The Alpha's Daughter (Un-Edited Version)

The Alpha's Daughter - Chapter 23

"Annie, give him to me," Sierra sighed, putting out her hands. I made to pass Max to her, but Jase stepped in between us, shaking his head.

"Don't," he said, "Could you look after him today?"

Was he taking the piss? I mean, honestly, who would be stupid enough to leave me in charge of an infant? I tried to say no, but the words wouldn't come out quick enough, because Jase had already turned to Sierra, trying to calm her down.

"It's just for a couple of hours, babe, I promise; just go and get some sleep."

Sierra protested but, eventually, she stomped up the stairs like a scolded child, muttering about how she would kill me if I harmed a hair on her baby's head. As soon as she was out of earshot, I attempted to give Jase back his son.

"I've got to go to work," he said, already making a break for it. "I'll be back at five."

"Work?" I hissed. "It's fucking Sunday!"

"Not around the baby," Jase growled, opening the door. "If you have any problems, just get dad or...someone to sort it out." And the prick was gone. I stared at the spot where he had been standing, my eyes wide. I had been literally left holding the baby. I groaned and dropped him into Cal's arms, shaking my head.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, eyeing the small sleeping bundle. "Do you have any ideas on how to look after him, because I know I don't." Cal snorted and looked down at Max, a small smile on his face.

"He's a baby," he murmured. "How hard can it be?"

Cal:

Five hours and two bottles later, I was lying on the bed, watching Annie wrestle a struggling Max out of his baby-gro. It was quite entertaining, if I was honest. She snapped her head up and glared at me; we were going to have to stop reading each others thoughts, for our own benefits more than anything.

She bowed her head and blew a raspberry on Max's exposed belly and he shook his tiny fists at her. I smiled. Just watching her with him made my heart melt. I had thought about it before and I would think about it again; I wanted to have a baby with Annie. I wanted there to be a child that was half of me and half of her, but entirely their own person

"I thought you weren't good with children," I teased.

"No," she dismissed, starting to undo Max's nappy. "I said I didn't like children; I happen to be very good with them."

"Which is why you're changing his nappy on the bed?"

"Well, duh, why'd you think I was doing it on your side?" Okay, fair point, I deserved that one. She changed his nappy like an expert, keeping him entertained long enough to whip off the dirty one, clean him up and put on a new one, fixing the tabs with a bit of a flourish. Speaking baby-talk, she fastened the poppers on Max's baby-gro and lifted him up, cradling him in her arms.

"Is it time for a sleep, Maxi?" she whispered. Max looked up at her with his big green eyes, not even blinking. "Is it time for a sleep?" she repeated, in that voice that people use to speak to infants. She looked up at me expectantly. I just grinned like an eejit. She smiled back down at Max, whispering something to him. My wolf was doing somersaults. It was taking all of my strength not to take Annie there and then. She was going to make an amazing mother to my pups. She looked up at me when she heard this, but instead of telling me where to go, she bit her lip thoughtfully, blinking at me. Then, she got to her feet, the baby in her arms and left the room, humming to him.

Why hadn't she got angry? Why hadn't she berated me for even considering to get her pregnant? Was it because, finally, she knew what was going to happen? That knew that, inevitably, she would conceive our child?