Gifts of Fate [Kindred of Arkadia 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) (6 page)

he wanted most. A home. He hoped that his friends would forgive him for the way he had been acting

lately. Smiling, he headed out to the diner to eat lunch with his family.

Chapter 5

Sebastian

Dec 22nd
Day

“Hey, Doc, how are the newest citizens of Arkadia?” Sebastian asked when he saw Doc and Felix walk

in the door the next morning. From Felix’s glow he figured that the two of them had worked things out. He

felt relieved. He had hated seeing his best friend so hurt.

“The boys are doing well. Both mother and babies are just fine,” Doc assured everyone.

“I can’t wait to see them!” Rebecca said enthusiastically before turning to Madison.

“Say cheese!” Rebecca grinned and snapped a picture before turning to Connor.

“Your turn.” Connor grinned at his sister and Sebastian heard the click of the camera.

“Rebecca, what in the hell is up with all the pictures?” Felix asked. Sebastian listened in, because he was

curious too.

“Not tellin’.” Rebecca turned to Rex and Talon. Both men hammed it up for the camera. Rebecca

giggled and asked them to flex. Laughing, the men complied. Aleks growled from the counter.

Sebastian laughed and then groaned as the pain in his back tightened.

“It’s not any better is it?” Liam asked.

“No, I think this kid is wrapped around my spine.” Sebastian tried to smile at his mate to reassure him

but he was too tired. Liam reached over and began to rub small circles on his lower back.

“You’re in pain? Sebastian, why didn’t you say anything yesterday?” Doc demanded, getting up from

their table. He knelt beside Sebastian and took his wrist.

“Felix, my stethoscope.” Felix, looking concerned, reached into Doc’s bag and handed him the

instrument.

“Ow, ow, ow. Motherfucker ow!” Sebastian complained as Doc listened in. Rebecca winced and rubbed

her back.

Doc sat back on his heels, staring up at Sebastian in shock.

“You’re in active labor, Sebastian, those are contractions! You’re less than a minute apart. We need to

get you to the clinic!” Doc stood.

“What!” Liam and Kent yelled.

“I’m fine, I don’t think I’m in labor, my back just hurts. There’s no pain across my abdomen.”

Sebastian reassured both of his wide-eyed mates.

Doc pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Sebastian, you’re experiencing back labor! How long has your back been bothering you?” He asked.

Sebastian felt a sliver of panic.

“Since Kate went into labor.”

“So you’ve been in labor for approximately thirty-six hours. We need to get you to the clinic.”

“I gotta go pee first,” Sebastian said, struggling to his feet. Liam pulled at his hair frantically as Kent

helped him to stand.

As soon as he got to his feet he felt a gush of warm liquid run down his legs. Mortified that he had just

wet himself he stared at Kent with tears in his eyes. Seconds later a debilitating pain gripped his abdomen,

driving him to his knees.

“His water just broke. Get his pants off.” Doc ordered.

“Like hell! I’m in the middle of the damn diner,” Sebastian yelled.

“I need to check you, Sebastian,” Doc said calmly, looking Sebastian in the eye.

Embarrassed beyond belief, Kent raised his hips as Liam pulled his pants off. Ma came over with some

towels and pushed the hair out of his face.

“I’m so sorry, Ma,” he began. She smiled down at him and took his hand.

“Don’t you worry a bit about it, you just concentrate on your little one.”

Sebastian nodded. Doc pushed his legs apart and he felt cool air hit his nether regions.

“Kill me now,” he muttered.

“Sebastian, did you realize that you had already shifted to female parts?” Doc asked, looking impressed.

“No, I didn’t feel it shift. It wasn’t like that this morning.”

“Well you are completely dilated and your baby is crowning. You’re having this little one right here.”

Doc turned and grabbed a pair of gloves out of his bag.

“What! No, Doc, we have to get him to the clinic! Where there are machines and medicines and needles

and sterile tables,” Liam yelled, every ounce of blood draining from his face.

“I don’t think the baby is going to wait, Liam,” Sebastian ground out between his teeth.

“Breathe, kitten, you’re doing great,” Kent said, sitting close to his mate holding his hand.

Liam scrambled to the other side.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes I’m goddamn sure!” Sebastian bellowed.

