Saint Ives - Whelan Chronicles : Christopher Saint Ives – Whelan.
Chapter Thirteen : Friends and Family.
Sshhh, it's ok, just relax, Chris told Mia when he saw her perking up her ears. The pack is almost here.
I know I shouldn’t be, but I'm feeling nervous all of a sudden, she replied, trying to just get that little bit closer to Chris.
Lovingly Chris licked her muzzle, trying to ease her anxiousness. Sweetie, you swept me off my feet, if you can accomplish that, then the rest of the pack is a walk in the park.
Mia snorted in disagreement.
Just you wait and see, mark my words. Chris could understand her anxiety but knew she didn’t have to worry. He sent warmth and comfort through their bond hoping it would help her relax.
Putting his head over her neck he gently pushed her down, indicating she could go back to resting. It would take a while longer before the pack arrived.
Sometime later he saw a sleek white wolf emerge from the bushes lining the forest around the lake, followed by a huge black wolf he knew was his eldest brother Nick. Knowing the Alpha always ran first he could only assume the white wolf had to be Fran, his brother’s newly turned mate.
His eyes traveled over her, knowing how rare it was to see a white wolf, let alone a turned human being one. He would have snickered if he were in human form. Only Nick would have the luck to find one of the most rare wolf types around. Chris watched as the two skidded to a stop and were obviously talking mentally to each other.
He saw Nick nudge Fran forward into their direction. <i>Relaxation time is over, </i> he thought to himself. Nudging Mia gently, he wanted her to stand up and properly meet Nick as Alpha and her friend Fran as her new Alpha Madam.
Do I really have to shift? Mia whined through their connection.
I understand your reluctance, sweetie, but you have to do this. Not only out of respect to your new Alpha, but also out of respect for Fran. In her case not just because she's now our Madam, but she's your friend as well. Everything that posed an issue has been taken care of. You're done hiding, it's time to step up and claim your place in our pack. Somehow he didn't like feeling he had to lecture her in what she should be doing. She was usually so sassy but now she was shy and hesitant. Giving her another loving push he told her once more, Go on, it's time.
Turned halfway towards Chris, Mia told her wolf to retreat and a second later she stood in front of them. Normally her nudity wouldn't really bother her, it was natural for a were. But being like this in front of her friend made her shy, something she wasn't used to feeling much.
"Mia? Is that you," she heard Fran whisper.
Turning a little bit more towards Fran, Mia realized Fran had a good look at the butterfly tattoo on her hip. One she practically forced Fran to come with her for her moral support.
"Yes, it's me," Mia replied shyly.
The black wolf with Fran dropped a bunch of towels between them, then moved back. He rubbed himself gently against Fran's legs. One could tell those two were communicating. It showed the two black wolves were brothers because she saw Nick nudging Fran in the same way Chris had done with her. Fran took a few steps her way then reached out her hand.
Together they walked away after securing the towels around them and settled in a quiet spot next to the lake. They had their mates in their view and that was all either needed right now.
Both stayed silent, neither sure how to start this conversation.
After a few minutes both of them talked at the same time. "So werewolves?" and both burst out in laughter, breaking the uneasy silence.
Fran spoke first after their outburst died down.
"So one has gotten his paws on you as well?" Fran asked amusedly.
"It seems so, who would have thought that we would be snatched off the singles market so fast?" Mia replied with as much amusement as her dear friend.
"I couldn't believe it at first. First Nick asked if I believed in stuff like this. Or people like Merlin," Fran told her. She didn't notice Mia freezing next to her when she mentioned Merlin. "Turns out Nick even knows him and has him on speed dial. It's when he changed in front of me it really sank in this wasn’t all a hoax or anything. Part of me still has a hard time believing all this," she continued, spreading her arms widely, pointing towards the woods where now the rest of the pack had emerged.
"How did he tell you?" Fran then asked.
Mia wasn't sure how to reply to this. Thinking about Chris' words she knew there was only one way to answer and that was truthfully.
"He didn't have to tell me. I always knew what he was. I even knew about Nick that first day," she confessed.
Fran looked surprised. "How is that possible? And why didn't you warn me?"
"I'm a born werewolf, Fran. I can sense them a mile away if need be. And about not warning you, Nick has that Alpha aura around him and once he was introduced I knew you would be fine. The Whelans are legendary, they're one of the few packs that run things fair and with as little violence as possible. But don't let that fool you, they are fierce fighters too.
"Nick is also the Alpha Alpha of this part of the world. He's got quite a reputation. I'm wondering who of us got the better catch, you or me." Mia smiled as she went over everything she knew about the Whelans. "Think I'm happy with my own wolf."
"How come you never told me? We were always so close. You're the sister I never had," Fran questioned Mia.
"There is more to it than just being a were, at least in my case. If I were just 'a' were I might have told you at some point, but I'm not. Telling you would have put you in danger and that was the last thing I would have wanted for you. I hope you understand."
