Chapter 39

3/11/2042

Luca waddled around the house, rubbing his huge stomach. He stopped when footsteps approached him from behind.

"Did our children wake you again?" Tyree asked, wrapping his arms around him.

"They are kicking harder this week," Luca said.

"Think of it this way," Tyree said. "They'll be here next week," he said.

"That's comforting," Luca said.

Luca waddled into the nursery and checked on Elena. Tyree entered and stepped up beside him. "She's getting so big," Tyree said.

"She'll be a year old in two weeks," Luca said. "Angel, Adrian and Thomas's daughter, will be one a week before that," he said.

"Did you find the bedding we looked for?" Tyree asked.

"Yea," Luca said, nodding his head. "Alicia will love it," he said.

"My baby girl will be four years old," Tyree said.

Tyree glanced at his phone when he heard it chime. An IM popped up on the screen. Tyree swiped the screen and brought up the message.

The new elementary school teacher is here. We need you to come over and meet her.

"Ken needs me for a little while," Tyree said. "There's a new teacher I need to meet," he said.

"Go on," Luca said, kissing him on the cheek. "We'll be fine," he said.

"If you need anything, link me," Tyree said, kissing him on the lips. Luca went into the kitchen to wash dishes while Tyree left to meet Ken. An hour later, Luca was resting on the couch when he heard the click of the lock.

"Ty, are you back from your meeting?" he asked. There was no response. Something seemed off, and it unnerved him. Then he smelled an all-too familiar scent. It was faint but noticeable.

"Shit," Luca cursed silently. Luca knew that he had to get out of that room fast.

Before he could reach the hallway, a hand grasped his hair and pulled him back.

"You aren't going anywhere," Patrick warned.

"Let go of me," Luca said in a panicked voice.

"You dumped me and got knocked up by another alpha," Patrick said forcefully.

"Ty is my soulmate," Luca said. "You betrayed me," he said.

"If I can't have you, nobody can," Patrick said, holding a knife to Luca's neck.

The only thing that came to mind for Luca was to open the link and contact Tyree.

"Ty! Help!" Luca yelled through the link in the hopes of being heard.

"Luca! "What's the matter? " Tyree responded with a worried tone.

"He's here, and he's hurting me," Luca cried as the blade scraped his right cheek. The link was suddenly severed.

"Take me to my daughter now," Patrick said.

"Please, Patrick, don't do this," Luca begged.

The tears had blurred Luca's vision. He was concerned for his and his daughter's safety.

"Get moving," Patrick said, pushing Luca ahead of him. Tyree dashed inside as the front door slammed open.

"Ty!" exclaimed Luca. As the knife scraped across his other cheek, Luca cried out in agony.

"Shut up or I'll kill you right here," Patrick threatened. Behind them, Luca heard a low growl. Luca turned his head and noticed In the doorway stood a brown wolf with blood-red eyes.

"Duck!" the wolf told Luca via the link. Luca barely had time to duck and cover when the wolf charged at Patrick.

As the snarls and bone crunching began, Luca hid in a corner and covered his ears. Elena wailed loudly in her crib. Luca heard the wolf yelp but was too terrified to look. The injured wolf bared his teeth and clamped down on Patrick's neck, shredding it to pieces. Luca uncovered his face and looked at the scene. The carnage made Luca feel sick. Patrick's lifeless body lay on the floor. Tyree returned to his human form and approached Luca, who shivered in fear.

"It's alright," Tyree said, holding Luca close.

"I was so scared," Luca said, as he sobbed.

Luca clutched his stomach and groaned in agony. He looked up at Tyree, tears in his eyes.

"It hurts," he complained.

"Is it the babies?" Tyree inquired, concerned. Luca nodded, clutching his stomach. Tyree knew he couldn't abandon Elena, so he loaded her into the carrier, buckled her in, and helped Luca into the car, who whimpered in pain.

"Dad, Patrick attacked Luca, causing him to go into labor," he said as he drove. Tyree explained what had happened.

"We'll take care of the body," Ken said.

When they arrived, Tyree entered the hospital carrying a crying baby and assisting Luca in walking. Carla rushed up when she noticed them.

