"Everything is okay," Rigg says with a grin as he holds me.
Alaska is asleep on a chair as Rigg and I watch the twins lay in separate incubators. Both of them had low body temperatures due to being born outside, so they have to be in the incubator to keep warm and to get their body temperatures back up. They also have to be in them since they were not full-term and are tiny from having to share the womb. It's okay though, it is helping them stay warm and to continue growing.
Other than the low body temperatures, the twins are just fine. They are healthy, and their lungs are working properly, which surprised the doctors. It didn't surprise Rigg and me, though, they are werewolf pups, after all, so they are already stronger than a normal human baby would be, even if they were not delivered at full-term.
Lyra is doing good too. After swearing at the paramedics, doctors, nurses, Rigg, and me, she finally settled down when she was able to get some juice and go to sleep. I wasn't too concerned with her temper because she did just give birth to twins naturally without any painkillers, on the side of the road no less. None of us were prepared, so her temper was expected.
The doctors hypothesize that the twins will have to be in the incubators for at least a week, but they will keep a regular eye on them to make sure everything continues to go smoothly. Honestly, Rigg and I don't see the twins needing to be in the incubators for a week though, they will grow strong quickly and the incubator is only helping to speed the process along.
It's Lyra who we need to watch. Nothing went wrong during the labor, only that my daughter was born face-up, meaning it put a ton of unnecessary pressure on Lyra's tailbone. We still have to watch Lyra though to make sure she doesn't have any after effects like infection or anything.
"Have you decided on names yet?" Rigg asks me as he holds me from behind.
"Names," I mutter. "I had a few picked out, but, looking at them now, none of them seem to fit,"
"Hmm," He hums against my neck before kissing it. "You have a few days to decide the nurse said,"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," He whispers. "But, why don't you run some names by me? Maybe saying them to someone will help you decide,"
I sigh and nod my head. "Okay," I whisper. "I was thinking maybe Elodie after my grandma on my papa's side. But, now that I'm looking at her, Elodie doesn't seem right,"
"What was your second choice?"
"Jana or Thea. Janna with a J though and not a Y,"
"Hmm," He hums. "Jana. Thea. Elodie Thea. Jana. Elodie," He tests out the names. As he says the names though, it comes to me.
"That's it," I mutter as the imaginary lightbulb goes off over my head.
"What's it?" Rigg asks confused.
"Thea Jana Elodie Carver," I grin as I look at the small sleeping pup in the incubator. "What do you think? Does she look like a Thea Jana Elodie Carver?"
Rigg hums as he nods his head in agreement. "She most certainly does," I can hear the grin in his voice, which makes me smile even more.
"Thea Jana Elodie it is then," I grin. "Now, as for the boy, that one wasn't as hard,"
"What did you come up with?"
"I kept going back to one name that was on your baby list for Alaska. And looking at him, I think it's the one. I just need a middle name for him,"
"You chose one off my list?" He asks surprised.
"Of course," I snort. "What do you think about Kadyn?"
Rigg nuzzles the side of his face against mine. "I love Kadyn, but you already knew that since it was on my list,"
I pretty much giggle as his morning scruff tickles my cheek. "What about a middle name though? What do you think?"
"What about Malachi?" He asks a minute later.
"Malachi?" I repeat. "Kadyn Malachi Carver," I bite my bottom lip and nod. "That's it, that's the one,"
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, look at him," I nod my head to the incubator that the small pup sleeps in. "He looks like a Kadyn, but Kadyn Malachi? You can just see it, see him growing up with the name, can't you?"
He chuckles and nods his head slightly. "Sure,"
"You can't see it," I snort.
"No, but it does sound fitting," He laughs quietly.
"You think so?"
"Yeah," He agrees. "Kadyn Malachi Carver," I close my eyes as he says the name. That's definitely the name for him. It just feels so right.
"Should we run the names by Lyra and Alaska first before telling the nurse?" I ask.
Rigg sighs. "Yeah, Lyra will probably get mad if she didn't get to hear them first. And it's only fair that Alaska gets to know his sibling's names too,"
"Oh my goddess," I suddenly gasp. "They're Alaska's siblings,"
Rigg laughs at my revelation. "Yes, love, they are his little brother and sister,"
"I, I didn't even think about that. They share the same mother,"
"Hmm," He hums. "They sure do,"
"I cannot believe it's taken until now for it to really click," I grumble. "I mean, I've known they would be related, but they are half-siblings. It's just now registering after almost nine months,"
Rigg chuckles. "It's okay, love, you were too busy freaking out about being a father to realize much,"
"Hey," I gasp as I push my hips back to bump into his.
