“Our son,” he said as he carried him to Renata and carefully placed the cleaned, naked infant on her chest. Nikolai didn’t care that his cheeks were wet with tears. He felt no shame in his weakness when it came to this woman . . . and now, this child.
He glanced over at Mira, whose own eyes glistened with wells of tears. Nikolai nodded, overwhelmed with emotion when he looked at this grown child of their heart too. “Mouse, meet your little brother.”
“I love him already.” She beamed, cupping the baby’s head in her hand. “I’ll let you two enjoy him while I let everyone know he’s finally arrived.”
CHAPTER 20
The Montreal command center vibrated with energy in the couple of hours following the birth of Nikolai and Renata’s son. As if the baby wasn’t enough to send a ripple of excitement through the place, preparations were also being made for the arrival of the Order’s founder, Lucan Thorne, and several other warrior elders and their mates currently on the way to celebrate the birth in person.
Kaya was thrilled for Niko and Renata. She was thrilled for her friend Mira, too. The tenacious team captain had immersed herself completely in her new role tonight--that of the elated older sister. Mira had been practically walking on air since she emerged from her adoptive parents’ sides in the infirmary to announce the baby had made his long-awaited entrance.
As for Kaya, she couldn’t help but think of her own sister and the child she carried.
In truth, she’d been thinking about Leah constantly all day. Even more so, now that Angus Mackie and his entire gang had apparently gone to ground ahead of the Order’s raid.
Standing alone in the mansion’s kitchen, Kaya put a kettle of water on the burner, guilt raking her when she relived tonight’s mission. Not only because it was likely her visit to Leah at the tavern that had spurred Big Mack to run, but because of her silence about that visit when she and the other warriors prepared for the raid.
For one of the first times in her life, she had behaved like a coward.
Yet there was a part of her that was profoundly relieved that her sister had escaped the Order’s discovery. And their wrath.
Kaya knew her day of reckoning was coming. She had been preparing herself for that moment earlier tonight, before Nikolai had come down to the war room and informed her and Aric that they had both finally made the grade as warriors. Kaya should have been celebrating the achievement she’d worked so hard to earn. Instead she’d ridden to Angus Mackie’s bar feeling as though she were on her way to the gallows.
Then, when she’d finally shored up her courage to try again, her blurted request to meet privately with the commander was thwarted by the urgent arrival of his son.
She exhaled a humorless laugh, miserable with the irony of it all.
And if she were headed for her grave as far as the Order was concerned, it was a hole she alone had dug for herself. Fear of being rejected by the only people who’d ever showed her any kindness had kept her silent about her past and the people in it. Now it was that fear and silence that would ensure she’d lose this new family she cared for so deeply.
Including Aric.
Although to be fair, he wasn’t hers. Imagining a world where he might be only made the regret and futile longing inside her worsen.
How had the arrogant Order prince she was certain she’d despise turn out to be the only man who had ever gotten close enough to see past the steep walls she’d built around her heart? How could she be in danger of losing her heart to a man who couldn’t wait to leave her in his rearview mirror?
How could she crave Aric Chase regardless of all those things?
Kaya slowly shook her head. “Because I’m a fool, that’s why.”
The kettle began to whistle, pulling her thoughts away from dreams she’d never so much as pretended she would ever have until she met Aric. Kaya poured the boiling water, staring into the twisting plume of tea-infused steam that rose up over the rim of her mug.
She had no more time to waste on soft feelings and foolish fantasies. As soon as the fervor over the baby’s arrival and the visiting warriors were gone, she and Nikolai would have their talk. And then, she was certain, her short career with the Order would be over. Before that happened, she wanted to do something useful with the time she had left.
She couldn’t be more disappointed in herself, but she’d be damned if she failed the Order any further by letting up on her mission to identify the Opus member she’d linked to Stephan Mercier.
Mug of hot tea in hand, she walked over to the large kitchen table where she’d laid out printed photos and a tablet containing image and video files from the wedding. Aric had helped her narrow the search considerably since they started, but there was still hours of work ahead. Possibly days.
Her heavy sigh was met by a subtle shift in the air behind her. Although Aric was silent, a born predator, the power of his presence registered within her senses like a physical caress.
“Quite a night,” he said, his deep voice a vibration she felt in her veins.
“Yes, it has been.” Kaya pivoted to look at him as he approached.
They had both changed out of their patrol gear. Gone were his black fatigues, in their place he wore low-slung workout pants and a dark tank that showcased his strong arms and shoulders while clinging to every ridge and muscle of his magnificent torso.
Kaya nearly groaned at the way she ached just looking at him. Her skin felt tight and hot beneath her loose clothing. She had opted for comfort as
