“You aren’t surprised by this, are you?” she asked, pointing at the SCL.
“Jacque might have mentioned finding a way to help you, and I might have agreed to it,” he said slowly.
“Well, thanks for wanting to help,” she said, feeling a tad stupid.
“Of course I want to help, Jennifer. You’re my beautiful, diabolical mate, and Thia is my amazing, hopefully not-as-twisted-as-her-mother, daughter. I will always try to do what is best for you both.” He brushed her hair back away from her neck and pressed a soft kiss just below her ear.
“Jen,” Jacque said, sounding oddly formal and a bit apprehensive. “This is Kimily.”
“Wait for it,” Sally whispered from her perch on the couch.
A single brow rose on Jen’s face as she looked at SCL. “Were your names in a car accident?”
“And there it is,” Sally whispered again.
Kimily frowned.
“Or was it some terrible lab experiment gone wrong?” Jen continued.
“What are you talking about?” the woman asked.
“You’ve taken two perfectly normal names and squished them together into something…”
“Jennifer…” Decebel growled as his arm tightened around her waist.
“Odd,” she said, turning to glare at her mate. “I was going to say odd. And you have to admit Kimily is odd. Well, her name, I mean…” She staggered along. “I mean, her, as a person, I have no idea if she’s weird. But then again, she is in the company of Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, and the Cheshire Cat. They say a person is known by the company they keep so… I’m guessing she’s not playing with a full deck of cards.”
The room was completely silent when she finished her monologue, and the SCL’s mouth had dropped open, causing her to resemble one of those baby dolls that comes with the toy bottle to put in its mouth. The woman even had the wide, creepy, baby-doll eyes going on. Jen wondered if she’d coo if someone squeezed her. Then she nearly smacked herself because that was a ridiculous thought, and her weird meter was beginning to shift in her direction.
Finally, Kimily closed her mouth and looked at Jacque. “Is she always like that, or is this just because of post-pregnancy hormones?”
“If you’re referring to her inability to keep her rude, bat-snitch-crazy comments to herself, then I’m afraid she is always like this. And before you ask why we are still friends with her,” she said, holding up a hand. “It’s only because if we left, she’d simply follow us around the world and then torture us for attempting to get away.”
Kimily turned to Peri, her eyes even wider. “Can you take me back?”
Peri patted the woman’s head as though she were a little child. “Soon. But first we need you to help the bat-snitch-crazy milk-producing cow.” She pointed at Jen. “She’s having trouble nursing.”
Jen gasped as she looked at Kimily. “You’re a lactation specialist?”
Kimily nodded, slowly, as if she were trying to keep from provoking a wild animal.
Jen jumped to her feet and nearly lost her balance. Luckily, she didn’t fall on her face, thanks to her mate’s strong hands. She hurried over to Kimily and knelt in front of her. Clasping her hands to her chest, she looked up at her. “I take back everything I said about your name. It’s by far the loveliest name in all the land. None could be fairer.”
“Why is she talking like we live in a storybook?” Jacque muttered.
“Just roll with the crazy,” Peri said. “If not, you’re going to get bowled over.”
Kimily’s whole countenance changed as if a switch had been flipped. Jen recognized it as business mode. She was ready to work.
“Get up,” she said to Jen, pulling her to her feet as Kimily, too, stood. “Have a seat on one of those dinette chairs. Tell me what’s going on while I examine you.”
Jen obeyed. She glanced at Peri and whispered, “You found her?”
Peri shook her head and pointed to Jacque. Sneaky redhead.
Jen promised herself to remember to make sure and let her friends know how extremely grateful she was. Then a thought hit her. “Did you flash here?” she asked Peri.
The fae nodded, looking utterly bored.
“So Kimily knows about us?”
“No,” Sally and Jacque said at the same time.
“Peri is working her fae mojo,” Sally offered.
“Or you could just call it my power. I’m using my power,” Peri said, looking slightly perturbed.
“Good to know,” Jen said and then looked up at Kimily, who had simply been listening to the conversation.
“Ready?” Kimily asked.
“I was ready twenty-four hours ago,” Jen said. “Ignore me. I’m nangry. That’s when you’re angry at your nipples.”
