Sanibel Alpha Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book 5.5)

“I can
’
t!
”

“Tatum,
”
Bren murmured from behind her, cradling her in his arms while brushing strands of hair from her perspiring forehead.
“
I want you to take a deep breath, hold it for five-seconds, and then push one more time.
”

“You
’
ve been saying one more time for hours. I
’
ve been at this since midnight,
”
she hissed on a rush of air, the pain splitting her body in slicing shards.
“
I don
’
t want to do this anymore. You freaking push! Both of you!
”

“Well, if I were pushing we
’
d be done with this already,
”
Jayce muttered under his breath, but she heard him loud and clear.
“
And have our son where he needs to be right now, cradled in our arms.
”

She knew he was baiting her, trying to get her angry enough to finish the job, but exhaustion and pain warred within in her and she needed a breather.  Tatum glanced around their underground cavern nestled beneath the Sanibel Island soil, a primitive delivery room teaming with guards upon guards. All werewolves, not a vampire in sight, considering a small band of rogue Gryphs were flying about, offering bounties, waiting for any chance whatsoever to strike back at Jayce for doing nothing more than protecting his very Pack from the Gryphs
’
unseemly attack.  So, yeah, the vampires had shaved quite a bit of joy from this momentous occasion with their ongoing threats.  After all, what better way for the bloodsuckers to seek unjustified vengeance than by taking the Alpha
’
s firstborn son?   

Tatum felt another contraction coming on, breathed through it, and then pushed down on a slow exhale.  Her body shuddered, fighting along with her newly formed determination, and sweat covered every inch of her skin.  

“That
’
s my hellcat,
”
Jayce crooned.  

Not a single worry showed on his handsome face, though his Alpha Beast was certainly close to the surface.  His werewolf shimmering in and out, his eyes glowing celestial blue the closer she came to delivery. There was more at stake here than her birthing their precious son. This day an Alpha begat an Alpha, another circle entering the Pack that would one day be closed when Jayce stepped down and their son took over leadership.  

“Oh,
”
Tatum groaned through clenched teeth, tears streaming her face.

“Sorry, honey,
”
Jayce whispered in awe, his eyes nearly glittering.  
“
He
’
s got my shoulders.  There you go...just a little more.
”

“You can do it, Tatum,
”
Bren breathed, pressing kisses onto her temple.  
“
I can see him.  He
’
s beautiful! Just like his mother.
”

Another long push until she was certain her eyes crossed,  and just like that she felt final relief.  
“
Please...tell me he
’
s okay.
”  
Then she heard him wail, her son
’
s strong cries bouncing off the cavern walls.  

Jayce
’
s glowing eyes turned glassy, but a tear never left them.  Tatum, on the other hand, couldn
’
t stop crying from happiness mingling with relief.  Jayce lifted him to her, her son
’
s shock of blond hair appeared as a halo around his round head.  When he opened his eyes and met Tatum
’
s for the first time, they glowed identically to Jayce
’
s werewolf
 as a gust of power surged from his little linebacker-shaped body.  

“I love you, Ardan Bryce,
”
Tatum spoke softly, smiling through her tears.
“
I think I
’
ve waited for you my entire life.
”

“Told you he
’
d be beautiful,
”
Bren boasted, delicately cupping Ardan
’
s face with his tanned fingers,
“
and so very perfect. I
’
m proud of you, My Mate. How could I be any happier than I am right now?
”

Tatum couldn
’
t deny Bren
’
s happiness as he gazed  adoringly at their son.   For months she
’
d sensed his growing excitement. Jayce may be Ardan
’
s biological father but she felt no difference in the two.  There were no complications found here, both males loved Ardan unconditionally.

“
I think he
’
s hungry,
”
Jayce said gently while leaning in to place a tender kiss across her lips.

Bren helped position Ardan for his first feeding. Inwardly, she wasn
’
t sure she was doing this right, but then everything seemed natural.
“
I heard him swallow,
”
Tatum said, completely awed she could manage what other women had since the beginning of time. After a few more swallows, Ardan relaxed against her breast, dozing between sucklings.
“
Maybe he
’
ll be an easygoing fellow.
”

“
One can hope.
”
Jayce glanced at Bren with a knowing grin.
“
What a wonderful mother you
’
re going to be - what a wonderful mother you are right now.
”

She started crying all over again.
“
Of all the things you
’
ve said to me
…
Ah, Jayce.
”
Her heart swelled.
“
I want to be the best mom, and I want to give our son everything.  Firstly, he
’
ll always know his true heritage. It won't
 
be hidden from him the way it was for my sisters and me. Secondly, he
’
ll grow under the strength, guidance, and love of his two fathers.
”

“Three fathers,
”
Bren corrected gently.

Three fathers?  
“
Don
’
t ruin our moment by bringing up Mike,
”
Tatum implored. Jayce and Bren had explained Mike
’
s position in Ardan
’
s life incessantly, while she was pregnant and she
’
d refused to listen.  She wouldn
’
t listen now.  
“
I don
’
t want-
”

“We
’
ll chat this up later,
”
Jayce interrupted.  
“
You need to rest now.
”

“Later? What
’
s left to discuss?
”
Suddenly, she could sense her body relaxing, going into a lazy sleepy state courtesy of her Alpha male.  
“
Jayce,
”
Tatum warned, unready to rest after just meeting her precious son.  
“
Don
’
t you dare put me to....
”
She blinked several times, watching his brilliant eyes glowing with his werewolf
’
s pride in her entirely evident.  
“
Please...
”

“You will sleep now,
”
he growled low and throaty, licking his claiming mark across her shoulder and throat.

The command of his Alpha Beast drilled through her head, and there wasn
’
t a thing she could do to refute it.  Before she drifted completely away into a deep, healing slumber, she heard Bren ask Jayce,
“
When do you expect Mike to arrive?
”

“He has a lead on several of the rogue Gryphs who got away from me,
”
Jayce explained.
“
If he can dust them, he
’
ll ease the risk for Ardan and Tatum.
”

“Then we can take them back to Miami.
”

“No, Bren, I want to go back to our Sanibel Island manse. She needs her family right now, and I needn
’
t keep ours secluded if Mike and our team pull through.
”

“Agreed,
”
Bren said rubbing his fingertip across Ardan
’
s tiny brow.  
“
I guess we should let your parents in, and
…
Tatum
’
s parents, too.
”

“Don
’
t worry.
”
Jayce clamped his hands on Bren
’
s shoulders; willing peace into him while wishing Rebecca could have been here for this occasion since Bren
’
s parents were dead.
“
We have all the time in the world to be alone as a family.
”

After a half hour that felt like an eternity, the eldest Ardan Jordan was the last to leave their private area of the cavern.  
“
You
’
ve done well, son, particularly in your choice of names,
”
he quipped, the former Alpha giving Jayce a hug.