"What happened?" she wondered.

"What happened was Patrick," Tyree explained.

"How long have the contractions been going on?" Carla inquired.

Tyree replied, "Ten minutes ago." Then she noticed the slash on Tyree's side.

"You need to be taken care of," she said.

"First and foremost, help Luca," Tyree said. "I'll be fine," he assured her.

After persistence from Carla, Tyree agreed to get his wound stitched up. Luca was wheeled into the delivery room. A nurse from the pediatrics ward took care of Elena. Luca's water broke shortly after, and the pain increased.

"I want Ty," Luca said as he was hit by a contraction.

"He's being tended to," Carla said. "Now breathe," she said. When the pain ended, she checked him. "You're at 9 centimeters," she said. "It shouldn't be too long," she added.

Carla met Tyree as he entered the delivery room. His side was bandaged up. "How are they?" Tyree asked.

"They are doing fine," Carla said. "He could deliver at any time," she said. Tyree noticed the cuts on Luca's face and was saddened.

"I am so sorry, babe," he said, stepping up to Luca.

"Don't worry," Carla said. "They'll heal," she said.

"But he was about to kill Luca," Tyree said.

"He's fine," "The babies are fine," Carla said.

Carla did a thorough examination of Luca thirty minutes later. "When you feel another contraction, I need you to push," she said. "Ty, put those on," Carla said, pointing to the scrubs that lay on the table. Tyree nodded and put them over his clothes.

"Fuck, that hurt," Tyree muttered as the fabric grazed his wound.

"Language," Luca said, sternly.

"What's so different about you swearing?" Tyree teased.

"I'm in labor and you're not," Luca said, with a pouty face.

Carla stepped up beside Luca's bed when a contraction hit him hard.

"I need you to push," she said. Luca grasped Tyree's hand and bore down. When the contraction ended, his forehead was sweaty and he was breathing heavily.

"You're doing great," Tyree said, as he wiped Luca's brow. Five minutes later, another contraction hit. Luca pushed as hard as he could. A small cry filled the room.

"It's a girl," Carla said, handing her to the nurse to clean up.

"Madison," Luca mumbled, weakly.

As Luca was hit with another contraction, he closed his eyes tightly and pushed hard.

"It's hurting," he said, his voice cracking. The doctor pressed lightly and Luca cried out in pain.

"When the next contraction comes, help him by pushing on his lower stomach," she instructed.

"Is something wrong?" Tyree asked.

"The baby is not moving like it should," she said. "We need to force it down," Carla said.

"What if we can't?" Tyree asked.

"Then we'll need to do a c-section," she explained.

"Love, when you feel the urge, push down hard," Tyree said.

Tears streamed down Luca's face as he grunted hard when another contraction struck him.

"He's out," Tyree said.

"But he's not crying," Luca said, panting hard. Noah was handed to another nurse who tended to him. The instant Luca closed his eyes, the baby cried. Carla checked Luca's vitals to make sure that he was alright.

"He's exhausted," Carla said. "He needs rest,"

"Why didn't he cry when he was born?" Tyree asked.

"Some babies are the quiet types and rarely cry," she explained. "He cried when he sensed his mother's exhaustion," she added.

Luca woke up that afternoon and found his children asleep in cribs. Tyree was in a chair, snoring softly. "Ty," Luca said, softly. Tyree opened his eyes and glanced over at the bed.

"Hi there, beautiful," he said, giving Luca a peck on the cheek.

"Are the babies alright?" Luca asked.

"Yes," Tyree said, nodding his head. "They are both healthy," he said. Luca glanced at them and smiled.

"My babies," he said,

"Our babies," Tyree corrected. Luca nodded and said, "Our babies,"

Madison Hodges-Richards

Newborn (F)

Omega

Birthday: 3/11/2042

Mother: Luca Hodges-Richards

Father: Tyree Richards

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Noah Hodges-Richards

Newborn (M)

Omega

Birthday: 3/11/2042

Mother: Luca Hodges-Richards

Father: Tyree Richards

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Hazel