CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

Rory's POV

"Aria? Aria!"

I glanced up at the doctor, who was hurrying to the makeshift delivery room we had prepared for the twins' birth. I snapped to get her attention, and she jumped, her worried brown eyes darting to mine.

"She's passed out!" I informed her, gesturing to my love, who had gone limp in my arms.

Lysander had vanished, but I wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. At least the foreboding presence was no longer hovering over us. I didn't think I could handle that right now.

This was happening. Our babies were coming.

Three months early.

Shit.

"King, could you carry the Queen to the delivery room, please?"

"How the hell is she going to give birth if she's unconscious?"

"We're going to have to perform an emergency C-section," she stated plainly.

"Surgery? You're going to cut her open?" I couldn't hide the panic in my voice, but she didn't bother offering her confirmation.

She immediately darted from the room without another glance behind her.

I stood, cradling Aria's sweat-covered body against mine before removing her IV and sealing it with a quick flick of my tongue.

I had to remind myself not to use haste, in case they were Bastion's children, and kept my gait steady the entire way to the operating room.

I could hear the twins moving and shifting beneath her skin, but the rhythmic beating of Aria's heart was soothing me.

I hadn't expected to be a father at twenty, and I especially didn't expect her to go into labor so quickly.

My heart was hammering in excitement to hold my babies, but there was something missing, and I knew what it was.

Bastion.

He was just as eager to hold our children as I was. He loved them just as much as I did. He deserved to be there, too. But instead, he was locked in a prison, being assaulted after being stripped of his mate.

Fuck.

I hoped he knew better than to tell them of his lost bond. Surely they would kill him if they knew. He wouldn't be needed anymore. He would be useless.

I would keep my promise no matter what. I would bring him home so he could hold his children.

As soon as we arrived, a she-wolf wearing scrubs offered to take Aria.

I politely declined, but she told me that I couldn't continue without washing up and changing.

I hissed, but reluctantly handed over my love.

I moved lightning-fast to scrub in so I could be back by her side. She was already lying flat on the cold steel table, her clothes cut through, exposing her naked body to the room.

"You can stand behind or in front of the curtain," Dr. Michaels offered, preparing a pair of tongs with an orange-dyed cotton ball on the tip.

My love was sleeping, but her eyes were fluttering. If she woke up, I would be needed to calm her.

"I'll stay over here," I stated calmly, crossing to stroke my royal's beautiful chestnut hair. I loved her so much. She was so strong and courageous, having endured weeks of agony yet still making the nearly impossible decision to abandon her mate to save our children.

I could hear the slice of the scalpel into her flesh, my eyes darting to Aria's now wide-open ones.

"Rory? What's happening? I can't move my legs," she complained drowsily.

"Don't worry, love. They're doing a C-section. Our babies are coming."

As if on cue, a small cry resounded off the plastered walls, causing both of our eyes to widen and tear up.

I peered over the curtain to see the she-wolf from earlier wrapping our daughter in a blanket, lightly sniffing her soft little head.

This was it. My heart stilled, all of my breath leaving my body.

A large smile spread across her face as she looked at him.

"Wolf. You have wolves."

"They're Bastion's?" Aria asked, sounding almost confused.

Wolves. They're Bastion's.

Sorrow didn't strike me, nor did jealousy as I'd expected. My joy was not lessened, nor was I bitter.

Instead, it only increased my determination to bring her mate back to her. He would know his pups. He would be so happy.

"Congratulations, love." I smiled genuinely at her, and she returned it.

"Wait."

Another, softer cry filled the air.

"Jenny? Are you smelling this?"

"That's not possible, is it?" I furrowed my brow, leaning back around the curtain.

Two wolves were holding our children, taking turns sniffing each one.

"What's the matter, Rory?" Aria whispered.

"What's going on? Is something wrong with our son?" I asked, afraid of their response.

Their heads raised to face me, filled with utter confusion yet fascination.

"Your son. He's yours."

I cocked my head. "Of course he is. They both are," I replied, clearly missing something. The one named Jenny shook her head.

"No, he's vampire."

I heard Aria's gasp in the back of my mind, but I couldn't focus on it.

My mind was reeling. That's not possible. That's not biologically possible.

Jenny approached me cautiously, as if I would collapse any second, offering up my son whose tears had ceased.

A soft dusting of light blonde hair coated the top of his head, and his tiny body was surprisingly strong as he wiggled in my firm grasp. His eyes were wrinkled and squeezed shut, his mouth opening and closing subtly as he took his first breaths. He was so small. So precious. My son.

"How?" I managed to whisper, lifting my gaze to Dr. Michaels.

She seemed focused, likely listening for any abnormalities in their little bodies.

"I'm not sure, King. This birth has surpassed every realm of normality. Twins of a different species is unheard of, obviously. But beyond that, the twins are premature and have endured an extremely traumatic term, yet their bodies have no negative consequence. They are healthy. There is no scientific explanation."

A cotton ball soaked in vampire sealant was used to suture her, and within minutes, we were back in our room.

My son was sleeping soundly, but the same could not be said for our daughter. Her loud cries could be heard throughout the mansion, keeping Aria awake and alert despite her exhaustion. She offered her a bottle, since her milk had yet to come in, but the little girl wasn't having it.

She needed her dad. I knew she did.

"Shh..." Aria cooed, rocking her gently with sullen eyes. I leaned into James' cradle, giving him a soft kiss on his tiny forehead.

"Here. Let me try. I'll take her for a walk. You need some sleep." I held my arms out for our baby girl and my love sighed, giving her one last kiss before placing her tenderly into my arms.

She was beautiful. She had Bastion's nearly black hair, but Aria's soft features and button nose.

We would have our hands full with her.

I walked out of our chamber door with her tucked snugly into my arms.

Then, I sang.

I decided on the same lullaby I had sung for Aria all those weeks ago. She had claimed that the twins enjoyed it, so I hoped it might work.

Amazingly, it did seem to be doing something.

Slowly, the loud cries dissipated into soft whimpers, her bottom lip trembling as her little fists curled against his chest.

Not knowing where else to go, I headed towards my office.

The sun was rising, filling the room with bright rays of a new day, but our sweet girl was just falling asleep, her little lashes fluttering gently as she drifted.

I settled onto the loveseat, allowing myself to be lost in awe and affection for my new family. My babies. Our babies.

A soft knock on the door interrupted my reverie, and I listened in for a familiar heartbeat.

Dylan.

But someone else, someone unfamiliar, was with him. My brow furrowed. I couldn't shout to grant him entrance, so I stood, taking even steps to the large oak door. It creaked open and I saw my best friend alongside a fragile-looking human girl. Dylan's eyes shot to the bundle against my chest.

"Holy shit, they're really here. And they're Bastion's?" I shook my head, inviting them in.

"Only she is. Our son is mine." He cocked his head.

"The fuck?" I glared at his language, holding our daughter closer. "Sorry, sorry. I came because we found some information on Bastion. We know where he's at!"

I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart skipping.

"What? How?"

He gestured to the weak human and she stepped forward.

"The King. I deliver his meals."