"What?" I winced as the thing I called a brother shouted next to me from the passenger seat.
"Seriously, I'm right here." I huffed from my seat behind the wheel.
I decided to pull over a couple blocks from the house and tell Gabriel everything he wanted to know. From the looks of it he wasn't taking the news as well as I did. Shock and guilt played on his face before anger took over.
"I heard in the news when his son died and I didn't feel anything or care much. Our cousin died and they didn't even have the decency to tell us then, even when we were forced to go to his funeral." as he spoke his eyes began to water and he looked as if it was getting harder to breath.
"At least you went, I skipped out on it halfway through the ceremony." I sighed trying to give a little comfort as I leaned back in my seat.
"And what about you being a shifter, how does this affect the rest of us? Are we also shifters or do we have to be bitten or something?" He looked over at me with awkward curiosity.
"The only ones who will be affected by this is Marina and our child along with Maxwell and our father. Since they want me to leave Marina and take a woman like me. You don't have to worry about becoming one from a bite or anything like that. If you have the gene it will eventually be activated by the elders but until then you'll still be regular old you." I shrugged looking at the familiar road that led to my mate.
"So our sisters don't know anything and neither does Stella, so where do we go from here?" Gabriel asked with a worried tone as he sat up straight.
"I go to my mate and marry her as planned and we live together with our child. And you continue whatever it is that you do." I started the car and pulled into traffic.
"What about Maxwell and dad?" He was too worried about everything.
"Ignore them, they can't make me do anything I don't want to." I was so sure of it, especially since they needed me to take after this unknown clan of Leopard shifters.
"How can you be so sure, what if he does something drastic like-" Gabriel began before a sinister voice spoke in my head.
"Cub, I suggest you secure your position as my successor or risk me killing your cub and mate." Maxwell spoke calmly.
"You wouldn't dare lay a hand on what is mine unless you plan to challenge me." I replied pulling in to the driveway and hopping out of the car with the key still in the ignition, leaving Gabriel behind.
"Marina!" I shouted bursting into the house rushing around until I found her, our mothers along with my three sisters and Stella staring at me as if I were a mad man.
***
"The fuck is wrong with you, I'm in a fragile state and you want to give me a heart attack?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"I'm sorry, it's just that Maxwell-" he cut himself off as he looked around at the women surrounding me.
"They all know about it, we had a long talk." I shrugged cupping my large belly as I stared at my mate and fiance.
"Then I'll assume they already know about father and Maxwell's trick to get me to step up as the heir.
"Yup." Brandy replied crossing her arms.
"Kevin, what the hell?" Gabriel came in behind Kevin stopping as he noticed the standoff we were having. "What did I miss?"
"They know everything I just told you in the car." Kevin replied walking toward me before laying his hands on my stomach and muttering apologies.
Just as he did so I began to feel a striking pain in my womb before a rush of slimy warm liquid began to rush from beneath me, drenching my pants and the floor. I looked up at Kevin in horror before another heavy pain hit me. "Fuck!" I shouted.
"The baby isn't supposed to be due yet, what's wrong?" Gabrielle stared in horror.
"I guess the panic may have caused something, if not then I have no clue but we need to get her moving now!" My mother clapped causing everyone to jump in to action.
Grabbing everything I'll need and stuffing it in a bag while Kevin helped me in to the bathroom to change before he carried me out to the car. Everyone who could fit in his car with us hopped in while the others took my mother's car. Within twenty minutes tops we were rushing into the hospital calling for help. Nurses rushed back and forth quickly supplying me with a wheel chair and taking me down to my room.
"Can we go through with this already what is the hold up?" I I grunted through gritted teeth as the pain kept coming, each more intense than the other.
"I'm sorry, ma'am but you're only at four centimeters, the baby isn't ready until you're at ten." The nurse patted my hand before leaving the room.
"I'm so sorry, it's my fault you're going through this now, let's hope the cub comes out safely." Kevin apologized kissing the back of my hand then my palm.
