Page 48 of Rescued by the Alpha

Right as they’d both said it, their daughter snuffled and snorted, rooting at Elam’s chest.

“Come on, Nic. Help me get this sweater off so she can nurse.”

“Oh, uh…okay.”

Nic tugged one of Elam’s sleeves off as he held the baby with his other arm, then they switched sides. He stole a peek at Elam’s chest to see if there was something he’d overlooked the last time he’d seen Elam naked—which happened to have been that morning. But nothing had changed other than what had already changed since they’d discovered they were pregnant. But other than the slightly swollen area around his nipples that had been the same for the past couple of months, nothing else was different.

Nic draped the jacket around Elam’s shoulders, supporting him as he had before so he could relax and feed the baby. He glanced up and noted they had an audience. Asha had just completed bandaging Elam’s stomach and was cleaning up while his father and the others who had fought to protect them all gazed on in silence at the first man they’d ever seen give birth.

Elam shuddered and Nic tensed. He caught his father’s eye. “We need to get them out of the cold now that it’s dark. Is there any transportation we can use?”

The beta who had brought them the clothing held up some keys. “These are from that truck we found.”

Nic weighed the advisability of traveling the five or so miles back to town without a car seat as opposed to leaving a weakened Elam and newborn out in the elements for an hour while someone went to the cabin, retrieved the car seat, then came back to get them.

“All right. Let’s use the truck. Healer, could you take the baby while I carry Elam?”

“Hold on,” Elam peered up at him. “I need to switch sides. Sophie’s not done yet.”

Nic grinned. The reality of the new life Elam held sunk in, anchoring him and filling him with joy. “You went back to Sophie, huh? I thought Cate was the final choice.”

Elam continued to stare down at Sophie. “I love the name Cate, but look at her. Doesn’t she seem more like a Sophie to you?”

Nic traced a finger over Sophie’s soft little fist, her fingers curled in the blanket Asha had wrapped around her. “You’re right. Sophie should be her name.”

Elam smiled up at him and continued feeding their daughter.

Daughter. Nic grinned . I’m a father!

Chapter Fourteen

Elam hissed as he adjusted his position against the pillows propping him up in their new bed at the rental. The stiches had tugged at his skin when he’d moved, and it was probably almost time for another pain pill, judging from the increasing ache building in his abdomen. Thankfully, his accelerated healing powers meant he was in much better shape than he would’ve been had he gone the past day without their benefit.

The doctor had already been by that morning to examine both him and the baby. He’d also met with Asha, and while it still needed to be confirmed the following week when he went for another check-up and ultrasound, Asha had indicated to the doctor that Elam’s womb had remained intact, despite the ordeal he’d suffered.

We can have more children.

He wasn’t anxious to try again anytime soon, but he liked knowing they had the option. Sophie remained asleep in the cradle right next to his side of the bed and he and Nic had been ecstatic to discover she was strong, perfectly healthy and only a few ounces under the ideal birth weight she would’ve been had she gone the full term. Elam’s nipples tingled, and he sensed she’d soon be waking to get fed. The foreign feeling he’d experienced while pregnant made sense in light of the discovery he could nurse Sophie. He supposed he’d assumed that if he were to have the ability to do such a thing, he would’ve grown breasts or something.

‘It never crossed either of your minds that nursing might go along with pregnancy?’

When they’d blankly stared at her, Asha had tsked them and shook her head, mumbling about

‘new parents’.

The door quietly opened, and Nic peered around the side. He’d been in meetings at the house all morning, refusing to leave Elam’s side and go to the official council chambers. The pack advisors had found Nic’s demand they meet at the house understandable after all he and Nic had been through.

“Is it okay to come in? I have your pain meds.”

Elam held in a laugh. Even light chuckling would be too painful. “Of course you can come in.

You don’t have to ask.”

Nic tip-toed inside, eyeing Sophie as he drew nearer as if she might explode. Nic behaved as if he was going to drop off the pills then leave, so Elam grabbed his wrist before he could escape.

“Hey. Do you have more meetings?” Elam needed his mate, needed him close.

Nic shook his head. “No. I was going to unpack the kitchen stuff while you rest, but I promise to be quiet so I don’t bother you two.”