New Roots (Fate's Intent Book 8) Read online

  “Let me see him.”

  I smiled as I carefully lowered myself down next to her and moved little Bryce into her arms. “Meet your mother.”

  Jaylyn smiled at her first sight of him and gently grazed his head. He had brown hair like me but when he started to open his eyes and look at her, I noticed that they were a different color green than mine. He really was going to have her eyes like we’ve seen once they lighten up.

  “Troy, look. He’s looking at me.”

  “He probably wanted to see who’s taken such great care of him.” I leaned closer to her and kissed her head. “I’m proud of you. You did well.”

  “I had help. I didn’t feel much of it that long. I’m just tired.”

  “You can rest for a minute. It looks like she’s just going to clean up and you can start feeding him soon then you’ll probably both sleep.”

  “I could use it.”

  “You did work hard. I’m going to go tell everyone how it went. They can come in and see Bryce later. You need to rest.”

  “Thank you.”

  We kissed and I gently touched the baby’s head before getting up off the bed. I helped Julianna with the last few things to be taken out and looked back one last time. Jaylyn was looking down and she truly seemed happy. It was all I ever wanted and I was glad she finally got it.

  Chapter 50

  Jaylyn

  The day had finally came and I was actually holding him. “Look at you. I’ve been waiting for this. You’re safe with me. I’ll always be here to protect you.”

  Just holding him in my arms reminded me so much of when Ellie was this small. Though I wasn’t the one to give birth to her, she was still mine and it made her be much missed. I knew Bryce was going to help me get passed that loss better than I say I have. I’ve been waiting for this and now that I finally got to hold him, I knew everything was going to get better.

  I soon got to feeding him and felt the stronger bond grow between us while he was suckling from me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him until Darius stopped just outside and knocked on the open door. “Permission to enter.”

  I laughed. “Granted.”

  “Sorry, Ruby wouldn’t let it go until I came to see.”

  “It’s all right. What is she doing?”

  “Trying to keep Dirk from squirming away. He moves a lot now.”

  “I know.”

  Darius walked closer and sat on the bed with me. “Wow! He’s tiny!”

  “Well, look at you. Did you expect your son to be a normal size?”

  He laughed. “No. I guess not. Nothing’s normal size about Dirk. You should see.”

  I returned the laugh. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “He looks a lot like Troy though.” Darius said, becoming more serious for once. “Somehow that’s not really that surprising since Troy looks like a replica to his father.”

  “Well, he’ll have my eyes though. They’ll get lighter when he gets a little older.”

  “I have actually seen that in one of those visions before. It makes them stand out more with the brown hair.”

  “I know. I think it’s going to be cute!”

  “Shouldn’t be that long for Adele. They just had to get her into her room. I guess the contractions are getting too uncomfortable for her.”

  “Same day.”

  “That would be cool. Sorry we didn’t wait.”

  We both laughed and Troy came back up to the room. “Hey. Getting a sneak look at my wife?”

  Darius smiled and glanced down at my mostly exposed breast. “I have been waiting to see them.”

  “Shut up!” I nudged him with my free arm.

  “Relax. It was only fair. He’s walked in on Ruby doing it before and I wanted to see him. He really does look like you, Troy.”

  “Just as Dirk looks like you.”

  “It doesn’t make it so obvious with the bright red hair but down the road he will.”

  “Well, get out of here. Ruby’s getting tired of constantly having to pull Dirk back to her. He’s really going to learn to get around quick.”

  Darius laughed as he got up. “All right. Enjoy the rest, Jaylyn.”

  “I will, believe me.”

  Darius left and Troy took his place on the bed and put his arm around me. “How is he?”

  “He’s good. I’m actually enjoying this. It makes me feel closer to him.”

  “And you should have that. He’s been a part of you for months already.”

  “I know. I’ve been waiting for this for so long but it almost doesn’t seem real.”

  “Well, it is and you deserve it.”

  I smiled and we sat there together, bonding as a family.

  Not an hour passed and Bryce was fast asleep in a bundle of blankets in the middle of the bed. I was curled up around him to rest but I couldn’t seem to close my eyes. I loved watching him sleep. His little hands nestled up to his face twitched every now and again with his dreams and I rubbed his head with my hand.

