Little Red (Twisted Dark, #4)

Chapter Fifteen: New Life

I paced back and forth again and again. I was fairly positive I had worn a strip into the floor. The bedroom door was partially closed and I had gotten the two witches whatever they needed but after a while they simply shoved me out the door and told me to stay the fuck out. It had been hard, Violet was my clan-sister, my twin's breeder, it was my duty to protect her and take care of her when Jaxton was not able to.

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My Instinct crawled around my gut, causing it to cramp up enough that I grimaced. I could hear Violet making pained sounds and Red was giving her rather counterproductive comfort by snapping out that everything was okay and that she just needed to 'fucking breathe'. I wanted to push inside the room but I didn't want to taunt the wrath of that other witch. She had not been a friendly one. I used what I had to force her to help. I wasn't going to repent or regret using Red like that, the other witchling listened and she was helping, that was my goal. I wouldn't regret getting her there.

There was a wail of a baby and I froze at the sound, relief nearly having me hit my knees but I stood on legs that felt far too wobbly and far too weak. I moved to the bedroom quickly and went to come in when the rather aggressive witch glanced over her shoulder from her position behind Violet, her eyes flashing. "What did we say? Stay the fuck out, dog!" She tossed her head and the door slammed in my face, her magick cracking like a whip against the wood.

Agitation rose up inside me as the baby continued to cry and I returned to pacing, not sure what to do as I heard the cries of my newest family member. I couldn't pull myself from the door, I paced in front of it, straining to hear. "Look at your baby, Violet. Weird little fucker. Looks like a troll." At Red's voice I grimaced, of course she would be able to turn such a moment into something like that. I wanted to come in and reassure Violet that her baby was more than likely perfectly fine.

"What the fuck?" The question was barked out and then I could feel panic increasing in the room locked away behind the door. "What the fuck?" The Miranda witch's voice pitched upwards in sheer panic and I felt it scrape along my bones. My Instinct rising up, needing me to act, to do something, to see what was wrong.

"What the hell, Violet? Shit!" The words came out in a shout before there was a yelp. "We need towels! More towels!" Red's voice pitched upwards with panic too and I scrambled for the small linen cupboard that Jaxton had made for Violet and I yanked out towels. I ran back to the door and pushed it open but had the towels taken from me and I was promptly shoved right back out, the door shutting in my face.

I wanted to argue, to rail against the unspoken order. I needed to take care of my clan-sister, I needed to ensure she was alright and being taken care of. I didn't exactly trust the second witch that was there. She made it clear she hated Violet and having her around when Violet was that vulnerable but the other witch said she couldn't do anymore, that she was tapped out. Whatever that meant to witches. I didn't know. I returned to my pacing, wondering what the hell was going on as there was more shouting and I could hear frantic movements before a still silence fell. It felt thick and I froze, unsure of what was going on or what was happening as my heart beat harshly in my chest. I could feel the pounding through my entire body as the silence continued before there was a faint murmur as if conversation had resumed.

I waited, refusing to move, needing to know what was going on. The door cracked open and the more violent witch muttered at me that I could come in. I quickly pushed inside and Violet was sitting in the bed, a baby resting in her arms as she sniffled, she was crying as she held the little bundle, touching it's little fingers. "He does look like a little troll." She gave a sort of tearful laugh that shook with relief and I smiled, my shoulders slumping.

"A wee male?" I came in and Violet glanced at me before nodding. I went to take another step when Red came over and pressed another bundle to my chest.

"Hold her, I need to help clean." She muttered it out and I froze, holding the squirming bundle before I realized it was another baby.

"Twins?" It came out in a squawk and Violet gave another tearful chuckle.

"Yah." It croaked out of her and she looked at me, her eyes filled with tears.

"Boy was breech, tore her sister's placenta, and held everything up. Had to get him flipped." The other red haired witch was yanking bloody towels and bedding around, her face pinched slightly, her face looking slightly pale as if she were tired.

"A female?" I took a closer look at the squirming bundle I was holding and blinked rapidly as I shifted the towel. It was definitely a female and I grinned. "A female!" It was a blessed sight, I knew Jaxton would be over the moon. Not just twins, which was a blessing in itself, but to have one be a coveted and wanted female? That was a blessing that was not seen much for werewolves. "You gave Jax a female an' twins. Oh he's gunna spoil ye rotten." I gently jostled the little girl as she started to make noise that warned she wanted to cry.

"One can hope she rots right through." The other red head snarked it out and I watched as Red stopped, giving a slow and long exhale, I watched her as she turned around. My Instinct rose up at the sight of her, her pallor was grey, she had dark smudges underneath her eyes, and her hair was hanging lank around her head from where it had escaped her braid. She looked fucking rough. Rough enough even my Instinct was concerned for her.

"Bam, and I mean this with all sincerity, shut the fuck up." It came out of her clipped with a heavy edge that almost felt like a borderline snarl. "I'm too fucking exhausted to deal with your attitude about this right now. I'm done, Miranda." At the emphasis on the name the other witch looked like she had gotten slapped. "You're acting childish. I can't believe someone who claims to love kids as much as you do, would stand there and tell me you would have preferred those two babies to die rather than have your pride suffer a little discomfort." She shook her head as the other witch looked like she wanted to say something but she lifted her hand. "I don't want to hear it."

With that she moved around the bed before coming to Violet's side. She ignored me completely as she sat on the bed. "What you're gunna do, is get in contact with my mama, Aunty Cate to you. She can answer any questions you might have about everything." She grimaced as she lifted her hand, her magick swirling around it, it flickered in and out and she touched Violet with it. "Here's how you can reach her." The magic entered Violet and her eyes slowly filled with understanding. Red's hand landed in her lap with a faint thump, as if she hadn't the strength to continue holding it up. "I need to go home." It came out of her almost slurred as she got to shaking legs. She staggered and I wanted to catch her but the other witch was there quickly.

Red's legs gave out and the Miranda witch cursed slightly as she caught her. "For fuck's sake, Red. Don't let yourself get like this next time." She muttered it out before the two of them simply disappeared into a rip that the witch had called up.

"I have a family, Lyxton." Violet said it softly as she gently bounced her son. "I can meet my blood." She gave me a wet looking smile and I carried her little female over to her, letting her take the tiny female from my arms.

"Aye, you have." She did and I was happy for her. Perhaps things were going better now, perhaps things would go smoothly for once. Even if it were as simple as Violet getting to know her clan. She deserved it. I looked at her as she held both her babies close, holding them tight.

There was nothing like new beginnings and new life.