Page 50 of Protectors

“No. I haven’t felt off or anything. I got sick a few times when Terrence had me in that house, but I thought it was from the head injury,” she answers, looking from Colton to me and back again. “Are you mad?”

“No,” Colton states adamantly. “We’ve all been talkin’ about how we see our future and kids are a part of that. Whatever decision you make, we’ll support you completely.”

“I want our baby. Our little one will be surrounded by love and know we’ll support them completely and encourage them in whatever the hell they want to do with their lives. They’ll have the biggest family and will have so many people to go to whenever they’re in need,” she says, resting her hand on top of mine as Colton adds his hand on top of hers.

“How are you feelin’?” I finally ask her, leaning down to press my lips against hers briefly before Colton copies me and we move just enough for her parents to surround her bed with us.

“I’ve been better. I’m not in as much pain right now. They gave me something to help take the edge off that won’t hurt the baby. That’s the one thing I made sure of before I let them give me anything,” she says, tears in her eyes as she looks between all of us. “Did I kill him? Is Terrence gone?”

We all look at one another and know Skylar isn’t supposed to know the truth of this situation, but Alana’s gonna need all the support she can get moving forward. So, after a nod from Cage and Joker, I turn my attention back to our girl and give her the truth she needs to hear.

“Yeah, Tink. You got him in the artery. Officer Monroe has already been by and told us it was in self-defense and no charges are bein’ pressed against you. There’s more than enough evidence on your body and in the house along with what he’s done to you over the last year to close the case. His superior signed off on it after hearin’ what happened. Terrence can no longer hurt you, Alana. I’m so fuckin’ proud of you for fightin’ back against your biggest demon and slayin’ the monster that’s held you captive over a year now,” I tell her as Skylar places her hand on Alana’s leg to support our girl and ground herself as Cage and Joker step up and wrap their arms around her.

For several minutes, Alana doesn’t say anything. Her tears dry up and she gives us a small smile that actually reaches her eyes so we know she’s not putting on some kind of front to appease us.

“Good. I never thought I’d be okay with taking someone’s life. In this instance, I know it was the right move to make. I mean, I wasn’t honestly aiming for his neck or an artery there. My only thought was stabbing him so he wouldn’t put his hands on me again. Then, it was making sure you guys could get him after I got out of there in order to ensure he was never able to come for me or anyone else again. Terrence wouldn’t have stopped if he remained alive. Did you know he's working with Liz?” she asks us, looking around the room as Skylar buries her head in Cage’s chest as we all start laughing.

“Yeah, Sweet Angel. Your mom, Aunt Bailey, and Sally went the fuck off on her. She tried spewin’ more shit about Ghost and her bein’ together and him fuckin’ her while she was in the cells. It finally came out that she’s been workin’ with Terrence for a while and only kept goin’ after Kaden to get to you and drive a wedge between the two of you. I don’t think she was expectin’ to come up against someone as loyal as you. Anyway, your mom went full on mama bear on her ass with your aunt and Kaden’s mom gettin’ their shots in too. She’s a fuckin’ mess,” Colton tells her as Alana looks to her mom before she laughs while holding her stomach from the pain it causes.

“That’s fucking epic,” she says as a nurse walks in the room with a wheelchair in front of her.

She goes over Alana’s discharge paperwork and gets it all signed before handing over a list of obstetricians in the area and letting us know she’s already called in the prescriptions Alana will need to take moving forward. I lift her in my arms and place her in the wheelchair that’s mandatory for her to leave the hospital. Cage and Joker take Skylar out to grab my truck and move it to the door so we don’t have to push her across the parking lot. By the time we make it to the waiting room of the emergency room, Doc is waiting for us with everyone else. Doc is gonna help us get her set up at home and give her his own quick exam before leaving us alone for the night.

All I want is to get our girl home and lay her in bed where we can lay with her. Colton and I need to hold her in our arms and feel for ourselves that she’s really with us and not still with Terrence. Colton and I need Alana as much as she needs us after everything that’s been going on since she arrived in Pine View. I know we won’t be left alone with our family in town, but she needs to be in bed and we’ll ensure it happens regardless of how bitchy she gets until she’s let off of bed rest. It just means time spent with our girl and that’s all we care about. We can propose and claim her in our room as long as the club’s officers are there to witness it and of course our family members.

Epilogue

Geek

Ten months later

SITTING IN THE nursery, I have our son Zayne in my arms as his brothers sleep peacefully in their cribs. Zayne is a night owl and tends to stay awake later than Bishop and Korbin. Yes, our girl gave us triplet sons. Bishop and Korbin are identical and Zayne was actually hidden until Alana went into labor. We got the surprise of our lives when the first two were pulled out and then Dr. Craven announced the birth of our third son. I almost passed out right there in the operating room where Alana was having her cesarean section done. The boys were bigger than Dr. Craven thought they’d be and one of them started to go into distress during Alana’s labor. So, with the help of Dr. Craven, we made the decision to deliver them as safely as possible. That meant surgery for our girl to help her and the boys. Now, we’re a family of six and the boys have everyone in our families wrapped around their fingers. Everyone spoils them so much already and we always have more help than we’ll ever need.

Alana had a pretty easy pregnancy once she was taken off bed rest. Her morning sickness never got too bad and her biggest complaint was the amount of weight she was gaining. We thought during the first few months of her pregnancy that she was having twins but an ultrasound confirmed our suspicions. Alana was bigger than normal and that was the only reason that made sense to us. Plus, she was so much hungrier than we’d ever seen her and was constantly munching on food or snacking at all hours of the day and night. During the months leading up to the birth, Dr. Craven did multiple ultrasounds just to keep an eye on things after the hell Alana went through. Every single one never showed Zayne so we were all shocked in the operating room. Especially Dr. Craven.

“Zayne, we gotta figure out a way to get you on a better sleep schedule. We all love spendin’ time with you at night, but we all also need some sleep, Little Man. How about I tell you a story. We always talk late at night with you. Once upon a time there was a girl who liked to cause problems for your Mama. The day we found your mom after she was taken from us, your aunt, great aunt, Mimi, and granny beat the absolute hell out of her. Your great aunt landed the kill shot without hesitation and made sure this woman could no longer hurt your Mama. It was a day of celebration for the entire club because an entire chapter was ended. Plus, we moved forward with the changes we made the decision to put in place when it comes to the Phantom girls. We don’t ever take kindly to your mom bein’ hurt for any reason. It’s somethin’ we’ll teach you boys over the years. Always protect those you love and make sure the females in your life are safe and happy at all costs. Make sure any female you come across isn’t bein’ hurt for no reason. Especially if it’s a man who thinks he can hurt her.

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