by EE Silver
“Yeah.” Hunter squeezed back. “Yeah. We will.”
Chapter Fifteen
Hunter
December 21
“I really don’t like you travelling like this,” Trey said, frowning as they lingered over their lunch a few days later. “This time of year we can get some pretty bad snowstorms and you haven’t been driving in that kind of weather in ages.”
Hunter bit back a snappish reply. “That’s why Jonah and King are going to give me a ride,” he said as patiently as he could manage. It’s not Trey’s fault your back hurts, he reminded himself. Even though it kind of was, since his back hurt from the extra weight in his front. The baby weight. “It’s not safe for me to teleport this far along, so I found the calmest, most responsible alpha with a driver’s license I could to take me to my doctor’s appointment. I’ll be fine.”
“I know.” Trey huffed. “I just—I really don’t want you to leave the house today for some reason. It’s like every instinct I have is screaming at me to take you back upstairs and bury you under a dozen quilts until spring.”
“That does sound good,” Hunter admitted. “A big, warm nest for the two of us. But you have that phone meeting and Morgan might drag me to his office himself if I cancel another appointment.”
“At least let me check the weather before you leave?” Trey’s grumbled request might have been cute if Hunter wasn’t looking forward to his appointment as an excuse to get away from his alpha’s fussing for a little while. He’d checked the weather himself that morning and knew the forecast was clear. He also knew Trey wouldn’t be satisfied until he looked that up himself. Dad save me from overprotective werewolves.
The house computer chimed just then, saving Hunter from picking a fight with the announcement that “There are visitors at the front door.”
“You do that, I’ll let them in,” Hunter said, sliding off the barstool and waddling across the house to the door, kneading the small of his back as he went. He felt roughly the size of an ocean liner, and if he didn’t go into labor soon, Hunter was distinctly considering finding an iceberg. Hopefully, today Morgan would be able to tell him that such drastic action wouldn’t be needed.
King didn’t look like he was enjoying being pregnant any more than Hunter, either. His belly, too big to close his coat over, led the way as King let himself in the house as soon as Hunter opened the door.
“Come on in,” Hunter said dryly as a bemused Jonah followed, his sleeping daughter curled against his chest.
“Why did no one tell me how often I’d have to pee?” King grumbled, shrugging off his coat and handing it to Jonah. He turned to Hunter. “Nice place. Where’s the bathroom?”
Hunter waved in the general direction of the half bath, and King was off without another word. Jonah shrugged.
“He’s been like this all morning,” he said. “And he’s been having Braxton Hicks on and off since last night, threatening to give you the baby now whether it’s your Valkyrie or not. You sure you want a ride from us? I have a feeling it’s going to be a very long afternoon.”
“If he feels half as uncomfortable as I do, I can’t blame him,” Hunter said, rubbing his side to ease out the ache that had been building all morning. “But he’s not the only one having false labor, so—”
“You’re in labor?” Trey asked as he approached. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“False labor,” Hunter said with a lot more patience than he was feeling, and it still wasn’t very much. “Which is what happens when a guy is carrying a whole litter of tapdancing puppies jumping on his bladder at all hours of the day.”
An awkward silence fell over the three of them, broken when Jonah snorted. “Well, at least I’m not the only alpha with a cranky mate,” he said, unsuccessfully trying to smother his grin.
Trey laughed. “You have no idea.” And Hunter had to admit he’d been more than a little irritable.
“Oh, shut up,” he said, but without any real heat. “Did you check the weather? Everything good?”
“That’s actually what I came to tell you,” Trey said. He found Hunter and rubbed his fist over the aching spot in the small of his back, kissing the back of Hunter’s head. “The original forecast was for clear and sunny, but the radar shows gathering clouds heading our way. I think a storm might be moving in, no matter what the weatherman says.”
“That’s odd,” Hunter said. “There hasn’t been much freak weather since I came here, just that one storm a few weeks ago, when—” He cut himself off and looked at Jonah, who looked like he’d had the same thought.
“King, baby?” Jonah called, taking long strides to the small bathroom. “Everything okay in there?”
