Over the next three-and-a-half months, quite a lot of plans were made. A great many items which would belong to the baby were shipped to Dagwood’s home in Nevada. He kept his neighbors informed of these purchases. They were in the dark as to the fact that he was a shifter, so he fed them a story about having met a wonderful man while on business, and that they were going to adopt.

Wonderful people that they were, his neighbors congratulated him and used his spare key hanging over the back door to take all his purchases inside where they wouldn't be hurt by weather or passing hooligans.

Other baby essentials, such as a crib, diapers, clothes, toys and more, were delivered to Irwin’s apartment so that they could live happily until Irwin and the baby were ready to travel.

After learning of Dagwood’s involvement with catching Kevin Leery, Mr. Briggs called him and attempted to pay him as if he hadn’t quit. Dagwood refused to accept the money and convinced Mr. Briggs to donate it to charity. He didn’t need it. More importantly, he didn’t want it. He wanted nothing to do with that former life.

Meanwhile, Irwin was surprised and delighted at Dagwood’s suggestion that he be the one to take care of the baby, while Irwin lived out his life as he wished it.

“You don’t have to get a job at all,” Dagwood had informed him. He wanted to make sure his mate knew that there was no pressure whatsoever involved in any of this. It was their life. They could make it whatever it was meant to be. “It’s just an option.”

“I think I’d like that a lot,” Irwin had replied, softly. He looked like a man who had seen light where there previously was none. A door had opened and there were a wealth of possibilities behind it which he never even dared to consider before.

Following this realization, Irwin took up research about online colleges, trying to decide what sort of classes he would like to take, and what his ultimate goal was. Dagwood didn’t offer assistance during these long, concentration-heavy hours. Irwin shared discoveries as he made them, and that was good enough for both of them.

As the weeks passed, Irwin continued to blossom through his pregnancy. Even when he passed through the easy middle stage where everything was going right for him, he didn’t seem particularly inconvenienced. It was as if he was made for the role, as if he was born to carry a child.

With each doctor visit, the ultrasounds became clearer and clearer until there was an actual child to be seen. Irwin professed not to be able to see anything, but Dagwood was enchanted enough for both of them.

They decided to keep the gender a surprise. This made shopping a hassle on occasion. Dagwood wanted a themed room, while Irwin was adamant that pink or blue color schemes for a boy or girl was a thing of the past. In the end, they compromised and just bought everything in random colors. The nursery was going to look like a baby store had thrown up in it, and Dagwood honestly couldn’t wait to see that.

In addition to becoming more obviously pregnant, Irwin also continued to heal. His run through the sewers hadn’t really set him back all that much, so his progress was fantastic. However, he finally seemed to realize that he shouldn’t push himself. Dagwood gave thanks to whatever deity was up there in the sky, who had finally seen fit to give his pregnant mate some sense.

Still, they didn’t have sex. As more time went by, that was less because of Irwin’s injuries and more because his pregnancy made the act more trouble than it was worth.

During the final few days before he gave birth, Irwin’s mantra was, “I can’t wait until we can fuck again.”

Dagwood agreed, though he was more realistic about their chances. Irwin was going to be exhausted after giving birth. No sex after that. Then they were going to have a tiny, rambunctious pup to look after. They might not have sex again until they sent the kid off to college.

He was joking. Mostly.

It was just a good time in general, filled with love, happiness, laughter, and excitement for the future. Sometimes Irwin would do something that made Dagwood fall in love with him all over again, and there were other times when he was so full of delight that he would just sit down and shed a few tears; then, Irwin would come along and cry with him because he was hormonal. After those times, they kissed and went on as normal. It seemed as if nothing could disturb the happy pattern their lives had fallen into.

That was, until Dagwood was woken up one morning by a sharp finger jabbing into his side over and over. Instinct sent him leaping up off the bed, fangs bared, hands up to protect himself from this strange threat.

He found himself looking at Irwin, who had a very displeased expression on his face. Dagwood relaxed but only slightly, because that look worried him. “Irwin? What’s wrong?”

Irwin lifted his hands up into the air and spoke sarcastically. “Excuse me for interrupting your beauty sleep. Please, continue.”

“No. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. Just having a baby over here. Don’t worry about it. Sorry to bother you.” Now Irwin crossed his arms and looked as if he was pouting. He had slept in the nude, meaning that his rounded stomach was on full display. Even as Dagwood watched, a tremor ripped through Irwin’s stomach, so fierce that it seemed to warp the round surface before abating.

Blinding panic became Dagwood’s existence. They had been preparing for this day, eagerly looking forward to it, that it had almost stopped feeling like a real event. It was a fantasy, a daydream, something to smile about while falling asleep at night. But now it was here. Really, truly here. And it looked painful as hell. Dagwood couldn’t imagine having any part of his body contort like that without screaming.

Irwin had been having contractions for several weeks now but they had been the harmless sort as his body prepared for the real thing. And this, it was the real thing.

But all Dagwood could think to say was, “Are you…sure?” He couldn’t breathe, and the words came out in a huff. His heart hammered in his chest, and the sound of his own pulse filled his ears.