“Of course it is,” Jacque said, shaking her head at Jen.
Jen shrugged. “What? It’s a thing. I’m literally experiencing it right now.”
Kimily let out a sigh and then looked at Jacque. “Could you all please wait out in the hall? Give us some privacy while I do her exam and talk with her.”
Jacque nodded and grabbed Peri and Sally’s arms. “Let’s go, you two.”
As the door closed, Kimily pulled up another chair and sat close to Jen. “How many days postpartum are you?”
“Two,” Jen answered. “My milk finally came in.”
“Okay, good. Little boy or girl?”
“Girl. Does that matter?” Jen said thickly.
Kimily grinned. “Not really, but I have found girls can be a little more stubborn when it comes to latching. Boys seems to know instinctively where to suck.”
“It never goes away,” Jen deadpanned, casting a glance at her mate.
Kimily ignored the comment and said, “Now, tell me what problems you’re having.”
“Maybe I should just show you,” Jen said and then pulled down the strap of her gown and unclasped one of the maternity bra cups. She lowered it, wincing as the leak pad tugged away from the dried blood on her nipple.
“Oh, honey,” Kimily said gently. “I am so sorry. She’s chewing instead of sucking. This is not uncommon. It can be caused by a few things. She might be tongue tied, which is when there’s too much muscle beneath the tongue, which causes an incorrect sucking motion. Also, she might chew if the nipple isn’t far enough back in her throat. Or she may simply just be a chewer. Pure bad luck. Giving her a pacifier to suck will help encourage the sucking motion and reduce the chewing. I need to take a look at her and then observe her nursing. I’m going to wash my hands. Please, bring your little girl and we’ll get started.”
Jen watched as Decebel went and got Thia out of her basinet. She looked so small in his big arms. It amazed Jen how something so small could cause such huge changes in their lives.
Decebel handed her to Jen, and she pulled Thia close to her chest and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Little hell raiser, you,” she whispered to her daughter.
Kimily chuckled as she again took her seat. “What’s her name?”
“Thia.”
“That’s adorable. I need to pull her mouth open and look under her tongue.” The woman stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a tongue depressor. “All my lab coat pockets are full of these.”
Jen shifted Thia so that Kimily could reach her face and watched as the nurse pulled down on Thia’s chin while inserting the tongue depressor. She gently placed it under Thia’s tongue and lifted. It didn’t take but a second for Thia to close her mouth, but apparently, that was all the time Kimily needed.
“Not tongue-tied,” she said. “Now I need to see how she latches on. Even asleep she has the rooting reflex. If you rub your nipple against the side of her mouth, she will turn toward it and open her mouth.”
Jen did exactly what Kimily said and, sure enough, Thia acted in kind. Jen quickly inserted her breast into her daughter’s mouth and tried not to cuss.
“Holy, mother duck, pissing pearl eggs!” The not-cussing thing was only partially successful.
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“Okay, I see what’s happening.” Kimily leaned closer and then looked at Jen. “May I?” She asked, motioning toward Thia’s chomping mouth.
“By all means,” Jen growled.
Kimily stuck her finger into the side of Thia’s mouth and broke the seal the little demon had on Jen’s nipple. “When you go to latch her, two things have to happen. You have to put your breast in her mouth while also pulling her onto the breast. This is to ensure the nipple is back toward the rear of the mouth.”
Jen listened and watched every little thing Kimily said and did. She put her hands where she was told and then executed what Kimily called “proper latch technique.” It took several tries, and Thia was getting ticked, but finally, on the fourth attempt, it happened. For a second, Jen heard angels sing, and everything suddenly moved in slow motion. Her right hand held her breast, and her left hand was on the back of Thia’s little head. Jen stimulated Thia’s rooting, and as soon as her little mouth opened, Jen pushed the two together. The angels were gone, and the cussing was back.
“Bloody hell,” Jen nearly yelled. “There’s no chewing going on and that’s great, but what the crap is this sharp stabbing pain that feels like it’s coming up from my toes to my breast?”
Kimily smiled, and Jen was man enough to admit that she wanted to knock that smile off her face. Her boob still hurt. No one got to smile while boob pain was still a thing.
