"As far as I can tell she had preclampsia and it caused a placental abruption." Doctor Amber's voice was even as she looked over the monitors that Menza was hooked up too. "Bleeding wouldn't stop so we are going to have to explain to her I had to give her a partial hysterectomy."

I looked at where Menza lay in the infirmary cot, her skin paler than normal, hooked to all sorts of wires as she slept. "No more children?" My heart was in my throat as I turned to look at Amber.

"None. But considering they're both alive after we lost them? I would say that's a good trade off." Her words brought me so much relief that I felt like I could cry. No more. There would never be a situation like that again. I was so relieved, my hands wanted to shake. I felt sick to my stomach, sick right down to my bones. I had almost lost her.

Lost them both.

I glanced over at the preemie cot where our daughter was resting with low flow oxygen and a touch more warmth. "Baby looks good too." Doctor Amber walked over and checked the monitors hooked to her little body. "Her vitals are all great. The steroid shots worked perfectly, her lung function is wonderful. We technically don't need the preemie cot but it's good to have her in there, just to boost her up a bit more."

At the words I got to my feet, clearing my throat as I walked over on legs that wobbled. "How big is she?" I looked into the cot where her tiny little body was wrapped up in a tiny diaper and she had a purple knitted cap on with a tiny little knitted green octopus she was holding onto in one of her tiny hands. She looked so small, so utterly tiny and delicate. I sniffled slightly, blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay as I smiled down at her.

She was perfect.

"Five pounds, one ounce, and eighteen inches long. She's big for her gestational age but that only helped us in this situation, especially for her being as early as she is." She patted my shoulder and I looked at her, feeling so fucking grateful.

"Thanks. For saving them." The lump in my throat was so big it was hard to swallow. "I don't know... I don't know what I would have done if... if they hadn't made it." My breath stuttered in my chest as images of all that blood slammed into me. So much blood, all over everything. Monitors screaming and the two doctors frantically trying to save them both. Menza's heartbeat stopping, her chest going still. Begging her to stay, to just breathe. Baby coming out looking grey and silent, lifeless. So much fucking blood, death, everything had gone wrong. So very wrong.

All of that death repeating. Just like with Chrissie, when they had to cut Menza open I had felt like my soul was cracking right down the middle all over again. So much fucking blood and Menza was so fucking quiet.

'Something's wrong.'

The exact same fucking words Chrissie had said to me before she died. Menza had said them and all I could think was not again, not when we were going to make sure she was safe. Not now. Not now. Not now!

I sucked in a breath and it came out in a shudder. "It's okay, Brochan. They're both good. We will contact the Hunters and make sure they send some healers, or a healer at least, to make sure they are both perfectly alright healthy. Just to put our minds at ease." Her tone was reassuring and I reached out and pressed my hand to the top of the little medical cot that housed my tiny daughter. "What happened tonight... with your background... was extra traumatizing. Seeing what you did tonight was horrible. Very very horrible." Her voice lowered and I looked at her, my eyes watering. "I know this is going to affect you, Brochan, and I'm here for you." Her blue eyes were warm and compassionate and I nodded, sniffling as I hastily wiped at my eyes.

"Just thank you. All of that stuff doesn't matter. Regardless of everything... they're alive." That was all that mattered to me, Menza was hooked up to all sorts of machines but she was alive. Her blood levels were a little low but they were building them up. She was asleep, more than likely to sleep off the drugs but it didn't matter. Her heart rate was stable and her oxygen levels were fine. She was okay. She was with me, she was breathing. It was okay, better than okay.

She was alive.

"Do you want to hold her?" Amber opened up the side of the preemie cot and I nodded, unable to do anything but as she careful unhooked the wires from the small pads on baby's chest, taking out the tiny oxygen line and lifting her tiny little body off the cot on her blanket. She carefully shifted that little weight and held her out for me.