“Okay, kitten, let’s uh, do this.” Liam swayed slightly beside him. Sebastian looked up to see where

Rebecca was.

“I’m here.” With Rex’s assistance Rebecca sat down on the floor behind Sebastian, helping to prop him

up. Aleks sat behind Liam, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“This really fucking hurts,” he whimpered. She grimaced.

“I know.” She took a deep breath. Doc looked up.

“Becca, how are you doing?” he asked, concerned.

“I’m evidently fine and never having this baby! I think he’s hibernating for the damn winter,” she said,

exasperated.

“It will be your turn before you know it,” Sebastian said before yelling out.

“Okay, Sebastian, you can push whenever you feel like you have to,” Doc said.

Sebastian nodded and grabbed both of his knees and bore down. He wanted to push more than he

wanted his next breath.

“Great job! One more,” Doc yelled.

“Kitten, you’re doing it! You’re really doing it!” Liam said excitedly.

“Keep doing it.” Kent held on to Sebastian’s leg, his hand over where Sebastian gripped his own knee.

“Doc. Something’s wrong!” Sebastian panted. He could feel it in his heart.

“Okay, I need you to give me a really hard push, Sebastian.”

Sebastian felt Liam grab his other hand and he could feel their strength and love through their mating

bond. He pushed.

“I see the problem. The cord is around the baby’s neck. Push and don’t stop pushing, Sebastian,” Doc

ordered.

Sebastian turned to Liam, terrified.

“Push, kitten,” Liam said, tears in his eyes.

“We have you,” Kent assured him.

Sebastian pushed and pushed until he couldn’t feel his lower half. He pushed and suddenly he felt

something slide from his body. He stopped pushing and tried to look down.

“Where’s my baby?” he demanded.

Liam and Kent held on to his hands, tears streaming down their faces.

“Why isn’t my baby crying?” he demanded, his voice going shrill.

He could see Doc moving and doing things but he couldn’t see his baby.

“I want my baby!” he yelled.

Rebecca wrapped her arms around him from behind, her tears falling on the back of his neck.

“It’s a boy,” Liam said brokenly. But still there was silence.

“Please, please, let him breathe!” Sebastian sobbed. Kent and Liam wrapped their arms around Rebecca

and Sebastian.

Sebastian looked up to see Rex and Talon weeping. Ma held a sobbing Rian and Damian.

Minutes went by and Doc never stopped working on the tiny body. Sebastian buried his face in Liam’s

neck and died inside.

“Please, Fate. Not on Christmas.” He heard Rebecca whisper. From a distance he could feel Kate sharing

in his frantic terror. Ashby and Nic, kneeling on either side of Rebecca, reached in to lay a hand on either

one of his shoulders. His pain radiated through the entire Inner Court.

“Please,” he begged between sobs.

“Please,” was the whispered echo along their shared bond, and for a single moment the night held its

breath.

“There he is!” Doc yelled, and seconds later wails filled the diner. Pulling his face from Liam’s chest, he

looked down at Doc who also had tears on his cheeks.

“I think someone really wants to meet you,” he said, passing up his baby, wrapped in one of Ma’s clean

dishtowels. His little man’s mouth was open and he was screaming for all he was worth.

“Thank you, oh, thank you,” he chanted. Liam and Kent leaned in from either side to each lay a hand on

their baby. Sebastian looked behind him to see Nic and Ashby holding Rebecca. Aleks was patting Liam on

the back, laughing his relief. When he looked around the diner, there wasn’t a dry eye as his friends shared

his absolute joy.

Doc collapsed against Felix, who wept as he held his mate. Sebastian could hear his best friend thanking

his mate for saving their nephew. He looked down and smiled at his son, who was now beet-red and

squalling.

“He is the most perfect thing I have ever seen,” he whispered.

Rebecca, Ashby and Nic leaned in to get a better look.

“Oh, Sebastian, he is gorgeous. He…” Rebecca trailed off and tilted her head to one side.

“He looks like Kent
and
Liam. How did you
do
that?” she asked. Sebastian shrugged. He didn’t care

who his son looked like, as long as he was healthy and alive.

Liam looked down, blinking past his tears.

