Alpha Loren
Chapter 90 Ciao Cato

December 20th

Ella's point of view:

After three painful hours of labour and stressing over whether Leo would make it in time, I finally caught his scent coming into the hospital.

"Leo," I sobbed as he came into the room seconds later. Tears of both happiness and pain flooded my eyes as I found his stunning blue eyes amongst the machinery and wires of the delivery room "I made it," he said kneeling down beside me and kissing me gently.

"But how many speeding tickets did you get along the way?" I joked.

"I can afford a speeding ticket or twenty but not to miss this," he replied taking my hand tightly. I'd missed him an unimaginable amount. It had only been two days and he had planned to be gone a week. I'm not sure how I would have coped.

Just then Rosa came back from a quick trip to the rest room.

"Oh Leonardo, thank the Goddesses," she said kissing him on the cheek. "I thought you'd never get here in time."

"Rosa, why don’t you get something to eat from the cafe with the others. I'll be fine with Leo now," I said.

Her stomach had been growling for the past half hour while her Mateo and Antonio were at the cafe getting food. She refused to leave me alone despite my protests and was just waiting for her mate to return with a cold sandwhich.

"Let me know if anything happens, Okay?" she said.

She then reluctantly backed out of the room, leaving me just with Leo.

He kissed my hand and gave me a reassuring smile.

"Did you find out who the rogue leader is?" I asked as he patted my sweaty forehead dry with the towel by the bed.

"Don't worry about that now, Ella," he said with a slight laugh, "You've got a baby to deliver.”

"But did you?" I asked.

"I will very soon," he said, "But please, Ella. Focus on the baby."

I smiled, "I just want to bring him into a peaceful world. Where whoever is terrorising our people is stopped.”

"They will be," he reassured, "And this little boy will grow up happy, healthy and safe.”

He then pressed his forehead against mine and I breathed a deep breath out.

But then seconds later, another contraction hit me and I couldn't help but scream. It must have made his earring but he was more concerned with trying to comfort me through my pain.

It finally eased and I opened my eyes to see him still watching over me, concern all over his face. "Fuck," he muttered, "How long have you been having those for?"

"Three hours," I said breathlessly.

"Have you talked to your Mom?" Leo asked.

I nodded.

"She's on her way back to Stella as we speak," I replied.

"Your brother?"

"He should be here any minute," I said, "He said he was leaving town but he can't have gone far. I only called him an hour ago.”

The second I finished speaking, I felt my stomach cave in once again into the worst contraction so far.

"Oh God," I groaned. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”

I grabbed my mates hand with an iron grip as pain still swept through my lower body.

"It's not stopping,” I groaned, "Why isn't it easing?”

"Doctor!" Leo called and seconds later the Doctor rushed into the room.

"Good evening Alpha. I'm glad you made it," she greeted hastily.

She then looked down at me as I rocked from side to side in agony before she rushed over and lifted the sheets off me.

"Legs apart please, Luna,” She asked as my hospital gown was hitched up and she took a close look.

In any other setting, having a stranger stare closely at your vagina would be kinda weird.

But then this whole thing was weird to me. Hospitals, family, people calling me 'Luna'...oh and giving birth.

"Okay, your baby is definitely on his way. I can already see the head.”

"You can already see him?" I panted.

Minutes later there were two midwives, a nurse and the Doctor in the room.

Still holding Leo's hand, I lay with a tube supplying gas and air in my mouth.

"Okay, sweetie. Ready to push?" one of the kind midwives asked.

I shook my head.

"Yes, she is," Leo said, "You can do this, Ella. You're tough, remember?"

The next fifteen minutes were the most intense I'd experienced in my life so far. The midwives kept telling me to push again and again and again. The pain was excruciating but I trusted their words and with every effort, we got a little bit closer to it being over.

Leo stayed with me of course, encouraging me and comforting me and letting me clasp his hands. He'd texted his Mom to tell her and I could smell her waiting outside the delivery room. But it wasn't just her scent but my brother's too.

I smiled through the pain, knowing he would be in here soon enough getting to experience this special moment too.

At long last, the beautiful sound of a baby's cry filled the room.

Leo's face transformed from nervous and tense expression to a wide smile of joy and relief.

"You did it, Ella," he said kissing me.

