Whole Again Chapter 35 - Landry POV

I’ve experienced all types of fear in my life, but none of them will ever compare to the fear I am feeling right now. Not just my own, but the fear coming from the woman who has brought me nothing but love. The level of helplessness I feel seeing Jennifer laid out on a surgical table as Doctor Johnson cuts into her belly is unbearable, but it’s nothing compared to what Jennifer is going through.

I do my best to block out the sounds of the machines and the back and forth of the doctors and nurses and just focus on Jennifer and try to get her to focus on me. I squeeze her hand and kiss her forehead and feel extra gratitude that there is a screen up to stop us from seeing what they are doing to her body. I don’t want to see them cut into her, and she shouldn’t have to see it either. I know all she can feel is some pressure, but it’s not painful, so that’s good.

“You’re doing so good,” I say reassuringly, keeping my arm around her head so she can focus on my scent and not the other smells in the room. I’m trying to do the same, but the smell of sterilising chemicals, drugs and blood are doing their best to make themselves known.

“He’s right Jennifer, the baby is almost here,” announces Doctor Johnson.

“You hear that?” I smile at her, “Any minute our baby will be here, and you can finally tell me the name you picked.”

She squeezes my hand and looks up at me, “What if you don’t like it?”

“If your mind thought of it, I’m sure I’ll love it,” I say, planting another kiss on her forehead.

Beatrix and Matthan are quiet. I asked Matthan not to distract me and Beatrix is focusing on giving all her calm and strength to Jennifer to get her through this. A C-section means a lot of healing they need to do, but the doctor assured us that the wound should heal within two days, maybe three tops due to Jennifer’s weaker abilities.

I’m distracted from my errant thoughts when I feel the strong tugging sensation Jennifer is experiencing.

“The baby’s out!” The doctor announces, but those words don’t bring Jennifer the joy I thought they would.

“Why isn’t the baby crying?” She whimpers, the panic seeping so deep it clings to her bones. “Why isn’t there crying?” She calls out as tears fill her eyes.

I bury my own panic, prick up my ears, and count the heartbeats in the room. I can distinctly hear the heartbeat of our baby, so I know they’re alive, but I’m also worrying as to why they aren’t crying. Suddenly, the room erupts with a high-pitched cry, and I can feel the room collectively sigh in relief. That same relief floods my body like the burst from a dam that has been blocked for years as tears fill my eyes. I smile down at Jennifer as happy, relieved tears trickle down the sides of her face.

“You hear that?” I ask. She smiles and nods in reply, just as Doctor Johnson walks around our side of the divider holding our gloopy, blood-covered, and very wrinkled baby in her arms.

“Congratulations, it’s a healthy baby boy,” she announces as she places him on Jennifer’s chest, being mindful of the screen.

She immediately lifts her arms to keep him secure on her chest as she stares at him in complete awe of the tiny bundle of life she just created. Beneath the smell of unpleasant things, is an intoxicating warm floral scent, like a tropical potpourri. The soothing scent of my son.

I have a son.

Matthan finally makes himself known, letting out a reverberating howl of joy and elation in my mind. The overwhelming feelings of love and devotion coursing through Jennifer rival my own as she stares enraptured at our son, and I can’t blame her. She gently brushes her finger against his chubby rosy cheek and delicately cups his head, brushing her thumb against the thick tufts of dark hair already present on his head.

“He’s so perfect,” she whispers.

It takes a moment to compose myself as the tears continue to slip down my cheeks. I try to wipe them away, but new ones continue to fall, blurring my view of my son. I carefully reach out and take his hand between my thumb and forefinger, and just like baby Violet had done, he takes a firm grip on my finger, and in that moment my heart grows a thousand times larger. I knew I would love him when I met him, I loved him even from inside Jennifer, but this feeling I have right now eclipses everything I thought I knew and felt for this baby. Our baby. Our little boy.

I wrap my arms around them, cradling them both with love and protection as I gently press my lips to Jennifer’s. “I am so proud of you.”

She returns my kiss and smiles at me, as joy radiates in her eyes making them sparkle like crystalline waters. “Look what we did.”

