*Lena*
“She’ll never deliver another baby in this territory again,” Dad huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he glanced at the armchair near the window where Xander was on the edge of sleep with a bundle of blankets against his bare chest, our newborn daughter nestled warmly against his skin. Xander’s eyelashes were fluttering, his breath slow and easy as he began to fall asleep.
I nodded at Dad as he caught my eye, and he walked over to Xander, slowly taking Alexis from my mate’s arms so as not to startle either of them. Xander’s head slumped forward, his body relaxing into a deep, likely dreamless, sleep.
We were all exhausted. Three hours ago, I’d looked down over the top of the swell of my belly as Clare and Xander crouched in front of me. Mom and Maeve held me upright as Clare guided our daughter into the world, and Xander caught her, his hands the first thing Alexis would ever touch.