Page 40 of Bewitchingly Hers (Witches of Pleasant Grove #3)

BARRETT

NINE MONTHS LATER…

“ B arrett,” Eryne groaned from her desk. The Witches Brew was decorated with red and pink hearts, since Valentine’s Day just a few days away, and I was dutifully sitting by her side, reading reports of various monster sightings from around the country.

I might not have been accepting new jobs right now, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t keeping tabs on what was going on in the world.

Perking up my head, I looked at my wife. “Is the baby okay?”

She was a week overdue, and I knew how stressed she was. At five-foot-two, she was all belly. I wasn’t exactly small, and our pup was measuring in the ninety-ninth percentile of height and weight. He was all shifter, that was for sure.

“Fine,” she answered, rubbing at her spine. “But my back is killing me.”

“Willow keeps asking me when you’re going on maternity leave,” I said, giving her a stern glare.

She’d tried—for one singular day—and then went back to work, saying that she’d take time off when the baby was here.

“I feel so worthless sitting around. There’s so much to do.”

She’d been nesting like crazy over the last few weeks. The nursery in our new house was completed. We’d said goodbye to the small, cozy house where we’d fallen in love, needing more space now that we were adding another member to our family. It was bittersweet, but a necessity.

Thanks to all of the money I’d made over the years working as a hunter, I was able to chip in to help with the new house as well as buying us a cabin of our own up in Walnut Ridge, somewhere where we could go to visit often.

We both agreed that staying in Pleasant Grove was what we wanted, but Eryne was firm in her decision that our children—plural, because she wanted this baby to grow up with a sibling—should grow up around other wolves, too.

It was still on the edge of town, backed up to the woods, giving me ample space to shift and run. Maybe one day, I’d teach our pups to run there too.

“You need to relax ,” I told her.

She pouted, placing both hands on her bump. “What I need, is this baby out.”

“He’ll come out when he wants to, sugar.” I stood up, walking over to her and massaging her shoulders. “He’s just comfy in there.”

We’d tried everything to start her labor—curb walking, spicy food, and even sex. Thought I was willing to give the last one another shot.

“Comfy on my bladder,” she muttered. “Help me up so I can go to the bathroom, will you?”

I reached down, helping pull her to her feet. She took a few steps towards the door, rubbing her back as she waddled. My wolf wouldn’t let me take my eyes off of our pregnant mate, so I followed behind her closely, making sure I was there if she needed me.

Eryne gasped, clutching her belly. “ Oh .” I rushed over to her, steadying her.

She looked up at me, doing her best to look innocent.

“It’s fine,” she reassured me. “I’m fine.

” Except… she wasn’t fine, clearly. Her fingers dug into my arm where she held onto me, and she gritted her teeth as if in pain, baring down.

“Eryne.” My voice was stern. “Are you in labor?”

Her teeth worked into her lower lip. “Maybe?”

“How long have you been like this?” I looked at my watch, trying to time the contraction.

She winced. “A few hours? It wasn’t that bad at first. I didn’t think it was anything to worry about.” Eryne looked down at the wet spot spreading on her leggings. “And… I think my water just broke.”

I picked her up, carrying her over to the couch. “I should call the doctor.” And then I was getting her directly to the hospital.

“I just didn’t want them to tell me it was just a false alarm again.” Her lip stuck out in a pout, and I leaned forward to drop a kiss on her forehead.

“Everything is going to be okay, sugar,” I promised her. “We’re going to go meet our son, and then you’ll get to rest.”

She gripped my hand tight. “Promise?”

I ran my fingers under her chin, keeping those beautiful blue eyes on me. “Promise.”

“Knock, knock.”

I looked up to find my sister holding a stuffed wolf plush and a balloon, plus a bouquet of flowers. “Freya.” I smiled. “Want to come meet your nephew?” My words were a whisper.

Eryne was asleep in the hospital bed—still tuckered out after a long labor and birth.

It had been a long night, but we’d welcomed him this morning a little after six am.

We’d both barely put him down since I’d cut the cord and the nurses had cleaned him up, not wanting to be apart from our little boy.

I had him cradled against my chest, sitting in the chair next to my mate’s bed.

Her parents had been by earlier, checking on us and doting on their first grandchild. I had no doubt my own would be the same once we made the trek up to Walnut Ridge in a few months.

“Oh, Bar. He’s adorable.” She kept her voice low as she came in, setting the gifts on a table. “I can’t believe I’m an aunt.” Freya came over to stand next to me.

“Meet Ronan Conrad Lockwood,” I said, looking down at my sleeping son and his fiery red hair. He was so small, but already so fierce. “Want to hold him?”

She nodded, and I transferred him into her arms. He let out a little cry as I settled him into Freya’s grasp, but just blinked up at her, his blue eyes taking in his aunt. “Maybe Mom will finally lay off of me about finding someone and having kids of my own now,” she said, rocking him slowly.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Fat chance of that. I give it a few months before she’s asking Eryne and I when we’re having the next one.” I looked over at my wife.

She’d already expressed her desire to give Ronan a sibling one day—she’d grown up as an only child, and didn’t want our child to experience that same loneliness.

“Mmm.” Her eyes blinked open, sleepiness melting off her face as her eyes met mine.

