Page 35 of The Qilin Choice
I carefully scooped him up and carried him to a spare room, which we'd turned into a birthing room and nursery. All our supplies were at the ready. I placed Nikolas on the bed and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a damp cloth.
"Everything all right so far?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, blowing out a breath. "It's uncomfortable but not terrible. I don't feel like screaming yet or anything."
I kissed his forehead. "Qilin births tend to be easy compared to humans."
"Then let's hope this little one takes after you and not me."
He grasped my hand, squeezing and releasing in rhythm with his contractions. He was handling it well so far. I was impressed.
"Kiss me more," Nikolas mumbled. "It distracts me."
"Of course, my love."
I did as he asked, pressing my lips to his. He whimpered and groaned into my mouth, the sound a mix of pain and pleasure. I felt his body clench, his muscles all tensing, then the following release and gasps for air. I stroked his hair and reassured him, promising that it would be over soon.
Nikolas grunted, tensing and pushing again, then I heard a wet sound from below.
"The baby's coming!" I told him. "Just a little more!"
He bit his lip, grinding his head back against the pillow and letting out a strained yell. With one more determined push, the baby slipped out of him. The flash of iridescent teal scales let me know our child was born in qilin form.
I was ready. With great care, I picked up and cleaned our newborn.
"It's a girl," I murmured. "Kola, we have a daughter."
Tears of joy prickled in my eyes. Seeing her felt like meeting Nikolas for the first time. It ignited that same sweeping emotion in me. I would protect and nurture her always.
"Oh my god," Nikolas whimpered. He took her gently, pressing her to his chest. "I can't believe I gave birth to a qilin. I'm the luckiest human ever."
Just as he said that, our daughter's scales shimmered like sunlight reflected on water, then vanished. She shifted right before our eyes, taking her human form. A tuft of silky black hair sat atop her head and when she wearily blinked, dark eyes peeked up at us.
"She's so beautiful," Nikolas murmured. "Jian, look at her."
"I see her. She's as gorgeous as her omega daddy."
He chuckled, then smiled down at our baby. "Our sweet Lily, half-human and half-qilin... the rarest flower in the world."
My heart swelled with adoration. It felt like our love had come full circle. From the moment I met Nikolas all those years ago to finally meeting our daughter, and the intense love I felt for both of them... It was something I would never forget.
11
Epilogue: Nikolas
The spring airbrought with it clean air and fresh blooms. The beautiful forest exploded into fragrant color as patches of wildflowers popped up along the mountainside.
It was no longer just home to the qilin—it was my home now, too. After moving in with Jian, I couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
All four of us—me, Jian, Lily, and of course, DJ Muffin—were outside enjoying the warmth of the sun. I sat on the wooden deck with a book with DJ Muffin curled up beside me. Lily was practising walking in her qilin form with help from her dad.
She placed an unsteady hoof in front of her, wobbled, then teetered over. Jian caught her before she fell. She shook her head and glanced up to him for help.
"Woops," he said with a light chuckle. "Here, try this instead."
He nudged her front leg, planting it further away so her pose was balanced. With his guidance, she tested it out herself, then let out a whimsical sound of joy. It always made me smile. When Jian and Lily were in their qilin forms, their voices sounded like bells. The magical quality about it never wore off. Every day living in the mountains with them was like a dream come to life.
After Lily wore herself out, we took her inside for a nap, then resumed our place outside in the sun. I closed my eyes and leaned against Jian's shoulder with a wistful sigh. He placed his arm around me, warm and strong and comforting. I didn't think it was possible to love someone this much, but each day I fell deeper in love with him.
"I love you," I murmured. "I know you know that. I just wanted you to tell you."
I heard the smile in my mate's sweet voice. "I love you, too. I also wanted to tell you."
I grinned, stupidly happy. There was no other person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
And the best part of all was that I was sharing it with my best friend in the whole world.
THE END