  “Psst!”

  I was a little jumped and turned my head to see Ruby at the door. “Hey.”

  “Awe. He’s asleep.” Ruby walked in and carefully sat herself on the bed. “I was hoping to hold him. He’s so cute. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you. Where’s Dirk?”

  “Darius has him. I snuck away.”

  “His turn to keep him under control?”

  “Good luck. I can only imagine what it will be like when he learns to crawl. He’ll be even faster.”

  “There you are.” Darius walked in with Dirk being calm in his arms.

  “Hungry yet?” Ruby asked.

  Darius looked down and shook his head. “No. He’s sleepy from being cranky looking for you.”

  “Gathering in here?” Troy was next to walk in. “Adele should be there within the hour.”

  “How is she doing with that?” I asked.

  Troy walked over to the bed and sat down next to Ruby, looking at Bryce sleeping. “Zayden thinks she’s handling it well. She took the sedatives and you know how she’s already accustom to pain.”

  “Well, this is an entirely different pain. Just lucky that we didn’t have time to use those on Ruby way back when.”

  She laughed. “I guess. I don’t really remember that much of it.”

  “I planned it that way. You wouldn’t have wanted to.”

  Troy laughed. “Definitely not. I was sitting right there and saw the whole thing.”

  “Well, it doesn’t really matter as long as I have this.” She reached her hand up towards the little one in Darius’s arms and he leaned away. “Hey!”

  “You’re not sitting very stable. You’re hardly even on the bed.”

  Ruby sighed and moved herself back, trying to not shake the bed too much and wake Bryce. “Can’t even hold my own child unless I do it right.”

  “Well, I don’t want him to get hurt.” Darius said, carefully lowering him down into Ruby’s arms.

  “Starting a new protective thing?” I wondered with a smile.

  “I hope not.” Ruby said, glaring up at Darius. “That never works out.”

  Darius laughed as he leaned down and kissed her head. “Don’t worry. It won’t be like that.”

  “He’s just really attached.” Troy smiled.

  Darius looked over and still had a smile on his face. “Well, of course I am. He’s right next to me and I still miss him.”

  “Hey!” Zayden interrupted as he leaned through the open doorway. “Just a few more minutes!”

  “That’s great!” I smiled. “Have a free second from your busy schedule to see Bryce?”

  Zayden released his hands from the door frame and came into the room. “Of course. I haven’t even seen him yet.”

  “I know.”

  Troy got up so Zayden could take his place on the bed and he leaned over to see him. “Oh, shit. He looks just like you, Troy.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s weird that they’re both like a
mixture of each of you. Seth won’t be like that. We already know what my son will look like.”

  “Just like you.” Ruby smiled.

  “It’s Vendel blood. Nothing about him will say he’s Adele’s.”

  “No.” Darius joked. “He’ll get something worse from her like her attitude or something.”

  Zayden looked up with a glare but before he could say anything back, we heard a voice from down the hall. “Zayden! He’s crowning!”

  “Oh, that’s my cue.” Zayden quickly got off the bed. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Good luck!”

  Chapter 51

  Zayden

  I was anxious and nervous like a child but I wasn’t one; I was about to have one and it made all of the difference.

  I went into my room and Adele was set up on the bed, taking heavy breaths. “What are you doing?”

  “Sorry. I had to tell them.”

  “Can you be excited after he comes out?”

  “Okay, a good one on your next contraction and his head will be out.” Julianna said.

  Adele nodded and got ready. She pushed with all the strength she could give and she gritted her teeth through the pain until she could finally relax.

  “That was perfect.” Julianna said. “One more like that and he’ll be out. Zayden, would you like to catch him?”

  My eyes widened just a little to the thought that people actually do that and I looked at Adele next to me with it clearly concerning me if I should.

  “You don’t have to.”

  “Oh, no. Of course not. It’s up to you. Troy did it but you don’t have to.”

  Troy did? Sigh. I got up from where I was sitting and started to move down. “No. It’s okay. I want to. I think.”

