Len returned cradling an armful of dandelion flowers, and Hugo was with him. They watched the scene with amusement.
“Why, Uncle Morgan?” Lupa demanded bluntly.
I realized that, even after all the pack’s celebration, the twins might not have fully understood what was going on. The concept of pregnancy sounded abstract to kids their age and seeing my belly grow bigger must have been the first time it became tangible in their eyes.
I glanced to Len, who might want to explain it to his own daughter, but he smiled at me to go ahead. I deeply appreciated his trust in me. It was nice to have an omega friend.
“Well, because there’s a baby inside me,” I explained.
Lupa gasped. “You ate a baby?”
“No.” I chuckled. “I’mmakinga baby.”
“Whoa.” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and awe. “How?”
That one stumped me. “Er…”
“It’s natural magic,” Dax said. “Like how you can transform between a wolf and a human.”
“Oh,” Lupa said, nodding. That was apparently all it took for her to understand because she said, “Okay!”
“Baby,” Leveret murmured in his small voice. He’d always been shyer about speaking than his sister, so I was glad to hear him interested.
“Do you want to touch?” I asked.
They both nodded.
“Be gentle, okay?” Len told his kids. “Morgan’s baby isn’t big enough to come out yet, so you have to be extra nice.”
Leveret nodded again and Lupa said seriously, “I will, daddy.”
With great care, the twins reached out to place their palms on my belly. They took Len’s advice about being gentle to heart and moved almost in slow-motion.
“Where?” Lupa asked with a curious frown.
“You won’t feel the baby yet,” Dax told her patiently.
“Why?”
Dax smiled. “You’ve seen a turtle, right, Lupa?”
“Uh huh.”
“The baby is like that turtle, but instead of hiding in a shell, it’s hiding inside Morgan because it’s not ready to come out yet.”
The twins beamed with joy, apparently liking that explanation.
Leveret suddenly gasped. “Ah!”
I felt it at the same time he did. A rush of excitement hit me.
“What?” Dax asked.
Leveret withdrew his hand, gazing at my belly with a mix of confusion and curiosity. It seemed like he wanted to feel it again but was too shy.
“The baby kicked,” I said breathlessly. I took Dax’s hand and put it on my body, hoping the baby would move again.
“Oh my gosh,” Len cried with excitement. “Leveret, you were so lucky to feel that!”