“What’s going on?” Trey asked quietly.
“Remember I told you there was a demigod with Imperium over the weather?” Hunter asked. “Well, King’s young and doesn’t have full control over it yet. When he’s upset, things happen.”
“Like sudden snowstorms?”
“King?” Jonah knocked on the door, then tried the handle. The door opened, revealing King bent over the sink, gripping the vanity in a white-knuckled grip, the back of his jeans soaked. “Oh, fuck me.”
“If we’d done more of that,” King grunted, “I wouldn’t be in this position.”
“We should get you to the hospital,” Hunter said. “You’re definitely not having Braxton Hicks.”
“You think?” King hissed out a long breath and then straightened carefully. “Fuck. Okay, so that hurt like hell. Get me to Morgan so we can get this kid out of me.”
Hunter handed Trey Daisy’s lead without being asked, knowing there was no way Trey was going to stay home now. The four of them plus the dog got bundled up and made their slow and careful way to the door, only to stop in shock when they got a good look at the whiteout blizzard waiting for them.
“Hey, King?” Hunter asked, anxiety making his belly clench painfully. “Think you could get your shit together long enough for us to get into town?”
“Go fuck yourself, Norn,” King said by way of answer, leaning heavily on Jonah. The wind howled, slapping them in the face with snow and ice and chasing their little group back inside.
“We should get King settled in the guest room,” Trey said once they’d managed to wrestle the door closed. “Upstairs, second door on the left. I’ll hold the baby. Hunter, you can call Morgan while they do that.”
Before Hunter could say anything, Jonah handed over Anya and scooped King up into his arms, taking the steps two at a time. Worry twisted in Hunter’s chest along with another muscle spasm in his side, and it was a few seconds before he could get himself under control enough to pull out his phone. Only he went straight to Morgan’s voicemail for what might be the first time since the invention of cellphones.
“It’ll be fine, baby,” Trey said, leading him to the sofa. “Worst case, I delivered a baby once on a mission. We’ve got this.”
“Only Morgan or one of the healers he’s trained can deliver a divine baby,” Hunter admitted. “Our bodies don’t work like mortals, and if a normal doctor tried to birth one of us, it could kill both parent and child.”
Trey froze. “This is the sort of thing you should have mentioned sooner,” he said, more than a little angry. “What if something had happened to you?”
“It didn’t matter for us!” Hunter cried. “There’s no way Morgan would let anyone but him deliver these babies, not with the way everything’s gone down. It seemed a moot point. How was I to know my idiot cousin would decide to have his kid here?”
“Later, when everyone is fine and healthy,” Trey said, relaxing his posture with effort, “we are having a talk about telling me important things instead of waiting. In the meantime, is there anyone else you can call? One of Morgan’s minions, maybe?”
Hunter nodded. “Yes. Of course.” He fumbled out his phone again and called one of Morgan’s assistants, who also happened to be Morgan’s oldest daughter, Aja.
His niece answered r
ight away. “Dad’s scrubbing in,” she said without preamble. “There was an unexpected delivery.”
“That makes two of them,” Hunter said.
“You?” Aja’s voice sharpened. “I can get dad there right away.”
“No. Kingston.” The wind howled even louder outside. “That’s why we’re having this blizzard.”
“Oh hell,” Aja said. “Okay, give me ten minutes to clear things here and gather some supplies and I’ll be there.”
“Good.” Hunter sucked in a breath and huffed it back out again. “Good.”
“Everything will be okay, Uncle Hun,” she said. “Just stay calm and focus on keeping your pups where they belong. Last thing we need is a divine maternity ward in the middle of the damn mountains.”
Chapter Sixteen
Trey
They waited in the living room, giving over the second floor to the birthing process. The whole time he listened to King screaming obscenities at Jonah, some more creative than things Trey’d heard as a SEAL, Trey couldn’t help but be a tiny bit relieved that when Hunter had their kids, they’d be in a clean, safe hospital. He had no idea how Jonah was holding it together, but the cool, calm air Hunter’s niece had spread when she’d teleported into the middle of his living room had to be helping.
