Page 54 of Destined Paranormals: Volume One

“How is he, Da?” I asked, wondering about our son, who was still crying but no longer quite as loudly as he had been.

“He is big and healthy. His lungs work for sure.” Da tossed the soiled towel on the floor, adding another one to collect the waters, then picked up another, wrapping our son in it. Once he was finished, the baby had quieted, and Da handed him to Aleric. “Say hello to your son while I take care of the rest of the delivery.”

Aleric was too wrapped up in our son to even realize what Da had said. I lay back down and turned my head toward my mate, watching as he held our son for the first time.

“Who does he look like?” I asked.

“Konrad, I need you to push just a little. Not a lot like last time. A gentle push,” Da said, pulling my attention from my mate and son.

I nodded and did as I was asked as Da dealt with the afterbirth. He wrapped it up in yet another towel. He quickly picked the others up from the floor after wiping it up, then took them over to the fire and tossed them in. The flames flared, then settled.

“Good, son. Using your dragon’s fire to heat the cottage.”

“Is there any other way?” Aleric asked from beside me. I turned back around and looked up at my mate. He had knelt down, bringing the baby right next to me. “He does not have your eyes,” Aleric told me sadly.

I couldn’t help it—I snorted. That was not a surprise at all. I looked down at my stomach when I felt a touch. Da was moving my stomach, and I knew he was bringing the omega line back together to help it heal. It was something that my own dad had taught me when birthing babies. It would take a bit of time, but our advanced healing would allow the line to close, and after some time, it would return to the silver line that it normally was.

“I wish to name him Reinhold,” Aleric said. I gasped this time, Da freezing and looking concerned.

“You do? Why would you wish to do that?”

“Because without your father, you would not be here. I think it is a fine name for a young alpha.” I nodded in agreement and opened my arms as Aleric held out our son. When I got my first good look at him, I laughed through my tears. He looked exactly like Aleric, who in turn looked just like Ferdinand. The genes were strong with that line.

“He looks just like you,” I managed to get out. I felt the blanket being placed over me, and it was not until then that I realized I had been completely naked this entire time. But it was Da, and he was…well, Da. We were shifters, and there was no shame in being naked in front of one another.

“You notice he looks just like Ferdinand, don’t you?” Egon asked.

I had. A slightly younger version.

“The alpha genes are strong with these two. I will be in the outer room, waiting for Ferdinand. While I am out there, I will make you something to eat,” Da told us.

“You don’t have to,” I started to argue but was cut off by a stern shake of his head from Da. “Thank you, Da. For everything,” I said instead.

“You are family, Konrad. I will always be here for you if I can. It is no issue making a meal for you. You need to spend time with your new son. Get to know him, form that bond with him.”

I watched the man that had brought my mate into this world leave our room. He gently closed the door behind him, leaving me with Aleric and Reinhold. I wondered if his hasty departure was because he had difficulties being around babies? I still hadn’t asked outright, but I’d heard enough to know that not only had he lost the one that Aleric remembered but two others as well. That had to be difficult, and it seemed unfair. I’d learned that a lot in life was though.

“I wish to apologize for the comment asking if there was another. Your stomach was just…”

“Huge,” I said. I knew Aleric would not admit to such a thing because he did not wish to be sent to the outer room to sleep. My alpha was smart. That did not change the fact that my stomach had been incredibly large.

“There was a lot of fluid. Our son had plenty of cushion while in there,” I chuckled. I ran a finger down the side of his face, wondering how it was that someone so tiny could already hold such a large part of my heart.

“Oh, you should grab a cloth and a wool cover.” I knew there was not much chance that he would soil just yet, but I still needed to get him covered.

“Do you wish for a dressing gown for him as well?” Aleric asked as he walked over to the stacks of cloths on the shelf.

I thought about it and decided against it. For now, he would be wrapped up in a blanket, and most likely, someone would be holding him. We had not put the twins in their dressing gowns until they were taken out of the blankets.

“No. The blanket is good enough for now.”

Aleric brought back a cloth and cover, placed them on the bed, then gently took Reinhold from me. He placed our son at the foot of the bed, then reached for me. Once I was settled and sitting up, he went back to our son and brought him closer. I pulled one leg up, tucking it under the other to give him room.

“I will put it on if you are willing to show me? I have not the experience you have. I have never been around a baby.”

I smiled at my mate. He was more than ready to help with the baby or any other thing around here. Da and Ferdinand had raised him right. Just because I was the one carrying and birthing our children, that did not make me less than in my mate’s eyes.

“Father will be upset he missed the birth.”