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

air leaves my lungs as my gaze goes from Stefan to Reyes. A baby

Sofia.

to cry and it's the most beautiful sound I

tears. I'm not the only one crying. So are

cut the umbilical cord?"

I say before Stefan and Reyes have a

puts a diaper and a beanie on Sofia, the midwife shows me 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 perfect. I gently press her to my naked chest. She stops crying. It's

If anyone ever dares to harm my precious Sofia, I

Stefan and Reyes have the chance to hold Sofia, we give her to Angel so she can nurse her. The midwife shows Angel how the baby should latch correctly to her breast before giving

disheveled, her face wet with tears, pain flickering in her eyes from the traumatic event her body went through to bring our daughter safely out, but I've never seen her more beautiful than now.

The way I look at her, the love of

and put

world. I love you so much," I

**Angel**

as I check the pie I just took out of the

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 me and preparation for Halloween, this past

I don't

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

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 behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist, his palms resting against my stomach. It's been about three months since I got pregnant again, and the twins

wife today?"

bit more before I

"Me too."

offer him some pie, but

for you," Reyes murmurs against my

I want to

I didn't put so much effort into my costume, only for Reyes to ruin

a sleeping Sofia in his arms-enter the kitchen. I can't get enough of

the others wear the Halloween costumes I custom-made

Angel? This is the best you

finish my pie. "What's wrong with

his arms in the

I shrug. "You are still

written 'The hot Daddy Shark' on his custom,

is 'The cutest Baby Shark ever,'

as fuck? Yes. Do I care