"No. I refuse to be in labor."
"honey I don't think you get a choice in it." Darius is telling me as he's helping me down the stairs to the clinic.
"But we have worked hard for two months to get them to stop being stupid and over here for a dinner to show them that I'm not some demon out to ruin Alan's memory. They are upstairs right now. We can't just..."
"They are perfectly aware that you've gone into labor and I don't think they'll hold it against us. If you want I'll have jane sit with you and I'll go up and continue..."
"Oh no you don't. you got me into this you are staying right here so I can break your hand." he laughs.
"I can have them come down and sit with us."
"Sure. I want them to understand."
"Honey I was joking." he tells me sitting on the edge of the bed I was in.
"No, bring them down. Let them see that I'm not some horrible devil. Do it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." he nods kisses me cheek and goes up to come back with the alpha and beta bears and their mates. Jonas, the alpha and Alan's father sat in a chair at the foot of my bed against the wall.
"So, are you having just one?"
"Yes. Thank god. I want to ease into mother hood not be dropped in the deep end." Jonas had been stand offish all day. I wasn't sure what to do to bridge the gap a little. He'd been calm, so the others had been as well. We had mostly been chatting about our different peoples and the small confrontations we'd had at the border. Another contraction made me groan and clutch at Darius' hand.
"That was a stiff one." I hear Jonas say. When the contraction had passed I took a breath. I was either going to help things or make them a lot worse.
"Jonas, I know that this might not be the best, but I'm in labor and I don't want my baby born into conflict. I understand what it means for me to be here where your son had been. Sitting here with you where Alan should have been and bringing a grandchild into the world for you. I truly am sorry for what happened to him. If I could change it, I truly would. No one should lose a mate, a child, or grandchild. That being said, I'm getting tired of being blamed for being here when I never chose it. Sure I've found a love I wasn't sure I'd ever have, I'm having a sweet baby with him, but the truth was I didn't want a mate in the manner I got it. He didn't give me a choice. And the very bare fact is, it's none of your business anymore what the pride does. I know you feel a certain attachment because of Alan but think about him for a second. All I know of him tells me he'd be really annoyed with you and Darius both at this point. Am I wrong?" Jonas actually chuckled at me.
"No you aren't wrong. He'd have yelled at me, sort of like you just did. You are very right about all of it. Did you truly have no choice in this mating?" I looked at Darius. He winced.
"At the run, I didn't take my time to win her over to submission I simply forced the mating and submission of her pup. I have tried to tell you that I was to blame for this not her. She has forgiven me for how it came about and I'm happy to say she loves me despite what I did to her. Jonas I loved, and will always love Alan, but that I've found someone new to love doesn't mean I've forgotten him or that I'm replacing him. It just means I'm adding more onto my family." Jonas looked at his mate Betty. She smiled at him and nodded. Jonas sighed.
"My wife has been telling me for weeks to apologize for how I've been acting. Alan was not only my only son, he was my only child. Losing him was...unbearable. Seeing his place taken made it harder. But it does help knowing that you didn't do it deliberately. It'll take time for the sting to really go away but lets make a new agreement. The same border that we've always had. We'll disregard the space I required. I hope, Darius would it be to much to ask to know your children. I had always though it would be yours and Alan's but.... would it be too much to ask to get to be a grandfather to them?" I saw Darius smile very pleased.
"I'd like that a lot actually. My parents aren't around any longer to know my children. I had always thought that you would be a good grandfather." Jonas nods smiling, a little watery around the edges. I grinned at Jonas.
"Aw does that mean I'm adopted?" I asked. Jonas laughs and stands to come over and give me hug and kiss.
"Means your stuck with us." I nodded then grabbed his hand to squeeze hard as another contraction rolled through me. When it eased I saw him wincing.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"For such a little woman you are strong." he shakes his hand I'd grabbed making the rest of us laugh.
It's late that night when, with Darius on one side, Jonas on the other, I bring a beautiful baby boy into the world. A beautiful but huge baby boy.
"He's going to be as big as you." I say chuckling. I've been cleaned up and handed a freshly bathed and swaddled baby. Darius is beaming as he looks down at me and our son.
"Alright, now you've told me you had names picked out and wouldn't tell me what they were. So now that he's here, what's his name?" I looked between him and Jonas.
"Well I was hoping if it was alright with you, Jonas and Betty that I might name him Alan Eric." Jane had told me that Erick was Alan's choice if they'd had a boy. I looked around at them. Betty who was a naturally quiet, hugged me tight.
"Thank you." I smiled and held my little boy out to her.
"Better get a feel for your grandson, grandma." Darius watched her cuddle our boy. Bending he kissed me deeply.
"I love you Ann."
"I love you too Darius."
AN: So that's the end of this book. I hope you come back next week to find my new story
A to Z : Follow Angelo and find out what his future has in store for him. What will this sweet guy need to cope with to find his happily ever after.
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