"So what changed things?"
"Finding Chris for starters and my wolf having a mind of its own for a change," Mia laughed as she said this.
"Come on, don't keep me hanging here. Spill! Dish the dirt!" Fran urged Mia on.
"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses. The reason why I, and my parents, were cautious about living in the 'public eye' is because of who my parents are. I'm not going to bore you with all the history now, we can do that later with a good cup of coffee. My father is Richard McLachlan, he was banished from his own pack by his father the Alpha. When my mom found him there wasn't much life left in him.
"She knew right away what he was. You see my mom is even more special, she's a few centuries old. She's an Ancient. I guess you could compare them to what you would call a druid, but with unlimited power. There is almost nothing they can't do."
"Them?" Fran jumped in with her one worded question.
"There are some Ancients left, but personally I only know two, my mom and her father, Merlin."
Fran squealed at that last little revelation.
"Merlin as in Merlin Merlin? No way, you're kidding right?"
"Nope, I'm not kidding. The one and only Merlin is my grandfather. Though I admit, I didn't know that until I met Chris. You see my mother was living on her own in a secluded area. When she nursed my father back to health she picked up on his behavior and she felt the mating pull as well. When he told her why he ended up in the state she had found him they agreed to stay hidden.
"Mom being an Ancient, she took over the wolf gene when they mated but she kept all of her Ancient powers as well. That is rare on its own. She knew how to mask her added scent and what she turned into. After a lot of practice my Da learned to do the same thing. This helped them to live a somewhat normal live. It took ages for them to conceive but when I was born they doted on my every whim.
"It's when my mom found out I could do a few things too we really went into hiding. Every five years we'd move town, making sure there wasn't any trail left of us. When we got together at the university I dreaded saying goodbye. Oddly enough my mom decided to stay, so I accepted the offer to work for your dad."
All this time Fran was listening intently, soaking up each and every detail. Her world had been turned upside down with meeting Nick and now it was shaken again with everything Mia was telling her.
"All this time and I never once suspected anything," Fran shook her head in disbelief.
"I know, but believe me it was for the best you didn't know, at least not back then. Everything is sorted now and mom and Da don't have to hide anymore. You'll hear about it soon enough, but for now I prefer just to enjoy being here. I'm finally home and I still have you." Mia turned and hugged Fran.
Taking a sniff, she smiled. "You have a wonderful scent, Madam."
"What's with the Madam thing? I noticed a few others calling me that as well."
"Sweetie, you're the Alpha's mate. Top dog. Hence that position making you Alpha Madam. Most address Nick with Alpha and they'll address you with Madam. It's how the ranks work. It shows their respect towards you. You kinda have to tell them straight out if you want someone addressing you by your name," Mia explained.
"I see. Well, Mia, just stick with Fran, ok? That way I'll keep a bit of normalcy in this crazy world I‘ve stumbled upon."
"You got that right, I would have nagged you endlessly," Mia teased her friend.
"So what are your plans now? Being the Madam will take up some if not most of your time," Mia asked next.
"Funny you ask. You know the interview I had and we were out celebrating for? Guess how surprised I was when my 'boss' walked in that Monday morning."
"Oh go on, now you're keeping me in suspense here!"
"It was Nick. Nick is THE Dominic Saint Ives – Whelan we're all swooning over. I could still slap myself that I didn't make the connection. Actually since then he hasn't really been going to work. We spend every second together and here I am today, a newly turned wolf and Madam to boot. Any more surprises and I'm going to scream I think," Fran added in a fun tone.
"Start screaming then, auntie Fran," Mia grinned as she revealed her tiny secret.
Fran gave Mia a puzzled look. "Auntie?" she asked next. "Who's having a baby then? I know it isn't Bron, nor Lis. That only leaves you." Fran's eyes widened as it dawned on her and then she let out a high screech as she pulled Mia in for a tight hug. "Ooooh I'm so happy for you. You were so bad at hiding the fact you simply adore kids. You sure move fast, lady."
Fran loosened her hold on Mia.
"I know I could have waited, but I don't know why, but it felt right. He's special already," she said lovingly, her hand caressing her tummy.
"You already know what it's going to be? And how many?" Fran asked.
"Yeah, remember my mother," Mia winked as she went on. "She checked for it last week. I'm having one male pup. He's special because he's conceived when we mated. Chris gave me the choice. Everything clicked into place and it felt right, I didn't want to wait. So here I am swept off my feet, barefoot and pregnant in a day's time." Mia giggled at that.
"Ooh then we can go shopping soon. I can't wait what the girls will say!" Fran said with much joy.
"Take it easy there tiger. I'll tell them when it's a bit further along." Mia's expression turned sad as she continued, "About Bron, I have something to say. You're not going to like it, but let me say up front it's been taken care of."
"What about Bron? I know I've been neglecting all of you these past weeks but if something had happened to Bron I should have been told," Fran spoke trying to hide the tension in her voice.