  “Really, Zayden. If it’s too uncomfortable, you can refuse.”

  “No. If Troy could do it, so can I.” I rounded the end of the bed and I was completely unprepared for what I was about to see. “Oh, my—” My knees buckled and I had to lean forward on the bed.

  “What?” Adele asked with worry.

  “That’s—that’s—disturbing.”

  “She said you don’t have to so if you’re not going to, would you get out of the way so I can get this over with. You can’t imagine what this feels like.”

  “No I cannot but I can do it. What do I do?”

  Julianna moved over a bit and coached me through it. “All right. When she feels it, she’ll give you one big push and all you have to do is catch him when he comes out.”

  “Catch him? So, he’s just going to shoot right out of there or something?”

  “Or something.”

  “Please just get ready.” Adele groaned. “I feel it coming now.”

  She pushed harder than she ever has before and I had my hands ready and guided my son right out into them. It was so easy that I was glad I didn’t pass up on this and he let out his first cries. Julianna cut the cord and I took him in a towel, wiping his face gently.

  “How is he?” Adele asked in a tired voice.

  “He’s perfect. Let me just get him cleaned up.”

  I walked back towards the tub of water brought in while Julianna tended to Adele. I cleaned up my son and was just completely marveled to finally see him. He was becoming more relaxed when I wrapped him in a clean warm towel and I took him over to his mother.

  She looked over, trying to keep her eyes open and held out her arms. “Let me hold him.” I lowered him down into her arms with a nod and Adele got her first look at him. “Oh, Zayden, look.”

  “I know.” I smiled, kissing her head. “Isn’t he just how you imagined?”

  Adele looked up at me with a quick smile. “Just like you. I’m falling in love all over again.”

  “Me too, Love. Me too.”

  I sat with her as she leaned her head on me and we shared in this moment together. Seth started to get fussy in her arms and she turned her attention completely to him. “Shh! It’s all right, baby. Bet you’re getting hungry, aren’t you?”

  He continued to cry and I smiled. “I think that’s a yes.”

  “Okay.” Adele moved him completely to her right arm and opened the front of her shirt with me still sitting by and she presented her right nipple to Seth for the first time. He had no problem latching on and became calm as he started to suckle.

  “There. Better? Of course it is.”

  “You’re a natural, you know.”

  “Well, this is what they’re really made for.”

  I laughed and rubbed my son’s head while he was feeding. “They have benefits for me too. It’s just different when I see it this way. A different kind of beauty.”

  “Well, I hope you get used to it.”

  “I’m sure I will.”

  Adele smiled and leaned her head back on the pillows behind her with a relaxing breath. “I could fall asleep like this.”

  “In time, Love. I do want you to be well rested after what you went through.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’ve been wanting to get it over with so we can get back home.”

  “You in that much of a rush? He just came out.”

  “I know but I miss being home. We only planned to be gone for a couple days and that turned into months. Imagine all of the rotten food and dust that’s gathered. We’ll have a lot of work to do to make it livable for the boys.”

  “Well, I thought we could stay just a bit longer. You know, now that Seth is here, we could have your father come visit then go home after. It’s better than having to make the trip to Dorlin to see him. I’m sure Aleksander will be happy to come here.”

  “All right. Then we’ll stay. I don’t want to wear you out to make that trip.”

  “Are you regretting our future plans already?”

  She laughed. “No. I just don’t want you to feel too tired to do anything. We have a son now. It changes everything.”

  “It does but it’s the way things are supposed to be.”

  Adele smiled and brought her free hand to mine, holding it tight as we both looked down at our beautiful newborn son.

  “Let me see!” My father bursts through the door, eagerness obvious and set his gaze at the child.

  “Father. He’s perfect.”

  My father sat on the other side of Adele and gently touched my son’s golden hair. “Seth. Nothing else compares to the joys he’ll bring to your life. I’m proud of both of you but your journey is not over. A greater one is just beginning.”

  For once I’ll listen to his insight because he was right. Seth was finally in our life and nothing was going to change that future. There was still much to do.

  Coming Soon—

  The Ninth Installment

  Of The Fate’s Intent Series

  Rising Sun