He laughs as he tightens his hold on me. "It's true," He laughs. "But it was cute,"
I huff as I ignore him after that. I am content with this. Being held by Rigg as we peer into the incubators at my two pups. The newest additions to our little family. We can finally say that our family is growing. I don't know if we'll have any more pups or cubs in the future, but I'd be content if it was just this. Perhaps another cub would be good, that way Alaska doesn't feel left out or weird growing up with only werewolf siblings. And if we were to move into a Pack House, he would be different than the others around him, so maybe a cub sibling would be good for him.
But for now, this is good. I am happy and content with this. This is not how I imagined my life to be like, but this is a million times better than anything I ever came up with. I never imagined my mate to have a cheetah cub, and I never imagined having twin pups. I never imagined anyone like Lyra in our lives. I never imagined I would be okay with being so far away from my parents and siblings. But I've been gone for over a year now and I don't feel homesick or lonely because I have my own family now. I have Rigg and Alaska, and even Lyra. And now, I have my cubs.
This is what true happiness is like. But I can't help but think if I was never forced to come visit Aunt Katrina and Kamryn I would not have found Rigg. Would I have ever found Rigg? Rigg said he physically couldn't leave Stratton, that something was holding him back. Was that Lyra? Did Rigg have to stay in Stratton because Lyra was here? Because Lyra was the woman who had to have Alaska and my pups? Was that why the goddess made Rigg stay in Stratton for so long?
I wish I knew the answers to all my questions, but then again, I'm okay not knowing. I'm happy with how things turned out. I'm happy that I came to Stratton and found Rigg. I'm happy that Rigg and Lyra had Alaska. I'm happy that Lyra was able to give me two beautiful pups. I'm happy that Rigg and I can finally be the mated couple that we were meant to be and that I have been dreaming about since I was thirteen. I'm happy with how things turned out.
I only wish Aunt Katrina and Kamryn were here. I wish they could be here to see my pups, to meet their newest family members. I wish they could be here to share this moment with us. I haven't spoken to or ran into either of them since my argument with Aunt Katrina months ago. I don't know if Rigg or Lyra ever ran into them though because they haven't said anything, and I haven't asked. At the time, I didn't care if they ran into each other, as long as they didn't try to tear and me and Rigg apart. But now, now I wish I knew so I could invite them here.
"Hey," Rigg's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. "What has you down so suddenly?" He asks as he kisses my temple, his warm lips lingering.
I sigh heavily. "I wish Aunt Katrina and Kamryn were here. I know I left things on bad terms, but, they're still family and I wish they could be here to meet my pups. I mean, I've been here for over a year now and I haven't spoken to either of them. I'm over the argument I had with Aunt Katrina and I realize I was being way too stubborn. I mean, I still don't agree with what Aunt Katrina said to me, but, I was being childish to not see her side of things and to just leave like that,"
Rigg nods his head. "So, you want them here?" He whispers.
"Yeah, I do," I whisper back. "But, I'm afraid that if I asked them they wouldn't come. I'm afraid that Aunt Katrina would say something along the lines of me being too young to have my own pups. Or that we're moving too fast. Or something like that,"
He nods his head again. "I understand that, but, baby, maybe they miss you as much as you miss them. Maybe inviting them would be good for everyone. You know, a baby can bring a family back together, but put two into the mix, what do you think would happen?"
"I'm too scared to call them," I whisper as I turn around and bury my face into his chest. The hospital gave us white T-shirts with the hospital name and logo on them after we came in shirtless after tearing our shirts in half to give the pups skin-to-skin contact.
"I'll be here the entire time," Rigg whispers as he kisses the top of my head.
"What if they don't even pick up the phone?"
"I'm sure they'd pick up, love,"
I shake my head and deeply breathe in his watermelon scent. "No, I change my mind. I don't want to invite them,"
Truth be told, I'm just a coward. I'm too scared to face the both of them after the tantrum I threw. Sure, Aunt Kamryn wasn't there to witness it, but I'm sure Aunt Katrina told her all about it. Plus, I've been avoiding them since then, not even a phone call to apologize or to wish them a Merry Christmas or Happy New Year. Nothing. But then again, I never got anything from them either.
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Author's Blurb:
July 8, 2018
You guys, I have been trying to post this since last week but it has been so hectic around my house. My sister brought three of my nieces (aged 7, 8, & 9) so my house is extremely loud and chaotic right now. I've also been working long hours and don't get home until late.
But, with that all said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Only a few more chapters left before Oliver is a complete book.