"You know that second night at 'The Viper' where we met up with all the brothers and that fourth guy Adam?"
Fran nodded.
"Bron was the last to go home. Adam said he'd follow her car so he was sure she got home ok. When they left the club Bron went to get her car and Adam to get his bike." Mia grasped Fran's hand. "She was grabbed in the alley by two men, werewolves. Adam heard her scream and fought them."
Fran was shaking and furious hearing what happened, then sadness overshadowed both.
"Not Bron. She was just getting back on her feet."
"I know Fran. Though she's coping with it better. The first few days Adam had stayed with her. Sure he admitted he gave her a sleeping pill that first day so she could sleep it off, but then he stayed a few days more. Then Bron kicked him out the Bron way. He's been a mess ever since."
"Why would he be in a mess? He saved her, and he can be concerned, but a mess?"
Now Mia smiled. "What is Nick to you and Chris for me?" she asked nudging Fran's shoulder.
Fran's eyes widened, "No way! Bron is Adam's mate?"
Mia nodded.
"Oh boy, seeing how protective these wolves are I can fully understand why he's in a mess. Bron is shutting him out, isn't she?"
"Yeah. I can tell you know. The first time I went checking up on her to make sure she was ok. I'm doing that this time too. Apart from Adam, my parents and the Whelan brothers, nobody knows of the attack. As long as she doesn't close herself up like the previous time, I'm letting her deal with it her way," Mia explained.
"How are you able to check up on her without her knowing about it?" Fran inquired.
"Sweetie, my mom and grandfather are Ancients. We can cloak ourselves, even teleport. The whole nine yards," Mia answered with a smile.
"Seriously? I know Nick told about Merlin entertaining the little pups occasionally. I assumed it was just some easy mumbo jumbo. Never imagined it could be like that. What else can you do?" Fran asked with great interest.
"Look," Mia pointed towards a few pebbles in front of them.
They lifted up in the air and started moving in a circular motion. Mia heard the sharp intake of breath next to her and smiled. She changed the path of the pebbles and started making more intricate figures and shapes. Stealing a glance sideways she saw Fran looking, eyes wide open, her mouth forming a little "o".
Without touching Fran she applied a bit of pressure on her chin and closed her mouth. This snapped Fran out of her staring contest with the pebbles.
"Hey! You didn't have to do that," Fran complained.
"I didn't even touch you."
"You didn't? But, you were working with those rocks over there." Turning towards them she saw they were still moving, some of them were stationary, others were swirling around them.
Mia chuckled seeing all those emotions flash over Fran's face.
"This is nothing, but can you imagine what we can do when we really focus on something?"
"Think my imagination wouldn't do it justice. I'm glad you are on our side!"
After a while Fran spoke again. "So what are we going to do about Bron?"
"As I'll pop in daily to check if she's taking care of herself, Adam is going over to her place almost daily and calling her. So far he hasn't had any luck. She hangs up on him and shuts the door in his face without even saying hello."
"I feel so sorry for her. There is nothing we can do. Do you know if she remembers the attack or anything?"
"According to Adam she passed out once he attacked the men holding her. He isn't sure if she saw something or not. She hasn't spoken about anything. For the time being we're assuming she hasn't seen a thing, which maybe for the best."
"Maybe. I can only hope he has a lot of patience, we both know how Bron was when she first moved back here."
"I know, I remember all too well. I wanted to help her but couldn't. I checked up on her every day. I was so happy when she started going out with us again and now this happens. I have no clue how it will set her back. Don't even want to think about how Adam is going to win her over."
"Step by step, I guess."
"At least they avenged her," Mia said, nodding her head towards the three brothers sitting next to each other. "Ed, Chris and Adam tracked them down. There were three of them. Two didn't make it out alive. The third one... Well he's complicated."
"How so?"
"He's my father's younger brother. To fully understand that I'd have to tell you all about my Da. It's a long story. We can get together this week and then I'll fill in the details. Chris is probably filling in Nick now." Mia chuckled, "I certainly didn't help make things easier. I made Chris promise not to tell the pack about all of this and my parents until tonight. In hindsight maybe a foolish decision, but everything turned out better than I hoped."
"Seems you had a rough few weeks yourself then. I'll see what Nick tells me about it all. I still can't believe he didn't tell me about Bron though. She's our friend."
"He probably should have said something, but Chris told me a bit about his past. I can understand partly why he didn't. He has been looking for his mate for so long, then as he was giving up he finds you and you're human. Probably was clueless how to tell you and make sure you wouldn't freak out."
Fran blushed. "It all went ok. He stripped. I was too busy ogling him before I realized he had changed. He gave me enough time to get comfortable but that didn't take long. He's cute as a wolf, though very big. And his fur, oh my, it's so soft. I thought it would be much rougher. You know he likes to be scratched behind his ears. He never lets me get up until he's sure I'm fully awake hahaha. Even when I need to rush to get to the bathroom! And damn the things he does with that wicked tongue of his." Her cheeks turned a bright red.
