“Percy!” Gabriel cried out as he knelt down at my side, placing a loving hand over my belly which felt like a thousand tiny lawnmowers were churning away inside of it. “My love, are you okay?”

“It’s coming!” I stammered. “It’s coming soon!”

“Guys!” Gabriel shouted. I heard the last of Killoran’s men cry out before he died. We’d won, but there was no time to celebrate. I felt my water break. My baby was coming—our baby was coming, and we had to get home.

“I can’t have him here!” I cried out, grabbing Gabriel’s arm. “Get me home!”

“We’re going,” he said commandingly as he lifted me into his arms. His shoulder was bleeding, and I felt horrible. All of this was my fault. I should have listened to Kenneth and alerted my mate. I shouldn’t have been so goddamn stupid!

A tornado was raging inside my stomach as Gabriel kicked the remainder of the bar door open and carried me out to the truck. Juan pulled open the door and my mate set me inside on the bench seat next to him. He raced around to the other side and I felt the truck bounce as the rest of the pack leapt into the back.

“Here we go, baby,” Gabriel told me as the engine roared to life and he slammed the gas pedal. The truck fishtailed across the parking lot as my mate whipped it towards the road. I felt the bump as we hit the pavement and pressed a hand against my forehead as my contractions started to get worse.

“How are you?” Gabriel asked, his voice racked with concern. The truck accelerated quickly. I didn’t know how fast we were going, but we were definitely breaking the speed limit.

“It feels like someone’s trying to rip my guts out,” I groaned, doing my best to keep it together.

“Don’t worry,” he told me. “We’ll be home soon and everything will be okay. Jamie’s going to be there, and she’ll coach you through everything. Everything’s going to be all right!”

“You promise?” I asked him. He turned to me and grasped my thigh, squeezing me tight, giving me all the security in the world.

“I promise,” he told me, and I believed him. “Now focus on your breathing. We’ll be home soon.”

My breathing…I thought. Of course.

Jamie had told me about focusing on my breathing when the baby started to come, so that’s what I did. In and out. In and out. Focus on my chest rising and falling. Slowly, I felt my heart rate start to fall. I was still sweating and the pain in my stomach wasn’t going anywhere, but as the truck drove, and I did my breathing and kept my attention on the low, consistent hum of the engine, I was able to enter a Zen-like state, a sort of absent trance as we roared down the highway towards home. Like Gabriel said, it wasn’t long before I smelled the familiar smells of the farm and felt the truck swerve onto our road.

“We’re here, my love,” he told me, squeezing my thigh again and waking me from my meditative state. My breath caught in my chest as he hit the brakes and slowed the truck to a stop. I knew he’d pulled right up to the front porch, and as he hopped out, I heard him call, “Jamie! Get out here!”

Seconds later, the screen door burst open as Gabriel tugged open my door and wrapped his strong, loving arms around me.

He’s going to be a wonderful father, I thought as he lifted me with ease and carried me towards the house. The hot Texas sun beat down on my face, then was replaced with shadow as we passed beneath the eaves.

“How long has it been!?” Jamie asked as she led us inside.

“I don’t know,” Gabriel replied. “He was in labor when we got there!”

“Okay, there’s not much time,” Jamie said quickly. “Juan, get me some towels! Preston, bring a big bowl of water to their room.”

“Got it!” Preston replied.

“Coming right up,” Juan said firmly. I heard them race off in different directions.

Gabriel carried me into our room. Juan rushed in behind us. “Here, towels!”

“Thank you,” Jamie replied, taking them from him and spreading them out on our bed so Gabriel could lay me down. Another contraction beat me like a thousand little men with sticks intent on my destruction. I grimaced and groaned and felt a cool washcloth press against my forehead.

“Here, baby,” Gabriel said softly. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Promise?” I asked again. I saw his lips move slightly as he smiled.

“Promise.”

Eyes closed, I focused on the sensations flooding through my body. My breath, my contractions, my mate’s hands, one on my forehead and one on my leg. The pain was real, and maybe it was just the endorphins, but I was also overloaded with happiness.

My baby was coming! My mate was safe. We were safe. My pack was here and my life was beginning again. Everything I’d ever wanted, without even knowing it, was coming together. I could smell the fields outside, Gabriel’s scent, flooding my nostrils like a drug, and everyone else’s familiar scent like a warm, comforting blanket being draped over me by loving hands.

This is how it should be, I thought as Jamie came around to the foot of the bed. With a quick tug, my pants were off. I didn’t even feel exposed. I felt ready.

“Okay, sweetie,” Jamie said soothingly, her voice like warm butter. “It’s time for you to push. Can you do that for me?”

All I could do was nod.

“Yeah, he can,” Gabriel answered for me. My eyes snapped open and locked with his. I felt that spark—the same spark I’d felt the first time I saw him. I knew it would never fade. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. I felt it in my soul like the touch of something heavenly, eternal, unspeakable, but real.

I could see it all now: our family, our children, raising them with the rest of the pack and living happily out here on the farm.

I’m going to be a father. The thought filled me with incalculable bliss

“Yes, I can,” I finally managed to say as another contraction throttled me. I took Gabriel’s hand and squeezed as I summoned all my strength.

“Ollie,” I said to him.

“What?”

“Ollie,” I repeated. “Let’s call him Ollie.”

Gabriel’s smile was all I needed to see. He nodded, and I pushed.