Chapter 30

Larkin

The scent of cooking meat was quite possibly the most horrendous thing I'd ever smelled, and I couldn't understand why. I wasn't against meat, and in fact had gone hunting with my father many times as a child, gathering supplies for winter: rabbits, squirrels, and the occasional deer when we found them.

But right now, as I stood in the kitchen entryway and watched Odhran prepare dinner, the spices not able to mask the scent of burning flesh filling my nose, I covered my mouth and felt nausea rise up.

I turned and ran to the nearest restroom, threw open the toilet seat, and heaved all the contents of lunch into the bowl.

With my stomach empty, I sat back on my heels and curled my hands around the seat, my eyes watering, my throat burning, and the very thought of cooking meat making my stomach roll again.

I felt Odhran's big hand running circles around my back, and then I wiped the tears away and glanced over at him. The expression he wore was one that had my heart skipping a beat.

I pushed myself up and walked over to the sink. After cleaning out my mouth and washing up, I turned to face him. He had his hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans, his stance relaxed, but his eyes were blazing with fire.

"Lass…"

He was barefoot, the denim fitting him to perfection, the white T-shirt showing off his defined chest and muscular arms. His short blond hair was a little mussed, as if he'd been running his fingers through it.

"I know," I whispered even though he didn't have to actually say the words. I instinctively slipped my hand down to place it over my belly. Odhran looked at where my palm rested, and I couldn't stop the little choked sound that left me. We stared at each other for a suspended moment before I flung myself into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around me, his mouth by my ear as he murmured incoherently before saying gruffly, "A baby, lass." His big body trembled and he let out a slow exhale. "I can smell the sweetness of it surrounding you."

His voice sounded different and I pulled back to look into his face. I gasped at the expression he wore. It was quite possibly the most exposed, raw look I'd ever seen.

And then he dropped to his knees, pushed up my shirt to expose my lower belly, and I sifted my fingers through his hair as he rested his forehead on my skin.

He started whispering in Gaelic, and although I didn't speak fluently yet, I picked up on a couple of words.

How happy I made him. How there wasn't anyone as perfect as me.

He kept saying the word father and laughing softly. I tightened my hands on either side of his head and tipped it back so he was looking at me, and then I let the smile spread across my face.

"We're making our own story, darlin'." He gave my belly a soft kiss, then peppered kisses on each and every scar, letting me know with touch that I was beautiful and perfect in his eyes.

And that was what mattered.

He adjusted my shirt back in place and stood to immediately wrap his big, strong arms around me so I was within a cocoon of warmth and strength and muscle.

And then he kissed me, long and deep, until my body heated and I had to clench my thighs together to try and stem off the arousal.

I felt tears slide down my cheeks and he pulled back to brush them away, the pure happiness on his face so tangible it increased mine. I thought about how neither of us had family still alive on either side, and although we had a support system and those who cared about us in the community, it was still different. It was still lonely in the regard that we were the last of our line.

Until now.

"My happily ever after was always tied to you," I said and launched myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and just letting him hold my weight as we both laughed.

I truly felt like that was the first day of the rest of our lives. The gift fate gave us. Because right then and there, with both of our traumas in our past, and the nightmare that we lived gone, destroyed, conquered, I knew it had all been worth it.

We were in each other's arms and had this miracle that we created growing inside of me.

Even if getting here had been the most painful thing we'd ever experienced.

Nine months later

I'd never been soexhausted before, never felt so sweaty and grimy or… elated.

And as I looked at my mate, who I knew hadn't slept for the past forty-eight hours since I'd gone into labor, I was pretty sure he, too, was feeling the exact same way.

And that was verified when he glanced up at me, dark circles under his eyes, fatigue weighing on him, and gave me the most blinding smile imaginable.

He said one more thing to the Lycan physician and nurse who'd come by to help with the delivery, and after sending them away, I exhaled as I felt the house become empty of everyone else so it was just the three of us.

My little family.

Odhran came over and sank to the floor beside the bed, lifting a hand to stroke the back of my head, his gaze trained on our baby.

Our daughter.

She slept soundly in my arms, unaware of the chaos of the world, of danger and heartache and pain. And I always wanted to keep it that way. I never wanted her to know how bad life could be.

"Brisa," Odhran murmured and leaned down to kiss the top of her tiny head. She had a shock of dark blond hair just like Odhran, but aside from that, she was all me. We couldn't tell if her nymph or Lycan side would be dominant, or if she'd be like other hybrids where neither side fully came forth and took over.

"Are you sure you're okay with the name?"

He glanced up at me and smiled.

"More than okay. It's beautiful, just like her, just like you, and I'm sure just like the female of her namesake." He kissed me softly on the lips and was gazing down at our baby again.

