Chapter 36-

Ember:
I can’t keep the smile from my face when I leave from my appointment at the clinic. Dr. Tanner confirmed what I have been feeling. Our little family is growing again, and I can’t wait to tell my mates tonight. I go over to the school to pick up my big kids, Leslie, Meagan and I teach on rotation at the school. It’s nice to switch off that way we can make time for the other things in our life. It also makes it easy to have coverage when we get sick or have appointments. I can’t believe how many kiddos we have running around our pack now. It has been so beautiful to see all our friends’ become parents and to hear little laughs and cries ring out through the village. “Mommy mommy!” My little Irvin runs and jumps into my arms followed by my firecracker. “How were they?” I ask Meagan. “They were perfect the boys played in the garden finding little bugs to add to Micha’s collection and Oriel was a great helper with Owen.” “Someday I’m going to be a mommy like you and Miss Meagan.” I smile at my little princess. “You will be a great mommy someday.” She beams up at me and I clarify. “Someday a long, long time from now. We don’t want the daddies to freak out.” She runs outside with the boys and Meagan looks at me with anticipation. “Soooo..” “Yep, another little pup will be joining the ranks here soon.” “Oh, that’s amazing Ember! I’m so excited for you guys.” “Dr. Tanner thinks I’m about ten weeks along, I can’t wait to tell James and Lucas.” “They will be happy; I know they have been trying to knock you up again for a while.” We both chuckle and visit for a bit. I snuggle her newest little addition Owen and then take the kids back home. I make a big dinner and a pick up one of Tamera’s amazing apple pies on the way home to serve as dessert. When my men come back from their scouting meeting, they both look strained. “What’s wrong honey?” I ask James and stroke his back as he leans into my neck breathing in my scent, it’s something he does to calm himself when he’s stressed. “We’ve had two more hunter sightings this week and the one today disabled our traps set at the border. I don’t want you or the kids near the boarder until we have a better handle on things.” “Okay. I’ll let the other women know at our meeting tomorrow. I love you.” “I love you too Queenie. I don’t want to scare anyone, but I also want us to vigilante. This dinner smells amazing.” “Yes, it does! Mmm and apple pie too, what’s the special occasion phoenix?” “Do I need a reason to spoil my hard-working mates when they’ve been out protecting our pack all day?” “I can think of another way you can show your appreciation my queen.” “Now now the kids will be in any minute, they are just upstairs washing their hands. Plus, I have something to we can celebrate later when the kids go to bed.” Lucas and James both kiss me and then sit down at the table. “I can’t wait phoenix.”
After dinner, dessert, a family walk, bath time and story time its finally bedtime! I’ve been chomping at the bit all day to tell them the news. The kids go down pretty easily both worn out from their playdate after school today. My men come into our room with eager faces. I know they will be excited; we have been wanting another baby, but it just wasn’t happening, I thought for a little while that we might not be able to have another. I’ve never been more excited to be wrong. I kneel on the bed and they both take up a side. I kiss Lucas first and then James. “You guys are going to have to get ready to start pampering me.” “Are we not taking good enough care of our queen?” James asks seductively as his hand slips into my panties and teases my slit. “Oh, you boys take the best care of me, but I’m adding to your workload. We have someone new joining the family and growing him or her will make me extra needy.” “Are you sure phoenix?” Lucas asks while his hand moves reverently over my stomach. “I thought I might be for a few weeks, but I didn’t want to get our hopes up like last time I thought I was pregnant. I went to see Dr. Tanner today and he confirmed it.” My men kiss me and tell me just how happy they are about our new addition with their fingers, mouths and cocks. We all fall asleep tangled together and satisfied.
