all bad history. Your father tried to make peace with my father when other vampire kings wouldn’t have even bothered. And he was your father. You loved him.”
Kane swallows, his watery gaze focusing on the baby’s face. “What about his middle name?”
“Lola picked Colton. Our grandfather was a good man and our family isn’t built just on Bernard’s tainted legacy alone. There’s a lot of history there too.”
“Michael Colton,” Kane tests out the name. “It’s nice.”
“Michael Colton Moonraker Alexander.” I snort. “That’s a mouthful.”
“Royals have long names. It’s tradition,” he says. “Besides, no one should ever forget that he’s part of two worlds.”
“Hocaldy, all the best parts”
We stare down at our son, and the world feels bright with hope.
*13 BONUS
Helene comes out of the hospital wing doors to inform me that the baby and Emory are fine. I’m relieved, and I want to go inside and congratulate Kane and Emory. Kane is the brother I’ve never had, and I know I’m going to love that baby as a nephew and my godson. I’m about to enter the clinic when one of the guards runs up to me, urgently saying I need to see something in the dungeons.
** be right back,” I tell Helena. “Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Helena nods and reenters the hospital wing. I follow the guard to the dungeon, my heart thundering in my chest as I try to remain calm. The security in the dungeon has been a problem lately with us having to keep replacing guards. Too many instances of guards being bribed or abusing their power over prisoners and feeders make finding good men difficult.
I make my way through the maze of corridors that lead down to the dungeons. stop at the sight of the two guards on the ground. A quick pulse check tells me they’re both dead. I quickly make my way inside to the cells to find a dead body on the ground and a missing prisoner in the next cell.
This is not good. This is catastrophic.
The entire castle has been focused on the royal birth. We let our guard down for a few hours. The weasel of an ambassador had managed to slip in at the right moment, and my guess is that he’s already out of the castle. I leave the dungeon and make my way to Alistair’s suite. I burst in without knocking and find the room is empty, his belongings thrown around as he packed in a hurry.
Shit. This is really not f*cking good.
It has to be today of all days. This day is meant to be a happy time. Instead, I have to deal with a crisis. Kane is going to be rightfully pissed.
I have no choice but to head back to the hospital wing. I pause right outside
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the doors, the guards nearby eye me warily. They must see the panic on my face, so I change my expression to be more neutral. It wouldn’t do to have Emory worry. She just gave birth, and I’m not going to cause her any stress.
I walk to the hospital wing doors and pass through, going to the room I know Emory has been given and poke my head in. Emory is lying on the bed carrying a bundle in a blue blanket in her arms. Kane is seated on the bed next to her as they talk and smile over the bundle. The image is so sweet I feel more like an asshole for having to ruin this.
But I have a duty to this kingdom, and every second I’m stalling is time wasted. Kane looks up first. “Rainer, what is it?”
“I need to talk to you for a minute,” I reply. “Outside.”