Anya, the baby, had fussed almost constantly until Hunter had taken over, crooning at her until she’d fallen into an exhausted sleep. Trey had no idea how she had slept through the noise, but he wasn’t going to question it. He was pretty sure if he’d had to cope with a screaming baby on top of everything else, he’d have been even more on edge. Bad enough every time he heard King shout, he could hear the echoes of long-ago gun fire.
But then, finally, the screams and swearing stopped, pierced by the bright cry of a healthy godling. Footsteps pounded down the hall, Jonah rushing down the steps with a bright, joyful laugh.
“It’s a boy!” he panted breathlessly.
“Congratulations,” Hunter said from next to Trey on couch. “At least we know King was right and it’s not my Valkyrie.”
“Like it would have mattered either way,” Jonah said, grin clear in his voice. “Do you think Rosemary will mind if we name him Trenton? If it weren’t for her…”
“I think she’ll love it,” Trey said, chest tight. If it weren’t for the Vales, none of them would have found their homes or the other halves of their souls. He couldn’t think of a better tribute.
After another moment, Jonah ran back upstairs. Trey laughed and shook his head, before leaning into Hunter. “I’ve never seen that guy, but he sounded like a kid at Christmas.”
“He looked like one, too,” Hunter said. He grunted, shifting restlessly. “So, you know how we talked about me telling you important things right away?”
Trey froze. “Yes?”
Hunter moved again. “We need to call Morgan again. I don’t think I’m having Braxton Hicks, either.”
After that, everything devolved into a flurry of voices and action. Trey remembered shouting for Aja, who called her father and barked orders for him to get his skinny ass there now. Jonah managed to tear himself from King’s side long enough to help get Hunter upstairs and in bed, Trey and Daisy following behind.
In the years since the accident, Trey had felt helpless plenty of times. It had happened less and less as he’d adjusted to the changes in his life, but now he felt as helpless and lost as he’d ever felt before. Acutely aware of the darkness surrounding him, the way he was absolutely useless in every way he’d somehow managed to take control when it wasn’t his mate, wasn’t his whole universe suffering to bring new life into the world, Trey found himself stumbling awkwardly down the hall he’d walked hundreds of times.
Just outside of the bedroom, though, Aja stopped him with a strong hand to his shoulder.
“Dad says you’ve got issues,” she said bluntly. “PTSD?”
Trey nodded, acutely aware of Hunter groaning in pain only feet away
“Okay. In that case, I’m going to suggest you either stay downstairs, or shift now.” Aja pushed on his shoulder, emphasizing her words. “Your mate is about to have a really shitty solstice. There’s going to be a lot of pain, definitely some blood. Men who don’t have trauma behind them have handled it badly, and we are not going to be able to deal with you if you have an attack in the middle of the proceedings. But I think if you shift, your animal mind will be able to cope with the natural elements of birth. Only you will know for sure, though.”
Trey wanted to run and hide, to lock himself in his office until it was all over, but if he did, then he really would fail Hunter. “Maybe I should call Scott,” he said.
“Scott’s got his hands full right now,” Aja said. New footsteps in an unfamiliar gait came from behind them. “Hey, Dad. We’re just about ready. Trey’s just deciding where he’s going to wait it out.”
“Decide fast, then,” Morgan said, brushing past him.
“I’ll stay,” Trey said in a rush. “I’ll stay.”
“Good.” And then Aja was gone, and Trey stumbled into the bedroom and to the bed, where Hunter was already panting through another contraction.
“Hey there, baby,” Trey said. “Can I stay?”
“You’d fucking better,” Hunter growled, grabbing Trey’s hand in a bruising grip. “No way I’m doing this alone.”
“I’m going to shift,” Trey said, kissing Hunter’s knuckles. “I’m freaking out already.”
Hunter’s grip eased as the contraction passed. “I understand. But I can’t talk now, love. Kind of busy. Go get naked and I’ll get us some babies.”