“No, Dagwood. I’m not sure. I’ve just got a baby ready to burst out of me, but god forbid I be sure that it’s actually happening, right? Must be imagining it.”

“You’re hurtful when you’re in pain,” Dagwood said. Through a massive effort, he managed to break through the stunned paralysis which had taken hold of him. Searching around, he found where he’d dropped his clothes when they went to bed and threw them on.

“Seems fitting, doesn’t it?” Irwin grumbled. “Why should I be the only one hurting?”

That actually seemed fair, so Dagwood didn’t contest it. Dressed now, or at least having managed to get most of his clothes on his body, he raced over to the closet and grabbed the go-bag they had prepared for just such an occasion. Slinging it over his shoulders, he went back over to Irwin. “Can you stand?”

Irwin swung his legs over off the side of the bed and stood. “Fuck yeah,” he said. “Ten outta ten. Great standing.”

“Eleven outta ten,” Dagwood replied weakly. Leave it to Irwin and his quirky nature to be completely fine with this.

Irwin wandered over to his own pile of clothes and started to pull them on. Dagwood offered to help, but he was pierced through with such an evil stare that he just stepped away to wait.

Finally, leaning back to counterbalance the weight pulling at him from the front, Irwin said, “Let’s get this shit on the road.” He went marching off through the apartment with confidence in his stance, pausing only occasionally to clutch at his stomach and grimace when another contraction rocked through him.

What the hell is happening?

Despite himself, Dagwood started laughing. The whole thing was just much too absurd. It was borderline bullshit.

Irwin laughed too, and he tried to reclaim his stern face. “Come on, slowpoke. I want to get to the hospital before this thing falls out of me.”

“Yes, sir,” Dagwood said obediently.

It occurred to him as they were making their way outside that the reason he felt so taken aback by all of this was probably because he was an alpha. This was about as far outside of his comfort zone as something could get. Meanwhile, giving birth was in Irwin’s nature. For just this one scenario, their roles in life were swapped. Irwin had taken the lead, and all Dagwood could do was follow meekly behind, taking orders and carrying out demands as they were given to him.

Such was the depth of the situation that he stopped in front of his car and looked at Irwin. “Do you want to drive?” he asked.

Irwin tilted his head, both hands underneath his stomach to support the weight. Eventually, he just shook his head. “Nah. I don’t think I’d fit behind the wheel.”

But if that wasn’t a problem, you’d have said yes. My weird, intriguing mate. How I love you.

The drive to the hospital was surprisingly uneventful. Irwin’s contractions seemed to have stopped. He relayed this information to Dagwood, who nearly stomped on the brake in surprise. He hadn’t heard of anything like this before, so all he could do was ask an extremely dumb question which he knew was impossible. Nothing else would come to mind.

“So,” he said, “is it, uh, out? Are you done giving birth?”

Irwin whacked him with his grabber stick, which Dagwood hadn’t even known he’d been carrying.

When they arrived at the hospital, Irwin waltzed in with his head held high and announced, “The baby’s coming!”

At his words, several nurses sprang into action to cart him away in a wheelchair. Dagwood observed this whole process with fascination. In his visits here, Irwin’s personality had charmed and captivated all of these people so that they jumped at his word. It was beyond amazing. Hell, it was damn impressive.

Dagwood checked his mate in at the front desk, and he followed the instructions given to him by a nurse to reach Irwin’s room. His mate lay in his hospital bed, wearing nothing but one of those unflattering gowns. His color was high, and his eyes were bright. At his side lay his stick, which he picked up and brandished at Dagwood. “What took you so long?”

It occurred to him then that one of the reasons Irwin was acting this way was because he was ready. Their lives together in Nevada couldn’t really start until this part was over, and Irwin wanted it to happen as soon as possible. He wanted to meet his child and get a move on with the rest of his life.

Maybe the child inside Irwin was just as eager to meet the rest of the world because Irwin’s labor lasted only two hours. The doctors and all the nurses in attendance were borderline dumbstruck by this, as it was of the fastest and easiest deliveries they had ever been part of. In fact, they immediately took away the baby as soon as it emerged into the world.

“Where are they going?” Irwin asked, worry thickening his tone. The only sign that he had been exhausted and hurt by his ordeal was the way he leaned back against the pillows as if he couldn’t support himself.

“Oh, we’re just checking to make sure your little one is perfectly ready for the world,” one of the remaining nurses replied easily. Despite her ease, Dagwood could easily read her true intent. They wanted to make sure nothing had gone wrong.

And nothing had.

Only a short time after that, the infant was brought back and placed in Irwin’s arms. Irwin looked down at his child and said, “I waited so fucking long to meet you, sweetheart.”

Dagwood hung back for a few moments to give them privacy, and then he took a few tentative steps forward to see his pup.

His daughter.

She was absolutely perfect. Her skin was still splotchy from having just been born, and her head was elongated from the pressure it took to deliver her. There was a curly tuft of orange hair on top of her head, and her wide, unblinking eyes were blue.

“It’s our Miracle,” Dagwood whispered.