by Sy Walker
“Well, the two of you are in quite a pickle.”
“I’m pregnant,” Zebe offered.
“Yes, you are. Everything seems normal. The pain and illness is just your body adjusting to a foreign entity. Not only is it an anomaly for a man to be pregnant, but you have the added dimension of your embryo being part bear shifter. Your wolf blood is reacting to that as if being attacked by a virus.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“Well, I have to say I’ve never encountered it before, but I’ve read about the process. Gestation will be short, only ten days. Your body is going to be racked with discomfort and illness the entire time, I’m afraid to say, but it’s not fatal. The child appears healthy and you were healthy when you conceived it, so your chances of having a healthy hybrid wolf/bear shifter are very good.”
“I don’t know how this could have happened,” Zebe said aloud.
“I’m guessing you had sex with that furrball over there. You’d have better served yourself and your family by having made a nice fireplace rug out of him. They aren’t going to take this very well.”
Blake scowled back at the doctor but said nothing. Zebe looked at him apologetically and began pulling his shirt over his head. He faltered a bit as he started to get off the exam table and Blake was quickly by his side to support him.
“Hmmph,” the doctor uttered. “I’ll get you some vitamins and supplements. You won’t be able to get what you need elsewhere so just come back to me if you run out . . . or send the bear, I guess.”
“Thank you, Doc.”
“How are you going to handle this with your family and with the club?”
“I don’t know yet, Doc. We have a lot to talk about. We’ll figure it out. In the meantime, this is just between us, okay?”
“Boy Scout’s honor.”
“I doubt you were ever a boy scout,” Zebe said with as much of a laugh as he could muster.
“You’d be surprised what I was in my day,” the doctor replied before leaving the room to retrieve whatever magic potions he intended for Zebe to take.
“This is unbelievable,” Zebe said to Blake after he was gone.
“Unbelievable and beautiful,” Blake said with a warm smile.
“I can’t believe you seem excited about this.”
“I can’t believe you aren’t.”
“I have some sort of wolf bear growing inside my . . . shit.” Blake turned toward the doctor as soon as he walked back in. “Where exactly is it growing?”
“You have a womb.”
“I have a what???”
“That’s right. You have a womb. Do you know what the odds of your being gay, having a womb and procreating with a bear shifter are? That’s why this hasn’t happened for thousands of years. No wonder everyone thinks it is just a fairy tale.”
“Why has no one ever noticed such an anomaly before?”
“Simple. You’ve always been healthy. Any injuries you’ve ever had have healed themselves so quickly there was never a need to see a doctor and get any kind of tests that would have revealed such a thing. Even if there had been, it lies dormant until such time as it is put to use. It’s not like the womb of a woman, but more like a . . . let’s say, collapsible water bottle waiting to be filled. It would have been lying to one side against muscle tissue, not bothering anything.”
“Okay. So I have a womb. Where precisely will the child be exiting?”
“Well, you may not like that part. Here, take these pads. You’re going to need them.”
“For?”
“Now that the bottle has been filled, the neck of it will begin extending and making room. It will detach itself to the space between your testicles and rectum and create an exit for the newborn.”
“You’re fucking with me.”
“I’m not. Once the baby is born, the womb will exit with it and be clipped with the umbilical cord. The exit will heal up just like any other wound you’ve ever had and you’ll never bear another child. No pun intended.”
Zebe looked positively green at the thought of what the doctor was telling him. He looked at Blake, who appeared rapt with attention, hanging on the doctor’s every word.
“That is fantastic!”
“Easy for you to say, you aren’t growing a vagina!” Zebe exclaimed.
“It will be okay, Zebe. I will take good care of you.”
“You’re going to have to. This isn’t going to set well with folks and he’s not going to be in any condition to fight during his pregnancy. In fact, he won’t be able to shift at all until after the baby is born. He’ll need a lot of help and a lot of protection, even from his own, I’m afraid.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Blake said solemnly.
“You better do that quickly,” the doctor told both of them, handing them the supplies he had retrieved and seeing them to the door. “Just call me if you need anything or when it’s time. I’ll be there to make sure you get through this in one piece.”
“Thank you for everything, Doc,” Blake said.
“Not a problem. Not every day I get to deliver a mythical creature. I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m glad one of us is,” Zebe replied.
“Two of us. You’ll join us when you have adjusted to the idea of it all,” Blake told him, opening the car door for him.
Looking down at his abdomen, Zebe could already see signs of swelling. The baby was growing fast thanks to his accelerated metabolism. He suspected that Blake’s was the same, so it would be a double dose of it, thus why the gestation period was so short he was guessing. Ten days wasn’t long to adjust to the idea and they still had to consider how they were going to break this to their respective families and motor clubs.
Back at Blake’s house, they sat on the sofa and just stared at the wall for a moment, adjusting to the idea and collecting their thoughts. It was Blake that finally broke the silence as he turned to Zebe and pulled his hand toward him, holding it gently as he spoke.