I took her carefully, watching as she scrunched her face up and fussed for a moment before she settled. "Hey, baby girl." I held her close, looking down at her tiny swath dark hair peeking out from underneath her purple hat and her delicate face and those itty bitty hands and feet. I grinned as I looked down at her, my chest warm as relief nearly made me burst into sobs. "She's perfect, right?" I looked at Amber, my voice shaking and she nodded.

"She is, absolutely wonderful. You go ahead and hold her for a bit. I'm going to make her up some formula." At the words I nodded, letting out a shuddering exhale as I reached up and let my daughter grab one of my fingers. Her grip was strong but her hand was oh so tiny.

"Welcome to the world, sweetheart." I moved back over to my chair and slowly sat down. She fussed for a second, her tiny toes spreading out and I gave a wet chuckle as I moved around her tiny hand with my finger. "You're too small for the amount I love you, sweetheart." She was and I did. I had meant it when I told Menza that I wouldn't know what I felt until they were both on the other side safely. Now that they were safe, now that both of them were okay, I could feel the love I had for this tiny little female I was holding in my arms. All of it. This swelling crushing wave that represented the enormous love I had for her. It was just like Maeve but without the crushing grief tainting it. I would do anything for my girls, anything.

"I'm your daddy, lil bit, and I'm going to love you and protect you until you're old and grey." I swallowed against the lump in my throat as I let out a shuddering breath. I was just so relieved that they were both safe, that I didn't have to worry anymore. I hated how it had happened. I hated every bit of what had just happened, but they were on the other side of it, safe. How I felt about it was irrelevant though, I could work through it myself. "I'm going to take care you and your mum, you know that? You both scared me, so much. I'm so glad you are here with me." I whispered it to her and she scrunched her tiny face up before cracking open an eye, letting my finger go.

"Hi, sweetheart." I whispered it as I reached up and brushed a knuckle down her cheek. She scrunched her face up more before opening her other eye. "Hi baby girl. How you doing?" I smiled at her, my eyes blurry with tears and she blinked once and then again before she yawned wide. "Oh big yawns there, baby." She wiggled for a second before she stretched. I chuckled as I held her as her little body strained, almost shaking with the big stretch. "So these are what were poking your mum in her ribs." I reached up and stroked the bottom of one of her out stretched feet and she instantly yanked it away, giving me a disgruntled look. I chuckled at that, at how irritated she looked with me.

"You are the most precious thing, you know that? I love you so much." I bent down and kissed her small forehead and she grunted at me, her little nose scrunched up before she yawned again as I pulled away. "Pretty tiring entrance into the world, huh? Want to sleep some more? I don't blame you." She gave a small fuss and I shushed her softly, bouncing her gently in my arms. "It's okay, my love. It's alright, daddy's got you." I whispered it to her and she stopped fussing for a moment, glowering up at me in that unique way that only newborns could do.

"You're gunna cause me a world of trouble aren't you? That's okay. I'll love you through the easy parts and the hard ones and even the moments we get so mad we hate each other because I will always be here for you, no matter what." I swallowed hard as I looked down at her. She made my chest feel so full and I made a mental note to tell that to Maeve as well. Her first months of life were a haze of grief and she deserved to be told that I would love her through the difficult parts of her life too.

"You love her?" At the croaked question I looked up quickly and Menza's eyes were open but tired as she looked at me. Relief saturated every fibre of my being. She was alive, she was breathing and talking Nothing else mattered but that.

"Hey! How are you? Do you need me to get Amber?" I got out of the chair and she slowly shook her head.

"Talkin' to her?" Her exhausted gaze fell to our daughter and I nodded.

"Yah. She's so precious. I love her to bits." I swallowed hard, my throat bobbing as I looked down at her. I cleared my throat and looked at Menza again. "Do you want to hold her?" She gave a tired nod and I smiled as I moved over to the hospital bed. "Careful. She's a big one. So giant." I chuckled as I carefully lowered our daughter into Menza's waiting arms. She practically curled around the bundle, blinking slowly, a showing to how tired she was, but a soft and sweet smile crossed her face as she slowly reached up and ran her fingertip down the curve of our daughter's nose.

