The Imperial Wolf Series Books 1-3
Chapter 86

Erick POV

I carry Kate up the stairs. Isabella takes baby Belle to Meaghan and then follows me up to the bedroom. I lay Kate on the bed. Isabella checks on her. Kate is screaming out. Every time she screams, I can hear baby Belle howl. "He is here. He is here with me. He is talking to me," Kate is rambling on about the white wolf.

I take her hand. Her eyes are turning black. "He wants me, he is trying to tell me... he is telling me.... he says you do not love me. He says it was your father that helped kill my mother," Kate rambles on. Isabella takes her hand. "Listen to me, Kate. The baby is coming fast. I need you here with us," Isabella says.

Her eyes return to normal. "The baby, yes, the baby. Am I having the baby?" Kate asks.

Kate is entirely in another place. She looks at me with love, then hate. Her emotions are all over the place. She labors. She screams with another pain, and then her eyes change back and forth from black to normal. "They are all here," Kate says, fear vibrates in her voice.

"Who, Kate?" Isabella asks.

"The omegas, they want to kill me," she says.

"Who are the omegas?" I ask. Isabelle looks at me as if I should know who the omegas are.

"Your mother and her mother are here," Isabella snaps at me.

I go to Kate, at least I try to go to here. Isabella stops me. "Stay back, just for now," Isabella says.

"I am so scared," Kate begins to cry.

"Kate, I need you to calm down and stay with us. They will leave, but you have to focus on your baby and us," Isabella says.

The sheets begin to pool with blood and water. Kate screams. "Kate, focus on Erick and me," Isabella says, motioning for me to come to Kate.

I take her hand. "Erick, I am afraid," Kate says.

Kate is watching the room. Seeing her like this is so painful for me. She is in pain, and they are using her pain to find a way into her mind to hurt her more.

Isabella works getting Kate ready to have our baby. I do not let go of her hand. She looks around, her eyes rolling fast all around the room. "Stay with me, Kate," I say to her.

Kate tries to smile, and then another pain hits her. "Talk to me, Erick. Help me to stay here with you," Kate says.

Thank goodness she is still in there. "I remember the first time I saw you. You were on your first run. You looked at me, and I knew you belonged to me. I knew we belonged together, Kate," I say to her. Kate smiles. She looks me in the eyes. "I thought you were hot," she says.

"I was curious about you and where you come from," I say.

"I know, you were so nice it scared me," Kate says.

"I fell so in love with you so fast," I say.

"I did you too," Kate says.

I look back at Isabella. "I have to check on the baby, Kate," Isabella says.

"What about our night in the cabin," I say.

Kate laughs. "I was afraid, but I wanted to be with you. You were so gentle and sweet," Kate says.

Kate screams as Isabella checks the baby. "Kate, this baby is coming," Isabella says.

"Stay with us, do not go with them. I love you, and I need you. Belle needs you. This pack needs you. I cannot live without you. Do not go with them," I say.

"I am not going anywhere with them," Kate screams.

"Push Kate, Push," Isabella coaches Kate.

I help Kate up so she can push. She pushes and, then exhausted, stops. She catches her breath and begins pushing again.

"One more, Kate, this baby is ready to be born. You can do it," Isabella coaches her.

"Come on, Kate, you can do it," I say to her.

Kate pushes one more time, and a cry fills the room. I put my arms around Kate. Her eyes are normal, and she smiles at me. Tears roll down her face as she listens to our baby cry. "It's a boy," Isabella says.

Isabella checks him over and wraps him in a blanket. She hands him to me. I place him in Kate's arms. She beams with happiness looking at our son.

"I told you it was a boy," I say to her.

"You should name him," Kate says. As the words escape her mouth, her eyes roll, and her body goes limp.

"She is in shock. Take the baby out of here, and I will work on her, Erick," Isabella says.

"I do not want to leave her," I protest.

"Alpha, tend to your son. I can help her, trust me," Isabella says.

I take my son out of the bedroom. Meaghan meets me in the hallway. "I need help," I say to Meaghan.

Meaghan takes him from me. "This is easy. We will get him cleaned up and ready, so when Kate is better, he will be perfect," Meaghan says.

I can tell Meaghan is equally worried, but we both pretend everything is normal. Meaghan takes over caring for my son.

"Is baby Belle okay?" I ask.

"Yes, she shifted a few times but then fell asleep with a bottle. Raven is watching her and Levi," Meaghan says.

A loud scream comes from the bedroom. I run back to Kate. Isabella is sitting with her. She is awake. Her eyes are normal, and she is alert.

"I am fine, Erick," Kate says as if nothing happened.

"Meaghan is cleaning him up and dressing him. She will be right in with him," I say.

Kate pats the side of the bed. I sit down beside her. "Did you name him?" she asks.

"Not yet," I answer her.

"Well, you can think about it while we wait for our son," Kate says.

I notice blood coming from the corner of her mouth. Isabella gave her blood, but whose blood? I wonder if the imperials are in the room, I wonder if the white wolf is lurking. I try to concentrate on Kate. "Come back to me, Alpha. We are safe for now," Kate says.

For now, we are safe. The words do not offer much comfort. I need her and our children to be safe.

"Chan Lowell, that is his name," I say.

"I like it," Kate says.

Meaghan comes into the bedroom with our son. She places him in Kate's arms. Kate looks him over. "He is so perfect," Kate says.

"Yes, he is," Meaghan says.

I sit with Kate as she feeds Chan Lowell. She beams with happiness as she holds our son. I wonder what baby Belle will think of him. I only hope he does not start shifting too. Two babies turning into wolves so small is going to be difficult. "Stop worrying, Alpha. I have a feeling we will be fine," Kate says.

Her words make me wonder what exactly she and Isabella were doing up here when I left the room. Did they bargain with the imperials? Did Isabella do something to really help Kate and keep the white wolf away? "Bring Belle up, please," I say to Meaghan.

Meaghan leaves to bring baby Belle up to meet her brother. "Is there anything you want to tell while it is just us?" I ask her.

"No secrets, Alpha. I will be fine, I promise," she responds.

Meaghan returns with baby Belle. I hold Belle so she can see her brother. She smiles at him. The two connect almost immediately. I feel so much peace as the three of us sit here together. I want this to last, our happiness.