“You just have to push, kitten,” Hunter whispered in my ear.

I jerked my head back and hissed. “Really? You think?”

The sudden jolts of pain brought my head back. I howled into the air, tears stinging.

“Oh, god. Why did I do this? I can’t do this!” I screamed.

Our doctor carefully knelt his head forward and gently felt my stomach, nodding to the nurse. “We’re almost there. Just a few more pushes.”

I felt it, the searing, ripping pain of my child clawing her way into life. I bent my head back and felt breathless. All of a sudden, a wave of doubt spread over me, but that soon broke through into a very deep and loving euphoria.

It came from the bond of father and son.

An abrupt silence filled the room, and tears draped down my closed eyes. A smile broke onto my face as I heard the sharp cries of our baby ring out. I opened my lids and gasped when I saw her, beautiful and powerful.

“She’s gorgeous,” the doctor whispered.

He rested our daughter against my chest. My body felt weak, but my soul was filled with an undying strength. Life meant something again. It was infinite and full of light.

Turning my head, I gazed at my man. He knelt down next to me as the staff left us to ourselves. The world seemed to close over us like a halo. “She’s our angel,” he said.

She cooed and rolled closer to me, placing her lips against my chest. Our lives were going to change forever, but that was okay because we were connected.

Georgia—our one true love, our dear daughter. Life was as perfect as heaven.

By the time we got back to our new house in upstate New York, Georgia and I were hanging on a low reserve of energy. Hunter was good at concealing his exhaustion, but I knew he was running on close to empty.

We pulled into the long horseshoe driveway, and I gazed at the sun setting through the tall beech trees that were swaying against the light breeze. My brother opened the tall front door and waved. Austin ran out, jumping down the steps to get to us.

“Austin!” Hunter ran out and swung him up into his arms. He kissed his nose and set him back down. “You came to see your new best friend, didn’t you?”

Austin was speechless and slow moving, but he crept toward my side of the car. I opened the door and rolled the blanket off Georgia’s body, only slightly. Austin wheezed.

I lowered my voice down to a whisper. “This is Georgia. We have to be quiet, okay? She’s a light sleeper.”

As soon as the words came out, she started bawling. The sound, I swear, was worse than the screeching of the worn down subway trains of the city. Every time it happened, I just wanted to find a way to help her.

I bounced her as we joined the family inside. Theo, Marcus, and Jordan were sitting down and mingling. “Welcome back,” Marcus whispered.

“Now I know what it’s like to be an omega,” I said.

He hugged me, carefully petting Georgia’s cheek. “To be an omega is the most wonderful blessing in the world.”

Theo came forward, grinning like a teddy bear. He lowered his lips and kissed Georgia’s small head, inhaling her new baby scent. Georgia seemed to giggle, but I knew that was in my head.

“You know, your daddy scared the hell out of me nine months ago,” he whispered.

“She’s going to think Matthew’s a freakin’ badass when she grows up,” Hunter said. “Standing up to cops, getting the bad guys arrested…”

Sawyer laughed. “Saving our bar. Are you sure you aren’t actually a superhero, Matthew?”

“Just wait until you see my next trick,” I said, grinning.

We gathered around the living room, telling stories about what it was like when we were growing up, about how we drifted apart but came back stronger than ever. Whether we knew it or not, it was one of those transformative moments that stayed with you forever. The laughter, the joy, and everything in between… I wouldn’t forget how it all came together.

Yes, things could be hard between us. Hunter was stubborn, but so was I. We butted heads often. But that didn’t mean I didn’t worship the ground he stood on. It didn’t take away from the reality that our love was the strongest fucking thing in the world.

As I sat with my family on the big leather couch, I watched my baby curl her chin into my breast. I leaned back and adjusted myself, allowing her to catch.

For once, I felt strong and connected to something bigger than myself. I used to be the boy who fought the world. Now, I was the man who’d do anything for his cub. My family was too important.

end.

The story continues with a never before seen epilogue! To download your copy,