"Hi, my love." She whispered the sweet and loving words to our little female as she blinked up at her mother. The sight made my chest ache with how much I loved it, how much I was relieved I was even seeing it all. "I'm so very glad to finally meet you." She lowered her head and kissed our daughter's forehead and I had to wipe at my eyes, unable to stop the tears. How I wished Chrissie could have done that with Maeve. It was unfair that she was robbed of that but I was so fucking thankful Menza got to do it, that I hadn't lost her too.

"I have bottle for baby." Amber's voice carried through the semi private room and I looked over as she almost marched over. "I see my other patient is up." She gave a broad grin as she shifted the bottle to her other hand as she moved around to the other side of the bed. "I'm glad you're okay." She grasped Menza's shoulder before bending over and kissing the top of her head. "You scared the shit out of me and Andrew, you know that?" Menza gave a half nod, her entire focus on the little life she held cradled in her arms. "Time for baby to drink something." Amber shifted the bottle before holding it out for Menza.

I turned and grabbed the chair I had been sitting on before I carried it to the cot, setting it down so I could sit beside Menza. Baby was latched onto the bottle and drinking eagerly and Amber grinned. "That's what I like to see, strong suck reflex and a healthy appetite. She's a fighter for sure." I sat down and nodded as I watched Menza as she fed our little female. I was so fucking happy and grateful I was even able to see this moment. I was certain Menza would die and even though they both had, for a moment, they were back and everything was okay. I was terrified, my heart rate still high but none of that mattered because she was alive, she was breathing. Mene didn't take her or our little girl.

Amber let out a heavy sigh. "Menza, we do have some news about the complications." Menza nodded, her entire focus on our daughter, that soft and maternal smile firmly on her face. It made her glow, despite how sallow her skin looked at the moment. I couldn't keep my eyes off her taking in every bit of life that was showing. "We couldn't get you to stop hemorrhaging, so we had to take out your uterus. We left your ovaries for hormone production but you will be unable to have anymore children." The words were said gravely and I studied Menza's expression, wondering how she would respond.

"I know. Mene took it away. A trade so we could come back. Both of us for the rest of what could have been." Menza slowly looked up at Amber, her expression grave and she looked suddenly ancient, as if she had seen something or had done something no mortal should have. "She took it away but I am here with baby and that's all that matters." She returned to looking at our daughter and I swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry about the fight last night. I know it was stressful and it shouldn't have happened. It was too much strain on you." I was. We had gotten emotional and I was terrified that the stress is what had caused all of the problems. I felt like it was all my fault, all of what had happened to her. I shouldn't have done anything, I should have waited, calmed her down. Anything other than stressing her out.

"It needed to be done and said. Besides..." Menza slowly looked at me. "The Alpha found out. It would have happened regardless." At that my blood went cold and I felt like I was going to choke. How the fuck had he found out? There was no reason he should have found out. We had planned to go kill him tomorrow night. How the fuck did he find out today,  of all days? The one day before Menza was going to be safe forever.

"Don't blame yourself, Brochan. Menza's pregnancy had exceedingly hard complications and when Mene is involved it's a crap shoot of what can and can't happen. We can't predict her will." Amber shrugged and I let loose a heavy sigh before focusing on Menza and our baby girl.

"She's done, can I burp her?" Menza's question was quiet and Amber nodded.

"I'll help." She came over and quickly took the bottle away before helping Menza shift baby so she rested on her chest before Menza carefully, but firmly, patted her back until she let out a rather hefty burp that caused me to give a shaky sort of laugh.

The door opened and I turned around, wondering who else was coming in and to my surprise it looked like the entire Council was piling into the room. "Sorry for intruding." Their expressions looked grave and I glanced at them, my wolf and my hackles rising. They had all the time in the world to protect her, to make it right and she had almost died, she had died. Her breathing didn't negate that. "We... we are coming to... to check in." The words from the grey haired older male were said with a bit of hesitancy and Amber came around and pulled the curtain open.