"He was already on his way, I've been feeling some of the pains but they never lasted longer than a moment so I never said anything to alarm you." I smiled lightly.
"You should have told me, I would have been extra careful not to be so careless with you." Kevin sat back in frustration as he stared up at the ceiling.
"You call over protective, not letting me walk down or up the steps alone or pick up a pot or even a text book, and so many more things, careless? I'm glad I didn't tell you then." I huffed before cringing as the pain came back full force again.
After ten hours of labor I had given birth to my little boy at twelve in the afternoon the next day. He was nine pounds six ounces. He was a pretty big boy with the loudest set of lungs on him. He was also very greedy. Our baby boy came in this world like a tornado and once he was asleep we finally managed to relax a bit. Once he was settled into his crib by his father, I decided it was time to rest after a long painful ten hour birth, I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't wake up in two days.
***
She did it. I smiled looking down at the gift I always imagined getting. Nothing prepared me for the outstand creation Marina and I made. His skin was the same color as Marina's a nice light toffee color. His eyes were the same hazel as mine. His nose was the same button shape as her as well. Over all he looked like me with some of Marina's features. By the sound of his screaming on arrival, I knew he'd have her attitude. As he slept I couldn't help but pick him up, making sure he was still cocooned in his blanket and hat and cradle him in my arms. Remembering everyone in the waiting room I brought him out to show them all. As I came out the room Stella spotted me and rushed over nearly shrieking in delight before I slapped a hand over her mouth.
"He's sleeping, and I'm sure you all heard him screaming earlier, we don't need any more of it, not while Marina's sleeping." I spoke in a hushed tone as everyone gathered around to get a closer look at him.
"What's his name?" Gabriel asked hoping it would be his name obviously.
"His name is Keegan, since he's a lot like his mother."
"But he looks just like you." Ms. Foster smiled as she looked at her grandson.
'Something is changing, go see our mate.' Zuvan spoke with a hint of worry in his voice.
Handing my son over to Marina's mother, I quickly made my way back to the room. Walking in I noticed her aura itself was changing along with her features. Her natural hair which had grown out during the pregnancy shined with a Healthy gleam along with her skin. She looked refreshed as if she'd never had a care in the world. Out of curiosity I reached out and pulled up her eyelid, revealing the same amber eye with gold streaks stemming out from the pupil.
'She's changing it must have been the cub's doing.' Zuvan observed proudly.
"What does this mean?" I mumbled to my beast.
'It means we will take over the clan with our newly changed mate and cub. Everyone gets what they want.' Zuvan purred as we looked our sleeping mate over.
Before I could answer him, my phone began to ring. Quickly I stepped out of the room and answered it. "You sure know how to pick the perfect time to annoy someone." I spoke first.
"Congratulations cub, I'm glad your cub has safely entered the world. How is the woman faring?" Maxwell asked with what sounded like mild interest.
"My mate is perfectly healthy and going through her change as we speak, by the way, I've decided to take over the clan. There's nothing to say I can't since I have everything to qualify." I smirked as I spoke knowing he couldn't tell me no.
"What, her change? Impossible!" He growled over the phone causing me to burst out in silent laughter.
"She'll be a leopardess in a matter of hours and after that, we'll take over and then once she's up to it, get married. Oh look at me rambling about how's everything worked out in my favor, how are things with you uncle?" I spat his title before hanging up and walking across the hall to my son.
"Kevin he's an angel, I want to take him home with me!" Kaylin pouted as she held Keegan's tiny hand.
"Sorry, Kaylin, but this one is all mine. I'd never give him away even if I could during his screaming match." I chuckled taking him back from my mother. "Okay everyone, we're going back now, they said Marina will be out of here as soon as she wakes up, since Keegan has no issues and neither does she." I announced to them.
"Awesome, we'll be seeing you then." Brandy smiled as she looked at her new nephew.