“I think this is an opportunity, Zebe.”
“An opportunity for what? To prove we know nothing about parenting a child? We hardly even know one another. I’m a wolf shifter. You are a bear shifter. Who knows what this child will be.”
“Loved, that is what this child will be. Loved by the both of us. I think you and I were destined to be together. I felt it from the moment I first laid eyes on you in the bar. Do you not think I already knew you were a wolf before I came near you? I just didn’t care. I wanted you, needed you in some weird way. It is like I was drawn to you instantly.”
“I felt a pull myself, even after I realized what you were.”
“Then, let’s just give this a shot. Us, the baby, everything.”
“I don’t suppose we’ve much choice.”
“This is an opportunity for us to show our families and the community that we can all exist as equals. We can all be a part of one another’s lives without having to fight just because we are different. This baby could bring everyone back together.”
“Or it could just drive us all further apart and us completely out of town, or worse.”
“I refuse to think that way.”
“Look what happened to my brother, Blake.”
“The actions of a few don’t speak for the whole. I know, for a fact, that my family and my club are seeking out those responsible for killing without any serious provocation. If your brother just drifted and they killed him for it, they will be punished. Unless he attacked them first, they will pay for their actions. It was excessive and unnecessary. No one wants to go back to all-out war.”
“Perhaps so, but it won’t bring my brother back.”
“No, but we can possibly be the ones that end this animosity between our families once and for all.”
“Do you really think that?”
“I’d like to believe it. Time will tell, I suppose.”
“Then, let’s go tell the masses.”
“No. I don’t think we are ready for that ju
st yet. There are those that will try to stop a reconciliation. I won’t risk having you or the baby harmed before it can even be brought into the world. I think it is best that we keep it quiet until it is born and then pursue peace between our sides.”
“Makes sense. Plus, we don’t know what this thing is going to be. What if it is some sort of awful creature? I mean, half bear, half wolf? How does that even work?”
“I don’t know. I suppose we will find out.”
“Okay. We will begin making plans tomorrow. Right now, I feel exhausted. Do you think I could just lie down for a while?”
“Of course. Go relax in my bed for a while. I’ll start us some dinner and wake you up in a bit. I’ve got some fantastic steaks. I’m guessing you like yours rare too?”
“Usually, but I’m feeling a little queasy at the moment, so we may have to go with medium well.”
“Good enough. Do you need anything else?”
“No, not at the moment.”
“I’ll start the steaks marinating and get the prep work done then. Rest well.”
“Thanks.”
Zebe lay in the darkness of Blake’s room, the thick curtains closed to keep out the daylight which had already started to fade. Day one of ten was already passing and he knew the time would fly by before it was time for the baby to come. He didn’t want to show just how very afraid he was. He was a pack leader, for fuck’s sake. Still, he was more frightened than he had ever been in his life. If only his brother was here to talk to. He had always made things better. He didn’t even remember falling asleep, but before he knew it, two hours had passed and Blake was sitting on the edge of the bed, stroking his cheek softly.
“Do you feel any better?”
“A bit. I think the supplements may be kicking in. I don’t feel quite as tired as I did, but now I’m starving!”
“Good. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. I’ll leave you to get yourself together before coming out to eat.”
“Thanks, Blake. You’re being incredibly good to me.”
“Well, you are carrying our child. I’m looking forward to raising it with you, in all honesty. Even if we have to move to some other place and hide from our families to do so, I’ll do that with you. We’re in this together now.”
“Yes, we are. I’ll be out in just a minute.”
“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”
Blake kissed him on the cheek and made his way back to the kitchen to finish up dinner. By the time Zebe made his way out to the table, it was already set and the food was out on the table waiting for him. Blake pulled out a chair for him and then sat on the opposite side to eat his own meal. He wanted to be polite, but he was ravenous and scarfed it all down quickly.
“Well, you really wolfed that down,” Blake quipped
“Really? Trying to be punny?” Zebe shot back.
“A little. Are you still hungry?”
“Honestly? Yes. I feel like I could eat a whole wildebeest by myself.”
“Well, I’m fresh out of wildebeest, but I do have plenty of food. Come into the kitchen and get whatever you want.”
Zebe followed Blake to the kitchen and waited as he opened the fridge and the cabinets. He stood at the kitchen counter where he rapidly ate a leftover pot roast with potatoes, onions and carrots and then made his way through various fruits and vegetables. He finished with a small cake from the deli and drank an entire gallon of orange juice.
“Oh boy. This is going to be an expensive pregnancy,” Blake laughed.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. You’re eating for two. We’ll make a list of what you want and make sure you have plenty. I can duck out to the store in the morning.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I don’t think so. You’re already showing. You don’t go from having six pack abs to having a keg overnight without there being questions. Even if you didn’t draw attention with that, we can’t be seen together just yet.”
“I suppose you are right. I’ll at least give you some money to help out.”
“Don’t worry about that. I have plenty money.”