"Both baby and Menza are fine. It was touch and go but they're both safe and sound." Her voice was factual and even and I could see all of them visibly relax, smiles crossing their faces as they looked at the bed where Menza was holding our daughter. I wanted to block her from view. What had happened had been their fault. They could have protected her more, could have killed Stenton before anything happened. They hadn't.

"That's... Mene I can't tell you how relieved we are to hear that." One of the females said it, her voice shaking as she came closer.

"Alpha Stenton found out, we aren't sure how he managed to do so, the Hunter involved said Stenton was adamant he knew when he confronted the Hunter, he shouldn't have even known but apparently someone in admin was violating the NDA and a lot of people heard but... we're just glad she and baby are safe." The blond haired Councillor said it with a heavy sigh of relief, his shoulders slumped. I hated that. That he was pretending to be relieved.

"No thanks to you. It's your fucking fault." The words came out sharp, angry. I was furious, pissed, my eyes narrowing in on them. Doctor Amber came over and grabbed my shoulder, shaking her head at me as if telling me to let it go. I didn't want to but I tightened my hands into fists and stood up, turning my back on them entirely as I moved over to Menza, carefully adjusting her blanket and her pillow before gently tugging that little cap a bit further down on baby girl's head.

"And what happened to him, the Alpha?" Amber asked it and I could feel their eyes glancing at me and the muscles in my shoulders tensed. I bit off the growl in my throat and gave Menza a tight smile, smoothing my thumb across that tiny little forehead of our daughter.

"He took offence to the news and attacked Hunter. The Beta helped with the small insurrection. Both are dead for it. Sublatus will need be disbanded as there is no clear line succession." The words had my stomach flip flopping. They were gone, both were dead and I was fucking glad for it. They should have been killed earlier. I had told them. I had told them what Stenton had thought and they had allowed him to live. He had nearly killed Menza tonight and it was all their fault.

"She's so wonderful." I whispered it to Menza, my smile losing some of the hard edges. Menza was blinking up at me, giving me that sweet, tentative smile of hers. "She's perfect, yah?" I brushed my knuckles over that tiny, itty bitty cheek even as she scowled at me. Menza nodded, looking down at baby with a smile I couldn't even begin to explain. I bent down and smoothed her hair before kissing the top of Menza's head, my eyes closing. She still smelled like blood and the vivid images threatened to drown me but I fought them back, swallowing hard.

She was alive.

That was all that mattered to me.

There was the sound of shuffling feet before a noise. "Ach! I can't stand it. Can I hold mylashka [cutie]?" I could feel one of them approaching and my hackles were immediately up and my eyes on him. I didn't want him anywhere near Menza or our daughter. Not after what they had done, what they had allowed. I noticed it was the big burly council member as he walked over to the other side of the cot, his hands out and I watched as she smiled at him and nodded. I bit my tongue at the urge to growl, to tell him to fuck off. If Menza wanted to let him hold our baby girl, she could. I just didn't like it. At all.

He took baby gently, cradling her in his large arms, making her look especially tiny. "Katarina, look at her." He gestured to the tall, dark haired female with his free hand. "Come see lapochka [lassie]." He practically cooed the Ukrainian out and the female came over and cooed as well. I grasped Menza's hand, threading my fingers through hers as my other hand absently grasped her wrist, my fingers resting on her pulse. The heartbeat soothed me, just ever so slightly, but I didn't take my eyes off our daughter.

"Oh, such precious mylashka, sweet lapochka." She turned to look at Menza with a smile. "You did good, maty [mother]. Such a precious baby." The rest of the Council quickly came over, each one cooing over our daughter, her tiny little swaddle being passed from Councillor to Councillor.

