by TJ Cross
"Yes, yes, I'd rather wait," Brandon quickly said. He wanted to hold on to the feeling of being pregnant just a little longer, he decided. "I mean, there's no point rushing things. We've got so many things we still need to buy. Gotta child-proof the loft, too. And, and, and... we haven't decided what to name the baby!"
"Zara Junior," his best friend offered. "After her badass Aunty Z."
"Out of the question," Brandon laughed. "See? An extra two days would help us decide this."
Jessica nodded, pulling her phone. "I'm going to lock you guys in for a Wednesday evening appointment. Gurney, I think at this point you're probably way overdue to take leave now. Be with your omega, be with your kid. You might think you're ready to be a dad, but I assure you every moment of preparation makes a giant difference. Your lives are going to change so much when your daughter is born."
Brandon nodded, looking back down onto the printout sitting on his lap. Our daughter, he thought, his body filling with utmost joy as he memorized the shape of her body in his mind. It seemed so crazy, yet so real.
They were going to have a girl.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Gurney
He had never felt prouder to be in his scrubs than when he donned them with minutes to go before the procedure on Brandon was to begin.
"Looking good, Dr Keller," Jessica smiled at him as she squeezed gloves on.
The dragon in him was filled with pride as he steadied himself, barely able to contend with the fact that he was going to be a father in minutes, not days, now.
Brandon's friend Zara was waiting in the operating room too, recording everything on her phone with copious amounts of commentary ever since she had arrived earlier in the day.
Gurney realized that had he never met Brandon, this was the sort of night he would have spent as Firestarter, but his racing days were behind him. He needed no thrill except for the thrill of becoming the ultimate alpha father to his child, serving his omega with the sort of love that he deserved.
He thought about their future together. Their daughter.
"You know, we still haven't figured out the name," Gurney mentioned as Jessica watched him. "So much for the two extra days, right?"
"Well, I have a feeling your omega's pretty fond of being pregnant. I've seen it in most omegas, too... like there's something they love so much about the whole process of carrying a child, because it fills them with a whole lot of newfound appreciation for the miracles of life," Jessica said, placing her hands on Gurney's shoulders. "I'm so proud of you. You're going to be an absolutely great dad."
"That's all dependent on you," Gurney said, winking. "Don't mess up, okay?"
"Let them take away my license if I ever do such a thing," Jessica joked.
Gurney was glad he was only supervising, standing beside Brandon, who had opted out of general anaesthetic so he could be aware during the whole procedure. He was far too taken by all the images and fantasies and dreams he held for their daughter that he would never have been able to handle a Caeserean as complex as a dragon birth.
The final scan before the operation showed that the womb in Brandon was now fully ready for delivery, and although the baby had apparently been proven to be able to shift -- Brandon had nearly gone into labor from the shock he had after feeling what he thought was a kick but instead was an attempt by the baby to shift into full dragon form -- the doctors had been primarily been waiting for a stable enough period in which they could be as certain as possible that it was in human form.
"I'm excited," Brandon said, looking at his alpha. The doctor looked radiant, proving to be even more dashing than normal on the day of his birth.
"Smile!" Zara said, pointing her phone towards the happy couple as she held the phone horizontally, recording the whole scene in high definition landscape view.
"I love you, you know," Gurney murmured, squeezing Brandon's hand.
The anaesthesiologist took a seat at the back, waiting on instructions from either Gurney or Jessica. The labor nurse, Philippa, was an old hand at shifter births -- Gurney had been the one to personally handpick her to be part of the exclusive shifter specialization program. She conferred with the OB tech who was in the room to make sure all the machines were working fine.
"Let's begin," Gurney advised, turning away before looking right into Brandon's eyes. There was nothing now to fear. Everything was in place, and Gurney could not be any more confident in the team he had selected here. Every single person present and attending to his omega was the very best professional -- he had personally trained them.
Jessica looked to Brandon and began drawing the green medical curtain that enabled the omega to not see the process of cutting him open.
"Is that epidural working out for you?" Gurney asked his omega, who impressively remained cool despite the prospect of a doctor having to make an incision to remove the child inside him.
"Feels that way," Brandon said. His eyes were so full of hope and desire, and Gurney enjoyed most the idea of being able to head home with him in a day or two, introducing their daughter to their home.
Or maybe we'll just move, we could go somewhere else... anywhere else. There was no place we could not call home, so long as we both wanted it, Gurney thought. He walked over to Jessica, watching her at work.
She performed the Caesarean slowly, but with such precision and skill that Gurney felt like he was actively obstructing her by being around. She didn't need supervision!