" did?" I asked still in disbelief.

"Yeah. You did," he replied, kissing me repeatedly on the cheek.

I hardly had time to let out a sigh of relief before I was handed what at first looked like a tiny bundle of cloth. I soon realised it was, in fact, a baby. The same baby that was inside me seconds before. My baby.

My eyes widened. To begin with in shock and then in pure admiration. He was so beautiful and tiny. "Leo, we made this," I sobbed as he reaching to gently touch his head for the first time.

"He's perfect,” Leo said almost breathlessly.

"Do you have a name yet, Alpha?" the doctor asked as the midwives peered over at their future Alpha, smiles on their faces too.

"Cato," he replied unable to take his eyes off our son. "Cato Leonardo Loren," he repeated proudly. After the midwives had weighed, measured and cleaned him, they left and it was just Leo and me in the room. We had been talking softly to Cato and despite having just pushed a baby the size of a small watermelon out of my peanut-sized vagina I was the happiest I had ever been.

"You look exhausted, Leo. Have you slept at all since I last saw you?" I asked as he wandered around the delivery room, rocking baby Cato.

"Not really," he replied, booping his nose. "I've been...busy."

"Come here," I said moving along the hospital bed and patting the mattress. "First family cuddle.” He nodded and kicked his boots off before sliding onto the bed next me. He positioned our newborn son between us, still supporting his neck as he wrapped his other arm around me. He was as warm as ever and I nustled my head into his chest as I rested my hand on Cato’s little stomach. He was fast asleep, giving us just a moment of peace and quiet.

"He has your ears," he said gently stroking Cato's head.

"My ears?"

"Yeah. They are little with a weirdly small lobe.”

With his father's gentle strokes, the little baby then squeezed his face tight with a big yawn before opening his eyes wide.

I couldn't help but sigh in awe.

"He has your eyes," I said looking at the big light blue irises that had a darker ring around the outside.

"Ciao Cato. Benvenuto sulla terra,” Leo said softly as our baby looked from him to me and smiled a little.

Translation: Hello Cato. Welcome to earth.

"Awwee," I cooed as he held the smile on his face.

"Questa € mamma e io sono papa,” he continued.

Translation: this is Mommy and I am Daddy.

"Ciao Cato," I said. "Papa e io siamo molto felici di incontrarti finalmente.”

Translation: Daddy and I are very happy to finally meet you.

Ten or so minutes later, Leo went to get Mateo, his parents and Connor from the waiting room where they'd probably been biting their nails in anticipation, no doubt with an awkward sort of tension between Connor and Antonio.

A minute or so later Leo returned with them

"Oh my goodness!" Rosa exclaimed as she set eyes on Cato. "Lui & adorabile.”

I smiled as she brought her fingers to her mouth and tears began to well up around her eyes. "Connor, I'm so glad you came,” I said as my brother came forward to hug me.

He smiled and looked down at Cato.

"Well done, Ells," he whispered in my ear before kissing my cheek. "He's beautiful.”

"Hey little Alpha,” Antonio said gently touching Cato’s soft cheeks. "Congratulations Ella," he added without even a hint of hostility.

For the next half an hour, Cato was passed around everyone and they all got a turn at holding him. Whilst Rosa sat with me and Cato, Connor had a long and civil conversation with Leo. They hadn't gotten off to the best of starts but it appears all they needed was more than just me in common. Now they shared relations to this adorable seven pounds of flesh, they were family I guess. And hopefully, they continue to act like it.

Eventually, it was just Leo and me in the hospital bed again.

"Asleep at last," I said as I watched Leo lay the sleeping Cato down in his crib by my hospital bed. After everyone had left he had begun bawling and it took twenty minutes of breastfeeding and a cuddle from Daddy to finally soothe him.

"Are you sure you don't want to come back in the morning when you have had some sleep?”

"I'm not leaving either of you," he said. "Don't even try to persuade me."

"But-"

"No."

"Maybe-"

"No."

"Okay," I said putting my hands up. "I won't."

He then kissed Cato softly on the forehead before climbing into the bed next to me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and snuggled myself into his warmth.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Exhausted," I replied.

"Then you should get some sleep. I'll stay awake and watch Cato,” he replied.

I nodded and laid my head on his chest before falling asleep in a matter of seconds.

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