I hated it. I hated that they were sitting there and cooing over her when she had been born not breathing because of their inaction, because their fucking meetings were more important than Menza's safety. I gave Menza's hand a bit of a squeeze and she gave a small but tired hum and I glanced at her as her eyes fluttered closed and panic nearly set it but they opened a moment later and all monitors were silent and she gave a tired smile.

It was hard to see her like that and not remember everything that had happened. It was so very difficult. A part of me was still concerned every time she closed her eyes that she was going to simply disappear, that she would stop breathing again. I swallowed it down as I watched the Council pass around our little female, cooing over her and showing her genuine affection.

I didn't fucking like it though. I hated it. It felt false. They were the entire reason this had happened. If they had just killed Stenton when I told them what he believed, then Menza could have carried our daughter to term, she could have had her safely and gone through labour naturally. Instead they had made it fucking traumatic for Menza, for our daughter, hell, even for me, even if I didn't really matter in that regard.

A different female came in through the door, irritating my wolf further. He didn't want that many people around our vulnerable pup. Doctor Amber just patted my back as she walked over to her. "I'm assuming you're a healer, I'm Doctor Amber, I just need you to check her and baby over. Just to give us peace of mind." She lead the female over and the dark haired female nodded.

"I'm Matilda, a healer. Do I have your consent to check you over?" She spoke calmly and evenly as she asked the question and Menza nodded I watched carefully as the healer carefully placed her hands on Menza, moving them every so often. Menza scrunched her nose up several times, shifting her legs as if something were bothering her. The healer stood up straight, looking suddenly exhausted. "The repairs you did look fantastic. I gave it as big of a burst of healing, as much as I could with her limited healing but nothing should open up now but I wouldn't stress them. I also regenerated her blood a bit. I can't help too much with that but she is well on her way to recovery. Everything looks perfect." She gave Menza a tired smile. "My advice would be the same as your doctor's. Get lots of rest, specifically bed rest for a while. I don't want you stressing those repairs."

Doctor Amber nodded in agreement before baby was brought back over. "Do you mind checking her out? Just to make sure?"

The healer nodded and carefully took baby from the grey haired Councillor who had been holding her. She closed her eyes, her hand resting on baby's tiny chest before she opened her eyes and smiled. "She's absolutely perfect. Not a single thing wrong with her." The words had my knees feeling like liquid and I sat down heavily. I hadn't been aware of how worried I had been until she said those words. Our daughter was fine. She was perfect. I squeezed Menza's hand again and she rolled her head on her pillow and smiled at me. She was relieved, just like I was. I rubbed at my face with my free hand, the relief almost too intense. She was okay.

"I hope I'm not intrudin'!" A familiar southern drawl came from the door and I lifted my head to watch as the witch, Elf, came in with what looked to be eight giant gift bags. She grinned wide as she lifted them. "I bring gifts from Spriggen Coven for baby bub." She moved over to one side and set them down. "Now I wanna see sweet pea." She came over, moving around everyone until she reached Menza's side. "How you doin', sweet pea?" Her tone was soft and Menza smiled at her and the witch looked actually pleased as she smiled back.

"I'm okay." Menza gave a small nod and I squeezed her hand again, just because I could to remind her I was there for her, even if my attention was divided between her and our daughter.

"She was just given a clean bill of health with some recommendations for bedrest." Amber's voice was clear as she brought baby back over to the hospital bed.

"I'd be upset if there wasn't those recommendations. You scared the shit out of me, sweet pea." Elf shook her head before grinning as she caught sight of baby. "By the darkest pits, she is tiny!" Elf reared back slightly before looking at Menza. "If you had t' push this out yer cooter she would have fallen out!" That caused me to give an unexpected laugh and Menza giggled, her hand pressed to her stomach as if it hurt slightly.

"Do you want to hold her?" Doctor Amber asked it as she patted baby's back and Elf immediately shook her head, holding her hands up.

