Epilogue

Ethan

The dinner in front of me looked absolutely delicious, as did most dinners I’d seen over the past few weeks. And, like those other dinners, I couldn’t fathom taking another bite. I could manage one or two, but after that, I was stuffed. All my organs had been scrunched and pushed aside to make room for the extra large baby I was carrying.

Dr. Nindy insisted I was measuring just fine and that the baby might be a bit large, but supposedly, I wasn’t breaking any records. But I didn’t believe it. I was pretty sure I’d end up in the world record books.

"Is everything all right?" Orsino put his hand over mine and leaned closer to me, speaking into my ear. “You look radiant tonight.”

That was the perspiration. I had sweat through my shirt, as usual. “I’m fine. Just full."

He smiled, knowing how things had been for me over the past two weeks. He was ever the attentive alpha. Little did he know, I was definitely experiencing contractions and had been for the better part of the day.

It wouldn’t be long before I’d need him to escort me to the birthing suite so we could welcome our child into the world.

Our checkups with Dr. Nindy had been going well. The pregnancy went smoothly, and I was able to work throughout most of it.

It wasn’t until last month that I finally decided to go on leave.

Kira let out a whine at my feet and nudged my foot. I tried to lean down and give her a pat on the head, but my massive belly didn’t allow it.

Andro reached for another roll. "I think I’m gonna ask Trev to guard Rowan once he returns to school."

"Trev is ready to return to work?" Orsino seemed surprised and happy by that news.

I kept my breathing steady, counting the seconds between each shock of pain as the conversation went on around me.

"Whether he’s ready or not, I’m gonna have him return. It’s time."

Andro stopped eating long enough to get down to business. "Any updates on how things have been going with the investigation into who Russo’s business partner was?"

Orsino shrugged. "I get regular updates, and there are leads, but so far, everything has been a dead end.”

Andro grunted and shoved another bite of steak into his mouth.

Louie leaned back and placed his arm around Connor. “We definitely need security detail on Rowan until we figure out who wanted him kidnapped in the first place."

“Haven’t we agreed to no shop talk at the dinner table? Can’t this wait until tomorrow?” Joey asked.

I was glad he spoke up. I wanted to be informed about what was going on, but right now, I’d rather have them talk about something boring and mundane like the weather.

“How’s Trev doing, anyway? I would have expected him to be back to work full-time by now.” Connor leaned into Louie’s side.

"He’s doing fine, and he’s working. I just don’t think he’s enjoying it. And he certainly isn’t looking forward to being Rowan’s babysitter.”

“Tough luck. He needs something to get back into the swing of things, and this is what we have for him." Andro was never one to mince words.

Louie laughed. "I think he thinks we’ve given him a pity job.”

“Taking care of a precious omega and our family?" Andro snorted. "Perhaps he needs an attitude adjustment when he comes back full-time."

"Be nice." Jeremiah swatted the air in his brother’s direction. He had announced that they were expecting not long after Orsino and I had. In my opinion, he wore his pregnancy way better, though. Then again, he was two months behind me, and I had looked better at seven months than I did today too.

"Trev needs to remember that he’s a guard with a job to do. He did it well, and he’s been rewarded for it, but he can’t just sit back and lick his wounds. We need him to work."

"What happened to not talking about work at the dinner table?" Joey asked again, a little louder this time.

"Cheers to that." I lifted my glass of water and took a sip. I missed wine. That was the first thing I wanted once I was able to drink it. I took a small sip. Nothing sounded good right now, but I needed to stay hydrated.

For a moment, I thought I’d spilled my drink in my lap. But then I realized what I was feeling was warm, and it was almost like a balloon had popped between my legs.

"Oh no." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"What? What is it?" Orsino stood up so fast his chair tipped over.

"The baby’s coming now." I looked around the table. “Sorry for cutting dinner short.”

Orsino’s eyes were wide as he stood frozen like a deer caught in headlights.

Time stood still for everyone, and no one moved.

“Like, right now?” Joey asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Well, I mean, I’m not having contractions that close, just—" In that moment, a particularly hard contraction hit me. I groaned as pain radiated down my spine and vibrated into my pelvis. I felt like I was being split in two. "Or maybe I am."

Andro flagged someone down and called for a wheelchair. Before I knew it, I was being wheeled down the hallway to the birthing room, but someone else was pushing me because Orsino was at my side.

"We have plenty of time," I said. “There’s no need to panic.”

"Are you sure about that?" Joey was jogging along beside me. "You had a contraction less than a minute ago and you’ve already had another one."

"They’ve been happening on and off all day. I thought labor was supposed to take forever. Like, hours.” I shrugged and tried to play it off.

“You’ve been in labor all day, and you didn’t tell me?” Orsino just barely missed running into a table that held a large, expensive vase as he looked down at me.

“Careful!” Joey helped steady him. “We need you in the room, preferably uninjured, during the birth. Ethan, if your contractions started this morning, that means you’ve been in labor for half the day already.”

“Oh." Perhaps I had waited too long to say something.

Once we were inside the hospital room, things moved fast. Orsino picked me up like I weighed nothing and put me on the bed. Dr. Nindy and her assistant began working.

“Things are progressing quickly, Ethan. In a minute, I’m going to tell you to push, and I need you to listen, okay?”

Already? “Are you sure? I thought I still had some time.”

She smiled and did her best to be sympathetic to my ignorance. “If I understand correctly, you’ve been in labor all day and didn’t say anything.”

I shrugged, finally accepting my reality. “I thought I had more time.”

“Time’s up, Ethan. Now push.”

I clenched Orsino’s hand while my legs were placed in the stirrups, and the contractions that I’d felt all day seemed to come all at once, like my organs were in a vice grip, slowly squeezing the life out of me.

Orsino kissed my forehead. “You’re doing so great, omega.”

“He’s crowning. This baby is not wasting any time. Another big push now, Ethan.”

I bore down, desperate to get this over with and anxious to meet my child. The pain that radiated through my body became background noise as I focused on my breathing.

“You’re so amazing, Ethan. So strong.”

With one final push, I felt my child leave my body. “Let me see. Can I see my baby?” I tried to push myself up, but I was too weak.

“She’s perfect, Ethan.” Orsino held a pair of scissors to snip the cord, and then Dr. Nindy placed our child into his arms.

Orsino turned to me and laid her on my chest. “Meet our daughter.”

My breath hitched and my eyes welled up as I looked down at the angel in my arms. “She’s beautiful.”

Orsino brushed the hair off my forehead. “She is. She takes after you, I can tell.”

“Marcella.” As soon as I said it, I knew it was perfect. “That’s her name.”

“So it is.” Orsino climbed into the bed with us, holding me in his arms while I held our baby.

“I love you so much, Orsino. Thank you for everything you’ve given me. Every one. Our family.”

He kissed my cheek. “I love you too, omega. Now and forever.”