I took a quick shower, and, just like he said, we were on our way.
It was the longest trip ever to get greasy, salty goodness. But, as we walked inside Animals for the first time in months, it was like coming home. They might not have ever been my real pack, but tell that to my beast.
In so many ways, they were more a pack than my birth pack ever would be. This was only highlighted by the last few phone calls I’d had with my father. He claimed to be happy about the baby and the mating, but didn’t once ask about either when I called, instead going on about the transition plan he had for taking over. I’d been so hopeful when we did the big family video call, but to him, life was all about becoming alpha. I was happy for him, but equally happy I wasn’t there to witness it firsthand.
Everyone at Animals rushed over, asking how the baby was doing and wanting hugs and conversation. I was having none of it. Fries first. All else could and would wait.
“Hold that thought,” I said, and waddled my way to the kitchen. I dropped a huge basket of fries, letting them cook just a tad longer than we would for customers, keeping them crispy exactly the way I like them. I salted them up and then brought them out to join everyone. “Okay, now you can talk.”
I ate that entire basket and made two more before I no longer wanted any more fries. As I sat there talking to my old friends and coworkers, I realized this craving probably hadn’t been about the fries at all. My wolf was going through the same hormonal fun that I was with us being pregnant, and he was missing his people. It said a lot that it was this place and these people over my birth pack he was missing.
We had a great time and were sad to leave a couple of days later. Driving back, Seth, Indy, and I all agreed that we’d come back to Animals every few months for the fries and to be surrounded by the people who gave me the new start in life I needed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Seth
The months had flown. Between settling into the cabin while our home was being built and getting used to our new roles in both herd and shimmer and everything involved in getting ready for the baby, the days on the calendar disappeared. Before I’d gone to San Diego, I had thought I was doing a lot around the shimmer, but with both my fathers and Indy’s planning to retire, we were taking on more and more of the day-to-day work. Sometimes together and others separate. Bram also would have responsibilities as pack royalty, but with his advanced pregnancy, most of that could wait.
The herd healer checked him often as his time drew near…and passed. Although mixed shifter matings were not 100 percent predictable, at his most recent examination, she told us he should probably have given birth two weeks earlier. No worries yet, but if it went another couple of weeks, we might have to discuss doing something about it.
“Like what?” Bram stood with hands on hips in an unfamiliar display of belligerence.
“A number of things. We can try induction in various ways or even a C-section if it seems necessary.” She said it with such calm, but our omega did not take it that way.
“I refuse any of that. I will bring this baby into the world completely naturally. No pain meds, no induction drugs, no nothing.” He glared at her then at us. “And I’m not hearing it from either of you.”
“Well, there’s no need to get upset now. You have time and there are things you can do at home to help labor start,” she soothed. “Like taking daily walks, or some say spicy foods help…Any omega can give you advice. Or sex. Orgasm has been known to start labor for a number of my patients.”
“Okay, I will do whatever I have to. See you next week, Healer. Come on, alphas. We have a baby to get out of me before I explode or have to have unpleasant medical procedures.”
Indy and I looked at each other. At the start of the pregnancy, our omega had been voracious, but in the last few weeks, his desire had tapered off. He was so big and uncomfortable, we understood why he wouldn’t want to have sex. And we’d abstained from having it with one another too. But as he stomped out of the healer’s office, I had a feeling we’d be having some afternoon delight in just a little while.
And we would have…if we’d made it all the way to the car and home before his water broke.
I wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed that we weren’t going to get to be intimate together or relieved that the baby was coming. As a good alpha, I should go with relieved, I knew. But pregnant Bram was very sexy. And once he gave birth, we wouldn’t be able to be intimate for several weeks.
Still…relieved. Because I didn’t want him to feel so bloated and achy any longer or certainly not go through a C-section or induction. Not ever. Pivoting, we marched back inside the office and into the birthing center at the back.
A nurse checked us in and got our omega settled, telling us not to upset our omega and to be sure to wash our hands. She went for the healer who came in laughing. “Missed me already? Let’s take a look and see how you’re doing.”
He was not fully dilated but had been partially when she checked him earlier and had made progress on that already “Well, looks like we’re going to have a baby today. On a serious note, I am glad you went into labor naturally. It’s easier on you and the baby. Would you like pain meds? I know you said no before, but you don’t have a lot of time to change your mind.”
“Nothing. Maybe some water?”
Despite the progress he’d made, the afternoon passed and early evening before he was ready to push. I took his hand. “You’re a hero, omega.” It had been so hard to watch him go through all the pain and be unable to make it better.
Indy stroked his other hand and gave him a soft kiss. “Squeeze hard if you need to.”
“Okay, Bram, on the next contraction push as hard as you can. Your baby is ready to meet their daddies.”
That made it sound so real. I wanted to say we weren’t ready. That we hadn’t taken enough classes in baby care to be trusted with a whole person, but one look at my mates and I knew they had this. And me too. Together, we’d made a loving family and we’d be able to do whatever was needed in order to take care of each other.
“One more push, Bram.”
He let out a grunt and squeezed our hands tight.
And then the healer held up a little body covered in blood and other fluids. The baby’s first cry was primal, and Bram released our hands and held out grabby fingers.
