Epilogue

"Push!" The nurse yelled. I gritted my teeth against the strain of pain that was emerging my body. Yes, I have had worse—phasing for the first time was an incredible pain. I've had many times when I've just had flat out pain, that hurt extremely bad, but this was the second. It was so painful that tears started to drip down my face—I tried to hold back as many groans, cries, and tears as much as possible for Taylor's sake; I could tell from just looking at him right now that seeing me in pain made him extraordinarily pained and worried about me.

I looked in the mirror that was on the wall across from me to see if my baby was finally out. Her/his head was just peaking out. Now, I was getting impatient; twenty-two hours of contractions was long enough! And now this! Ugh, how long would this pain go on for? Him! I looked straight at Taylor.

"You!—You did this to me!" I screamed.

"Ail, honey, concentrate!" I moaned in pain and Taylor squeezed my hand encouragingly. "You can do this. I know you can."

"Easy for you to say! You get to stand there and watch!" Sarcastic replies just kept spilling from my mouth. Now I see why they always say to never get a pregnant and hormonal woman angry.

Taylor rolled his eyes. Then abruptly got serious. "Keep going, Ail! The head's out!" I looked at the mirror, and sure enough, my baby's head was poking out. I tried to think of things to distract me, while I was trying to push the shoulders out—I could tell that this would be the hardest part.

I had decided right from when I learned when I was pregnant that I would do natural childbirth—it would be much healthier for my baby than chemicals being put into their body. When I came out as a newborn, I was drugged up from demoral for the painful contractions my Mother was put through, caused by induced labor. I refused to have that done to my baby—she would be healthy, given breast milk instead of formula, and during my entire pregnancy, I never ate anything except natural and organic foods…it drove Taylor crazy. He complained every day about not having enough money to supply me constantly with expensive health foods. But as soon as I gave him a sad face asking 'You don't care about our baby's health?' he immediately gave in to my wanting.

I squeezed Taylor's hand so hard that I thought that even my human strength would crush it. I'm sure it felt light to him, though.

"Shoulders are out!" The doctor stated. "Alright, Ailish. A few more pushes and you'll be done. Ready?"

"Y-Y-Yes." I stuttered

"Push!"

I moaned in pure agony as I felt something being pulled from me. I stopped and stared as the doctor pulled a beautiful baby before my eyes.

"It's a boy!" I smiled and put my hands out to hold him. I heard the wail and cry of his voice and wanted to comfort him so badly. Dammit, if they didn't give me my baby right now, all hell would break loose. The nurse grabbed a small blue blanket, wrapped my beautiful baby boy in it, and handed him to me. Well fi-nal-ly! Taylor and I both gasped in unison when we looked at our amazingly, stunning baby boy.

He had my eyes—hazel green. They were uniquely flecked with gold and chocolate brown intermixed. His skin tone was between my light, but not pale, skin tone and Taylor's bronze skin. He had Taylor's hair color, his eye shape, his ears, nose, and face structure. Pretty much everything about my little boy was from Taylor. Well, of course, except the eyes. They were what made him so unique—my little boy. How lucky was I? The father of my little boy was standing right next to me—so awed at this tiny life that emerged from me.

"You will never go through that again. I forbid it." Taylor sternly said.

"Ah, it wasn't that bad." I sarcastically replied.

"Sure it wasn't." A grim look crossed his face. "That was just as hard for you as it was for me, seeing you in pain."

"I'm sorry. Wait why am I even saying sorry?" I huffed and Taylor chuckled.

"Be right back." He whispered in my ear.

Taylor ran out of the room, and even from where I was sitting, I heard him boastfully yell, "It's a boy!" Of course, with how loud the pack was, I heard them all yell their congratulations. Wait, how many of all of them were here? My eyes popped out of my head when I saw Sam, Seth, Collin, Brady, Paul, Jared, Olivia, my Mom, Dad, Taylor's Mom and Dad walk in the room. Oh. My. God. I just had a baby for Christ's sake! I need some privacy.

My newly baby boy was crying in my arms, and I tried to calm him down—he only started crying as everyone walked into the room. He must like his privacy, like me.

"Alright. Everyone out! I just had a baby, I'm exhausted, and I'm not about to let anyone hold him unless I say so! OUT!" Everyone murmured things about me being a hormonal , and I just rolled my eyes. It was nice to know that I could still partially use my alpha voice.

Taylor stopped my parents, his parents, Olivia and Brady from walking out of the room, and the pack gave them curious looks.

"What do you need, Mommy?" Olivia asked me, smiling and staring at the tiny life I was holding in my hands. "He's beautiful, you know."

"Thanks, Liv. And Taylor and I decided that we wanted you and Brady to be the godparents." Her eyes popped out of her head and she squealed out of excitement.

"Ssshhh! He finally settled down!" I whispered to her.

"Oh, sorry." She bit her lip and giggled. Olivia leaned into Brady and looked up into his eyes. She whispered something in his ear, and he chuckled. I looked curiously at Taylor and he just mouthed 'Later.'

"Okay. That's all." I whispered.

"But can't I hold him first?" Olivia practically begged.

"Not today."

"Your so stingy." Taylor said and chuckled.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and Olivia and Brady quietly left the room. My parents and Taylor's parents were still lingering in the room, all mesmerized my baby's gaze. I couldn't blame them—his eyes were amazing.

Silent tears roamed down my Mom's and Taylor's Mom's face.

"I can't believe I'm a grandmother!" My Mom shouted. I almost yelled at my Mom to leave the room before Taylor interrupted me.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" He inquired. I silently thanked him in my head. Everyone murmured their 'Yes's' and 'Sure's' and soundlessly left the room. Well thank goodness they were all gone!

"Have we even decided on any names?" I gasped—I hadn't even thought of any. At all.

"I haven't a clue." I admitted sheepishly.

"Well, it's your choice." Taylor replied.

I hesitated a moment to answer. What would I name him? The thought popped into my mind and I immediately answered. "Ethan." I stared into the mesmerizing eyes of our breath-taking baby boy. Ethan…Ethan Taylor Saux. It sounded perfect.

"Ethan it is." Taylor kissed Ethan's fragile forehead before I unwillingly handed him over to Taylor; I needed to relax—I was more exhausted than I had ever been in my entire life. I laid back and reclined in my uncomfortable hospital bed. I wasn't sure if my mind was playing tricks on me, but I could've sworn I felt a warm, invisible presence beside me—somehow, I didn't know how I knew, that it was Ethan beside me. Thank you, I whispered in my head, and I knew he could hear me. One last coherent thought lingered in my head before I drifted to sleep: What could life possibly throw at Taylor and I next?