"Take care and give Marina our best." Came the comments as everyone turned and left, it was time to have a little father son time.
***
Three days later we left the hospital. Apparently I had slept the first two days without much waking and it worried some of the nurses. When I finally woke they were glad I wasn't in a comma or anything so with one final check they sent me and my little boy home. As far as Keegan's behavior he slept all the time and only cried when he was hungry or needed a change. His cry for hunger was the one that would set off the loud ringing in your ears so I decided to move his from his room to a small distance from the bed.
"And good morning to you cub." Kevin smiled picking up the baby and holding him out in front of him.
Supporting the baby's bum with the palm of his right and his back supported by his other hand, Kevin watched the baby squirm and reach for things. I grimaced a little from my still sore womb as I got up from the bed. I headed to the bathroom to do my morning routine; once I was done I headed down to the kitchen where I heard Kevin talking to Keegan. As I entered the kitchen Kevin set out a plate of bacon, eggs, and waffles on the counter before turning back to the stove and preparing another plate.
"Kevin." I called to him as he kept talking to Keegan.
"Hm?" he glanced at me before he continued what he was doing.
"Why are you still here, it nine- twenty, shouldn't you be at work?" I asked digging in to my breakfast.
"No." He replied as he turned Keegan's carrier toward me as he sat in the stool next to me.
"Why not?"
"I'm on maternity leave, duh." He gestured toward Keegan.
"Kevin, you didn't push him out, Maternity leave is for mothers not fathers who think they can feel they feel sore after birth." I glared at him.
"I am a parent too, I deserve as much time with him as you do, so leave me alone and let me enjoy my father and son time." Kevin turned his attention back to Keegan who was reaching for his father.
"I'm also a parent, a mother in fact and I would like to spend time with my baby too, you've been hogging the boy since I pushed him out, do you mind?" I set my fork down annoyed with him already.
Kevin stared at me in shock before he spoke. "I'm sorry; it's just that I've waited for this moment for so long and now it's here." He leaned over and kissed my lips. "I'll be more aware of my hogging from now on."
"Thank you, that's all I want." I sighed looking at the spitting image of my mate.
"I'm still on maternity leave for a few days though." Kevin smirked as he quickly finished his food and brought our plates to the sink.
Finishing off my cup of tea I took Keegan out of the carrier and prepared him for a feeding. Lifting up my shirt I with my free hand I tucked it under my arm before unlatching the part of the bra that covered my nipple and brought Keegan closer. Like a magnet he latched on and began suckling. Though he had no teeth, I winced at the heavy pulls he made with each draw of milk. I looked up to see Kevin staring in amazement.
"Does it hurt?" He asked never removing his gaze like a kid watching another kid play a game.
"Just a little, my breasts are sore from all the milk and he's very hungry so he's suckling a little hard." I massaged the dark brown curls that covered Keegan's head as he looked up at me.
"Since you're breasts have doubled in size, how much milk does it hold?" Kevin asked as if my breasts were a new product on the market.
"I don't know, I've become a 34D, go research it." I waved him off as he reached out from his side of the counter to touch my still covered breast.
As Keegan finished off my left breast he began to make a fuss. "You're still hungry?" I looked at my son in disbelief as I prepared the next breast for him to immediately latch on to. "Kevin, what did I give birth to?"
"I was always a large eater, I was just born that way and besides he was born a few weeks early, maybe the milk is helping him in more areas than hunger." Kevin shrugged.
The doorbell rang causing Kevin to sigh in irritation. I'm guessing he knew who it was since he didn't seem to move as slow as he would have liked. Once he opened the door and I heard the voice of the man unannounced guest, I could understand his irritation.
"Son, I'd like to talk with you and Marina for a moment. I think I should at least be aloud to apologize to her."
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New Chapter! The next one will be the last If I'm correct! And thank you all I reall appriciate the support(Votes, comments, following) Thanks so much!!