"I can imagine some of the things. Seems our Whelan boys have a wild streak when it comes to pleasing their mate," Mia said as she grinned at her friend. "What do you say, want to go back to our significant others and let them dote on us a bit more?" Mia asked.
"Yeah, I bet you'll want to meet the rest of the pack. Oh there's the triplets too. You have got to meet those, they’re adorable with a capital 'A'. Just don't let them run all over you, fair warning."
"I'll keep it in mind," she said while standing up.
Mia looped her arm around Fran's as they walked back to the pack. Mia saw several of them giving her a good once over. Most nodded, smiled and waved acknowledging her presence.
Letting go of Fran she dropped down next to Chris and cuddled close, resting her head on his shoulder.
Everything ok, my sweet?> Chris asked as he put his arm around her and pulled her closer.
Just perfect. We'll catch up later in the week to fill in a few blanks here and there, but it went fine. I had to tell her about Bron though. She wasn't happy about it. Nick didn't tell her, so he'll have some explaining to do, but I defended his position. He can thank me later. How did everything here go?
We told the big outlines. Bronwille's attack, the involvement of the McLachlan pack. He knows most of what happened since being the Alpha Alpha grants him the right of having full access to the were history from this territory. His first remark was that there had to be some things updated, that the records weren't accurate. Nick spoke of a few inconsistencies. He will talk to us about it later. I haven't told about Merlin being your grandfather. The records don't tell who Richard's mate is, it's all a bit mysterious.
Burying her head in the crook of his neck, Mia had to stifle a laugh.
I'm guessing you're going to leave that honor to me?
Yes, I am. I don't need all the fun. Just seeing his reaction is enough for me.
I did tell Fran. Is there a way I can let her know, not to tell Nick yet? At least as long as he doesn't ask her. Last thing I want is to cause trouble between them. And we're going baby shopping this week too. She's over the moon about that news.
Now you believe me when I said everything would will turn out fine? Chris pulled her even closer, his lips trailing over her temples.
Yes, I do. I feel really complete now. A place to really call home. You are home to me, Chris.
Chris didn't reply but picked her up and set her down between his legs, so Mia lay against his chest. His arms snuggled around her waist and pulled her taut to his body. Mia smiled as she felt his arousal prodding her backside.
Chris! Can't you ever think about something else? she mockingly said.
When you're around? Nope, but no worries, I'll contain myself until we're back home.
Not much later you could hear the last group arriving. Excited yelps and barks could be heard a mile away, clear evidence the young pups were enjoying their run. For some it was their first run. Peeking behind her, Mia kept a close look on the forest as the first few larger pups came bustling through the bushes, followed by the smaller and younger ones.
The heavy panting by most was another sign they were glad their run was finished. Most of them huddled together in a big heap of fur and tried to find a comfortable position to lie down in. Some just jumped onto the big pile of pups and wiggled their way in between them.
Mia smiled as she felt the content feelings of the pups spread around them. Scanning her surroundings she saw many of the pack look at the pups with pride in their eyes. Smiling she knew in a year or two her own pup would be part of that.
Shifting her attention back to the little group around her she didn't notice the last three pups emerging from the forest. She didn't see how they scanned their surroundings. Mia missed how one of the pups picked up where Fran was and made a beeline towards their group.
The three little ones stopped their fast approach and changed to silent mode, carefully making their way close to the group. Suddenly there were a lot of yelps as Mia found her lap filled with a little pup that had a multitude of colors. Surprised yet carefully she put her arms around the little one, halting its wriggling and tenderly scratched its belly.
His or her, she didn't quite know its gender yet, tongue was lolling out of its mouth as she kept scratching at its belly. Looking around she saw a big black pup cradled in Fran's arms. On her other side she saw Ed holding a dark orangey red pup. To her Ed always seemed to keep his distance, despite his good natured jokes and character, but what she saw now just made him adorable.
He only had eyes for the tiny bundle in his arms. Mia smiled as the little pup stood on its hind legs and started licking Ed all over his face, then burying it's snout in the crook of his neck. Ed never stopped the little one, a sign he trusted him or her completely. Tenderly Ed was stroking the fur. Maybe there is more to him than meets the eye, Mia thought.
Not much later the three little ones wriggled loose and all went and sat in front of Fran. Chris bent over and whispered in her ear, "The rusty one is Robin, she's the smart one. The black one is Damon, he's the eldest of the daredevils. The third one is William, but we all call him Bill."
"Thanks, they're adorable."
"Adorable? Wait until you get to know them better, there is a reason why we refer to them as daredevils, my sweet," Chris chuckled as he spoke.
Damon, the big black one, took a step towards Fran and nudged her leg. The other two flanked him on either side and were wagging their tails like mad. Again Damon nudged Fran.