“Still, I’d like to do my part.”
“I think you are doing more than your fair share already,” Blake replied, placing his hand on Zebe’s already noticeably rounded belly.
“What are we going to do, Blake?”
“I don’t know. Come on. Let’s go sit down in the den and we’ll try to figure out a plan on how to break the news to everyone without getting mobbed.”
“I think we should start with just the elders. Maybe call them together for some sort of peace talks and see how they react to that. When we have them all together in a room and know they are at least interested in making peace, then we can tell them what has happened. They are old and superstitious. Surely the fact that we have born a child into the world that belongs to both families will serve as a sign that peace is a must for all of us,” Zebe told him.
“I think that is probably the best plan. If we can convince them, then they will dictate down to the younger members and it will be accepted, even if not all of them agree with it.”
“Let’s hope so. So, we concentrate on getting this baby born and then hope for the best. What is our contingency plan?”
“Simple. If they say no, we don’t wait for a skirmish to break out once they’ve alerted the others. We go there already packed to head for the east coast, far out of harm’s way.”
“How will we live? Our entire lives are here. We both have the clubs and our businesses to run. How will we make a living?”
“I have plenty of money saved up for an emergency and I would say that events unfolding that are not in our favor certainly qualifies. We leave and don’t look back. We rebuild somewhere else.”
“I have some money saved too. It’s hard to walk away from what you’ve worked hard to build, but I guess we may be left with no choice if it comes to that.”
“Then, as soon as the baby is born and you are well enough to get out, you will go to your place and pack what you need. I’ll keep the baby here. Once we are packed, we’ll call a meeting with the elders and present our case to them. What happens after that depends on their reaction.”
“I don’t know if I’m more afraid of giving birth or facing them.”
“Completely understandable.”
“Tell me it is going to be okay, Blake.”
“It will be fine,” Blake replied, reaching out to caress his cheek for a moment before pulling him into a kiss. Zebe felt it down to his toes. If nothing else was clear about their future, the fact that he had met Blake for a reason and belonged with him was a certainty in his mind. He curled up against his chest, feeling like it was precisely where he should be.
The moment was shattered as someone locked loudly at the front door. Blake eased up from the sofa and peeped through the blinds of a nearby window. He walked back to the sofa and sat down, whispering to Zebe.
“It’s just my cousin Jacob. He’ll go away if I don’t answer.”
Zebe nodded, but it quickly became apparent that Jacob was not going away. He pounded on the door and yelled for Blake to answer it.
“Come on, Blake . . . man. I know you are in there. I need help. My bike broke down just up the road.”
“Great. Give me a minute and I’ll get rid of him.”
Blake knew it would have been hard for Jacob to walk out of here. He had injured his leg in a bike accident a few years ago and it had healed improperly. Despite Doc breaking it back apart and resetting it several times, it was just never right again. Jacob walked with a noticeable limp unless he was shifted and he couldn’t very well walk down the outer road in were bear form. It must have been hard for him to even make it down the long gravel road that led here.
“About time, man. I’m sweating my balls off out here.”
“Sorry about that. I was busy.”
“I need you to take me back to town and get the flatbed for my bike. Motor’s fucked.”
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“I can’t right now. Just take mine and leave it at the shop while you bring the truck back to get yours. I can pick it up later when I come into town in the car.”
“I appreciate it, man.”
“Just stay here. I’ll get you the keys.”
“Man, it’s hot out here. You care if I come in and get some water?”
“Um, yeah. Give me a minute.”
“What the hell? You hiding a body in there?”
“Not yet, but if you don’t shut up, I might be. I’ll be right back.”
Blake shut the door and leaned against it, looking toward the sofa. Zebe wasn’t there. Walking toward the center of the room, he saw that the bedroom door was closed. Good. He walked back over to the door and told Jacob to come in. The younger man followed him to the kitchen and accepted the glass he handed him to retrieve water from the filtered pitcher in the refrigerator.
“That’s better. I was completely parched. Let me get out of your hair and go get my stuff taken care of.”
“Alright. Just park the bike inside and I’ll get it back later.”
“Sounds . . .,” Jacob started to say, but the words drifted off as his nose suddenly lifted into the air, sniffing around them. “You smell that?”
“I don’t smell anything. You’ve been out in the sun too long. Get going.”
“No, man. It smells like a wolf.”
“You’re just imagining things. I’ve got stuff to do. Get going.”
“No. I’m telling you that there is a wolf nearby. I can smell him, just like I smelled that one along the river when Harper and me were hunting.”
“You saw the wolf shifter that was killed?”
“Yeah, man. Who do you think killed him? He was on the wrong side of the river.”
“Did he attack you?”
“No. He was just dead in the water and drifted over from how it looked. Harper and I sent a loud and clear message about what happens to mange riddled wolves who don’t stay on their own side of the state.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you? He didn’t even mean to come over here!”
“Didn’t mean to or not, he was in dangerous waters and should have been more careful.”