"Are you in pain? How do you feel?" he asked.
I blew out a breath. A cramp simmered in my lower belly but it wasn't agonizing. "I'm okay for now. Do you have the—"
I was going to say 'birth kit' but Karl was way ahead of me. He'd already run into the bedroom. Since it was evening, he'd shifted into his true form and the sound of his hooves thudded against the floor. They wentclop-clop-clopas he skidded back to the living room, bag in hand.
"Got it," Karl said breathlessly. He sat next to me on the couch and rubbed my back. "Anything you need, just tell me and I'm on it."
I chuckled. "Thanks, Karl. But I really am okay. I kind of just want to watch my movie."
He quirked a brow, glancing between me and the TV screen. His shoulders slowly relaxed. "If that's what you want... But at least let me keep massaging you."
I let out a soft sound of confirmation as Karl rubbed my shoulders and sore back. Within the next few scenes, my pain worsened. The cramps got stronger and closer together. I steadied my breathing like everyone said to do. It helped to focus on it.
Karl clicked his tongue. "My poor omega... I wish I could share the pain with you."
"Too bad Krampus cum isn't magical," I teased.
Karl grinned. He looked relieved that I felt decent enough to joke around.
When it was time to push, I knew it instinctively. Karl was prepared. He carefully converted the couch to futon mode, making it a wide bed for me. He propped my head up on a downy pillow—the pillowcase was even Christmas themed, because he knew me so well—and put all the necessary items close by.
Some omegas felt nervous during births. But I didn't. I had a good feeling about this. With my alpha mate by my side, so caring and well-prepared, I knew I was in good hands... and hooves.
"Squeeze me if you need to," Karl said, offering me his hand as the contractions seized me.
I shut my eyes, breathing out hard. I took Karl's offer. His large, warm hand was nice to hold, even if Iwassqueezing it half to death.
Time flowed as if I was in another dimension. I groaned and pushed for what felt like a long time, but when I glanced at the clock, only five minutes had gone by.
But I wasn't alone. Karl got me through it.
And, to be honest, watchingA Very Alpha Christmasin the background did, too.
Karl periodically checked my lower half to excitedly relay my progress. After my face was coated in sweat and Karl was close to having one less hand, he leaned over to glance between my thighs.
He gasped. "Angelo! I see the head!"
My heart leapt with joy, like a kid jumping into a snowbank. Our baby was coming! Knowing my effort was paying off, it flooded me with determination. I groaned loudly as I pushed with all my might, ignoring the cramps battling my guts. All of this would be worth it when our child came into the world.
Through the haze of excitement and pain, I noticed a familiar scene from the corner of my eye. The omega inA Very Alpha Christmaswas in the delivery room. He was giving birth, too. Maybe the hormones turned me silly, but it felt like a touching moment of solidarity.
"There's hair," Karl cried. "The sweetest blond head I've ever seen!"
Blond... Our baby was blond, like me.
I wanted to see their face.
A cry came out of me as I funneled all my strength into pushing. Karl nodded frantically, nearly shouting his words of encouragement over the volume of my groans.
"You're doing amazing, Angelo! You're so close, just a little more!"
My eyes clenched shut. An image suddenly came to me out of nowhere. It was the picturesque scene of me, Karl and our baby on Christmas morning. Snow floated down in thick white flakes as our child rushed to the tree, shrieking with excitement, excited to see what Santa brought. Karl was dressed in his Santa outfit, ready to play the part. He'd sneak out with gifts in hand, surprising our little one and making their Christmas perfect.
"Angelo. Angelo!" Karl's emotion-thick voice called out to me.
I shook off the scene. It felt so real that it took me a moment to clear my thoughts and come back to reality.
"Wha...? What happened?" I asked, like I'd woken from a dream.