“Unfortunately,” the nurse said in a pacifying tone, “that’s a normal part of nursing. For some moms it gets less painful, or stops all together, but the majority experience it to some degree.”
“Like, forever?” Jen asked, her eyes widening. “Are you saying there’s no way to prevent that? No top-secret latch technique? And taking drugs before nursing is out of the question?”
Kimily shook her head. “I can’t tell if you’re joking so I’ll just make it clear. No drugs or alcohol. And, no, there’s not a secret latch technique. That’s just part of it.”
Jen looked down at Thia. Her eyes were closed, and she was sucking away, not a worry in the world. “I’m not going to lie, mini me, when it’s your turn and you’ve got a babe on your boob, I will laugh. And I don’t mean a cute, little, understanding laugh. It will be the full blow, villain cackling with my head thrown back and my fists lifted to the sky. And there will be thunder and lightning for effect. Put it on your calendar, ’cause it’s happening. Boob for a boob, little B.”
“Okay, well…” Kimily said hesitantly as she stared down at Jen as if she’d phased into a wolf right before her eyes. “If you don’t have any more questions, I need to be going. Out of curiosity”—Kimily paused and chewed on her bottom lip—“where exactly am I?”
“Romania, although this is the Serbia Pack mansion, but let’s not get into how that happened.” Jen smiled and winked at her.
“Pack?” Kimily asked.
Jen nodded and opened her mouth to speak.
“Jennifer.” Decebel’s growl was subvocal and, more than likely, Kimily hadn’t heard it, but Jen had, and ignored it.
“Pack,” Jen answered. “You know, because we’re werewolves.”
There was a thud as Kimily’s body crumpled to the ground.
“Wow,” Jen said, her voice a breathy chuckle. “Okay, that happened.”
Chapter Five
“Hormones suck. That is all … for now.” ~Jen
Decebel snarled at Jen as he walked to the door and jerked it open. “We need some assistance in here, please.”
“Oh, no,” Sally said as she saw the crumbled body of Kimily lying on the floor. “You broke her?”
“Of course not,” Jen huffed. “I told her we were werewolves and that she was in Romania. In relative hindsight, it may not have been the best idea, but it certainly wasn’t anything to lose her head over.”
Jacque knelt next to the nurse. “She’s breathing.” Jacque’s tone told Jen she was not at all pleased with her friend’s revelation to the lactation specialist. “Did she hit her head?”
“She crumpled, literally,” Jen said. “We didn’t expect it, and I think Decebel was in shock that I word vomited.”
Sally knelt beside Jacque and placed her hands on Kimily’s head. Sally closed her eyes, and they all watched and waited as the healer did her thing.
When Sally opened her eyes, she smiled. “No damage.”
Peri looked at Jen, then down at the nurse, and then back at Jen. “Really?”
Jen pursed her lips. “Oops?” It sounded like a question instead of an admission of guilt.
With a sigh, the high fae reached down and picked the woman up as if she weighed nothing at all. “I’ll be back.”
“Arnold!” Jen, Jacque, and Sally all yelled at once.
Peri rolled her eyes at them just before she flashed.
“Was she able to help?” Sally asked as she and Jacque stood back up.
Jen nodded. “Yes and thank you guys so much. It’s not painless, but the unnecessary pain is better. Once my nipples heal, all I’ll have to deal with is the knife that gets shoved up into my body from my big toe all the way up until it stabs my boob. Piece of cake.”
Jacque was nodding and smiling, but her head suddenly stopped. “Wait, what?”
Jen waved her off just as Peri flashed back into the room.
“What’d you do with her?” Sally asked.
“Laid her on her office floor.”
“And when she wakes up? What’s she going to think?”
Peri smirked. “That she’s got a hangover from last night because she went out dancing and met a tall Italian man who kept calling her ‘Cara mia’ and asking her to run away with him. Of course, she had adamantly declined but secretly wished she could.”
“Shut the front door! You made up a freaking soap opera in her mind?” Jacque asked. “You were just supposed to make sure she didn’t remember anything about all of this.” She motioned to all of them.
