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Story: What’s Rogue Got To Do With It (Fur-Ever Mountain Pack #1)
LARKIN
The contraction took hold of me as I was staring at the snow piling up on our back porch. I doubled over and gripped the ledge until my knuckles turned white. A gush of warm liquid told me I’d either peed myself which wasn’t unheard of in the later stages of pregnancy or my water broke.
Baby’s coming. My wolf knew what was about to happen.
“C-C-Creven!" My voice cracked when I managed to get his name out because panic and excitement combined and goosebumps paraded over my skin. Every nerve ending and synapse tingled and announced, "It's time!"
My mate appeared in the doorway having just woken up.
He blinked and stumbled toward me as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
We'd been expecting the contractions because I was three days past my due date. We’d gone on long walks, I’d eaten food laden with chili, and we’d had a lot of sex.
But nothing had encouraged the baby to leave the warmth and safety of my belly.
"Are you sure?"
I was tempted to yell, “No. I decided to scream as a practice run for when I really go into labor.” But my body cramped again and I leaned on the wall doing my best to breathe through the pain.
“Very sure.” I staggered into our bedroom before turning around and waddling out again. Where was I supposed to be now I was in labor?
Since last night, the storm had been dumping snow faster than Auden had seen in decades and when I’d woken at dawn, our former Alpha texted me the road to town was impassable. But the storm would stop before the baby wanted out. That was what I’d repeated as the world outside the cabin blurred.
But our little one didn’t listen to me. I hoped that habit would change once they were here.
Dr. Granger was in town and couldn’t make it up the mountain. But first babies took ages to arrive and the storm would stop before I had to push.
“You hear that my darling?” I patted my belly. “We need to slow down until the dorset arrives.”
Creven reached for his phone and told me to breathe. I bit back another snarky response. What else was he supposed to say and do? If I was going to yell at him, I should keep my insults until I was pushing and in agony.
But another contraction wrapped itself around me. The time between this third one and the second was much shorter than the gap between first and second. Damn, I shouldn’t have eaten all that chili.
“Who are you phoning?”
“Dr Granger.” But my mate stared at the phone and shook it. “No signal.”
Unless she planned on holding the line for hours, there was nothing she could have done anyway.
The front door opened and I braced myself as the wind ushered in two visitors.
“I heard moaning.” Auden and Colin removed their coats, hats, and gloves and stamped their feet. “Unless Creven hit his thumb with a hammer, you’re in labor.”
I responded by panting and groaning as my belly tightened. Being in a pack had its advantages but having the whole pack attend my labor wasn’t something I’d considered.
“I’ve been present at births when I lived in the bear den.” Colin breathed with me as my mate rubbed my back.
“And I’ve delivered babies.” Auden looked so pleased with himself as he placed an old bag on the table. Perhaps he and Colin had brought snacks and they’d eat while I screamed.
“The contractions are about five minutes apart.” My mate had been paying attention and timing them. “His water broke maybe twenty minutes ago."
Auden pulled out gloves, towels, a pic of a sunny beach, rolling pin, ice chips and a kettle from his bag. They were going to make tea and enjoy it while I labored. Lucky them.
“We have our own kettle,” Creven pointed out. “If you’re thirsty.”
Auden and Colin shared a glance and laughed, making me want to stamp my foot and tell them to keep it together because I was bringing a child into the world.
“The soap operas always have people boiling water, hence the kettle,” Colin added. “So we had to bring one.”
Despite my irritation and another contraction looming, I giggled. My belly jiggled and I grunted as the cramp took away my ability to speak, leaving me only able to shriek.
Creven breathed with me and Colin and Auden joined in. I hoped the baby could hear how the entire pack was helping.
“How do you want to do this?” My mate’s cheeks were as pale as the world outside the cabin. But he wasn’t freaking. Instead, he looked directly at me, making me understand we were united and I could do this, even without a doctor.
We’d discussed birthing positions but now that I was laboring, getting on all fours wasn’t what I wanted. Or maybe it was. Perhaps the baby should decide.
“Not sure. When I want to push, I’ll let you know.”
My pack mates took turns to wander with me around the cabin, pausing while a contraction took hold of my body. Creven made tea for the other two and gave me ice cubes to suck on. It was weird having ice in my mouth when outside the path to the shed and the road were covered in the stuff.
I reminded myself that shifters had been giving birth without a doctor present for hundreds of years.
That was fine in theory because it happened to other people.
But my pack was acting as if giving birth during a blizzard on a mountain without a doctor happened every day.
That prevented anxiety bubbling out and me being unable to push the baby into the world.
Thank gods my labor was progressing faster than the literature said it would for a first baby. If I’d been in labor for thirty-six hours, I might have told everyone to go home and return another day when I was calmer.
“You’re doing so well, my love.” I was on the bed, naked, and my mate was using a rolling pin on my back. Who knew a kitchen implement would be so useful in easing my aches.
“Help me up.” I had a desire to push and didn’t want to be prone. “Put a quilt on the floor and cushions.” I wanted to squat and wondered if Auden had a mattress in his little black bag.
But my mate dragged the mattress off our bed and I got on my haunches as he supported me. It was owie, and going to be more owie, but this position felt right.
I grunted and pushed, thinking maybe the baby would pop out. Nothing happened and I leaned my head on Creven’s shoulder where his pack mark lay on top of his old rogue one.
“Push with me, babe. Not sure I can do this by myself.”
Everyone groaned and panted, not just Creven, as each contraction gripped me.
“Picture each push as bringing the baby closer to being born.” Auden was crouching, hoping he could see the head.
“Anything?” I yelled, using most of what was left of my energy.
“Soon.”
I cried out and everyone panted and pushed some more.
“Now, I can see the head.” Auden hugged Colin. Great, they were congratulating one another while I was doing the hard work. “The little one has a lot of dark hair.”
I squeezed my mate's hand hard enough to break human bones. Thank gods he was a shifter. “I want you to hold the baby as I give birth.”
Creven changed places with Colin and told me he was touching our baby’s head.
His voice wavered and tears streamed over cheeks.
I bore down and the head was out. More pushing brought the shoulders before our little one slid into the world.
Gods that was the best feeling, I couldn’t describe the relief of no longer having to push.
“We have a son, Larkin.”
Our baby's first cry was strong but I was convinced he was complaining. If I’d been evicted from a warm, safe place, I’d cry too.
Colin helped me onto the quilt and Creven placed our son on my chest. Our two pack mates blew me kisses and left.
“What about the tea?” Giving birth was thirsty work.
They boiled the kettle as my mate wrapped us in the quilt.
“He has healthy lungs.” Creven kissed our son’s damp head, “But despite the noise, he’s oh so perfect.”
“Better get used to more crying,” I told him.
“Him or me?” he joked.
Colin and Auden brought tea and snacks but before they could slip away, the mountain erupted in howls.
“The mountain packs know he’s arrived. He’s the Alpha’s heir and that’s a big deal in any pack, but especially so in ours.” Auden nudged Creven and told him he had to respond.
My mate gave me a look before tearing into the snow and responding to the congratulations with a howl of his own.
“We need a name.” Creven was shivering and slipped under the quilt with me and the baby.
I yawned. “Let’s think about that tomorrow. I’ve done enough for today.”