Trey laughed and moved away, barely even noticing when Morgan shoved him to the side, giving crisp instructions to Aja to get Hunter’s clothes off. Instead, Trey backed into a corner and took his clothes off, shifting as quickly as possible. He shook his fur out, acutely aware of the smell of blood and life filling his wolf-senses. But before, when he would have been panicked at the smell of blood, now his instincts recognized this as a good thing.
A familiar, loved voice whimpered in pain, and Trey whined. Mate, his wolf said. Mate needs help. He took a half step toward the commotion in the middle of the room, but stopped when he registered all the strange human bodies surrounding his mate. He growled, needing to get over there, to protect his mate from whatever unseen forces were causing him pain.
A smaller canine form pressed against him, and Trey heard Daisy’s familiar whine of concern. He tried to move around her, but she followed, blocking him in his corner. Trey recognized that she was trying to keep him safe and out of the way, trying to remind him not to give in to his worry, and for once, he was able to listen. Instead of charging in like he wanted to, Trey settled down on the floor, his big, shaggy head on his paws and his ears trained on the sounds of birth.
Daisy, not content to trust him to behave, crawled on top of him, pinning Trey to his prone position. If he’d been human, he would have called her a good girl for that. Instead, he bumped his head against hers in thanks as they settled in to wait. He didn’t normally lose himself in his animal instincts like this when he shifted, but for once he was glad of it, knowing he needed to be here and this was the only way he could do it.
It didn’t take long before Trey’s mate seemed to be making almost constant noises of pain, moaning in agony as the strange male voice spoke in sharp, commanding tones. Trey growled in warning, but stayed where he belonged when Daisy nipped at his ear to remind him of his place. And then there was a new sound.
High and squalling, Trey instantly recognized it as a newborn pup. His pup. He shimmied in place, and even Daisy seemed to share his excitement. His pup was here, healthy and in need of attention.
“Not yet,” a female voice snapped at him, and Trey abruptly realized he and Daisy had made it halfway across the room. “Get back over to your corner, you two.”
Trey whined, but did as he was told when his mate laughed breathlessly. “I am never letting him live this down,” Mate said, and
he sounded enough like how Trey thought he should that Trey was able to take their packmate back to the corner, the two of them curling up as they waited. He growled at the rude female once, though, just to remind her who the alpha was. She didn’t seem bothered, but Trey was pretty sure he made his point anyway.
And then Mate shouted in pain, and Trey’s hackles went up as he struggled against the urge to go to him. Mate needed him. Pups needed him. Trey had to be there—
“Keep your unsanitary, furry asses over there!” the male barked, and Trey growled at the order. “The baby is crowning and if you distract me one more time, so help me, I will teleport you both to the ground floor!”
“Stay over there, Trey,” Mate said. “I need to get out of this moment and you are not helping!”
And then—
A second pup cried, it’s voice not nearly as insistent as the first, but just as strong. Just as healthy. Trey vibrated with energy, but waited for a signal from Mate. He didn’t care what the male and female said, but if Mate wanted him to wait, Trey would wait.
There was another flurry of movement, and Trey could only shift back and forth on his paws until finally, finally, Mate called him over. Trey scrambled to close the distance, to curl up with Mate and Pups in their den.
“On two legs, or not at all,” the male snapped. “Hunter might be immortal, but dog hair has no place on newborns.”
Trey whined. He didn’t understand what the male meant. He was a wolf. How else was he supposed to do this?
“Trey, sweetheart,” Mate said, his voice tired. “I need you back. I need to have you hold our daughters so we can try to share my eyes and you can see how beautiful they are.”
Daughters. Not pups. Trey shook his head. He wasn’t a wolf, he was a werewolf. Mate was Hunter, a god who let Trey see through his eyes, and packmate was Daisy, the only being in the house that was supposed to be on four legs.
Trey shuddered, and then he shifted back into human form. He didn’t even bother with pants before climbing into bed next to Hunter and running trembling hands over tiny faces and hands. “I don’t need to see to know they’re gorgeous,” he finally said. “They came from you. How could they be anything but?”