“Hey there, Alpha man.”

I glanced over at the walkie sitting on my desk and smiled. Some people questioned our ability to work together and be married, but Addie and I loved it. Being in the park with her, running things here and in the clan with her by my side. Things couldn’t be much better.

“Hello there, darling wife,” I radioed back.

“If you’re not too busy or anything, maybe you want to meet me in the clearing by our cabin?”

“What! Are you sure?” I jumped up and grabbed my keys, dashing out of my office. “Gotta go!” I shouted to Rachel as I ran past her.

“Let us know!” she called after me.

“I’m already here,” Addie said.

I could hear the distress in her voice. “You should have called sooner.”

“Meh,” she said. “These things—take time.”

“Are you okay? I’m halfway there.”

“Don’t rush.”

I laughed. “Seriously? My first cub is about to be born and you tell me not to rush?”

“It’ll be—all day.”

The pain in her voice made me push on the gas.

I pulled up to the cabin. Hailey’s car was there, as were Noah’s and several others. I’d never really been part of a clan birth, being a male and all, but they’d told me all about it.

This was how they did it, they said. The females all came together and helped the pregnant bear give birth. The father could be there, of course, but they didn’t want a bunch of males strutting around, getting in the way. Fine by me to let the ladies handle it all.

I ran to the clearing. Addie was sitting up, her hands on either knee, breathing hard. Hailey was at her side, rubbing her back.

“You need to shift,” Tori said.

I saw Noah then and clapped him on the back. I guessed uncles were allowed, too.

“She wants to be human,” I said, moving into place beside her.

“But it’s much easier as a bear,” Hailey said.

We’d talked about this. Many times, Addie had insisted on giving birth in human form. Something about wanting the woman’s experience. I didn’t really get it, and I didn’t try to. I heard what the females in my clan said, but I had to do what my wife wanted. She was the one who carried our baby, after all, and she was the one about to give birth.

“Leave her be,” I said. I stroked her hair. “What do you need?”

She shook her head. Sweat stuck her hair to her neck and face. I did my best to brush it back.

“Maybe—I should,” she said, wincing as another contraction hit her.

“Whatever you want to do, honey.”

She nodded and tried to pull her clothes off.

“Don’t worry about that.” I’d gotten over the amount of torn clothing we all went through shifting, long ago. It was why I owned so many cheap t-shirts. Didn’t matter when I ripped them if I didn’t have time to undress before shifting.

She shifted, and, so I could speak to her, I shifted alongside her. I did have to undress, though. For all my thoughts on cheap clothing, I still wore my ranger uniform, and they were certainly not cheap. Last time I’d had to replace one, it ran me more than $80. I took off my clothes quickly, shifted, and got into position behind her.

You’re doing great, I said. I love you.

This sucks. So bad.

I know. But it’ll be over soon. I nuzzled my body against hers.

I felt her sigh. This is better. They were right.

We’ll tell them after. Who wants a bunch of bragging bear-wives?

She started to laugh, but the next contraction stopped her. As things worsened, I felt less and less helpful. All I could do was be there. I couldn’t speed it up. I couldn’t take her pain. There was no way I could protect her or our baby from any part of this. I hated the feeling.

Finally, after what did turn out to be all day, she was ready to push. I pressed myself against her as she pressed against me, pushing hard. It took many minutes, and then a tiny bear cub was sitting on the ground.

She began licking it clean, and I watched in awe. When she had thoroughly groomed the baby, she looked up at me. Smiling in bear form was different than in human, but I knew her face so well, it didn’t matter. She beamed, and I beamed back. I nuzzled in closer, sweeping the baby into my arms along with her.

I want to shift back now, she said.

We shifted back and I wrapped her in one of the blankets. We stayed cuddled together for a long while, the baby now suckling at her bare breast.

“Thank you, ladies,” I said. “And Noah.”

He looked up from where he’d been sitting against a tree, reading, and waved. They’d all stepped back to give us space. Now they stepped closer to peek in on the newest member of our clan.

“What is his name?” Tori asked.

This was my part. It was tradition to have the father announce a cub’s name after his or her birth. I said proudly, “His name is James, after Addie’s real father, who she never knew.”

Everyone made the appropriate cooing and awwing sounds. They stayed for a little while, helping to get things cleaned up. We made our way inside the cabin and the local midwife came by to check on the baby and make sure everything was fine.

When we were alone, the three of us sat in bed, and James slept in Addie’s arms. I rested my head on her shoulder to watch him sleep.

“He’s so tiny,” I said.

“Yeah. Didn’t feel that way, though,” she laughed.

“You were perfect. Thank you for bringing our baby into the world.”

“Thank you for giving him a family to come into.”

I kissed her head, then kissed James. With the two of them in my arms, everything was finally right at last.