Seeing the understanding look between Nick and Fran, she was sure Nick knew what the little ones wanted and was telling Fran. Her hunch was right because a few seconds later Fran stood up and loosened her towel. The next moment a beautiful white wolf stood in front of them.
Fran sat down and quickly the three pups gathered around her and snuggled up close. Mia smiled at the motherly behavior of Fran as she licked and groomed all three of them before resting her head on her front paws, not bothered by the little ones moving around her.
Mia's eyes widened in surprise as she heard Nick say, "I'll be damned. It seems we don't have to call in Merlin."
Chris must have felt it as he told her, The triplets haven’t shifted before, which is quite uncommon. If it lasted much longer we were planning on asking Merlin for help, to see if he knew of a reason why they're not shifting. They seem to have developed a liking for Fran, Nick told me before. It's nice seeing their human form for the first time.
They saw Nick shift to wolf form and trot away to return with a pair of dark brown wolves. All went back to their human form and it was clear to see from whom the kids had gotten their golden blond locks from.
"It's ok, just stay there," the mother said to Fran who wanted to sit up. "I don't know what you did, but I'm forever in your debt. I dreamed of the day they would finally shift, I was starting to get really worried, whether they were able to or not," their mother spoke politely.
The little ones picked up on the sound of their parent and all got up. It was a wobbly affair as for the first time they moved on two legs. Swiftly they tried to make their way towards their parents who greeted them with wide open arms.
Mia heard the little girl softly ask her daddy to wait as she wriggled free of his hold. Robin ran to Fran and whispered something into her ear before running back to her daddy. As one the family turned and walked away to enjoy the first shift of their children.
Soon that is going to be us too. Mia crawled onto Chris' lap and wrapped her arms around his torso. I can hardly wait to just hold our little bundle of joy.
Me neither, was Chris' reply.
Eight months later :
Mia cursed, everything was still fine at Nick and Fran's wedding. She had played her part as bridesmaid to perfection even if she already was sporting a large bump. The Greek based toga dresses made it so she didn't feel constricted. The other bridesmaids had worn the same dress in a different color. But by now she was not happy with how large her tummy had grown. She couldn't shift anymore and she barely slept because she couldn't find a position that was comfortable.
Biting her teeth, she grabbed the door as suddenly a cramp went through her abdomen followed by a vivid kick of the little one inside of her tummy. Breathing through the pain, she finally relaxed as she felt it ebb away. She shook her head as she saw the damage she caused by gripping the door. Time for a new one I guess.
Focusing on her breathing she waggled towards the living room and gently sat down on the supersized couch. She remembered the argument when they were shopping for a new one. Chris wanted a dark square one, but she wanted something more uplifting and bright. The one she now sat on was their compromise. One, she admitted with a small smile, they kept paying back to each other multiple times.
The big plus of this couch was they could order new covers for it. Gently rubbing her belly she thought back with much amusement about all the times they had used this couch already and had to replace the coverings. Over time their lovemaking had turned more tender as her tummy grew and the little boy inside of her made his presence known on a regular basis.
As time went on and her relationship with Chris grew tighter, he learned a few new abilities. One he really loved using while making love to her. Only the fact that he made her orgasm like there was no tomorrow made her let him use magic during their love play. Happily she reminisced over all the things they did, how he pushed her limits time after time, still being considerate of their unborn pup.
Secretly she admitted that she was looking forward to having no limits whatsoever. Sure he didn't hold back anymore, but she loved the tender roughness between them. Now he still let go, but always made sure she was comfortable and wouldn't feel restricted. Since their first run together he hadn't tied her up anymore. She missed those little things and they were slowly driving her nuts.
She wanted her man and wolf 200% and being pregnant prevented her from having that. Mia wanted to move forward in time, get passed the impending birth and just hold and cuddle her baby. Happy thoughts, she reminded herself, just before another cramp almost made her double over in pain. She realized these weren't just cramps but her baby wanting to be born.
CHRIS ! Get home! NOW! she screamed through their bond.
What's wrong, Mia? came his immediate reply.
Mia was breathing heavy as the painful contraction hit her head on. Huffing and puffing her way through it she just said, He's coming!
Not a second later Chris appeared in the living room, his face filled with concern.
"How long has this been going on, sweetie?" he said in a strained voice, gently trying to get her up.
"Not long," she huffed. Relaxing against her mate as she felt the contraction ebb away she sighed, relieved. "My back was hurting just like all the other days. Only five minutes ago the contractions must have started. They hurt," she said, pointing at the doorway.
Chris looked at what she was pointing at and smiled. "That is the least of my worries. All I want is for you to be comfortable. You know we're going to have to go to the compound? I just want you as close as possible to our medical facilities just in case."
"Yeah, yeah, just do it quick, before another one comes," Mia replied eagerly, holding Chris close. She tried to relax more as she felt the tiny bundle in her stomach kick against her kidneys. "OH fu- grr, do you really have to kick there?" she said in a pained voice, trying to soothe the pains the little one caused.