"Fuck no! I'd break her." She shook her head a touch harder. "I don't trus' myself not t' drop her." She looked back at Menza. "She's perfect, sweet pea, and I am so fuckin' proud of you, you know that?" Menza nodded and Elf grinned in return. "Alright, I gotta get these stuffed shirts back to HQ but you did good, sweet pea. Know that I and Spriggan Coven are behind you and baby." Elf gave a firm nod before turning to the Council. "Come on. Hands together. Let's let the lady get some rest." It was practically an order but the Council all said good bye, the healer as well, before they linked hands and were suddenly gone along with the witch, a thick scent of roses lingering where they had once been.

The slightly private infirmary room felt suddenly large with all the bodies gone but I was glad they were gone. I didn't want to see them ever again. Amber gave a small chuckle as Menza took her hand from mine to hold her arms up for baby. "I didn't expect the entire crew to show up." She shook her head before gently handing baby back over to Menza. "Here you are, mama. She's all safe and sound."

Menza nodded, giving a happy sigh before looking at me. "She's wonderful." She nearly breathed it out and I nodded, feeling the tension slowly leeching from my body.

"She is. She's perfect." She really was and I was so happy Maeve was going to be a big sister and I was so happy to watch this baby grow into the wonderful female I knew she would be. I was beyond relieved that Menza would be standing beside me to do so.

The door was opened again and when I looked over, wondering who else was coming in, Duffy scowled darkly and I found myself smiling. I had to thank Mene it was just Duffy. "Don't smile like that. This shit is bad on my poor old heart. Should beat both of you with a fucking slipper. Pulled out of bed, being told trouble is bleeding to death, then nothing else." She grumbled and snapped but as she came over, her eyes were glassy. "Let me see my girls." She shooed Amber away and the doctor grinned at her as Duffy made it to Menza's side, bending over and kissing her forehead before pulling back. "Look at you. Alive." She breathed it out and Menza gave her a tired smile, lifting baby up slightly.

"I made a baby." Her voice warbled slightly and Duffy gave a snorting laugh.

"That you did! Fully formed. All toenails and organs accounted for." She looked over baby intently and Menza held her up a bit more and Duffy looked supremely pleased as she plucked baby out of Menza's arms. "You're going to be trouble, little miss. I just know it. Gave me a fucking heart attack, you little shit." The words had my eyebrows rising and Menza gave a small gasp.

"Duffy." Her tone was full of chastisement and Duffy gave a barking laugh.

"She's hours old, she ain't gunna remember me cussing at her. Besides she needs to hear it. She gave me a heart attack, and so did you. Both of you are little shits." Duffy quickly bent over and kissed Menza's forehead again. "Don't do it again, trouble." Her voice shook and that was all all I needed to hear to know that Duffy had been just as scared as me.

Duffy stood up straight and looked down at baby with a soft smile. "What are you naming her?" At the question I looked at Menza and she looked at me. We hadn't thought abut names or discussed them. Me because I couldn't handle the thought of the pregnancy and Menza hadn't for whatever reasons she had.

"I don't know." Menza gave a small sigh and I shrugged as well, I needed to settle back into my skin. Even my wolf was feeling disorientated with the punches that had happened to us. I was just glad he wasn't pushing to come out and bond with everyone. I knew he would want to later but right now he was content to simply watch.

"What about Isla?" Duffy asked it as she looked down at baby. "Keeps with the theme you have going with Gaelic names. Plus she looks like an Isla." She glanced at Menza and Menza looked at me.

I cleared my throat and sat up straighter. "Isla works for me."

"Isla is a nice name." Menza spoke carefully before glancing at me. "Can... can I give her a middle name?" At the question I nodded and Duffy handed baby back over to her. Menza looked down at Isla and swallowed hard, her eyes teary. "Isla Uzoamaka, after my mum." She nearly choked on the words and I reached out and brushed my knuckles down her cheek.

When she looked at me, the tears making her brown eyes shimmer and shine, I gave her a wide smile. "I love it."

I did, I truly did.