“This was all you, Pixie,” I remind her as our baby fidgets on her chest. I could never take even half the credit for what she just did. I am amazed by this woman, and more proud than one could ever imagine.

***

“Okay, I can’t hold it in any longer. I’m dying to know what name you picked for him. Please don’t make me wait for your parents to get here,” I say impatiently, plopping myself down in the chair beside Jennifer’s hospital bed. I was alright not knowing while she was pregnant, but now that our son is here, I am dying to hear his name! I can’t keep calling him ‘son’ or ‘baby’.

“Why not? It’s not like either of those statements is incorrect,” Matthan points out.

“How about I just call you ‘wolf’ then?” I retort.

He gasps, “You wouldn’t be so disrespectful.”

“That’s his point,” Beatrix tiredly chuckles. Poor thing is giving her everything to help Jennifer heal faster, and I can’t thank her enough.

“Okay, okay,” Jennifer chuckles, cradling our son in her arms, “I can finally tell you.”

As I sit on the edge of my seat, excited to finally hear the name she kept hidden for weeks, there’s a gentle knock on the door.

“Oh, come on!” I exclaim, whipping my head around in frustration only to see Alpha Amelia standing in the doorway. I quickly rise to my feet looking and feeling utterly mortified by the open disrespect I just showed my Alpha. “Alpha Amelia, I’m so, so sorry,” I say contritely.

She smiles and waves her hand, “Don’t be sorry, my fault for having bad timing.”

“Actually, this is perfect timing,” Jennifer announces, “I’m really glad you’re here because I want you to hear our baby’s name too,” Jennifer says gleefully.

Amelia looks surprised, but steps into the hospital room. Her turquoise eyes look upon our son with such tenderness that it again reminds me how lucky we are to have an Alpha like her.

“He looks absolutely beautiful,” she praises affectionately, “How are you feeling?” She now asks Jennifer with genuine concern.

“I’m okay. The doctors are taking good care of me and so are Beatrix and Landry,” she says, beaming up at Amelia with so much happiness in her face her eyes nearly scrunch up into oblivion. Gods she is so adorable!

“I’m thrilled to hear it. So, what’s this mysterious name you’ve kept to yourself?” Amelia asks conspiratorially.

Jennifer chuckles, “Well, it came to me very easily. The name I picked was Eren Amelio Green,” she declares, planting a kiss on our son’s forehead.

I stare frozen, once again feeling the tears pricking my eyes. “Eren?” I whisper.

She gives me a gentle smile, “I remember you told me your mother’s name was Erin, and I know she can’t be here to meet her grandson, so I thought this way she can always be with him.”

I break. I move to the edge of the bed and stare down at my son as he sleeps peacefully in his mother’s arms. “She would have loved that,” I say in a trembling voice, “Thank you,” I whisper, pressing my forehead to hers.

She pecks my lips softly, “You don’t have to thank me.” She peers around me to look at Alpha Amelia, “And, well, we might not be here together right now if it weren’t for you helping to bring us together, so it seemed only right to also name him after you.”

Amelia clutches her chest as tears begin to swim in her eyes, “You named your baby after me? Not even Eva did that,” she laughs.

“You didn’t give up on Landry, or us as animais. Eren is here today in part because of you, and that’s something I want to honour.”

“Jen, just when I think you couldn’t get any sweeter, you go and do this,” she says, wiping her eyes, “This is the most beautiful gesture anyone has ever shown me, and I am deeply honoured that you think so highly of me. Thank you both,” she says graciously.

“I think it’s a perfect name, and I agree with everything Jennifer said. You welcomed me into your pack and helped me find a way to make everything right with Jennifer. You gave me my second chance, and Eren is proof of that,” I add, emphasizing Jennifer’s point.

“Guys, I may be an Alpha, but my heart can only take so much sweetness,” she says, tipping her head back and fanning her eyes to stop her tears, making us chuckle.

“You know you can’t ask Jennifer to stop being sweet, that’s like asking the wind to stop blowing,” I smirk at Jennifer while kissing her cheek, making her giggle.

“Well, now it’s my turn to return the favour. Landry, I have some people I’d like you to meet.”