"If that epidural is good, you're going to love the hospital-grade morphine you'll be getting afterwards," Gurney grinned at his omega. Brandon nodded, smiling, his tranquility a vision of beauty to his alpha.
The dragon inside him was excited beyond belief, ready to welcome a new hatchling into the world. Gurney wondered about how he would educate his daughter about her heritage, about the shifter potential and powers in her that she would learn to unleash... maybe there were other dragon births out there, but he felt like surely this had to be a momentous day for the world.
It didn't matter, he realized. What mattered was that this was an incredibly historic moment in the lives of Gurney Keller, alpha, and Brandon Holland, omega.
Jessica continued reporting on her progress when Gurney rejoined Brandon, comforting him and kissing him and trading casual, trivial stories.
"You know, it's a lot different when there's no dilation with male pregnancy uteruses," Jessica said to Gurney.
"Dr Herrera, we are talking about a miraculous formation in his body... the rules get thrown out the window here," Gurney smirked, amused by his colleague.
He glanced over to Zara, who was now suppressing a yawn. "Might want to sit down, or you could at least watch outside," the dragon gently offered. "Sorry it's not as quick a procedure as you might like."
"Can't record the whole thing, or else my phone battery will die," Zara said, shrugging. "Sorry, Brandon."
Brandon laughed. "I don't need to see the whole thing. Seriously. Just make sure you get closeups of my baby's head coming out of the gaping wound in my belly."
"You got it, friend," Zara grinned. "Hey, how is it you're not as loopy from the freaking anaesthetic in your spine?"
"Dragon powers make my skin tough," Brandon joked. But Gurney knew enough that there was truth to the joke -- Brandon was handily awake because his body could endure more now. In fact, if he was especially daring, Gurney suspected Brandon could even give birth to their daughter without any anaesthetic at all...
But why behave so uncivilized when we're in one of the finest medical facilities in the world?
This was their time now. Gurney held his breath as Jessica announced that the baby was coming -- and he felt such an incredible relief flood through his body when he heard Jessica make a squeal of delight, removing the baby with the labor nurse coming in to assist with the cutting of the umbilical cord.
"Congratulations," Jessica cooed, showing the two parents their beautiful new baby. "It's a healthy girl. Ten pounds of brand new human that came
right out of you, Brandon!"
Brandon seemed so happy he could have passed out right then. He squeezed Gurney's hand and happily accepted as Jessica brought the gently crying baby forward to the omega who birthed her, and they made skin-on-skin contact for the first time.
"Cordelia," whispered Brandon. "That's her name."
Gurney was surprised by the choice. They had discussed a list of possible names without deciding on any one, but Cordelia felt incredibly right. Cordelia Keller-Holland. She sounded sophisticated, a daughter of the modern world.
"Then her dragon name should be Afaxorra," Gurney murmured. "Favored by providence. That's what her name means in the ancient dragon tongue of my ancestors."
Jessica took the baby back from Brandon's arms, taking the time to parade it to Zara and her smartphone, while Gurney and Brandon kissed.
Alpha and omega were complete now. Two had become three.
EPILOGUE
Gurney & Brandon
FIVE YEARS LATER...
"Do you, Gurney Keller, take Brandon Holland as omega for life, your mate, your bride, the carer and carrier of all children you will have together?" the officiant, a friend of Zara's, recited. He spoke with a beautiful baritone that had kept both alpha and omega paying attention through his speech about the joys of marriage that awaited them -- not that either Brandon or Gurney needed to be reminded, having lived together in perfect bliss for the last five years.
Now, though, they had Cordelia standing right between them, grinning as she behaved impressively despite the restlessness and boredom she had previously experienced in all the wedding rehearsals.
"I do," Gurney said, glancing over at his omega. They had chosen matching white tuxedos with a shiny black trim -- tailored, of course, giving Gurney's sleek, muscular frame the sort of dominant look that he preferred, while Brandon enjoyed a perfect fit on the tux that accentuated his burly, large frame.
All morning Cordelia had been wrapping herself around her omega father's leg all day, until Gurney picked her up and held her against him, reminding her in his gentlest words that this was an important, beautiful day for their family.
"And do you, Brandon Holland, take Gurney Keller as your alpha, master and guide; the protector of you and Cordelia, the leader of your household, the father in all things?"
"I do," Brandon said, looking straight forward as he grinned through the whole ceremony.
"In that case, by the power vested in me by the Washington state Board of Shifter Affairs, I pronounce you alpha and omega. You may kiss!"
