Chapter 23

twenty-three

. . .

ALIL

"What do you think?" Addy asked, chewing his lip with worry. "Should I let them in?"

"Uhhhhhhhh..."

My mind went into a complete blank. I didn't think I could deal with this right now.

"I know this is a bad time for them to show up, but it would be nice to have your parents again, wouldn't it?" he asked.

In theory, yes, but...

"Just thinking about what they did makes me so mad, even now."

I pressed a hand to my pounding heart, trying to calm it, and Addy's jaw tightened.

"Then I'm not letting them in. It's not worth it."

He turned around, decision made, and relief swept through me. All this time, I had been unable to face them. Once, I saw om-mother at the end of the market and practically dove into the shop next to me to hide.

I'd been wondering if I should try to make amends soon, but it appeared that I wasn't ready and I didn't know if I would ever be. For my al-mother to react so violently and om-mother to support her gave me a chill to think about. It didn't feel as though the overprotectiveness could have come from love. It felt more like possessiveness.

I shut my eyes and thanked the universe that Addy was sharp enough to make the hard decisions when I needed him to, because right now, in early labor, I could barely even think straight about what I wanted or needed.

He returned to the room, frowning. He looked so worried and ready for action, with his long hair tied back.

"Were they mad?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"They were upset, but not mad."

I shut my eyes.

"Should I have accepted their visit?"

"No," he said, sitting next to me and taking my hand. "You should not do anythingthat makes you uncomfortable, especially right now."

With his free hand, he reached out and rested it on my belly. The baby immediately began to move, kicking and squirming.

"The poor thing can't wait to get out of there," I gasped. "I can't blame them, either. I can't wait for this pregnancy to be over."

Addy winced in sympathy.

"Your body will be your own again soon," he said, patting the baby. "The medic should be here any moment now."

No sooner did he say it, than a voice called from the livingroom.

"In here!" Addy called.

To my relief, it was Ifra who entered. After how he handled the situation on the day of our arrival and cared for Addy afterwards, I was sure that I was in good hands.

He had brought an assistant as well, and they immediately set about checking me.

I'd had multiple check-ups but aside from some blood tests, they had all been external.It was odd to have a different alpha going between my legs, but Addy held my hand and didn't seem to mind, so that gave me comfort.

"How long do I have?" I asked.

"Not long," he said, shaking his head. It seems like you waited to call for me."

"We weren't sure if the contractions were real," I explained.

He gave me a warm smile.

"Not to worry, I am here now, and your baby will be, very soon."

He nodded to the assistant who began to set up a little blanket, a bowl of water and some tools on the floor—for the baby.

Wow. This was really it.

A contraction hit me then, wiping out all thoughts until it faded.

My entire body felt hot and pained, but I breathed through it, the way I had been taught to do by the omega parenting group Addy's om-father had insisted I join. I was the only expectant omega in it. The rest had older children which was nice in a way since they had lots of advice and tips for me. On the other hand, it was alarming to learn that my child was the only one coming and the human, Alex's child was the only one of a similar age. We really did have a serious issue on our hands here on Mukhana...

"Should I start pushing?" I asked as the contractions intensified.

"Not yet," the doctor said.

"Then when?" I hissed, as another one hit me.

"You'll know," he said. "Your body will take over. Trust yourself."

Trust myself. Very well. I had been following my own instincts for months, I supposed now wasn't the time to stop.

I shut my eyes and held tightly to Addy's hand, trying to simply breathe through the contractions and then, after a while, just as the medic had said, my body took over. The first push wasn't conscious at all. All my muscles tightened and started to push.

It was time for my baby to come out.

Instead of forcing it, I went with the rhythm my body made, pushing and then pausing to breathe, and then pushing again.

The stretching was intense, especially when I felt the child move between my thighs, pushing the bones apart. I shouted out in pain, vaguely aware of anything else, the doctor telling me I was doing well, Addy brushing back my hair and saying words of encouragement.

Then, when it was all too much, and I didn't think I could do it, suddenly the child seemed to almost slip forward.

"The head is out!" the doctor said triumphantly, and with one more push, the entire body slid free.

I collapsed, exhausted, breathing raggedly, too weak to move.

"Oh wow," Addy breathed. I could feel him shaking and turned my face to the side with the last bit of energy I had, to see them lifting the small thing into the air and taking it to the bowl of water.

"You did it," Addy whispered, and kissed my face non-stop, until I had enough air to speak.

"Is it okay?"

As soon as I asked, the most adorable sound of a baby's crying filled the air and it hit me how miraculous this moment was. We had made a life.

They placed the baby on my chest, and it was so small. Far smaller than the size my swollen belly would have suggested.

Its skin was flushed and swollen from the effort of being born and its hair was a frizzy cloud of magenta. A tiny little pink tail flailed. I shifted to see the small face, immediately struck by the fact that it had the gentle shape of Addy's eyebrows and tiny, weak little claws.

An alpha, and a male, just like Addy.

I was completely overwhelmed, and I knew that Addy was too. He bent his head over the small being that we had created and pressed his forehead to his son's, his eyes squeezed shut.

"My little boy," he whispered. "I will always be here for you."

The baby wiggled and then stopped crying.

