The Cougar's Timid Little Lynx (Sweet Water) (14 page)

“You are doing so good, baby.” Luke kissed her temple just as the contraction waned and the pain receded.

“Sorry if I’ve been snappy to you.”

He wiped her forehead with a damp rag and smiled down at her.
“At least you didn’t grab my balls and threaten to tear them off if I ever came by you again like Talia did with Ford.” Leave it to Luke to have her laughing while she was in active labor.

“I doubt she held strong to that threat for very long.” Another contraction came on strong
, and she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

After two hours of pushing, of pain, and of tears of joy, their
cougar-shifting son, Benjamin Lucas Landon was born, all nine pound ten ounces, and twenty-two inches long. Clearly he would take after his father. The nurse handed her little boy to her, with his dark blue eyes and tuft of dark brown hair. She trailed the pads of her fingers along his tiny head, and her tears continued to flow as she stared down at another little miracle.

“Momm
a?” Joey’s soft voice came through the door, and Alice looked over to see her daughter and Talia walking in. As soon as Joey saw her new baby brother her eyes lit up. She all but ran to Alice, and after a kiss and hug, Joey was busy cooing to the baby. “He’s so little, Momma.” She kissed him on the tip of the nose. Talia visited for a few minutes, held and kissed her nephew, but soon left them alone. Luke came to stand beside Joey and wrapped a thick arm around her shoulders.

“You were this little
, too, once upon a time, sweetie.” Alice brushed her finger down the bridge of Joey’s nose. Joey grinned, a couple of her teeth missing. “Hey, when did you lose that one?” Joey touched the gap from the missing tooth in question, and her grin grew.

“Uncle Ford helped me pull it out. He said if I didn’t wait for it to come out on its own the Tooth Fairy doubles the money she puts under my pillow.” That had Alice cocking a brow and looking up at Luke.

“That right?” Luke said, all but chuckling.

Joey nodded enthusiastically. Alice and Luke started laughing
, which had baby Ben crying.

“I love my two girls, but
I’m glad I got a little boy now, too. Evens things out.” He started tickling Joey under the arm, and Alice let the love she felt for them fill her. She had a strong, protective, and gentle mate. Her daughter was bright, smart, and happy. And now she had a new addition to her family. Looking down at Ben she held him a little tighter. He stared up at her with big unfocused eyes.

“I love you
,” she said softly and kissed him on the forehead. Looking over at her mate and their daughter, she felt new tears start to form as the love inside of her grew exponentially. “I love both of you, so very much.” Luke lifted Joey so she could sit on the edge of the bed, and then he went around to the other side. Alice handed him his son, and pulled her daughter close to her side. The silence that surrounded them was comforting, warm, and spoke of contentment. It was perfect, and this one moment was what she had been dreaming of since she was a little girl, and imagined what having a family that was filled with love really felt like. She would never have to wonder that ever again, because she had that right now, and that would never change. From the ashes rose great strength; that was for sure.

The End

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Other Books by Jenika Snow:

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Evernight Publishing

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