"Hold on to me, I'll get us there in an instant," Chris said soothingly.
A few seconds later they appeared in their bedroom in their estate house. In preparation for this day they always made sure their bedroom was free of any clutter so teleporting there was never an issue.
Carefully he lay her down on their oversized bed.
"Chris, I'm going to need some towels. My water hasn't broke yet." Her face turned sour as she suddenly felt her clothing getting soaking wet. "Scratch that; just get me into the shower and replace these sheets," she ordered.
All this time Chris patiently and silently did what she told him. He wouldn't dream of doing anything against her wishes right now and if it meant she would be ordering him around, then so be it. Getting a clean set of sheets, he took some towels with him as well as her dressing robe.
"Come, let us see if we can move you for a little bit and get you out of these wet clothes. If you can manage to sit in the chair for a few minutes then I'll remake the bed," he coaxed her.
"Just carefully. I knew a birth wasn't painless, but this? Never again!" she replied a bit angry, not at Chris, but at her inability to fight of the pain.
Holding her carefully, he put her down in front of the big rocking chair. Swiftly he undressed her, trying not to look at her lush form. He loved how she filled out as her pregnancy progressed. He just dropped her wet clothes where she stood. Lifting her hands to his shoulders he dropped to one knee and with a towel he did his best to dry off her legs and backside.
Standing up, he grabbed her robe and held it out for her. Once she had it on, he loosely tied it around her. Catching him off guard, she bent over double as another contraction came over her. Grasping his forearms, Mia grunted as the pain traveled through her entire body.
Chris on the other hand stood rock still, doing his very best not to let her know how much her grip was paining him. He couldn't take it away, but he could help carry the burden. Focusing on the wall, he concentrated on his breathing until he could block out the pain then he looked down and saw the pure agony written all over her face.
Didn't they say your first birth always took a long time? Chris thought. "Are you ok?" he asked once he felt her death grip loosen.
"Almost, need a few to get through this one." Wrapping her arms around him she rested her head against his chest, hearing a fast but steady heartbeat.
"Ok, when you're ready we'll see about making you sit down comfortably so I can redo the bed, deal?" Chris asked, gently rubbing her back. He noticed the last few weeks had been hard on her. He had tried his best to pamper her whenever he could. Independent as she was, she brushed off most of his attempts to make things easier. Only the backrubs she allowed him to do.
"I'm fine now. Let me sit. You go do the bed." With more force than intended she shoved him away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Hush, it's ok," he cut her off. "Just sit down and try to relax. I can take a shove or a push, I'm not made out of porcelain," he added, giving her a wink trying to make her laugh.
"Still…"
"Sweetie, you are carrying our son and more than once he has made it quite clear he needs more room-"
"My kidneys are a testament of that! Once they're back in place he just kicks them away again!" she interrupted him.
"Well, now is the time he's going to get what he made so perfectly clear these last few days. If in the process you feel the need to push, scream, tear things apart to get him into this world safely, then so be it. So hush, sit and let me do the bedding then I can carry you over and hopefully you'll feel more comfortable then," he lectured his mate and soon-to-be mom.
He hurried along pulling off the sheets, placing some towels over the wet spots, making a mental note to get a new mattress, and covered everything with clean sheets. Giving himself a few seconds to appreciate his handiwork he then turned to Mia and carefully picked her up and carried her to the bed.
With one knee on it he gently put her down in the middle, propping several pillows behind her back to support her. Sitting next to her, he held her hand in his, his thumb rubbing tiny circles in the palm of her hand. This was another neat trick he learned that helped calm her down. And at this very moment he would use any trick he knew if that meant making anything easier on her.
"You think you're going to be all right?" he asked.
"Just as long as you stay here I'll be fine."
"Ok, I'm just going to make a call so the pack doctor can come over and check up on you."
Getting off the bed he searched his pockets for his cell phone. Once located he flipped it open and pressed speed dial, he had added that number from the moment Mia's pregnancy was getting harder on her. Waiting while it rang at the other end, he looked at his mate in their bed. Her face was flushed from the intensity of her contractions.
"Hello, Doctor Alicia speaking," came a soft voice from the other end of the line.
"Hi Doc, it's Chris. It seems very likely Mia has started labor. We're at our pack estate right now and I was hoping you could come over to check up on her. Her water has just broken. I can't say much about the contractions. Since I'm with her she‘s only had one, sorry make that two," he added as he turned hearing a grunt and looking at Mia on her side, huffing her way through another one.
Stepping next to the bed he'd almost forgotten he was holding his phone as he reached out his hand to comfort her. Faintly he heard the doctor say she was on her way before he flipped it closed and threw it in the direction of the bedside table.
He crawled up the bed and spooned her, leaving enough room for him to massage her back to help her through the pain.
