Page 59 of The Careless Alpha

Without another word, he shifted. The transformation was a blur of motion, and where the man had stood a second before, there was now a massive gray wolf. He gave us a single, intelligent glance, then loped through the now-open gates.

"Hold on," Marshall said, his hand briefly squeezing my knee before he put the car in gear and followed.

We drove through the pack's main settlement. It was clear they had been prepared for our arrival. More warriors werestationed at every intersection, their presence a silent, efficient cordon of security, ensuring our path to the medical facility was clear. It was a powerful display of a pack moving with a single, unified purpose.

Our wolf escort led us directly to a modern-looking building at the edge of the settlement. Marshall drove straight to the main entrance, where several people were already waiting on the steps.

A woman with silver-streaked brown hair and kind blue eyes approached the car as Marshall parked. She moved with the confidence of someone accustomed to emergencies.

"Annalise? I'm Luna Elspeth. Let's get you inside and see what this little one is up to."

The next few hours passed in a haze of pain, medical examinations, and growing concern. Luna Elspeth confirmed what we suspected—the pup was indeed trying to shift, his wolf too powerful to remain dormant until birth.

"It's not uncommon with alpha bloodlines," Luna Elspeth explained as she checked my dilation for the third time. "The wolf consciousness emerges earlier, and sometimes they try to shift before they're fully developed. We just need to help him along."

"Help him how?" I panted, gripping the sides of the hospital bed they'd moved me to.

"By encouraging his wolf side to stay dominant during birth. Marshall, I need you to maintain skin contact with her. The mate bond will help keep the pup's wolf calm."

"We're not—" I started to protest, but Marshall was already moving to the bedside.

"Is it okay if I touch you?" he asked, his voice gentle. "Just your hand or arm. Whatever you're comfortable with."

I nodded, too exhausted to argue, and felt his warm hand envelop mine. The effect was immediate and shocking. Theconstant background pain lessened, and I could feel our baby settling inside me.

"Better?" Luna Elspeth asked, and I nodded. "The mate bond is still there, even with the formal rejection. It's helping to calm both you and the pup."

I was too consumed by the contractions to fully process what she'd said, but I saw a flicker of something in Marshall's eyes—shock, then a dawning, intense realization. He understood what her words meant in a way I couldn't grasp right now. For me, all that mattered was that the pain was less, and our son was closer to joining us.

The next few hours were still difficult, but manageable. Marshall never left my side, his hand a steady anchor that kept both me and the baby calm. He spoke softly throughout the labor, telling me how proud he was, how strong I was, how much he loved us both.

When our son finally made his appearance at 10:47 AM, he came out screaming with the powerful lungs of a future alpha. He was perfect—tiny but strong, with a shock of dark hair and eyes that would probably turn amber like his father's.

"He's beautiful," I whispered, tears streaming down my face as Luna Elspeth placed him on my chest. "He's so beautiful."

"Just like his mama," Marshall said, his voice thick with emotion. "Can I... may I hold him?"

I nodded, and Marshall reached out with trembling hands to cradle his son for the first time. The baby immediately quieted, his tiny fist wrapping around Marshall's finger with surprising strength.

"Hey there, little pup," Marshall whispered, and I could see tears on his cheeks. "I'm your daddy. I know I haven't been around, but I'm here now. I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure you and your mama know how loved you are."

Our pup,Sapphire said with fierce pride and love.Our beautiful, perfect pup.

"What should we name him?" Marshall asked softly.

I'd been thinking about this for months, and the answer came easily. "Fenrir. It seems appropriate for a future alpha who's already showing his strength."

Marshall's eyes widened with appreciation. "Fenrir Kane. It's strong."

I took a breath, meeting his gaze. "Fenrir Orion Kane," I clarified softly.

The name hung in the air between us. Orion. The name of the father he'd lost, the Alpha I had respected. I watched as the impact of the gesture hit him. His composure, already fragile, completely shattered. His throat worked, but no sound came out. He just stared at me, his amber eyes swimming with a mixture of shock, gratitude, and grief.

He finally managed a choked whisper. "You would... after everything... you'd give him my father's name?"

"He's an Alpha's son," I said simply. "He deserves a strong name to honor his lineage."

Marshall looked down at the tiny baby in his arms, then back at me, and I saw a single tear trace a path down his cheek. He didn't try to wipe it away. In that moment, he wasn't the powerful Alpha of the Cascade Pack. He was just a man, holding his son.