Dante's eyes >>>>
---Jacob's POV---
This new, giddy and proud feeling was something I needed to get used to. Seeing those three pups lying side by side and knowing that those were our kids was strange. It was slowly sinking in that I was a father now.
A daddy...A stupid grin slid over my lips as I watched the three for a while, taking the privilege to sneak some time with my kids and mate before I had to share them with the pack. I could hear them scrambling downstairs and sniffing like crazy. No doubt with the fact that one of these pups could be the future Alpha or Alphas if they decided to share responsibility, was driving their wolves insane.
When I had my fill of staring at my kids, I silently crept closer to our bed and gave Paige a kiss on her forehead, nuzzling the skin there. She barely smiled in her slumber; the poor thing was exhausted. Her control on the link during childbirth had only slipped once, and it was enough for me to feel sick to the stomach and apologize over and over again for putting her through this.
And to think that the doctor wanted her to go through that without pain relief! Honestly, I was glad I was a guy, I barely was able to keep my knees from collapsing during that short burst of hellish pain, I can't imagine going through that for hours on end!
With a last gentle stir on my mate's cheek, I quickly made my way downstairs and was met with a sea of eyes staring up at me. Oh boy...I hope they aren't going to argue with this.
"Uhm, Sean? Can you come up first for a moment? And before the rest of you start protesting, he goes first and alone because he's going to meet his mate for the very first time!" I said while raising my voice a bit when off course, several wolves keened out loud, protesting that they needed to wait even longer.
Sean quickly slid past them, an exited and slightly nervous expression on his face as he followed me up the stairs and to our bedroom. I pushed the door open and let him in first, smiling as he took a deep, calming breath before going to the basinet and held his breath.
I didn't know what was going through the vampire's mind as he slowly reached out but I think we were both a bit surprised when Jonathan wriggled around and growled softly, nuzzling protectively against Mackenzie as Dante seemed to sigh in annoyance and blinked with his eyes.
"Protective little bunch, aren't they?" Sean asked with a chuckle as I stepped up beside him and playfully smacked his back. No doubt that I felt more of that smack than the guy but I grinned as I said, "And they should. I don't want any drooling lecherous boy staring at my little girl."
Sean's eyes danced with mirth. "Please don't tell me you're going to be one of those dads who opens the door to his daughter's date with a loaded shotgun in his hands." He grinned teasingly as he glanced at me from the corner of his eyes.
"A shotgun? Why would I need a shotgun when I'll have the opportunity to threaten the boy with a savage pack of hungry wolves? That'll do the job just fine."
He shook his head with an amused snort and stared down at my daughter with a curious expression. I couldn't help but wonder what he was feeling now while he tried to find a way to grab a hold of her without her brothers to wake up.
"How do you feel about her now, knowing she's your mate?" The question slipped from my lips before I even realized it but Sean didn't seem to mind. I leaned over and grabbed the two boys before I sat down and let them rest on my chest. They were already twitching in their sleep and fidgeting slightly.
"It's...hard to explain, really." Sean started as he carefully cradled Mackenzie in his arms, tracing his finger delicately over her features before he rubbed over a strand of her bright hair. "A part of my mind feels like I'm a pedophile, knowing that I have found my Beloved in a newborn babe. The child isn't even an hour old and already is bonded to an old fart like me."
I snorted, pleasantly surprised by Sean's way of trying to explain himself with a self depriving joke. He smirked slightly before he glanced up at me, meeting my eyes. "I can't really explain it. There are no feelings of love or lust, gods no! Its more that I feel more relaxed, knowing who and where my Beloved is."
"If you'd really press me for a description, I'd say its like walking past a bakery."
"A bakery?" I asked incredulously, hushing Jonathan when he let out an annoyed cry, hands flailing around. No doubt he was looking for his sister. Sean flashed his teeth at me in a wide grin as he took a seat beside me, holding Mackenzie close enough so the three could stop squirming.
"When you walk past a bakery and smell the scent of freshly baked bread , you can't help but feel wanting for a slice of that bread, even when you're still full. My feelings for your daughter are quite the same. I know she's my mate and I'd like to be around her and be a part of her life as she grows up...but I don't have any needing and intense feelings for her yet."
I leaned back, enjoying the warm sensation of my two sons spread on my bare chest, as Paige had told me that would keep them calmer. The body warmth and beating of my heart would settle them down again.
