Page 226 of Omega's Heart

“Speaking of breaking—don’t break the pup.” Holland kissed them both in passing as he pulled a jacket out of the closet. “How close are the contractions?”

“I don’t know,” Kaden blurted, startled. “He didn’t say. I brought a car.”

The corner of Quin’s mouth twitched. “Good thinking,” he said gravely.

Dorian wandered around the corner in his pajamas. “What’s going on?”

“You’re getting another cousin,” Holland said, pausing in the middle of pulling on one of his boots to kiss the little boy on the top of his head. “I’m going to go help.”

“Uncle Felix is having the baby?” the pup asked.

“He is. I’ll call and let you know when he’s born if you want.” Holland stamped his foot down into his boot and kissed Quin lightly on the mouth. “Don’t wait up.”

“Call if you need anything.”

“I will.”

They met Cale and Julius in the hallway. Julius was almost vibrating, he was so excited. Kaden was certain that if he still had his normal hearing he’d be listening to a high whine like a mosquito as the air molecules buzzed with the energy coming off the little omega.

Holland only smiled benevolently at the youngster and hit the button for the elevator.

Ori and Raleigh let themselves into our house and got right to work. I was grateful to have the help— I’d managed to strip the bedclothes off, but getting the old quilts and sheets that made up my birthing kit spread out over the mattress was surprisingly difficult between the outward thrust of my belly and the contractions that had started coming frighteningly fast.

I wanted Kaden.

“If you want to get undressed, we’ll look after getting everything else out,” Ori suggested.

“I think,” I started to say, then paused and held my breath as the latest contraction built to a peak. “That might be a good idea.” I tried not to notice Ori’s worried expression.

Raleigh helped me out of my clothes and into my birthing shirt, got me comfortably settled in the middle of the bed with a quilt over my legs to keep me warm and Hunter curled up by my side, then disappeared out to the kitchen to bang around with the pots and pans.

Ori started clearing space on top of the dressers. “Where’re your receiving blankets at?”

“Bottom drawer of the blue cabinet in the baby’s room,” I told him. “Have you seen my phone?”

“I’ll look for it,” he promised and disappeared.

The next contraction started, a deep ache in my back that reached ugly arms around to hug my womb and squash the baby against my still sealed omega line. The line was starting to burn, though, and one end felt like someone was pinching it or sticking something sharp into it, so I guessed it wouldn’t be too much longer before real labor began. Come on, Kaden.

Ori came back with my phone. “Found it in the baby’s room. Your mate is trying to get you.”

“Thank Lysoonka!” I grabbed the phone and called.

“How are you doing?” he asked without saying hello.

“Fine.” Liar. “Well, no. I want you.”

“We’re leaving Abel’s place now. We’re all crammed in like clowns in a car.”

I ignored his joke. Or rather, my body had more of my attention than his humor did. “Good. I don’t think this is going to take very long.”

“We’ll be there soon. We just turned past the break in the wall.”

“I’ll let you go.” I was restless now, wanting to get up and walk.

“Felix?” Kaden’s voice was tight, anxious.

“I’m fine,” I soothed him, more out of habit than thought. It was kind of hard to focus on anything by what was happening to my body right now. “Just going to walk around a little while I can.” I wondered if I shouldn’t ask Bram to come too since Kaden was so close, but there probably wasn’t any room left in the car. “Now, get off the phone and watch where you’re driving, soldier,” I told him, and grinned at his “Yes, sir!” in response.