After Chris took her back, I turned to my mates. “Have you thought of a name for them?”
“Not at all.” Blue shook his head, looking at Fred. “We figured you would be the one to give them a name, which is why we didn’t bother. You are the boss.”
“Huh?” I frowned at them. “Are you certain about that? What if you don’t like the names I have in mind?”
Though I’d thought of the babies’ names long before they arrived, I wanted them to know I wasn’t against letting them name the kids.
“We will love whatever names you come up with.” Blue smiled, his eyes crinkling at the sides. “Just tell us the names you believe will be good for them. As long as you don’t name them Tyrell and Arkyn,” he joked, chuckling when Fred shot a look at him for saying their names in the presence of others.
“It will be okay if you name them according to the witches, whose names sound similar to humans, or even the werewolves whose names sound more Irish. We don’t mind. As long as you don’t name them like Lycans. Or even vampires,” he added the last one, with a look at the baby Blue was carrying.
When he caught my gaze, he nodded. “He has the scent. The kids seemed to have chosen which species to fall on. The first smells more like Lycan. The second, like a vampire and the third, a witch. I believe their other being would be werewolves, seeing as there are hints of the smell on them.”
“Wow. This is wonderful.” I grinned. “They inherited our species.” I didn’t think it was possible. Though I’d thought of the possibilities of the kids either having all of us or none. I wouldn’t have even been surprised if they turned out to be humans.
“So, what names do you want to give them? Let’s start with the oldest.” Blue said as he gestured for Chris to walk forward. “We figured you might want to change her name, to rhyme with the others,” he explained.
“Okay, let’s see. I want her to still keep the name Chrys. So, she will be Elara Chrysanthemum Stone.”
“I love it. Elara. Her name is wonderful.” Grinning, Chris stepped back as Fred took over.
“He will be Kaius Phoenix Stone.”
“Sounds great. It’s beautiful, just like him.” Smiling, he walked back, and Blue reached forward, with his eyebrows raised.
“Elijah Orion Stone.”
“Wonderful. The name is amazing, just like this little darling. I like it.”
As he strode back and Devon came forward, I almost burst into laughter at the ritualistic they were making it seem.
“Aria Lylah Stone.”
“A beautiful name for a gorgeous witch.” Grinning, he stepped back.
“So, what do you guys think of the names? Awesome, right?” I lifted a brow, waiting for them to praise me. It took a lot of thought for me to get those names together. I wanted to hyphenate my surname and that of my mates, but I didn’t like the sound. Stone-Cold. Cold-Stone. It sounded like a name they might be bullied with should they ever go into the human world.
The room fell silent for a moment, and I could sense my mates exchanging amused glances. Then Blue spoke up, a hint of teasing in his voice. “You know, we’re impressed. We didn’t think you’d come up with names that sound so… royal.” He looked down at the baby in his arms. “I believe Lijah and the others will appreciate their names.”
“Of course.” Fred smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Honestly, the names are amazing. Elara, Kaius, Elijah, and Aria-they’re perfect for our little ones.”
….
For the next few days, I stayed in bed, with my mates doting on me. Each time the kids wanted to feed, they would bring them over to me, to breastfeed them. However, after a few days, they realized how much toll it was taking on me, and suggested getting a milkmaid, but I refused. I didn’t want my kids to be fed by someone, so we agreed to give them milk.
And that right there was how I narrowly avoided getting drained by the babies, who always latched strongly to my breast each time I fed them as if I might disappear if they didn’t hold me tight.
After two weeks, an official naming ceremony was organized. It should have been observed on the eighth day, but my mates wanted me to rest well before the ceremony, which I was thankful for.
They seemed to know how tired I was and how much strength I needed to recover from childbirth.
As they began making arrangements for the ceremony, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for my little family. We might be an unconventional bunch, but we made it work.
Knowing my kids would grow up with the most loving, supportive, and quirky family in the supernatural world made me grateful to God for making me meet them. I couldn’t even imagine a life without them, one without my family to always keep me on my toes.
The rest of the day was a blur of activity, with a few of the selected representatives from each kingdom arriving to celebrate the naming ceremony. The ritual itself was beautiful, with each of us taking turns to bless our children and welcome them to the world.
To conceal Aria’s hair, we covered it with a little cap Chris made for her, to avoid suspicion.
Da Ankora was the officiating priest. The old man smiled throughout the ceremony. It made me worry about his lips.
As we exchanged vows and promises, I gazed at my mates and our little ones, feeling my heart overflow with love. This was just the beginning of our journey together, and I couldn’t wait to see what the future holds.
I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and belonging. We might be a complicated family, but we were in this together, and that’s all that mattered.
Chrys was legally adopted that same day, so we did the naming ceremony with her, officially bringing her into the family as one of us, and vowing never to make her feel less loved than the others. She was, after all, our first daughter.
The ceremony ended with a grand feast, and our guests raised their glasses in a toast. “To Elara, Kaius, Elijah, and Aria-may their names bring them strength, courage, and joy!”