“How are you, Morgan?” he asked.
“I won’t lie, I’ve been better.”
Hugo nodded. “Whatever we can do to help, just tell us.”
“How… does Len… run so fast,” Sage got out in between heavy breaths.
“Because he’s a hare,” Hugo said proudly.
Dax spoke up. “I’m guessing Remington is at home with the twins?”
“Yeah,” Len said. “They were sleeping and we didn’t want to wake them. Besides, Red told us you two were, erm, not decent. So we decided it was best if they stayed at the grove.”
My face flushed. “Sorry.”
Len winked. “Don’t be sorry. I know how it is.”
“Wait,” Dax said. “Did that fox seriously run all the way to tell you about Morgan going into labor?”
“I was surprised too,” Hugo admitted. “But he seemed pretty shaken about it. As much as I hate to give him credit,” he added below his breath.
“He’s not that bad, you guys,” Len argued. “He’s helped us a few times now.”
“I don’t trust him,” Dax and Hugo said simultaneously.
“Well, he told us about Morgan, right?” Sage piped up. “Which is good. ‘Cause otherwise we wouldn’t know he was giving birth in the middle of a random field.”
The alpha wolf brothers both grumbled silently. They didn’t particularly resemble each other, but in that moment they looked so alike that I had to laugh.
“Maybe we should give him a chance?” Len suggested.
“A chance to what?” Dax growled. “Get in with the pack and stab us later? No thanks.”
I grabbed my mate’s wrist firmly. “Dax, can this be a problem we discuss later? When I am not trying to propel a baby out of my body?”
Dax blushed and stroked my arm. “Yes. Sorry, my love. How are your cramps?”
“Not unbearable,” I admitted. “But I’d like to try Len’s suggestion.”
They gave me room to shift and I let the ancient primal magic flow over me until my buck form stood powerfully on the grass. Though I’d adjusted to the growth of my baby over the span of my pregnancy, my body felt heavier than usual. Or maybe I was just weakened by the painful contractions.
Dax and Len supported my shoulders as I eased myself to the ground. My body seemed to move on its own, knowing exactly what to do, which was good because I had no gods-damned idea. The baby wasn’t coming just yet so I didn’t need to be standing upright. The pain ebbed and flowed, getting worse with each wave. I groaned.
“I’m here, Morgan,” Dax murmured. “We’re all here for you.”
I exhaled a snort through my nostrils. “This is already harder than I thought it would be…”
“You can get through this,” Len encouraged.
“It’ll be over before you know it,” Hugo told me.
“You can do it, Morgan!” Sage said.
A sudden wave of emotion slammed into me. Their unwavering support brought tears to my eyes as I pushed through the next contraction. This was what I’d been missing my whole life and now I finally had it. I never wanted to lose my place in the pack with all these wonderful people—and most of all, my mate.
An awful pain made me cry out loudly, my buck’s voice echoing in the dark. My muscles tensed and I pushed hard. I repeatedly dug my front hoof into the dirt just to dosomething. I felt Dax’s soothing hand stroking my shoulder and heard his soothing voice murmuring words of encouragement. This would have been impossible without him here.
A sudden gasp from Len made me open my eyes. “Morgan, I see the baby’s head!”
