Beau arched his back and rubbed the incessant ache along the base of his spine. He hated sitting in the office chair, but at least he could get up from it by himself. Eying the couch, he shook his head. It was more comfortable, but if he sat down on that he’d have to get Trent or someone else to pull him back up again the next time he needed to pee. Which was probably going to be in the next five minutes. Standing up, he leaned on the desk and panted as another pain seemed to hit his side this time. His Phoenix fluttered, warning him but he was too invested in the here and now to pay attention.

“Fuck.” Beau tried to keep his voice down, but he was panting in earnest now. A clang of a wrench hitting the floor and Trent was there, rubbing his back, worry etched over his handsome face.

“Hon, is it time?”

“I don’t know,” Beau panted and then let out another yell as another pain hit him. “It’s not as though my damn waters are going to break.”

Beau had talked to his grandfather who simply told him caesarian was the only way to have his child. Phoenixes weren’t born with birth canals, although they did have a womb. Damn stupid evolutionary trait. Jack cut his grandfather open when the time had come as there were no hospitals around back then. Doc promised to be ready when Beau was, but they all thought he had another three days to go at least.

“I’m getting you to the doc,” Trent swept him off his feet as though his bulk was nothing. “Gavin,” he yelled.

“Yes, boss.” Gavin came running in brandishing a huge screwdriver, his hair wild and a streak of grease on his face.

“Phone the sheriff’s office, tell Mal to get Liam to the doc’s office now. NOW!” he added as Gavin just stood there. “Go. Go. And lock up when you finish tonight.”

“I can walk,” Beau protested as Trent strode through the workshop like a man on a mission.

“Humor me, hon. If this is a false alarm you can yell at me about high-handed tactics all you like, after the Doc has checked you out. Damn it, not now, Mrs. Hooper,” Trent snarled as the old woman stepped in his path.

Mrs. Hooper sniffed. “The baby is ready, that’s the only reason you got away with snarling at me.”

“I apologize for my mate’s inappropriate response, Mrs. Hooper,” Beau panted, “but please…oh fuck.”

With far more speed than an old lady should have, Mrs. Hooper sprinted ahead of them, opening the Doc’s door with a bang. “Farriday,” she yelled. “Scrub up. You’ve got incoming.”

As Trent maneuvered them through the door, Beau could see Doc was already elbow deep in water. “Come straight through and get him out of those clothes,” Doc ordered as he dried off his hands and started pulling equipment from various cabinets and drawers.

Beau wasn’t wearing much; a pair of old sweat pants and a big t-shirt Liam found at a local store. His belly had gotten too big for jeans not long after they’d confronted Alpha Lamont and getting into a pair of suit pants was a joke. Stripping him with efficiency, Trent still popped a quick kiss on his swollen belly. “Not long now,” he said, his smile at odds with the worry in his eyes.

“Magic or drugs, Beau, your choice,” Doc stood by the table with a scalpel on his gloved hands.

“Magic,” Beau panted as another pain hit him. “Hang on, two secs, and ignore the flames.” Closing his eyes and gripping Trent’s hand like a lifeline, Beau tried to focus but it was hopeless. Between the pains which were less than two minutes apart and…and…his phoenix was trying to tell him someone was missing.

“Liam,” he yelled. “Liam has to be here too. It has to be the three of us.”

“I can’t afford to wait much longer,” Doc said firmly. “If you can’t summon your magic….”

“I can, just, LIAM!” Beau screamed.

“I’m here, I’m here,” Liam ran through the door, his chest heaving. “I was on the other side of town. What did I miss?”

“Nothing yet. Get here on your mate’s other side and don’t get in the way. Beau, get that magic working.” The Doc fussed with screens putting them up over his bump so Beau couldn’t see what was going on. “I’m counting to ten and then I’m making an incision. If either one of you two snarls at me when you smell Beau’s blood I will cut you too.”

Holding his mates’ hands tight, Beau closed his eyes and brought forth his phoenix. He was aware of the flames, but that was the phoenix’s way. Rising from the ashes, a phoenix was bathed in fire from birth. “Start cutting,” he muttered when he could no longer feel anything from the waist down.

“You’re doing great, babe,” Liam leaned down and whispered.

“Just a few seconds more,” Trent growled softly, and Beau realized the blood in the air was his own and Trent’s wolf was struggling for control. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see both of his mates focused only on him, pride and love shining in their eyes. In that moment, he’d never felt more loved.

“And here we have one bouncing baby boy who was more than ready to exit his home,” Doc said with a flourish, but his movements were gentle as he placed the newborn on Beau’s chest. “Which one of you two would like to cut the cord?”

“You do it, Liam,” Trent said, his face beaming. “I’ll get it next time.”

Liam’s face was a little pale as he went on the other side of the screen, but Beau was captivated by the sight of his newborn son bathed in the loving flames of his animal half. It was too soon to tell if his son would share the same traits as he did; but Beau was confident he would. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a true hybrid here, one who can shift into two forms.

The baby was big; far bigger than Beau expected although his hand curved easily over the little one’s back. Pale green eyes, just like his, stared at him, but the wee mouth that was shaped in a pout was all Liam, as was the hair color and nose. Beau’s heart expanded, and he knew without even thinking about it, he’d love this child forever.

“He’s beautiful,” Trent whispered with the awe one expects in a church.

“The first of many, we hope,” Liam said returning to stand by Beau’s head and stroking his hair. “You are freaking amazing, my love. You made a baby.”

“We made a baby.” The lump in Beau’s throat caught and held and out of nowhere tears poured down his face.

“Hon, are you okay?” Trent stroked the baby’s head softly, but his eyes were on Beau’s face.

“I’m just so glad I won’t be fat anymore,” Beau howled although he knew that wasn’t it at all. He just didn’t know what else to say.

“It’ll take a bit of exercise to tighten your abs back up,” Doc said as he clipped off the final stitch and straightened up. “These stitches are just temporary. As soon as you shift they’ll disappear. What are you going to name him?”

“We decided on Kayne. It means intelligent and we figure he’ll take after his father,” Liam said. “Can we hold him, clean him up a bit? Does he need feeding?”

“Oh, my gods, you three have got a lot to learn,” Doc laughed. “He’s yours now. He doesn’t come with an instruction manual, you have to learn as you go. Do any of you know about bottles, how to put on a diaper?

“I do,” Liam blushed. “It’s just, I usually only respond when a baby starts crying and he’s new and got stuff all over him and maybe he needs more time to bond with Beau first.”

“I’m sure the guys at Ra’s pack miss you because of what you used to do,” Doc said kindly. “But for now, this is your son. The three of you are now responsible for this little life and that means cleaning, feeding, diapers, and clothes.”

“Oh no,” Trent, covered his face with his hands. “We left the damn baby bag at the garage.”

“That silly rabbit let me in to get it,” Mrs. Hooper burst in without so much as a knock at the door. Beau immediately went to cover his groin, which was impossible because the screen was still up, and Mrs. Hooper scoffed. “Believe me boy, I’ve seen bigger and prettier; ain’t nothing there to interest me. But you however,” she said, handing the bag to Trent and cooing at the baby, “you are something special, my sweet one.”

“We named him Kayne,” Beau said quietly. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Mrs. Hooper smile. “And I think you might be right.”