Chapter Twenty-one
When Caleb woke up, the first thing he noticed was how wrong the light was--pale and silver instead of tinged with green. Outside he heard cars driving down a road, police sirens and the endless honking of the city.
"Asher?" he whispered and was rewarded by a squeeze on his palm.
"I'm here." Caleb didn't know how much he needed that growly response until he had gotten it. Those words and that voice told him that his time on the mountain hadn't been a dream. He had met his mate. He was pregnant. His eyes flew open.
"The baby?"
Asher looked different in fluorescent lights. Not any less handsome, but uncomfortable, like he didn't quite belong. "The baby is fine. You'll be fine. Felix said you were dehydrated and that the stress of pregnancy was exhausting your body." Caleb brushed his free hand over his stomach gently.
Asher stood and crossed the room to grab a cup and a pitcher of water. Pouring a glass for Caleb, he brought it back and held it up to his lips. Caleb swallowed dutifully.
"When can we go back?" Caleb asked, Asher turned from him to set the cup down and Caleb thought he was taking an awful long time to turn and respond.
When he did turn around, it was with his, I am the alpha and you will do as I say, expression. "You are on bed rest until the baby is born." Asher seemed entirely too happy to be delivering such horrible news. And then it hit him, Caleb on bed rest meant he would be all but forced to remain safe in bed, exactly where Asher wanted him anyway.
"Bed rest?" he shrieked and Asher had the sense to look guilty.
"Not strict bed rest, baby, more like, limited duty. You don't have to spend your days completely horizontal. Felix just said he wanted you to spend the majority of your days resting. You can go for short walks, indulge in light hobbies, but nothing strenuous, nothing dangerous."
Caleb narrowed his eyes at his mate. "I want to shift right now only so I can bite you harder than I could with my human teeth."
Asher sat down on the side of the bed. Brave man, especially considering what he was about to say. "Doctor also said, no shifting."
"Let me talk to him."
"He left for some pack business but said he would be back by early afternoon."
"You don't have to look so freaking smug about it." Caleb crossed his arms over his chest.
Asher got up wordlessly and closed the blinds to their hospital room. He shut the door and turned the dial with a click, locking it. "In my day," Asher said conversationally. "You weren't able to lock hospital room doors. Felix did mention this room was mostly for people waiting to discharge who didn't need constant care. I asked him to put you where you would be bothered the least by noise."
"Thank you," Caleb said grumpily while looking at his feet sticking out from under the blanket.
"Caleb, you do know that while I am not enraged at the idea of you being ordered by a doctor to stay in bed that I would never force you to do something you don't want to."
Caleb hmphed and turned his head.
"Mate," Asher said warningly. "You are acting like a brat and lashing out. I know staying in bed doesn't sound fun, but you will do it if that is what the baby needs. Just like I will stay in this city that is never quiet and stinks, so that I can be with you while you grow our baby."
At that point, Caleb knew he was acting like a brat, but at the same time, he couldn't quite stop. He didn't feel sick anymore and even though he knew it wasn't true, a part of him thought maybe Felix thought his symptoms were worse than they were. If he knew how fine he was, he wouldn't insist on bed rest. Logically, he knew Felix ran tests and made his decisions off those.
And finally, he enjoyed Asher when he got all rumbly and alpha on him and a larger part of him wanted to push his mate to see what would happen. He slumped back against the pillows in his bed with a hmph. "You want me surrounded in bubble tape. We're in town now, you could go to the office supply store and buy some. Just wind me up in it."
"You know I want you in less clothing, not more," Asher said simply, sitting back on the bed.
"Oh and whatever you want, you get, right?" Caleb crossed his arms and stuck out his bottom lip. He felt the mattress shift as Asher turned toward him. Caleb nearly smiled, his cock was hard at the idea of Asher taking his bait.
Except, it seemed as though Asher was in on the game and he merely rubbed his hand reassuringly down Caleb's arm. "You must be very stressed out right now, mate. Would you like a shoulder massage?"
Caleb growled. "No, I don't want a shoulder massage." He smiled. "How about a cock massage instead?" He honestly wasn't sure how Asher would respond to his brazenness.
He was not disappointed. Asher's eyes went black and his mouth parted slightly. "If that is what my mate wants." Asher shifted to his side, sliding his hand under the hospital blanket. The blanket was thin and Caleb saw the shape of Asher's hand clearly as it traveled over his belly. Instead of grabbing his penis firmly though, Asher brushed his fingertips over Caleb's length with a touch that was light as a butterfly. He brought his hand back to Caleb's tip and repeated the motion, forcing a hiss through Caleb's clenched teeth.
"That isn't a massage," Caleb said, trying not to hump his mate's hand.
"But you are in such a bad mood, I thought for sure it must mean you aren't feeling well. I would hate to go too hard on you." He continued with his feather light touches down Caleb's length and around the skin on his upper thigh.
Caleb bit his lip to keep from begging Asher for a firmer touch.
"Unless, of course, you are feeling better?" Asher said. Caleb knew what he was hinting at and he stubbornly turned his face away.
Asher made a tsking noise and if anything, his touch grew lighter. So light, Caleb almost didn't feel him all the time. He bit his lip and thought he felt Asher brush against his balls. His hips did a little involuntary jerk, breaking free from the tight mental hold he had on them. Asher leaned in, filling Caleb's senses with his virile male scent.
It was too much. He let go of his lip, his mouth opening with an audible sigh and he let his hips slide forward, catching Asher's hand and rewarding him with the firmest touch yet. "I think I am feeling better," he said, unable to keep the twang of need from his voice.
"I can see that," Asher murmured. "You must realize now that your pack master and I have your best interests at heart."
"Yes, I see that," Caleb nearly wailed, Asher's fingers had circled all the way around him, finally giving him the firm strokes he wanted.
"And you see that as your mate, I just want you and our baby safe." Asher growled out the word baby in a way that was so possessive, so dominant, Caleb nearly came from the sound of it alone.
"I understand," he said up to the ceiling. Asher pulled the blanket down and let his lips surround Caleb's cock. He slid his length all the way in and stayed there for a while, humming. Caleb reached for the back of Asher's head, threading his fingers through Asher's hair. He held on tighter than he had ever dared before. Deep down, he knew, Asher could move if he wanted to. But in that moment, he imagined he was keeping his mate there, keeping his dick in Asher's mouth.
Instead of pushing off, Asher reached around and held Caleb's hand in place. It was too much for Caleb. He came quickly and without warning, shooting down Asher's throat. Caleb barely had a chance to make a noise, his orgasm came that quickly. When Asher pulled off, licking his lips, he stretched up to kiss Caleb gently. "I am relieved you are going to be okay. Also, the doctor wants to do an ultrasound so he can tell us more about our baby."