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Fen went back to Rory, who was just sitting on the bed, still crying. “What can I do to help, love? I could rub your back?” He wanted to help, but not make Rory mad by saying the wrong thing. He’d heard all the tales.

“Are you excited?”

Fen didn’t even know how to answer that question. Was he excited? He was over the moon and terrified. He was overjoyed and panicked, and he’d never felt so many emotions all at the same time. “I wish my sister was here. She would love this.”

“I think she would, but—” Rory shrugged, tears coming to his eyes again. “Then I have to believe that she is somehow. That somehow she knows, and that she’s with us.” Suddenly, Rory’s eyes went wide. “My brothers, you have to call my brothers!”

“Goddess. I do.” Liam and Dean and the others would skin him alive if this happened without their knowledge. “I’ll get your phone. Do you want to talk to them?”

His mate looked uncomfortable, his lips were tight, fingers clenched. “No, no, I love them, but not now. Just tell them that the baby’s coming, that all is well, and you’ll call when it gets here. When he gets here. When our son arrives.”

“Okay. No problem. I’ll call when the midwife comes. Until then, I think I’d like to stay with you, if you don’t mind.”

“This is all your fault.” Rory managed a wink. “Of course I don’t mind. You should have to be here for every single gross moment.”

Fen chuckled softly. “I will be here for every single gross moment. You do know I would take all of the hurt away if I could.”

“Alexander will be worth it. I have no doubt a few hours of pain for a lifetime of knowing that we have a son is worth it.”

“Yes. One that’s not named Trent.”

“I’m gonna name him Trent.”

“Will not.” Fen did love making Rory laugh.

The midwife knocked on the door downstairs and then entered. “Hello, it’s Lonia.”

“Come on in,” he called back. “We’re up here.”

“Has his water broken?”

He shook his head. “Not yet.”

“I’m right here, you know. I’m not deaf and I’m not unconscious. You can ask me.” Rory’s growl was impressive.

“And obviously he’s in labor.”

“Yes.” Fen chuckled. “I just wanted you to check in.”

Rory smiled at Lonia. “I imagine we have a while yet before you need to stick around.”

“Well, let me have a look at your birthline, please? It’ll help me judge.”

“It’s a little tender.”

“That’s fine. Please, Rory.”

Rory lifted his shirt and pulled down his bulging slacks, and Fen and Lonia gasped, his hand going to his mouth.

The birthline was open, the baby still in his sac and coming out.

“What? What’s wrong?”

Lonia smiled at him, winked. “Nothing. The baby’s on his way. Fen, we need some of those clean towels. Right. Now.”

He took off at a dead run.

Towels. Clean towels. And he would bet she sent him back for hot water, so he raced down and put the full kettle on before high-tailing it back up.