The Haven (Book 2 of The Claiming)

Chapter Twenty

I'm on the brink of sleep, but Alec tosses again, bringing me back to reality once more for the fifth or sixth time. He pulls me close to him, my back to his chest, with a sleepy grunt. He nuzzles my hair.

He is having the hardest time falling asleep.

Which makes me have the hardest time falling asleep.

Gus, on the other hand, is passed out at our feet under the covers, snoring softly. Lucky fur-ball.

I place my hand over Alec's that has been squeezing my waist tighter and tighter. "Easy," I say. I'm still sensitive there, and he knows it. At least when he's completely awake.

"Sorry," he grumbles in frustration, loosening his grip on me.

I turn to face him, touching his cheek. He blinks at me in exhaustion. "What's going on. Usually I'm the one who has trouble sleeping."

He brings his hand around to the back of my neck and eases my forehead against his. "I'm just worrying. That's all."

I lean in and kiss him gently on the lips. "About everything with Bayfell?"

"Yeah," he breathes.

"About me?"

"More than anything else."

I stroke his cheek with my thumb. "Don't, Alec. I'm fine. I can hold my own now. I'm one hundred thousand percent sure I can."

"I knew you could before."

But I didn't. I'm not going to bring that up to him now.

"Do you miss him?" I murmur softly.

He lets out a long sigh and nods. He pulls me closer, gentler this time. "I wanted him so badly," he rasps. "And Walden took him away from us."

"I know," I mutter. Why did I bring our son up?

Alec falls quiet, though.

I glance up at him, and he's looking at me, expectantly.

Hopefully.

"You want to try again, don't you?" I say, trying my best not to sound accusing.

Alec winces. Guess it didn't work. "You don't?"

"Not until the war is finished and I know we're safe," I say. Hopefully that sounds logical to him. Grief can make us irrational.

I've been there already.

"I don't want you to fight this war, though," Alec says.

My eyes round.

So that's why he wants me pregnant again.

I sit up and glare down at him. "You want to knock me up again just so I'm out of harm's way?"

Alec gets up to meet me, and I see his eyes are frantic. "No! Ugh, that came out wrong. Belle..., I've wanted to have a child with you since the moment we were married. The first time. When we were up on that stage and I had no idea if you would ever learn to love me."

"I always loved you," I interrupt.

He lightly smiles, but then it fades. "Losing Grayson was as painful, if not more so, than losing you to Walden for only a few days in Bayfell. Aside from the fact that I want a child, I also want you safe so I don't lose you for good."

"Oh." I look down at the soft comforter enveloping our legs.

Suddenly, I feel Alec scoop me up under my legs and my back and place me in his lap, cuddling me close. I giggle, but I am cut short by him kissing me forcefully on the lips. "I know you're good with a sharp object of any kind, Belle, but if something happens to you... if you died—" He spits out the word. "I wouldn't be able to go on. Did I ever tell you how I felt seeing you get an emergency C-section while they patched up your stab wound at the same time? At the rate some of the interns were passing out, I was scared you weren't going to make it."