I held my arms out, and he took Brisa from me before settling on the leather chair by the bed. I relaxed against the pillow and smiled sleepily at my mate. Brisa was so tiny in his massive arms, and I could see a little bit of strain in his composure.

"I feel like I'm going tae drop her," he whispered.

I couldn't help but smile. "You won't. You're the most gentle male I've ever met." He leaned down and ran the tip of his nose alongher little head, inhaling softly.

"She smells incredible, like light and warmth and sunlight."

I knew exactly what he meant.

"Is it too soon tae tell ye I want a handful more just like her?"

I snorted but couldn't help but feel pleasure at his words. "Me too." He glanced at me and we held each other's gazes for long seconds. "I love you."

"My lass. I love ye so much it pains me in the best possible way." He looked at Brisa again. "My girls. I'll protect ye both with my life, with every ounce of my strength."

I wiped away the stray tear that slipped down my cheek and nodded even though he wasn't looking at me.

I lay there and just watched Odhran, listened to him start to hum that Gaelic song he'd sung to me when he was tending to me and letting me heal.

"I have something for you," I said softly and Odhran looked up, a flicker of surprise on his face. I shifted slightly on the bed and held in my wince as my sore body protested. I tried to hide the reaction from Odhran as I knew he hated when I was hurt, even if right now it was unavoidable.

I reached into the drawer on the bedside table and pulled out the small white box before adjusting myself so my back was braced against the headboard. He slowly rose and made his way toward me, but not before he made sure Brisa was still snuggly swaddled. My heart softened at that sight.

When he was sitting on the edge of the bed beside me, I opened the box since his hands were full. The confusion on his face was instant before his gaze darted back up to meet mine.

"Yer necklace, darlin'?"

I stared at his thickly corded neck for a second before nodding and pulling the chain and anchor out and setting the box aside. "My sessions with Bronwyn are going really well, and we've been talking about so many things. I've felt so many things." My heart started racing. "And after opening up to her, and to you, I knew what I wanted to do."

He had this questioning look in his eyes before he glanced down at the necklace and realization filtered across his masculine features.

"It took me some time to really figure out the Internet so that I could buy a new chain, one that would fit your neck since we'd changed mine after you'd given it back to me. And then it took longer than I anticipated to actually get it here, but…" I licked my lips and glanced at my mate. "For so long I wore this necklace. It was the most special thing to me because it reminded me of my sister. But so much changed after everything. And then you held onto it like your own lifeline, your own anchor."

His throat worked as he swallowed and I could see this almost discomfort settle around him. He always got this way when the past was brought up. But this was our life, who we were and how we'd gotten here.

And to be honest, I wouldn't change any of it. Because we got that happily ever after, we got the love and the family and all the happiness we deserved because of what we went through.

"I want you to have this necklace, Odhran. I want you to wear it and keep me close to your heart like you did for all those decades." He didn't say anything but he didn't have to. I could see so much emotion reflected in the depths of his blue eyes.

"Lass," he said in a deep, strained voice.

I leaned forward and he came toward me so I could secure the necklace around his throat. I let my fingers rest on the anchor that hung over the center of his chest. "I'm always with you?—"

"Ye always have been, lass." Before I pulled away he kissed my temple and exhaled roughly. "Tha mo ghion ort."

I smiled and briefly closed my eyes, resting my forehead on his shoulder as a wave of emotion slammed into me. Brisa stirred slightly, little baby grunts coming from her that made my heart swell even more.

"I love you with all my heart, too, Odhran."

"Rest, sweetheart. I'll watch over both of ye." He leaned in and kissed me in the center of my forehead, and I gladly took his advice as I laid back down in bed and watched as my mate took a seat beside me and went back to gazing at our daughter and humming softly.

Over the last nine months, I'd been having bi-weekly sessions with Bronwyn. We always took walks in the forest and found ourselves at the lake. Over time I found myself opening up more and more about my time with the Assembly, the things they did to me, how it all made me feel. And every time I spoke on it, I felt a little lighter.

I knew I'd never fully feel light, never get rid of these thoughts or feelings. They were forever a part of me now, a scar that I'd see and feel, and one that would forever be on my body. But the thing about it was I had to learn to live with it in a way that would give me control over it, and didn't stop me from enjoying this second chance at this precious life. And I'd even started a few online classes that would have me working toward becoming a counselor.

I wanted to help those in the Otherworld, wanted to be someone they could share their horrors and pains, their fears and happiness with. These were all stepping stones, pebbles skipping on the vast ocean that was my life. But it was a start. It was my start.

My eyes became heavy as I stared at Odhran and let the soft sounds of him singing, and of Brisa making soft newborn sounds, lull me into sleep. And I was pretty sure it would be one of the best sleeps I'd ever had.

Being happy, in love, and loving those closest to you, tended to make everything just… fall right into place.