"Not yet...but you will later on." I stated and gained a nod and wicked grin. "Off course, now its just a need of reassurance that I feel, the need to know she's safe and sound. But I could say that from any relative or friend I have. But in the future, when she comes of age, there will be nothing that will keep me from her.
I'll love her, dote on her and give her everything she needs. She's already the reason of my existence but she'll become the reason of my life when our bond is reaffirmed. The only thing that will be able to keep us apart is herself."
I didn't want to agree and like Sean but it was hard not to. The reassurance and relief that poured through my body made me relax a bit, since I hadn't really known what the vampire had felt for my daughter. And to be perfectly honest, I had been a bit disturbed with the knowledge that Sean had been the destined mate of my then unborn child.
But now I realized Sean was in the same position as Zack and my sister. She was too small to feel real love and in return, Zack only saw her as my sister. But as soon as she turned eighteen, she would be his mate.
I just hoped no boy was stupid enough to try and date her. No doubt Zack would have ways to make the boy run for the hills. So, with a smile towards Sean and the promise that he could stay here with Mackenzie, I reluctantly handed my two boys over and had to bite my lip.
As soon as Jonathan was in Sean's hands, the boy growled and curled his nose like a wolf did, showing his distaste for the man, as he quickly pressed closer to Kenzie. Dante on the other hand simply stared up at Sean with a stunning set of grey and green eyes that never wavered from the vampire's face.
Sean's eyes widened a bit before he gave the newborn a stunned smile and motioned at him with his head. "Powerful boy right there. Not as headstrong as his brother but nonetheless, powerful. If they ever decide to share Alpha duties..."
I smiled proudly and quickly talked to my dad through the link, telling him that the pack could come upstairs, but in small groups and quietly. Almost immediately after that, I heard a soft knock on the door and shook my head before opening it.
"Hey grandpa, how's it going?" I laughed as dad punched me in the gut, though I could detect the happiness flowing off of him in waves. He even had a little tear running over his cheek before he quickly rubbed it away with a shaking hand. "Shut up you little shit, I'm not that old." He grunted with a grin as mom dashed beside him to coo and fuss over my kids.
"Old enough to be a grandfather...grandpa." I grinned, dodging his next punch before pushing him towards the triplets. I was a bit tense when Paige's parents walked in behind them but when I only got a stern nod from Michael and a grin from his mate; I figured I was out of the weeds...for now.
As they all grinned and puffed their chest up for being grandparents, I sidled up beside Paige and sighed pleasantly as I buried my nose in her hair. She stirred and blinked her eyes tiredly before smiling as her parents came over to her.
"Oh honey, they're gorgeous. Oh, I'm gonna cry!" Her mom rapidly waved her hands in front of her eyes, quickly followed by my own mom as she croaked, "Oh stop, you're going to make me cry too!" Their mates shook their heads with a indulging smile and grinned at each other.
"Hormones." Both Michael and my dad spoke in unison and grinned as they both earned themselves a well-aimed slap from their wives. They promised to come back up after the rest of the pack had greeted the new additions before making room for the next batch.
I think both Paige and I were a bit stunned with Anna waddled into the room and picked Dante up without a peep coming from the kid. She then promptly named herself godmother of our youngest son before she cooed and fussed over him.
"I'll keep in touch with you guys so he'll learn more control over his powers. But I'll have to warn you, the little guy will probably become quite the pranksters when he doesn't have control just yet. He has your Gifted Shifter side Paige, but a lot of werewolf strength to go with it. A great bout of power for such a wee little boy...but he already has a great sense of responsibility to accompany that."
Paige smiled at that and leaned up to kiss me gently before she yawned and reluctantly closed her eyes again. The rest of the pack noticed and quietly left the room, whispering warnings to the others waiting outside the door.
I think it was after an hour or two that the last wolf left the room, followed by Sean, who stated that we needed our rest now more than ever. He still had all the time in the world to get to know Kenzie and he was going to let things run its course.
When the door clicked shut, I think it was safe to say that the kids were sound asleep, Paige snoring softly against my chest while I was feeling drained. I quickly checked with the kids and fumbled a bit to change their diapers, holding my breath at the smelly mess they produced before I disposed the bio hazardous packages in a bin and placed it by the stairs.
Surely someone would be brave enough to dispose of it?
With that done, I washed my hands, sprayed some air cleanser in the room and then went to snuggle up with my mate, my children within arm's reach. If I had known that that there were three little devils ready to function as an alarm clock, I would've neglected to set the one on my cellphone for an hour later.