Gurney glanced over at the gathered guests, his delight growing as he reached forward and held his omega close to him for an explosive kiss that fired off the camera flash of a hundred different cameras. He bent Brandon back and kissed him again, one hand to the omega's neck and the other to the small of his back. Brandon Keller, now.
My bride, my mate, my omega. The alpha could even hear Cordelia -- Afaxorra was a name only used in the sternest of parental moments -- making a face even as she clapped and cheered them on while they kissed. And as soon as Gurney d away from the kiss, Brandon wrapped his arms around his alpha and leapt right into another kiss.
There was joy in the garden as they celebrated their love for each other. "I love you," Brandon whispered to Gurney, who had now grabbed Cordelia by her hand so they could pose for a spontaneous photo by a couple who had traveled from Germany to meet them. Gurney wasn't too familiar with the pair, and realized it must have been one of Brandon's guests.
"Mr and Mrs Finkelstein!" Brandon greeted once they were done with the photo, bowing so he was on the same level as the shorter Germans. "Gurney, Jeremy Finkelstein is my top customer. And this is his wife, Sarah."
"Pleasure to meet you," the dragon said, beaming as he offered his hand.
In the last two years, Brandon had found immense success opening a menswear store that curated select brands that he had discovered during his travels with Gurney. The dragon, in the meantime, had decided to open his own practice, serving both human and shifter patients while also coming in as a consultant surgeon for Seattle Tranquility.
Brandon called for Cordelia, who quickly came to his side. "Jeremy, meet Cordelia. She's the youngest dragon in the world, and a truly special girl."
"Enchanted to meet you, Miss Keller-Holland," the smooth German said, offering the little girl with the golden hair a big smile.
"Actually, my parents are married now so it's Miss Keller, thank you!" Cordelia piped. And then she looked over to Brandon, adding, "I can breathe fire, I wish I could show everyone! They'd like it so much."
"Sure, until you set their dresses on fire, darling," Gurney said, laughing as he collected Cordelia. The child was small for her age, but expressive and smart and creative -- traits Gurney and Brandon would playfully argue over, wondering which parent that came from.
The wedding party came underway and the band started playing some classics. "May I have this dance?" Gurney asked Brandon, glancing over to the dance floor.
"Not fair!" Cordelia said loudly. "I want to dance too!"
"The littlest dragon can wait her turn," Brandon said, sticking his tongue out. "I've got a date with an alpha."
"What if I become an alpha some day?" Cordelia asked with a toothy grin. "Will I get to be the first person who gets to dance at the wedding?"
Gurney grinned. "Sure, princess... just remember, if anyone goes ahead of you, you can always breathe fire on them."
"Gurney!" Brandon chastised in pretend outrage. "What sort of an example are you setting our daughter?"
"The kind that'll teach her the value of wisdom... after experiencing a few disastrous attempts, I'm sure," Gurney said, embracing his omega before pulling him right in front of the stage where the band had taken over.
The dragon took lead of the dance -- naturally -- and they weaved their magical way around the floor with everyone watching and clapping. Brandon had not been much of a dancer but for his wedding day he insisted on practising every day, swapping partners between Gurney and Cordelia, depending on who was bored enough to indulge his practice sessions. "I'm going to go over to Aunt Zara's," Cordelia had complained the evening before. "My feet hurt!"
The band started playing a crooning, old-timey cover of a boy band love song from the 90s Brandon struggled to remember the words to, but they both remembered enough of the tune and the beat was easy to dance to, that Brandon was able to confidently dance along to Gurney's measured steps, which he knew the alpha had intentionally slowed down to make it easier for him. "I love you so much," Brandon said, tearing up already. "Thank you, my alpha. Thank you for all of this. It's all so beautiful."
"But nothing's as beautiful as you," Gurney said, looking lost in Brandon's eyes. Everything about the way he held his omega as they danced showcased just how much he loved his human omega.
"Nah, we've got Cordelia, and when she behaves, she's an absolute angel," Brandon pointed out, laughing as he saw the five year old boogey by herself in the middle of the dance floor, uninhibited by the crowd.
"Even so, you're still more beautiful," Gurney said. "You're my soul-bound mate. And that means I'm committed to you. And our future together will hold everything perfect, because together, we are perfect. Do you understand, my love?"
Brandon smiled. The music, the dancing, the sight of Cordelia acting silly, the warm and happy guests... everything was perfect. He couldn't help but think about how he was the luckiest man alive. Five years into their relationship and he still felt like this was the first time he was being held, touched, kissed and made love to by his alpha... the magic never faded.