James:
“Another big push baby, you can do this!” I see Ember’s exhaustion written all over her. This pregnancy has been harder on her than the last. We wanted more children and nothing on this planet is sexier than seeing my mate swollen with my child but there is the fear attached with giving birth. I love Oriel and Irvin as my own but the pain of loosing both Adam and Kiren has always stayed with me. The thought of loosing another child or something happening to Ember has me wracked with fear. Ember has been scared and emotional during her labor as well. I think Kiren is in all of our minds today. I’m holding her leg while Lucas sits behind our queen, both of us peppering her with words of encouragement and affection. “I see the head. One more big push Luna, you can do it.” Tanner is seated between my mates’ legs, and I try to reign in my irrational jealousy. I never wanted Tanner to be her doctor but with the complications from last time Ember insisted to have him instead of the midwife. Rachel is Embers best friend and was happy to just be here to help if she was needed. I have to remind my possessive self that he is a doctor and happily paired with his own mate Mara. After another agonizing push we hear little cries and Tanner puts the baby wrapped in a blanket on Ember’s chest. He looks at Lucas and I and smiles. “A healthy son.” Ember breaks down in tears and holds our baby reverently. “We have another son.” She announces with relief and pride. I’m swallowed by pain, fear, relief and joy. I kiss her hand and walk to the other side of the room, the need to move my body overriding all other needs. I pace for a few minutes waiting for something terrible to happen but all I see is Lucas and Ember basking in the joy of a new life. “James come see our son.” I move towards the bed and swallow back the panic raising up in my chest again. Ember hands him to me and I see his beautiful face and cry. He has my eyes and a little tuft of curly strawberry blonde hair. I sit in the bed with my mate and Lucas, and we laugh as he scowls at us. “He looks like our little firecracker when he does that.” We all laugh, and I sigh in relief the panic and fear slowly being replaced by peace and gratefulness.
Ember:
Rachel and Shane have been watching Oriel and Irvin for a us the past two days and I’m so excited for them to come home and meet their new little brother. We had told them that I was going to have the baby when we took them over to our friend’s house and they were so excited. A few minutes later Lucas appears with two thrilled kids. “Remember we have to be gentle with mommy and little brother.” James reminds them. “A brother?” Irvin says with a huge smile on his face. “Yes, honey we brought you home a grouchy little brother.” “Wow!” Irvin carefully climbs onto the bed next to me and kisses his little brother’s head. “I love him already. Look Oriel he has red hair like you.” Oriel looks at Irvin and her daddies cooing over the new baby and the excitement leaves her face. She has a jealous nature that I’ve noticed whenever other kids want to play with Irvin. “Princess do you want to come meet your baby brother?” “Yeah, Oriel look how cute he is come see he’s so tiny.” Irvin excitedly calls to his sister. “No that’s okay.” I look to Lucas as she pouts and leaves the room. “Ill go talk to her.” Lucas says and pats Irvin’s head before he leaves the room.

Lucas:
“Hey firecracker.” I jump into her bed where she is hiding under the covers. “What’s going on? Why are you hiding?” “I changed my mind daddy; I don’t want another brother.” “Well princess he is here to stay now. Why don’t you want another brother?” “Because everyone loves him so much already. Irvin will have a boy to play with and won’t want to play with me anymore. Mommy will be busy with him and then won’t have time for me anymore.” “Oh princess” I kiss her head that had popped out of the blanket. “We will never love you any less than your brothers. And now you will have two boys who will want to play with you and protect you. You are going to be the most loved girl in the whole wide world. I promise you, mommy might be busy sometimes, but she will always make time for you and so will dad and I.” “You promise?” “I promise firecracker. We will always love you with all our hearts. If you think about it now your extra special. You are the only girl, that means you get mommy to yourself for all the girly stuff.” “I don’t really like girly stuff that much.” She scrunches her nose, its true she tends to be a bit of a tomboy. “Well someday you might.” I laugh and rustle her wild curly hair. “Plus, you are the oldest we were hoping you could be a big helper and watch out for him.” She jumps up from the bed with a newfound excitement. “I can do that. I am the big sister; I will take the best care of him.” “You’re going to do great sweetheart.” She hugs me tight and runs from the room surely to go find her brother.
I’m filled with pride and so much love when I walk back into our room and find the love of my life surrounded by our kids and my brother as she helps oriel hold the baby. Our new sons usual scowl is replaced by contentment. We never talk about who’s kid is biologically theirs and we love them all as our own, but I feel lighter knowing this baby is the result of Ember and James’s love. He is James’s mirrored image with his dark eyes and serious temperament. “Did you already tell the kids his name my love?” “No not yet, we were waiting for you.” “Tell them our sons name James.” “His name is Apollo. We named him after the sun.” “Hello Apollo” Irvin says and kisses him again while Oriel hold him in her lap. I just know that our kids have something amazing in their future.