"You're doing fine, sweetie, just a little while longer. The doc is going to be here soon, then we'll know more." Whispering one encouragement after the other he soothed her and finally she relaxed against him. She had won the battle once more.
Her eyes closed, she luxuriated in his embrace. She reminded herself to make sure to reward him later on for he was putting up with a lot.
A soft but firm knock was heard.
"Enter," Chris said, knowing it could only be the doctor.
A small, slender woman entered with a smile on her face, her grey hairs neatly pulled back in a ponytail.
"I see the first of the new Whelan generation is preparing to grace us with its presence?" she noted. "I'm glad you're settled in nicely. Think you can manage lying on your back while I do the medical checkup? Being a were it shouldn't be a problem, but we know you're only having one baby and by the looks of it it's going to be a big one too." Giving a sly wink to Chris the doctor smiled. "It so reminds me of when they were little. The baby must take after its dad."
During her little speech Chris had eased back and carefully helped Mia roll over. With one leg pulled under him, he kept sitting next to her, her hand tightly in his own. His eyes intently on the doctor he wanted to make sure he didn't miss any sign of anything possibly going or being wrong.
"Just pull up your legs, put your feet together and then let them fall open," Doctor Alicia spoke in a soothing voice.
Alicia pushed against the robe so it just went past her knees.
"Ok now I want you to relax so I can check internally how far along you are and if the baby is descending properly. Just breath in and out, look at me. You know this won't hurt. It's the same like all the other checkups, you know that," Alicia kept speaking with that soothing voice.
Mia focused on the sweet voice that lulled her senses, making her forget the stabs of pain searing through her body. A birth was painful, but she never could imagine it would be like this. Vaguely she registered Chris stroking her hand soothingly.
"Oh this a surprise. You're further than you would think you are, my dear. Are you sure you didn't have contractions before?" Alicia asked.
"No, I got a big one, like I had more these past weeks. I went to the couch and once there another one hit me. That's when I called in Chris and here we are. My water broke, he changed the sheets and got me settled. So what's wrong then?" Mia asked in a shaky voice.
"Nothing is wrong. I'm just guessing the pains you had previously were already contractions. You're practically fully dilated. By the looks of it this little one will be born pretty fast, he's an eager one." Alicia checked the position of the baby by gently, but firmly, pressing on the big bump, locating the legs, bum and arms.
"He's all set to be born, so when the next contraction comes try breathing through it, no pushing yet, that's for the next one," Alicia cooed.
Not a second after those words were spoken Mia grasped for Chris' hand and started puffing and groaning through the pain as another contraction soared through her abdomen.
"Breathe, sweetie, you can do this," Chris coached her, holding her one hand as he softly stroked her head with his other one.
Glaring at him angrily she spit out, "You're not the one that has to push this baby out of your body. So shut up!"
Chris silently counted to ten, all the while holding her hand, trying not to show she was almost breaking the bones in his hand. Together with Mia he let out a sigh of relief when the contraction was over. With care he replaced his aching hand with his other. Behind his back, out of sight for Mia, he stretched the other one a few times, making sure all the bones were where they were supposed to be.
Little escaped Mia as she put her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean to squeeze that hard." Holding out her hand, she motioned for him to place his hurt hand in hers. Softly she kissed each knuckle. "I can make it better if you want?"
"You know the deal Mia, no magic in your last trimester. My hand will be fine, nothing is broken. It's nothing compared to what you're doing now," he spoke in a reassuring tone. "You just focus on this little one. I'm eager to hold him."
In the meantime Alicia had prepared a few things that would be needed once the baby was born. Going over everything once more she then smiled at Mia. "I'm ready when you are. When the next contraction comes, grab your legs under your knees and pull on them, take one deep breath and keep pushing. Chris you count until six, then Mia knows she can relax and wait for the next one. Just as we practiced."
"Can you sit up? Then I can sit behind you."
Mia smiled at Chris' request. Every day she learned something new about him and every day her love for him grew. She knew she'd hurt him before and yet he didn't complain. His usual tendency to take over wasn't present either. Holding her breath for a brief moment she sat up, making room for Chris to sit behind her.
His thick muscled legs cradled hers and as she leaned back against his strong chest he put his arms around her. Bending down he whispered sweet nothings in her ear and encouraged her to do whatever she found needed to get through this. A shiver ran down her spine as he brushed his lips against her neck.
"Crap, here comes one," she gasped as she sucked in as much air as she could.
"Remember: pull on your knees and keep pushing until Chris is done counting," Alicia coached her.
Grabbing for her knees, she almost curled up in a ball, feeling Chris sitting up straighter to support her back as he softly counted to six behind her. For now she was able to concentrate on his deep soothing voice. Relieved she let out her breath as the contraction faded once more. This process repeated itself two more times. Between each break Chris kept showering her with compliments, how well she was doing, how proud he was of her, how much he loved her.
"You're doing great Mia. I can already see the head now. Next time is going to be it, then I need you to keep pushing. Once the head is out, we take a breather and then we push again. Got it?" Alicia said.
