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“What do you mean Mal will be all right?” Rocky took Doc into his office, but left the door open. He needed to keep an ear on the kids. “That tells me there’s something wrong with him now.”

“There’s nothing wrong with the babies. Mal has got high blood pressure, but from what he’s been telling me, that’s not unusual with what’s going on.” Doc settled himself in a chair. “Rocky, I’m going to be blunt. Do you love your mate?”

Rocky clutched his chest. “Does he think that I don’t? I love him with everything I am. My life would be nothing without him. Why would you ask that?”

Doc held up a finger. “Do you respect your mate?”

“Totally.” Rocky was offended by the question. “Mal is the smartest, kindest, and most organized person I know. He’s amazing.”

“Then why,” Doc said, “are you treating your amazing, wonderful mate as if he was a walking baby incubator without two brain cells to rub together.”

“I don’t.” Rocky was stung. But then he thought about how Mal had blocked their mind link and the yelling in the office that afternoon. “I’m trying to look after him,” he said quietly. “He’s always looking out for me, but now with the babies coming I need to be the one who looks after him.”

“By smothering him, not respecting him, and by neglecting his sexual needs?”

Rocky reared back in his seat. “Doc, Mal’s pregnant. He can’t…you know…” He waved his hand. “He shouldn’t be doing that stuff. What if it hurts the babies?”

Doc leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “I see,” he said, nodding. “It’s true then. In all the history of shifters, you apparently have a dick so big that you’re worried if you penetrate your mate’s ass, that what…your dick is going to be patting the babies on the head?”

Rocky tried to imagine what that would look like. “Well, I suppose, if they were pointing down, and then I…”

“Do you have to tuck the head of your dick in your boots when you get dressed in the morning?”

“No. Ew…” Rocky screwed up his nose. “Imagine it being that big. If it ever got hard, you’d have no blood left in the rest of your body.”

“At least you know that much, then. But let’s leave that for now. Explain why Mal can’t make himself a sandwich.”

“Knives are dangerous.” Rocky was very firm about that one. “If Mal falls with a knife in his hand, he could badly cut himself and hurt the babies as well.”

“Aha. And how often has Mal fallen making himself a sandwich in all the years you’ve known him?”

“Never. But then it doesn’t mean it can’t happen, especially when his belly gets bigger.”

“Is that right? Is there a reason he’s not allowed to sit on the dining chairs anymore and is only allowed to eat on the couch?”

Rocky frowned. “Those seats are wooden. They’d be uncomfortable for him.”

“Did you ask him if he was uncomfortable? And while we’re on the subject, did you ask Mal if he was worried about falling while making a sandwich, or ask him if he liked the fact his mate was neglecting his very normal heightened sexual needs while he was pregnant?

“Did you ask Mal if he liked being treated like a brain-dead idiot in the office earlier today, when you used his pregnancy as means to make it appear he couldn’t do his job? Not being yelled at in a sheriff’s office? What planet are you living on?”

“Stress is not good for the babies. I know that much.” Stress wasn’t good for anyone in Rocky’s opinion – he should know. He was feeling decidedly stressed with every word that came out of Doc’s mouth.

Doc lowered his tone. “What do you think you’ve been doing to Mal, in just one week? You are stressing him out.”

Rocky’s eyes suddenly blurred, and he blinked rapidly. “I didn’t want him to be stressed, I’m trying to make things easier for him. Doc, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing here. I’ve never been a dad before – I barely had one of my own. I’m just trying to do the things I saw other mated couples do when one of them is pregnant.”

Sighing, Doc said, “That’s why I’m here, sticking my nose into mated business. It’s not normally what I do. I’m not saying your heart isn’t in the right place, Rocky, I’m telling you you’re going about things all wrong.”

“Well, what am I meant to do? Is there a book where I can learn all this stuff, or a website link you can give me?”

“There’s millions of them but I don’t think any of that will help.” Doc shook his head. “What you need to do is talk to Mal. Don’t make assumptions for him, don’t try and do things for him if you don’t do them already. Think about it. Before he got pregnant, if Mal was sitting on an uncomfortable chair and he didn’t like it, what would he do?”

“Move somewhere else.”

“And if he was making a sandwich, what would he normally do?”

“Probably make two for me as well.” Rocky wasn’t the best sandwich maker. His tended to end up a bit squished.

“And if someone is yelling at him at the office, which is a very common occurrence I know, but what does Mal do when that happens?”

“He calms things down.” Rocky met Doc’s eyes. “He’s got that way about him and people listen to him.”

“That’s right, they do. Everyone does, except you apparently.” Doc quirked his eyebrow. “Now tell me this. If you and Mal were sharing sexy times, and something you do might make his back twinge, or he was just wasn’t comfortable in a position you were in, what would he do?”

Rocky snorted. “Slap me on the arm, tell me to move, or just move anyway.”

“Well, then?” Doc prompted.

“All right. I admit it. I’ve been an idiot, just like those boys in there.” Rocky gestured in the direction of the cells. “Now all three of us are stuck here until morning.”

“And you’ll all have probably learned something by morning. Speaking of which” – Doc got up and arched his back – “Joe is waiting for me at home, so I’ll leave you to it. I’ll make sure he comes in early in the morning so you can head home.”

“I’d appreciate it.” Rocky stood up too. “Are you sure Mal’s going to be all right?”

“Mal’s blood pressure was really high by the time he made it to my office today. Rocky, high blood pressure is serious, and over time that could harm the babies or cause them to come early, which is not good either. His levels had calmed down after he and I had a long talk, and I’ve given him a mild sedative for him to have tonight. It’s perfectly safe for pregnant shifters, but it will let him get some rest he really needs. And yes, that will be why you can’t get him through your mind link.”

Phew. He’s not blocking me. That made Rocky feel a little bit better. “At least he’s asleep and safe.”

“You need to trust him more,” Doc suggested. “Let him tell you what he needs and for god’s sake, don’t treat his body as though it was a holy freaking baby shrine. You’re shifters. Mal needs that closeness with you, and if you’re both in the mood then just do it. Mal will tell you if he’s not interested. I can’t believe you’ve managed to keep your hands off him for a whole week.”

“I’ve had decades of practice,” Rocky said as he walked Doc out. “It doesn’t get any easier just because I’m not cursed anymore. What time do you think Joe will be in?”

“Seeing as Petra and Finch wake us up at about five thirty, he won’t be late.” Doc smiled. “I’m looking forward to Levi getting back. I could do with a bit of time off myself, but don’t worry. I will be around when Mal’s ready to give birth.”

“Oh, that’s right. Levi’s back at college isn’t he?”

“Only for a few weeks. He’s taking some extra lectures on shifter hybrids, seeing as there are so many of them here in Arrowtown. At least you know what yours will shift into. Some of the mixes here in Arrowtown, including Joe’s and my own kids…” Doc shook his head. “It works. Somehow it all works, and if you have faith in your mate, you will be the wonderful dad I’m sure you’re capable of being.”

“I’d settle for being a decent mate first.” Rocky waved Doc off and went to check on the boys in the cells. They were both asleep. Rocky shook his head at their innocent faces.

There’s so much to being a parent. And Mal and I both work. What the fart are we going to do about that? A dozen different ideas floated through his head – none of them particularly appealing because it meant one or both of them were going to have to quit their job.

But as Rocky was making himself another cup of coffee, he remembered what Doc had said. Trust in Mal. Because if there was one thing Rocky was certain of, Mal would know what to do.

I miss you so much, my mate. Rocky settled in an uncomfortable chair so he wouldn’t fall asleep. He didn’t want anyone suggesting he wasn’t keeping an eye on the boys in his custody.