Killer Kisses (39 page)

Jethro shook his head. “Sorry. You’re on your own, son.”

Rebekkah dragged him into the bedroom.

“Charlene?”

His radiant wife sat up in bed, holding not one, but two babies in her arms. She gave Zack a wobbly smile. “Would you like to meet your boys?”

“Are they—?”

Rebekkah’s no nonsense voice cut through his fog of fear. “These are the pinkest, healthiest babies I’ve ever delivered.”

Zak touched each child’s cheek with a trembling finger. “They’re so…perfect.” He leaned down and kissed Charlene’s forehead. “Thank you. I love you.”

Tears slid down her flushed cheeks. “I love you, too. Let’s share the good news.”

Rebekkah nestled the infants in Zack’s arms and placed a metal bracelet around each one’s wrist.

Love and pride rose in Zack’s chest as he watched his wife dress. He knew she had to be exhausted after the ordeal of birthing twins, yet she put the pack’s needs ahead of own. He cuddled the sleeping boys and sniffed their heads. “They have both our scents.”

Charlene held out her arms to take a child. “Let’s show our family our beautiful babies.”

Rebekkah preceded them, opened the screen door, and stood aside. When Zack and Charlene stepped out onto the porch, Jethro stood. Silence fell and all eyes gazed upon the blanket-swathed bundles.

Zack removed the swaddling cloth and lifted the naked baby up over his head: “Behold, I give you Z’ev Jacob.” He passed the wriggling infant to Rebekkah, took the second naked squirming one from Charlene, and raised him on high. “And, I give you Joshua Zebadiah.”

The now wide-awake blue-eyed babies cried in unison, and their voices merged into an infant-sized howl. Laughter rippled through the crowd, and the pack joined the newest members in a paean of joy for the rebirth of happiness and hope in Eden.

THE END