Mia nodded, the sweat trickling from her face. She felt Chris shift behind her and a second later he brushed her face clear of the sweat. The scent washing over her told her he‘d probably taken off his T-shirt and was using that instead of a washcloth. Glad he‘d chosen to use it she took a deep sniff of his scent trapped in the T-shirt and relaxed visibly.
Not given the time to recuperate another wave of pain hit her dead on. Pulling up her legs she started pushing with all she had in her, Chris' soft encouragements helping her along.
"You're doing great Mia, keep pushing. Push! Push! Push!" Alicia spoke more excitedly.
A burning sensation went through her lower region and suddenly she saw Alicia's hand in front of her, then placing it on her tummy.
"Take that breather now. The head is out. I'm carefully going to feel … yeah he's in position. Ok when you're ready, take that deep breath and push as hard as you can," Alicia guided her.
Doing what she was told, she grabbed her knees, sucked in her breath and started pushing. All this time she had been able not to scream once but whatever was coming out of her now was tearing her up and without realizing it she let out a loud scream. When her brain finally realized her pain had subsided, she could hear tiny cries coming towards her.
Trying to sit up she looked between her legs and there she saw the biggest baby she ever laid eyes on. What first were tiny cries quickly turned into terror screams. His little arms were moving in anger, his tiny legs kicking rapidly. His little face was bright red as he filled his little lungs and let out another wail.
"I think someone wants his mother," Alicia proudly said. Carefully she held the baby under its head and bum, she held it sideways and placed it in Mia's wide open arms.
Looking down at the little bundle in her arms she started counting toes and fingers. Glad she counted ten of each she fixated on his face. Light blue eyes were framed by curly black hair. She smiled at the little wonder in her arms. Another pair of hands came into view as they too touched each finger and toe.
"He's beautiful, Mia," Chris whispered next to her.
Turning her head she saw the unshed tears in his eyes, smiled and kissed his lips.
"He's a spitting image of his father," Alicia said. "Let me get everything in order. Chris you want to cut the umbilical cord?"
A bit confused he looked up at Alicia holding out a pair of surgical scissors to him.
"What do I have to do?" he asked puzzled.
"Take the scissors and cut where I point. I'll take over after that. I'll wash the little one while you can assist your mate with refreshing herself. By then I think both will be ready to start their first feeding," Alicia explained.
Chris accepted the scissors and held them where Alicia pointed. When he squeezed them to cut the umbilical cord he shot a dirty look at Alicia, before taking a big gulp. Once his job was done he didn't know how fast he had to give back the metal instrument. He looked pale and only by grabbing on to his own leg did he hide the little shiver going through him.
Alicia couldn't help and laughed heartily at his predicament.
"Oh Chris, this brings back such memories. It's like seeing you be born once again. The little one looks just like you and your father cringed just as much when doing the same thing you just did," Alicia said, amused. "I'll go run a bit of water now, by then I hope to have Mia settled so you can assist her." She gave Chris a reassuring pat on his hand, telling him silently he did just fine.
Turning around she went to the bathroom to do these tasks. The new parents were already lost to the little baby in their arms. By now his screaming had settle down. He had managed to grab a finger from his daddy in one hand and got his other one tangled up in his mother's hair. His unfocused eyes darted over the two large faces above him. Instinctively he knew these were his parents and imprinted their scent to never forget it ever again.
Tired by his ordeal he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
"Mia, he's just…" Chris stammered, "Thank you, my little druid, he's perfect!" He gently cradled his mate and his son. He was awed at the tiny bundle. "Alicia may say he got my eyes and hair, but he's got your cute nose and perfect lips. I can already see him driving the ladies mad with desire."
"Eeew Chris that is not an image I want to think of right now. Let him grow up first and learn to be a man," Mia said, exasperated.
"He's a Whelan, he'll learn soon enough, he won't need much guidance if he takes after me," Chris kept teasing her.
"Hmm what about a name? You got any idea for one?" Mia asked, changing topics.
She looked down at the fussing baby in her arms. His tiny head was turning searchingly and she immediately knew what he wanted. Parting her robe it didn't the little boy long before he found what he wanted and latched on started drinking his first milk.
Chris stared at the pair of them, his heart overflowing with love for his mate and his newborn son. He realized there were times he had to let go of his dominant attitude. Not once had she disappointed him, she'd been the one steady rock that made him see and appreciate so many things, things he used to take for granted. And now she had gifted him with another precious being he could call his own.
Tenderly he stroked the little boys head as he was feeding. What name would be suitable for this little guy? he mused to himself. It was one area they had argued about. Chris wanted to pick a name in advance where Mia wanted to pick one when the time was right.
"He'll be our little rock and someday somebody else's. How about Pietro?" Chris suggested.
"Pietro Saint Ives – Whelan, it has a nice ring to it. I kinda like that."
"Pietro it is."
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