“Look who came to say hi, Sugar,” I said, standing next to her bed and indicating to my sister. She was cooing over our baby, talking to him in a low voice.

Eryne sat up, and I helped reposition the pillows behind her back. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling her sweet apple scent.

“Hi.” She smiled at my sister. “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course. I had to come meet my new little nephew,” Freya said, tracing a finger down his little button nose. “He’s so perfect, you two.”

My wife smiled up at me. “I think so, too.” She let out a happy sigh. “But I might be biased.”

“Just a little,” I agreed with her. But we’d had multiple nurses tell us he was one of the cutest newborns they’d ever seen.

Ronan let out a wail of dissatisfaction—like he knew we were talking about him and wanted to be the center of attention. “Let’s go see mommy, huh?” My sister carried him back over to the bed. My chest warmed as she placed our baby back in his mother’s arms, and he immediately stopped crying.

“I’ll let you three be alone,” Freya said, hugging me tight. “I just wanted to come check in. I’ll be in town for a few days before heading back to Walnut Ridge. If you need anything, just let me know.”

I dipped my head. “We appreciate it. And you.”

There was a wistful look in Freya’s eyes as she glanced at the hospital bed. Eryne was lost in her own little world with our son, cooing over him softly, and I walked my sister out, not wanting to interrupt their quiet little bonding moment.

“You’re welcome here whenever, you know,” I said, turning towards her as the door closed behind us. “Pleasant Grove is a great place to live.”

She shook her head. “I love living in Walnut Ridge. My life is there. But I miss you, too.”

“I know.” I wrapped my arms around her again, giving her another hug. “Love you, Freya.”

“Love you, too, B.” She pulled away. “I should let you get back in there. Take care of your mate and pup.”

“I will.” I still couldn’t believe this was my life.

That I was so lucky to have her—as my wife, my mate, the mother of my child. That she wore my mark on her neck and gave me that sweet smile every time she saw me.

I was the luckiest wolf alive to have my witch as mine, and I’d never forget that.

ERYNE

It felt like I was seeing a whole new side of Barrett watching him with our son. Watching him cradle him against his bare chest in the hospital, asleep in the chair next to my bed, made my ovaries want to burst.

And the way he would whisper softly in Ronan’s ear, so tender and sweet, like he was telling him the best kept secrets of the universe? This was everything I’d ever dreamed of, and yet so much more.

Delivery had been hard. There was no sugarcoating that.

I’d cried, and when I didn’t think I could keep going any longer—when all I wanted was to sleep, Barrett had been the one to hold my hand, to whisper in my ear that I was doing so good, that he was so proud of me, to just push one more time—just one more, and then he would be here.

The moment they’d placed him in my arms, it felt like everything had fit into place, like a perfect puzzle. This little life that we’d created, complete with that fuzzy red hair. I felt like my heart was living outside of my body now, watching my husband—my mate—snoring softly with our newborn.

My boys. My perfect valentine’s day gift. What more could I want?

Grabbing my phone, I snapped a photo of them, changing my wallpaper to the photo. Barrett opened his eyes as I put my phone back down, resting back against the pillow.

“Have a good nap?” I asked him, reaching out for the baby. I wanted my own snuggles, to inhale his sweet baby smell. I couldn’t get enough of it.

He stood up, placing Ronan into my arms and then slid into the bed beside me.

It was a tight fit with both of us—mostly because he barely fit in the bed—but I snuggled into his body as I let Ronan latch on to my breast. The first time I’d tried to nurse him, he’d had trouble with it, but after the lactation consultant came in, he seemed to be doing better.

I ran my hand over his soft red baby hair as he drank my milk.

“Fresh from the tap,” I joked.

“You’re amazing,” Barrett said, rubbing his thumb over my shoulder. “Both of you.”

I hummed. “What do you think he’ll be? A witch, or a shifter?”

My mate gave a thoughtful noise. “Maybe both. We’ll know within a few months, in any case. Most shifters will shift for the first time when they’re only a few months old. They can’t control it at this age. How long does it take for witches to show their abilities?”

“A few years, maybe?” I guessed. I hadn’t really been around that many toddlers to experience their haywire magic. I’d have to ask my parents to tell me more about when I’d been little.

“He’ll be the best of both of us,” Barrett said, reaching down to brush his hand over Ronan’s cheek. “Witch and wolf. The world the way it should be.”

It was everything we’d dreamed of when we’d first discussed breaking the old barrier. A world where mates weren’t closed off from each other. Where who we were—who we loved—didn’t matter.

All because a wolf and a witch fell in love.

“Love you, sugar,” Barrett said, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“Every day, I’m thankful for those wraiths for bringing me here.

For bringing me to you. Thankful that I fell completely under your spell.

You bewitched me, and I’m so grateful you’re mine.

That the fates thought to give you to me.

” He ran his finger over my ring, the one he’d given to me that Halloween night.

It had been early, but I’d never doubted his love for me. Never once.

“I love you, Wolf-Man,” I responded, getting choked up as I felt all of his love pour into me. “This—you and Ronan—is everything I’ve ever wanted and more.”

We stayed like that for a long time—him holding me in his arms, me holding our newborn in mine—our perfect little family.

The perfect blend of two worlds. Witch and wolf shifter.

Two hearts beating as one.

Thank the fates.

The End.