The Alpha King (Kingdom of Askara #1)(65)

Kit sighed in complete contentment then winced a little as Taheesha pressed on his belly. Luca was about to ask her to go easy but she was frowning in concentration. “Just the placenta... Oh,” she said in surprise and the bottom dropped out of Luca’s world. There was something wrong. “Kit, honey, let Asher take the baby.”

Kit looked up. “What’s the matter?”

Taheesha’s smile was huge. “Absolutely nothing, but you haven’t quite finished yet.”

Kit glanced at Luca in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Luca demanded.

Kit winced. “Oww.” Taheesha scooped up the baby and handed him to a startled Asher.

“You need to push as soon as I say,” Taheesha ordered.

“Why?” Kit asked, as bewildered as Luca. The baby started crying again as soon as he was out of Kit’s arms.

Kit screwed his face up as a pain hit him. “What’s happening, Taheesha?”

She grinned. “I’m delivering your baby is what’s happening. Your second baby.”

It was a good job Luca was sitting down. He didn’t even have words. “Luca,” Kit cried, and after a blur of cries, pants, and then indignant, lusty wails, Taheesha was holding another baby.

“Congratulations, daddies. You also have a daughter.”

Luca gaped at Kit, completely unable to speak, and Asher calmly cradled his son while Taheesha was still busy. She crooned and wrapped their daughter and handed her over for Kit to cuddle, and got busy doing...whatever it was that Luca really didn’t want to watch. He focused on the tiny fingers currently clutching one of his own.

“Twins,” Kit whispered.

Taheesha chuckled. “You had to be different, and because she was hiding behind her brother we all missed her.” She washed her hands and sat back. The little boy had fallen asleep, but the little girl—complete with Luca’s own deep gray eyes—was blinking up at Kit. She wasn’t crying. Just seemed to be content to be held. “Do you have any name ideas?”

“What was your mother’s name?” Luca asked Kit.

Kit smiled. “Adera.”

“And my father was Aristaad, after the first great King.”

“Ari for short,” Kit sighed happily. Kit looked up suddenly. “Taheesha, what about milk?”

She grinned. “It would be marvelous, wouldn’t it?”

“What would?”

“If you could breast-feed.”

“I haven’t got breasts,” Kit giggled, then yawned.

Taheesha smiled. “Molly sent everything. There is milk ready to mix in the bottom of the bag she gave to Asher.” She climbed to her feet, and Luca caught her arm.

“I don’t know how to say—”

“You don’t have to,” Taheesha finished. “But just remember this the next time you think I’m too young to do anything.” She arched an eyebrow and Luca laughed, then his eyes narrowed.

“Molly knew.”

Taheesha smiled. “Of course she did. Only a man would decide to transport a heavily pregnant mate two hundred miles across country with absolutely no thought for if this happened. Although the twins were a shock, I have to admit. Even I missed that one.”

“I meant she knew you were coming.”

Taheesha didn’t reply but he took her slow smile as confirmation.

“Can I heal, now?” Luca asked quietly and Taheesha nodded. Luca bent his head and breathed Kit in. Strength poured from his body and he felt Kit smile as Kit’s face was pressed into his neck. He sat back. “There,” he said, satisfied.

“Sire,” Sam said apologetically from outside, reminding Luca of his other problem.

Kit grabbed his arm. “What are you going to do, Luca?”

“I need you to be safe,” Luca said grimly. “The snow is too deep to move the carts and there is a large party of wolves I cannot risk getting any closer.”

“Luca, no.” Kit’s eyes welled with tears. “Please don’t leave me—leave us.”

Luca’s voice nearly gave out. “I have to. There is only one thing more important than being by your side, and that’s making sure you are all safe. I just need to be near to them to let them see who I am. The wolves will have no choice but to submit, and I will be back as soon as I can.” He clasped Kit’s hand and glanced at Taheesha.

“But you don’t have enough gammas to fight their numbers.”

Luca pressed his lips to the palm of Kit’s hand to cover up the fact that he didn’t trust himself not to cry. Kit’s other hand cupped his cheek and he raised his eyes to Kit. “That’s the whole point. I am their King. I’m not gonna fight anyone, that’s why I’m just taking Sam.”

“What? No,” Kit panicked. “Just leave me Asher. Take the wolves at least for protection.”

Luca shook his head. “The only thing I need protecting is my heart.” He kissed Kit before he could protest any further. “And you are taking care of that.”

That silenced Kit. Luca breathed out slowly, letting every ounce of love shimmer in his eyes, then without another word, turned and leaped down from the cart.





Chapter Nineteen





Gabriel and Sascha were the most vociferous of their dislike of Sam and Luca going alone but they understood the need to leave Kit with as much protection as possible.