The Dragon's Pursuit (Lochguard Highland Dragons 7)

Grant sighed and muttered something Chase didn't hear. Ignoring his brother, he took Isla's tiny hand and whispered, "Don't worry about your dad. He pretends to be serious all the time, but he has a fun side, too. I'll teach you how to bring it out, as well as how to annoy him as much as possible. It'll be great fun, you'll see, Isla."

She moved her mouth, and even though it was probably nothing to do with his words, Chase took it as a sign that she was on board for his plans.

When he finally stepped aside to allow another family member some time with the bairn, Chase glanced to the door. He only hoped everything was going well with Yasmin's labor and birth. He couldn't bear to think of Layla losing her sister only after just finding her.

No. He wouldn't think those kinds of thoughts right now and ruin the atmosphere in the room. So he fawned over his niece for a bit longer before leaving to get things set up inside Layla's cottage. He'd have to be prepared for one of two outcomes—one happy and one devasting—but he'd be ready for either one.

Chapter Sixteen

Layla was no stranger to long work hours. However, she'd nearly lost Faye MacKenzie earlier in the day, and now her sister was in the tenth hour of labor, too.

Dr. Sid had helped with Faye, but the female doctor now had to take care of an emergency with one of the children. Even the junior doctor was busy, trying to help Aimee King at Cat MacAllister's place.

Which meant Layla would have to draw on every bit of strength she had left to treat her sister's delivery as routine.

Logan had volunteered to help with the delivery and had given her little chance to say no.

So he currently finished setting up the new arrival station, where he'd check out the bairn and ensure he or she was braw and healthy.

Yasmin collapsed at the end of a contraction, and Layla checked to see how dilated Yasmin was. Once done, she stood. "Right, this next time, you're going to push."

"I can't," Yasmin whispered. "I'm so tired."

Considering her sister hadn't been in labor for an overly long period of time—sometimes it could take more than a day for the first bairn to come—it wasn't a good sign and meant Yasmin was still weak from living on the run for so long.

Not allowing fear to creep in, Layla moved up to near her sister's head and stated, "You can do this, Yas. Your wee one is anxious to come out and meet you. All you need is to be strong for a little while longer, and then you can let everyone else spoil you and the bairn for weeks, months even."

Yasmin smiled weakly. "By you?"

Layla snorted. "A wee bit. But through a complicated tangle of matings—including my own, once I get to it—the MacKenzies will claim you, too. And seeing as Faye MacKenzie's daughter was born the same day, I'm sure they'll take it as a sign to be extra special to your son or daughter."

Phillip wiped Yasmin's brow and then kissed it. "You can do it, love. You're one of the strongest people I know. Who else could've survived roughing it for five years and never being

caught? Only the cleverest, that's who."

Yasmin frowned. "You're making me out to be more than I am, Phillip. You know full well how much I complained."

"Aye, you did. And yet, you carried on." He continued to stroke Yasmin's brow. "I'm the luckiest male alive, and I'll never forget it, Yasmin. So let's start the next chapter of our lives right here, back on Lochguard. We're home."

"Home," Yasmin murmured right before she sucked in a breath and added, "Another one's coming."

Layla moved back between her sister's legs. "Push, Yas, with everything you have."

She watched her sister's face, in case she had to encourage her more. But Yasmin grunted and tried pushing. As the head became visible, her sister cried out. Since everything looked normal, Layla focused on the bairn. At the sight of the tiny head of her niece or nephew, a crack appeared through the wall between doctor and regular female.

She was about to be an aunt. Well, for the second time in a day.

Her dragon lifted her head from where she'd been snoozing. Get it together. You can be the auntie later.

Right. Layla coaxed Yasmin through the next contraction. After a fair bit of grunting, screaming, and pushing, Yasmin managed to get her wee lad out. Layla grinned, stood, and held him up. "You have a son."

Yasmin promptly started crying.

Phillip shot her an encouraging look. "She always said it'd be a boy. She's happy, I promise."

More than aware of how emotional a birth could be, Layla nodded and focused on her nephew. Once the umbilical cord was cut, she wrapped him in a blanket and cuddled him in her arms. "Hello, lad. I'm your auntie," she whispered before settling him in Yasmin's arms.

"He's so beautiful," Yasmin murmured before kissing the bairn's forehead.