Trinity of Power novel Chapter 3

I am nursing the twins, trying to stay calm for them. Stress makes milk production hard and I already needed to produce more than the typical mom because I have two babies to feed. But on the inside, I’m falling apart. He’s gone. The fucking evil trio of the west has him. And we have to wait for three days to get him back.

The twins know something is wrong. They don’t smell or feel their Daddy. And they can feel the anxiety and fear rolling off of Zak and me in waves. It makes even the easy-going Jared fussy and Christine is a fucking hellcat. They won’t latch to nurse or sleep. All they seem to do is cry or whimper.

Lily moves up to me, her pregnant belly just barely showing in her loose t-shirt. “Why don’t you try to just nurse one and pump on the other side. Then, you can switch, hm?”

I nod, willing to try anything.

Zak comes and takes Jared from me. “Come see Papa, little guy.” He cradles him in his arms, bouncing around and humming tunelessly. It is this sight that always makes my heart flutter. Seeing my mates play with and hold our children. I love it.

I turn my attention to our little hellcat. It’s odd. Christine, or Christy as Brandon likes to call her, has Brandon’s paler coloring, his tawny hair. Her jawline and facial shape is all me. But she has Zak’s chocolate brown eyes. Eyes that neither Brandon nor I have. The same goes for Jared, or Jerry as the boys have taken to calling him. He has my olive toned complexion and gray eyes, Zak’s mahogany brown hair, nose and face shape, and Brandon’s cupid’s bow mouth and dimpled chin. They are both the perfect combination of all three of us. I don’t know how that’s possible, other than Goddess intervention.

Lily helps me hook one boob up to a pump while I hold Christine’s squalling form. I feel bad for anyone who gets in her way as she gets older. She’s going to be one feisty luna.

You know, when you have a pup, you gain so many, many things. A beautiful Goddess-given miracle, a deeper love with your mate, and a greater understanding of yourself to name a few. One of the things that you lose is any care for your privacy when it comes to people seeing your naked body or even touchingyou. My body is no longer mine. My boobs are milk making machines. I can’t remember the last time I showered. I have had so many appointments for OB/GYNs to look up my coochie that it doesn’t even faze me anymore.

So when Lily grabs my left boob to hook it up to the pump, I just help by squeezing my nipple to get it into the funnel. Once I’m all hooked up, I cradle Christine into a football hold, snuggling her into my body.

She smells the milk and immediately begins nuzzling into me, her little face rooting for the source. But, once again, she refuses to latch, her arms flailing and actually knocking my nipple out of her mouth. It’s super frustrating and the lack of sleep and stress from Brandon’s kidnapping is making it almost too much. If it wasn’t for Lily, I don’t know what I’d do.

“Charlie, it’s ok. She is just picking up the stress that you guys are going through right now. She misses her Daddy. We all do.” Lily gives me a tissue and a quick side hug before walking to the side of the bed where Christine is nestled. I didn’t even realize that I was crying until a drop falls on Christine’s hair. I quickly wipe it away and use the tissue on my face.

Zak comes over and cups my face, Jared still fussing in his arms. “I miss him, too, love. We’ll get him back soon. I promise.” The fierceness and determination in Zak’s eyes is the only thing that helps to keep me together.

I nod my head and lean forward. Zak kisses me tenderly. I feel Lily taking Christine out of my arms. I turn back to see what’s going on.

“Let’s try to swaddle her. Maybe in one of the shirts that Brandon wore recently. Do you have anything that wasn’t washed?” Lily is trying to jiggle Christine to help her calm down some, but it’s not really working.

“Yeah, we do.” Zak hands Jared back to me and runs into the closet. I try to get him to latch, and though he does give a few sucks, he quickly pops off, too unsettled to eat.

“Get two, Zak!” Lily calls.

“Got ‘em,” Zak cries, a tired smile spreading across his face as he comes back into the room.

“Alright, let’s swaddle them in Brandon’s shirts. His scent should at least help to calm them.” Lily places Christine on one of Brandon’s favorite country band t’s from the Zak Brown Band, while Zak wraps Jared up in one of Brandon’s Led Zeppelin t’s.

Almost immediately, both pups start to calm. Jared’s whimpers quiet and so do Christine’s screams.

“Try now,” Lily says, handing Christine back to me.