Page 27 of Autumn After

“Can I go tell our parents that Oakley is here?” Fern stood up, practically bouncing with excitement. I was honestly surprised she hadn’t already run out to tell them.

“Yeah, go tell them,” I said, “but ask them to wait until this afternoon to stop by. We need some sleep. We’re both dead tired.”

Fern ran out, and the midwife came in to touch base, promising to return in a few hours to check on us.

That left just the three of us, my family.

“We’ve waited so long for you.”

We truly had.

“Oakley is a beautiful name,” I said. “Is that what we want to go with?”

Willow yawned and held our daughter tighter. “Yes. It feels right.”

“Fern’s never going to let us forget that she named our daughter.”

Willow laughed. “I guess that’s part of being in a pack.”

“It sure is.” I kissed his head. He leaned into me. “I love you, mate. So much.”

“I love you.”