64. Annani

64

ANNANI

T he first cry of new life filled the air, a piercing, precious sound that brought tears to Annani's eyes. Her heart was full to bursting as she watched Hildegard wipe the tiny boy clean while Merlin took care of the afterbirth.

Delivering children into the world was messy, difficult, and painful, but no greater joy existed.

"Here you go, Mommy." Hildegard placed the baby on Alena's chest.

"He's perfect," Orion whispered, his cheek next to Alena's as both gazed upon their little miracle.

"Do you want to hold him?" Alena asked her mate. His eyes turned the size of saucers. "I'm too scared."

Annani took a step closer and leaned to touch her latest grandson's tiny cheek. He had a mop of dark hair like his father and cupid-bow lips like his mother.

"Your brother is in the waiting room, biting his nails. Can I invite him in?"

"Of course." Alena smiled. "I want him to be here when we reveal the name we have chosen for our son."

"Maybe we should wait for Amanda and Syssi to get here," Orion said.

Alena winced. "Amanda will be pissed if she misses it. You're right. Let's wait for them to get here."

Merlin opened the door and waved Kian in. "Come. Say hello to your new nephew."

A grin spread over Kian's face. "So, it is a boy after all."

"Of course," Annani said. "We all knew it was going to be a boy."

"Right." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Congratulations, grandma."

"Congratulations, uncle."

"I'll be in my office if anyone needs me," Merlin said. "I'll send Syssi and Amanda in when they get here."

As the door closed behind the doctor and Kian shifted his gaze to his new nephew, his eyes softened, and his smile turned tender. "Congratulations, Alena, Orion. So, does this strapping baby boy have a name?"

"He does," Alena said. "But we decided to wait for Amanda and Syssi to get here before we name him. You know how upset Amanda will be that she wasn't here when he was born."

"Yeah, she will." Kian pulled out the one chair that was in the room for Annani. "Please, sit down, Mother."

Annani did not argue. It was not that she was tired, but with everyone towering over her, she was more comfortable sitting down.

The door swung open, and her daughters, one by birth and the other by marriage, walked in, both looking rushed and sweaty as if they'd run the entire way.

"Oh, Alena, he's beautiful," Amanda gushed.

"Adorable," Syssi whispered.

"Where is Allegra?" Kian demanded.

"With Merlin." Syssi walked up to him and kissed his cheek. "Evie, too. The guy is in heaven, holding one on each knee."

"Do you trust him with them?"

Syssi gave him a scolding look. "What kind of question is that? Of course, I trust him."

Smiling, Annani shifted her gaze to Orion, who still looked shell-shocked.

"Do you want me to help hold him?" Hildegard asked the new father.

He nodded, but even though it did not look convincing, Hildegard lifted the baby off Alena's chest and put him in his father's arms.

Orion's face was a mask of wonder and terror, and he looked like he might faint at any moment.

Kian chuckled, putting a steadying hand on the new father's elbow. "Breathe, Orion. He is a beautiful, healthy baby boy."

Orion nodded jerkily, his gaze never leaving the perfect face of his son. He took a few stumbling steps forward, his arms cradling the infant like he was made of spun glass, and then he went down to one knee in front of Annani.

"Clan Mother," he said hoarsely, his voice cracking with emotion as he held the baby out to Annani. "Meet your grandson, Evander Tellesious."

Annani's heart swelled with love as she took the child into her arms, marveling at his solid weight, the impossibly soft brush of his skin against hers. "Evander," she repeated. "A beautiful name for a beautiful boy."

Looking at the tiny face, she drank in every detail of her grandson's face, committing each tiny feature to memory. The slope of his nose, the bow of his lips, the wispy curl of hair that clung to his scalp. He was perfect, a miracle in miniature, and Annani already loved him fiercely.

She dipped her head and brushed a kiss on the silky soft cheek. "There is nothing better in the universe."

Orion was still kneeling in front of her, his hands twitching as if he longed to take the baby back and cradle him close to his chest.

Annani smiled, shifting Evander in her arms and giving his father a reassuring nod. "Do not worry, Orion. I have held hundreds of newborns in my time, and I have not dropped one yet. Your son is safe with me." She stood up with the baby securely held against her bosom.

Orion pushed to his feet as well and hovered nearby as Annani walked over to her daughter's side.

Alena looked radiant, her face flushed with the glow of new motherhood, her eyes bright with joy and love. She held out her arms as Annani approached.

"He is perfect." Annani agreed, carefully transferring Evander into his mother's waiting embrace. "Just like his mother." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "I am so proud of you, my Alena."

Her daughter just smiled, as she always did when she thought Annani was being overly dramatic or too much of a diva. That quiet acceptance was one of Alena's greatest strengths.

The baby settled against his mother's chest, yawned adorably, and fell asleep. "Such a good little boy," Amanda said. "So calm."

Alena stroked his little back. "All my babies were like that."

"That's because you are calm." Syssi leaned against Kian's arm. "You project it. By the way, did you tell Allegra what you were naming the baby?"

Alena shook her head. "We told no one. Why?"

"She insisted that the baby's name was going to be E.T."

"Like mother like daughter." Kian wrapped his arm around Syssi's shoulders. "Allegra is already predicting the future."

As Amanda and Alena murmured in agreement, Annani looked around at her family and noticed that Hildegard had left the room at some point. Still, that did not mean that she could talk freely because there was a camera in the room, and even though she doubted Merlin would pry intentionally, he might take a look to ensure that mother and baby were doing okay.

"I have news," she said quietly, not to disturb little Evander. "Bridget called this morning to tell us that the prince remembered his and his sister's names. That is a very good sign that his memory is coming back."

"What are the names?" Alena asked.

"The prince's name is Ell-rom, and his sister is Morelle."

Alena's face lit up. "That's wonderful news, Mother. I think it's symbolic that he recalled their names on the day Evander was born and named."

"Indeed." Annani nodded. "That is why I decided not to wait to tell my brother I am his sister."

As she had expected, Kian was not happy. "It's too early, Mother. Let's wait for him to regain more of his memories so we can assess his intentions."

Annani pinned her son with a hard look. "The more I tell him, the more I reveal, the faster he will regain his memories, and the quicker we will learn his true nature. I do not have patience, and I do not want to wait to make Ell-rom and Morelle part of my family. The only concession I am still willing to make for the sake of your insistence on security is to wear the earpieces, but once I am convinced that my brother does not harbor ill intentions toward me, I will remove them."

She leaned down to press a final, lingering kiss to Evander's forehead, breathing in the sweet, milky scent of him.

"It is a blessed day for our family as we welcome Evander, Ell-rom, and Morelle into our clan."