The Dark Riders (Derek Hale Love Story) #8

Epilogue: Stronger Together.

Standing in front of the kitchen sink, I rinsed and dried the remaining dishes inside as I heard the front door close and echo inside the house.

"Hey, your home," I told Derek as he sat his holster on the counter near the door frame.

"Yeah, how was work last night? I didn't hear you come in." Derek said as he rested his back on the island counter.

"Good, I had a trauma patient come in after my shift was over, so I stayed a while until the night shift came in," I said, drying off my hands.

Hanging the towel in the kitchen sink, I turned to see Derek staring down at my growing stomach.

"Is she or he moving?" He asked as he placed his hand on me.

"You're touching their butt," I said, moving his hand higher to where their head was at.

"That's the head."

Standing up straighter, he stood in front of me as he smiled down.

"I have a surprise for you..." I whispered.

"They're not twins, are they?" He asked bluntly.

"Um, no...Look."

Grabbing a folded up scan from inside my lab coat, I hand it over to him.

"What is this?"

"Look at it, Derek," I whispered.

Bringing the scan closer to his face, he starts counting aloud until he gazes back up at me.

"I only counted 10..."

"Exactly..." I sighed.

"...Wait...it's...it's a girl?"

Nodding my head shyly, he runs over to me, swinging me around in his arms.

"Oh my, God! We're having a girl!" He yelled, still carrying me.

"We're having a girl..." I laughed, holding onto his shoulders.

Hearing the back door open, I heard several footsteps heading into the kitchen form the mudroom.

"What's going on?" Scott asked as he held a soccer ball in his hands.

"It's a girl!" Derek yelled, holding me in his arms.

"What? That's amazing!" He said, embracing us.

"Mama!" I heard Sebastian yell as he ran into the kitchen with a smile on his face.

"Oh, my boy," I said, bending down to give him a hug.

"What did you do outside with Uncle Scott?" I asked him.

"He played soccer, we ran through the trees, and we played hide-and-seek." He blurted out, as he widened his green eyes.

"Well, that sounds amazing. Why don't you go and wash your hands, and I'll make you something to eat, huh?"

"Okay!"

Letting him run out of my arms, I turn back to Scott and Derek, who was still looking at the scan.

"Still?" I asked.

"I'm making sure we don't get another boy, you remember the last time we found out we were pregnant with Sebastian," Derek whispered.

"What happened?" Scott asked.

"I couldn't sleep because Sebastian wouldn't stop kicking me...or Derek."

"I made a wild guess he'd turn out to love soccer."

"Huh...what a coincidence," Scott said sarcastically.