Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

429. Bonus content - Shackled

**Alekos' POV**

A thin layer of sweat covers Angel's forehead.

Her face is a mask of agony.

I've never seen her in so much pain before.

A new contraction hits her, her back arching as a weak scream leaves her.

She's been in labor for hours, trying to bring our child into the world. She looks so tired.

Her eyes look at me pleadingly. My heart throbs with pain.

I fucking did this to her. I caused her this pain by wanting a child.

"Push!" the midwife says.

Angel thrashes her head against the pillows, tears falling down her cheeks.

Stefan kisses her ankle. "You are doing great, Schatzi. Just one more push."

Her hand squeezes Reyes' fingers hard. "I can't," her voice begs us to understand. Reyes brushes the hair away from her face with his free hand.

My blood-brothers and I haven't left Angel's side since she mentioned she wasn't feeling well two days ago. We should have taken her to the hospital and gotten the doctor to perform a C-section, but she wanted to give birth at home. I shouldn't have given in. Then, she wouldn't have been suffering the way she is.

I press my lips to her other ankle. "Just one more push, Agapi Mou, and you can rest."

She looks so fucking tired. I can feel it in the way her leg trembles in my hands. "Promise?" she asks.

"I promise," I reply.

Angel takes a deep breath, and when a new contraction hits her, she pushes harder than before. Her back lifts from the bed, and Reyes supports her as she gives all of herself into this last push and screams with the effort. A scream of life and victory as our child finally comes out. Angel falls back on the bed, breathing hard.

Reyes kisses Angel's cheek. "You did so well, Nena."

The midwife places the baby on Angel's stomach. The first contact between baby and mother, skin-on-skin, is the most important. Angel places her hands on our baby, tears of joy streaming from her eyes.

nose before saying, "You are now the parents of a

leaves my lungs as my gaze goes from Stefan to Reyes.

Sofia.

to cry and it's the most beautiful

becomes blurry with tears. I'm not the only one crying. So are my

to cut the umbilical cord?" the

do!" I say before Stefan and Reyes have

how to hold my daughter before giving her to me while she turns her attention to Angel. I look at my daughter. She is so tiny. So damn beautiful and

all-consuming. If anyone ever dares to harm my precious Sofia, I will make him watch while I take

chance to hold Sofia, we give her to Angel so she can nurse her. The midwife shows Angel how the baby

went through to bring our daughter safely out, but I've never seen her more beautiful than now. She

love of my

to my knees and put my head on Angel's

world. I love you so much," I say, kissing

**Angel**

kitchen as I check the

bother waiting for it to cool down before cutting a slice and having a spoonful. It burns my tongue, but I don't mind since I've been craving pie like crazy for the last few days. Between Sofia, my husbands-who never can keep their hands off

I don't mind

letting go of my fears and accepting that my husbands love me for who I

always wanted to be a strong and independent woman without complicating my life with having a family of my own. If there's something I've learned this past year, is that I can be strong and independent while being a SAHM. Reyes enters the kitchen while I take another bite from the pie. He stops

today?"

bit more

"Me too."

him some pie,

for you," Reyes murmurs against my

I want

photos." I didn't put so much effort into

and Stefan-holding a sleeping Sofia in his arms-enter the kitchen. I

and me, the others wear the Halloween costumes I custom-made for our

Alekos is not happy. "Really, Angel? This is the

"What's wrong with

in the air. "I'm 'The

are still a Daddy

has written 'The hot Daddy Shark' on his custom,

'The cutest Baby Shark ever,' while I'm 'The

fuck? Yes. Do