When I stroked my hand over his fuzzy hair, he promptly fell asleep. He didn't even seem to mind that I was shaking so hard.

"Thank you," I told the doctors.

"Congratulations," they both said. "He is beautiful."

"We will give you some time with the baby," Ifra said. "And then I will be back to help walk you through his first days."

I didn't realize how overwhelming it would be for us to suddenly be alone with the child. What if something suddenly went wrong?

I looked down at his small face knowing already that it would kill me to be without him now that I had him. I just wanted to hold him close and never let him go.

"Can I hold him?" Addy asked.

I blinked, realizing how greedy I was and nodded.

When Addy took the baby and held him, instead of worry, somehow, it gave me a moment of peace—like I didn't need to think about the little one while Addy had him.

"He looks so much like you," Addy mused with a smile.

"Really?" I asked. "I think he looks like you."

His smile warmed as he gazed down at the child.

"I knew he would be my sunshine," he mused.

"Then that will be his name," I said.

We had discussed names at length and Addy had told me his favourite one meant the sun, but I had wanted to see my child first, before deciding, and now that I had, I knew no other name would do.

"Hello, Shems," Addy whispered. "I'm your al-father..."

I watched him with Shems, and then happily took him back when Addy returned him to me.

Addy crawled into the bed next to me and wove his arm around my waist, and for a while, everything felt perfect.

But then I remembered that it was likely Addy's punishment had been held off until this moment, so as not to cause me stress while I was pregnant.

How long would it be before he was forced to go work in the mountains, or the mines?

It only took until the next afternoon.

We were sitting in the living room. Me, and Shems were bundled up together on the cushions next to the fire and Addy was making something for me to eat when the head alpha Kion arrived with Latif , of all people trailing behind him.

Latif had already been by in the morning with Blaine and his parents to visit us and meet Shems. This time, upon his arrival he gave me a bashful look, as though he was finally revealing a secret. Did he already know what Addy's punishment would be? Had he taken part in arranging it when they had still been on bad terms?

"What is it?" I asked, sitting up.

"Don't worry yet," Kion said, smiling and coming to sit next to me to see the baby. "Oh, he is lovely, isn't he?"

He was lovely. The cutest little baby I had ever seen, in fact, but I couldn't play along while my heart was in my throat.

"You're here for Addy, aren't you?"

"Well, yes, in fact."

Addy stepped into the room, clearly having heard already.

He didn't say anything though, just came and sat down at my side.

"Now I feel bad," Latif said, looking at our somber faces. "We just wanted to wait until after Shems was born so that you wouldn't be distracted from Alil."

"Yes," Kion agreed. "But that didn't stop you from putting yourself to work, did it?"

Addy frowned and glanced at me, looking more worried than before.

"I only want to make amends..."

"I know," Kion said kindly. "And I appreciate that you do. That is why we have collectively decided the best place for you is working alongside your brother on these new omega initiatives."

For a moment, we were both stunned silent.

"But—but I need to be punished," Addy stammered and I nearly smacked him.

"It will be instrumental to have someone who fought against the changes now working for them," Kion said. "Perhaps you will sway more alphas into supporting what is to come."

He swallowed.

"What is coming?"

"I have been dying to tell you!" Latif enthused. "Whenever you have time, I will show you all the new plans and timelines and we can?—"

"Not yet," Alpha Kion said, chuckling. "He just had a baby. Family comes first."

"Right," Latif said, biting his tongue.

There was a long silence.

"Are you sure you don't want to punish me?"

"Shush Addy, just take it!" I said, and everyone laughed.

The head alpha pushed to his feet, shaking his head.

"I must go, but congratulations on this joyous occasion."

At the door, he paused and looked back at Addy, eyes twinkling.

"You do know that to most, working with their estranged brother on a project that goes against their beliefs would be considered a punishment in and of itself. It just goes to show how much your opinions have changed."

He departed, leaving us alone with an enthusiastic Latif.

He hung around, talking about how hard it had been to keep it a secret until Shems started crying and needed to be fed.

I was still getting the hang of the suckling. My chest ached from the swelling even though it wasn't very visible according to Addy. It took a while for him to latch properly but when he did, it was a relief to feel the milk draining.

Addy settled with his arm around me as he had taken to doing and I relaxed back against him. There was something so peaceful about all of us being together.

It had only been about a day, but I was already used to this new version of life and I absolutely loved it.

"I was so afraid all this time," I mused. "I thought you would take the brunt of the punishment, that you would be hated, and ostracized. Instead, you were given a home, a job with your brother, and a happy life."

Addy shook his head in wonder.

"I am surprised," he admitted. "But grateful."

He kissed my cheek and then the top of Shems' fuzzy head. His hair hadn't calmed down yet and I loved it.

"Thank you for being you," he said. "I can't even imagine anyone else."

I chuckled.

"And I know I've said this before, but being kidnapped was the best thing to ever happen to me."

He laughed.

"Really," I insisted. "Taking me away from what I knew was the only way I could go after what I truly wanted."

And I meant it. For the rest of my life, I would be thanking the moons for vanishing that night, and the stars for guiding us afterwards.

Somehow, despite how wrong we had thought it would be, every step we had taken together had been right.