“You know, you’re right. He has Kent’s dark, black hair, but that is definitely a Lewenhart nose,” Liam

said, sounding amazed.

“He’s adorable!” Rian sobbed, still completely emotionally wrecked.

“Rian, what are you doing here? I thought that the photographer for the Council newsletter was at the

pride house this morning?” Sebastian asked, cuddling his son who had quieted and was now sucking on his

own fist.

Rian looked up. He and Damian shared a smile.

“They can take pictures without me. This was more important. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything,

you are my family. Of course I had to be here to welcome my nephew!” Rian blew his nose on the napkin

Ma handed him.

“Nothing is more important than family,” Damian agreed, holding on to Rian.

“Come on little papa. Let’s get you and junior to the clinic. I want to observe you for a little while,” Doc

said, pulling Felix to his feet. Liam got up and Kent passed their mate and son to him.

“Sebastian! Did you decide on a name?” Rebecca asked from Aleks’s arms.

Sebastian looked at Liam and then Kent. They both nodded.

“We chose Lucian Alexander Lewenhart. Lucian means
light
. I think it’s fitting, especially now.”

Sebastian smiled down at his son. Aleks’s mouth worked like a fish.

“Don’t get all worked up over it. I like the name and we’re spelling it with an ‘x.’ He has my initials,”

Liam teased.

“Now we really have to name our baby Aloisius!” Rebecca clapped her hands together.

Aleks looked down at his mate, panicked.

“No, Becca we don’t. Right, Liam?” Aleks begged.

“He should share something in common with his brother,” Liam joked, and Aleks buried his face in

Rebecca’s shoulder.

Sebastian swatted Liam’s chest.

“Come on, I’m all sticky and I want a bath.” Instantly Liam’s attention was on his mate.

“Here, wrap them in this,” Rex said, wrapping Sebastian and the baby is his long winter coat.

“Thank you, Rex.” Sebastian smiled warmly at his friend, who blushed.

“Come on, you four,” Doc said and headed out the door. Kent nearly tripped.

“We are four now aren’t we?” He beamed at Sebastian.

“Yes we are,” Sebastian agreed.

“Yes we are.”

* * * *

Hours later, Sebastian lay nestled between his two mates with their infant son in his arms. Doc had

arranged for them to rest on one of the bear-sized cots and he was grateful. He had had a hard time passing

his son to Felix to be cleaned and weighed. Felix had understood and made sure that baby Lucian had

stayed in view.

Sighing, he ran his finger over his son’s bowed lips. He was going to be such a heartbreaker.

“Nothing can ever happen to him,” Liam whispered softly. Sebastian looked up and saw fear in his

mate’s eyes.

“Nothing will. He has three pretty badass fathers, Felix, who can literally eat anyone who messes with

him, a whole pride and pack full of uncles, at least one grumpy-ass bear as a godfather, a pair of scrappy

foxes ready to throw down and one tiny, overprotective, human, gun-toting godmother watching over him,”

Sebastian reminded him gently.

“My whole world crashed when he…” Kent swallowed hard and fresh tears coursed down his cheeks.

Sebastian knew this was hitting his gentle giant hardest. He rubbed Kent’s forearm.

“He’s fine now. He is definitely a fighter,” Sebastian said, enthralled at the sight of his tiny son yawning.

Kent’s smile took over his face as he reached in his hand to stroke the baby’s soft cheek.

“What do you think Rebecca was doing with the camera?” Sebastian asked, cooing at Lucian.

“Adding us to the FBI’s Most Wanted List? You never know with her,” Liam said, shrugging.

Doc walked into the room with Felix.

“Okay, you gentlemen are cleared to head home and introduce this little guy to his pride. They have

been calling up here non-stop since this afternoon,” Doc said, grinning at the trio.

Liam and Kent got out of bed and helped Sebastian to his feet. Surprisingly, he felt little pain after

having given birth. If he moved slowly he was fine. Kent left the clinic to pull the car to the front.

“Doc, I can’t thank you enough for what you did for Lucian,” Sebastian said, stepping up to kiss the

stoic man on the cheek. He blushed furiously.

“He’s my nephew too. Does this mean I’m forgiven for yesterday?” Doc asked, his eyes showing a rare