Chapter Seventeen
Felix
I had a calendar on my phone, marking off the days of the pregnancy. I’d modified the dates to settle Locus’ labor at about six months human so that I could at least have some kind of ballpark warning.
And according to my phone, we were in the homestretch. We’d done all the things new parents were supposed to do. We’d bought the onesies and the changing table, along with a crib. Locus and I had stocked the freezer with homemade freezer meals so that we could stay close to our den after the babe was born. Other vets around town, including Dr. Bob at Animals Animals Everywhere knew of our impending birth so they were on standby to take my appointments. I was taking no chances.
Everything was in order, except me.
I’d kept it to myself, but all in all, I was worried. I’d had a great father, but genealogy does not a good father make.
“What’s the deal?” Patty said, leaning against my door, knocking on it even though it was open.
“Nothing. Just thinking.”
She rolled her eyes. “That will get you nowhere.”
“Truer words were never spoken. How did you know you were going to be a good mom?” I asked, like opening up my chest cavity and showing her my weakness.
“I didn’t. I just took one day at a time. You make sure they are loved and clean and fed. Then the rest comes later.”
I snorted. “You make it sound easy.”
Out of nowhere, Mrs. Klein came down the hall and peered into my office. “Doc, you’ve got a little situation out here.”
I jumped from my chair and headed to the front, behind her, followed by Patty. A thousand scenarios ran through my mind.
The one I came upon shook me.
“Locus, what’s wrong?” He stood beside his desk chair, white as a freshly bleached sheet, and held his belly. “Talk to me, mate.”
He didn’t speak. Instead, he stared ahead like he’d seen a demon. So, I did what I could and reached inside his mind.
What’s happening? I asked.
Water broke. Baby coming. Back pain. Scared.
It wasn’t his human side that relayed the information, rather his fox. Whatever had scared me before took a back seat to his pain and fear. As his alpha, it was my priority to keep him well and safe.
“All right, everyone, this clinic is closed. My mate is in labor. We’re going to have a baby.”
Several clients applauded while some groaned. People could be weird.
Patty bustled in with her tablet and took control. “Okay. Let’s see who can fit you all in today. Make a single line right here.” She pointed to the counter. “Dr. Felix has everything under control.”
I was glad someone thought so.
I scooped Locus up into my arms and rushed him down the hall and out back to my truck. I sat him in the front seat and remembered the first time he’d been there, still a fox, very broken. We hadn’t known what the future held for us.
“Locus, my love. I’m taking you home. We’ll call Malinda. Right now, I need you to know that you can do this and it’s a very natural process. It will happen like it’s supposed to. Locus, my omega, our babe needs you.”
That snapped him out of it. He reached for my face and pulled me to him for one hard but intense and passionate kiss. “Our babe is coming, Felix.”
His stupor was over. A smile grew on his face, and he touched his forehead to mine. “I love you,” I whispered and touched his belly.
“I love you, too. I don’t think I’ve said that before, but I do—always have.” I closed the door and ran around the front of the car and bounced into the driver’s seat, calling Malinda on the way. She fussed, true Malinda form, but said she would be over when she could—that I could handle it.
“Ten minutes, love, and we are home. We’ll get you cleaned up and ready to go.”
He nodded and grabbed my free hand, squeezing at intervals. If his squeezes were contractions, we might not have time to get my mate cleaned up before he would be pushing.
“Here’s the driveway,” I announced, like he didn’t know we were home.
Locus insisted on walking inside, leaning on me, something about walking making the babe come out faster. I thought it was a little late to think about that, but in this moment, whatever my omega wanted was what he got.
Inside, we scrambled upstairs to the bedroom, Locus panting and moaning the whole way. He shucked his wet pants and scrub shirt along with his boxers and headed to the shower. “Not having this baby wet. Yes, I realize I will be yucky soon but right now water.”
I stripped and jumped in with him, holding him tight through the contractions. We made quick work of getting his body scrubbed down and then went to the bedroom where I helped him to the floor where he wanted to be. He didn’t want to get the bed messed up. I spread towels out everywhere and did what I could, wiping the sweat from his brow and whispering all the things I would want to hear in his ear.
I loved him.
He was strong.
We could do this.
I was here for him.
I couldn’t wait to see our babe.
On all fours, he screamed once and then told me it was time. My mate told me, the vet, that it was time. I was a mess.
“I’ve got it,” I said, going behind him and waited for our young to arrive. In two seconds and one big push later, our baby girl had arrived, and Locus collapsed onto the towels, completely spent. I cleaned up our young and held her to her papa’s breast while my vision blurred with tears.
“She’s here, Locus. You did it. She’s gorgeous.”
Our little red, curly-haired babe was here. And all my fears melted away.