Peri shrugged. “She won’t remember.”
“Is she married? Have kids? Family?” Jacque wasn’t giving up. “What are they going to think when she starts telling everyone about this supposed night out she had?”
“Look,” Peri said as she placed a hand on her hip and eyed Jacque down. “You wanted me to get her a boobie nurse.” The fae pointed at Jen. “So, boom, I got you the boobie nurse. You wanted to tag along. Boom, I let you tag along. You wanted the woman not to remember all the crazy crap she encountered while in our care. Boom. She doesn’t remember. So, don’t question my methods, wolf princess. I’d hate to have to put a muzzle on you. Now, I’ve had more than enough healers and she-wolves for one day … or week … or month, for that matter. I’m out.” Peri flashed and was gone.
“Well she was in a good mood,” Jen said.
Jacque sighed and her shoulders drooped. “She exhausts me.”
“I’m pretty sure she feels the same way about you.” Sally grabbed Jacque’s hand and started pulling her toward the door. “Let’s go. Let these three have some time to bask in the better-but-not-yet-unpainful joy of nursing.”
“Good call on the lactation nurse, Red,” Jen said with a wink as the door shut behind her two best friends.
“How are you feeling, Jennifer?” Decebel asked as he took Thia, who was now sleeping peacefully, from Jen’s arms and placed the girl in her basinet.
“Maybe a little less overwhelmed than I was before Peri stole a lactation specialist to help me,” she said as she stood and stretched her arms over her head. The day had flown by, and already she could see through the window that the sun was beginning to set.
“Would you like me to fix you something to eat?” Decebel asked, his eyes watching her every move.
Jen shook her head. “Actually, I think I’ll walk down to the kitchen and fix us both something. I need to get out of the suite for a bit.” She knew the minute the words were out of her mouth that her mate wasn’t going to like that suggestion. His jaw was already re-clenching, after having finally relaxed. H
e turned to fully face her and crossed his arms in front of his broad chest. He liked to use the pose to intimidate, and it worked on other wolves, but not on her.
“I’d prefer that you let me go down and prepare our meal,” he said. His voice was cool and calm, but a storm was brewing in those amber eyes.
“Dec,” she began but he cut her off.
“It’s been two days, Jennifer,” he pointed out. “Two days since you had a baby. Two days since I got you back from the clutches of that mad man. Two days since we lost a dear friend.”
Jen flinched at his last reminder. She’d been trying to avoid thinking about Cynthia simply because she was already emotionally exhausted. Adding the pain of another loss to her lack of sleep and jacked-up hormones was not healthy for anyone.
“I’m aware of the day, B,” she said, trying hard not to growl and to keep her voice soft so as not to wake Thia. “But unless you want me to shrivel up and die, you can’t put me in a cage.”
“Don’t be dramatic.” He growled.
“Why not? It’s what I’m good at. You’re good at being butt heady, and you do it all the time.”
“Butt heady is not a word.”
“Not the point.”
Decebel sighed. “Just give me a week to reassure myself and my wolf that you are really here and not going anywhere.”
“Two days,” she countered.
Decebel narrowed his eyes at her. “It’s already been two days.”
“Exactly.”
“Jennifer.”
“Decebel.”
He glared at her and Jen glared right back. She was not going to back down. She understood his wolf felt protective and needed the reassurance of her presence, but that didn’t mean he could expect her to become a prisoner in her own home.
She began backing toward the door, moving slowly as she kept her eyes on him. Jen wouldn’t put it past Decebel to sit there and have a bloody staring match just to keep her in the suite. Fur butt.
When she finally made it to the door and her hand was on the knob, Decebel began to growl. It was low and guttural, and his eyes were beginning to glow as his wolf attempted to pull rank. Under normal circumstances, Jen wouldn’t have sweated having a confrontation like this with Decebel. But under normal circumstances she would have been able to turn tail and run. Today, two days after having a baby, there would be no running—maybe a fast hobble, at best. She was still very sore. Not to mention, running in a nursing bra seemed like a good way to get a black eye or knock herself out. Wouldn’t that be hilarious to share with her besties? Boob KO. That should be a thing, Jen decided.