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Story: Reclaimed

I paused, nearly flattened with awe. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” she said with a smile.

I looked down at our daughter again. Her little eyes blinked open, and she smiled sleepily at me as she wiggled in her swaddle.

The name came to me in my mind like a beam of sunlight breaking through cloud cover. It was like when her eyes met mine, I wasn’t naming her.Shewastellingme her name.

“Delaney,” I said. “We should name her Delaney.”

There was a pause. I looked up, suddenly nervous—did Harley not like the name? But again, I saw that soft, loving smile, and a shine of tears in her eyes. “I love it. It’s perfect,” she said. A tear fell down her cheek and she wiped it away, laughing. “Sorry, hormones!”

“Dylan and Delaney,” I said. “Our kids.”

“Come up here,” Harley said. She scooted over on the hospital bed, making enough space for me to squeeze in. We lay like that, admiring our daughter, until the nurse came in and made me get out of the bed so Harley could get a proper checkup. I grumbled a little, but I did as I was told.

A peaceful few hours later, the nurse came back in with a smile on her face. “You two have some visitors.”

“Mom!” Dylan rushed in, a huge grin on his face and his blond hair messy like he’d just run up the stairs to get here—and honestly, he probably had.

“Shh!” Harley said. “Your baby sister is sleeping.”

“I have a sister?!” he whisper-yelled, wide-eyed.

Delaney was cradled in Harley’s arms, fast asleep again. Dylan approached the bed carefully, his excitement tampered down to an eager curiosity. Behind him, Cassidy and Hawk stepped into the hospital room. Hawk immediately grabbed me and pulled me into a bear hug. “Congrats, brother.”

I thumped him on the back and tried not to tear up again. “Thanks. Bella’s going to have a lot of fun with her new baby cousin, I bet.”

“I bet so. Come on, come meet her.”

We stood by the hospital bed as Dylan stared in stunned silence at his baby sister.

“This is Delaney,” Harley said. “Your dad named her. You want to hold her?”

“I can?” Dylan asked in a small voice.

“Of course you can. You’re her big brother. Here you go, make sure you support her head, okay?”

Dylan took Delaney in his arms with great care, like she was made of glass. With Harley’s help, he settled the baby in the cradle of his arms, with her head propped right in the crook of his elbow. She blinked up at him, and Dylan’s eyes widened with amazement. Gold sparkled in his eyes, and I knew his dragon was recognizing family.Clan.

“Delaney,” Dylan said. “She’s so little.”

“She’s only a few hours old,” Harley said.

“I’m going to protect you forever, Delaney,” Dylan said to his baby sister. “Forever.”

Pride surged in me. Harley met my eyes. We shared a smile, and my gaze lingered on the beautiful mating mark on her neck. Love pulsed through our bond like a heartbeat.

Dylan walked over to Cassidy and Hawk, and the two of them leaned closer to coo over Delaney. I stepped to Harley’s side and kissed the top of her head. She smiled, then tipped her face up in silent request. I kissed her lips gently.

This was my family.

How the hell did I ever get so lucky?

I closed my eyes against the prickle of tears. Harley must’ve felt it through our bond, because her hand found mine and squeezed. Peace washed over me. Peace, love, contentment. Home.

Whoever is out there looking out for me,I prayed to the universe,Thank you for bringing my family home.

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