When I got through this, first I was going to kill the sire of my cubs for getting me pregnant without my consent. Then I would hunt down and kill Kaede. Whatever it took.
Kaede was anishing frax. How dare he? Sure, he’d taken away my pain, but then just walked away, leaving me intortured arousal? I’d trusted him. Even after he’d bit me, I trusted him.
I felt like he had betrayed that trust.
Had he gotten what he wanted, so now he no longer felt he needed to be here for me? Job’s done, my time is my own again...
I growled. Had it all been an act? All his offers of friendship, the vulnerability he’d shown me when we were alone...
We were arriving at CEG HQ later in the day. Was he realizing he could pass me off to his client without looking back? Wasthisthe real Kaede?
I hissed. All the questions with so few answers were driving me crazy. Though I supposed this was a better distraction than lying here, unable to move, stewing in my arousal. At least the anger took the edge off.
Why did Kaede look like a human? His body was all human male, aside from the cetacean genitalia that was similar to the Circuli. His head and horns were clearly not human, and I realized his snake-like eyes should have been a warning to me about the function of his fangs. I hadn’t even considered it because I liked the way they framed his thin black mouth.
The reality was, Kaede was gorgeous under all that armor he wore. And there was something that attracted me to him outside of his looks. An instinctual attraction. So, I hadn’t ever seriously considered him a danger to me.
Now I knew better.
I wasn’t going to allow Kaede to try and seduce me with promises again. Unless he demonstrated he could be trusted, I would keep him at arm’s length. I was tired of allowing his words to lull me into trusting him, then his actions belying those words. He was secretive and contradictory. Is that why he always seemed guilty and surprised when I wasn’t afraid of him? Perhaps I should be. For my future and the future of myclan, I needed to be. I couldn’t afford to fall for a male who lived in the shadows.
By midday, the arousal began to cool, and I was able to make small movements and speak once more. The pain was creeping back, but it was manageable. The contractions were coming almost continuously now, and Xylo said I was finally dilating.
A massive buildup of pressure between my legs brought an end to my stewing.
“Xylo. It’s time.”
His eyes met mine.
The room went into a frenzy.
Xylo jumped into the bathtub and stood between my legs as Odelm started rubbing my shoulders. “What is happening? Tell me what you are experiencing.”
I opened my mouth to reply as I felt a pop and a sudden need to push. “Based on what you told me about delivery, I believe my water just broke,” I grunted.
I felt another contraction start. It wasn’t painful, but I could feel the downward pressure along my pelvic area.
I felt him put his hand between my legs to check my progress. He leaned over for a closer look.
“I believe you are dilated enough to start pushing now. On your next contraction, push as hard as you can.” His deep voice was laced with excitement, though I could tell he was trying to remain calm and professional.
“It is time, nestbrother?” Odelm beamed.
Xylo glanced up at both Odelm and me with a smile on his face. “Yes. We will soon be fathers.”
The contraction subsided, but the pressure remained.
“Okay. I’m ready Xylo,” I breathed out.
Xylo looked to the other healers. “Grab towels and givethem to the princes. They can take the cubs as they are delivered and hand them off for inspection.”
I could feel another contraction about to start.
“Xylo! Now!”
I closed my eyes as I felt it hit. I grunted, took in a deep breath, and bore down with all my might.
Odelm held my legs open with his tentacles, whispering reassurances in my ear as I continued to push through the contraction.
