Chapter Seven
Fraser MacKenzie took a step toward his father-in-law. "Holly wanted a completely natural birth without any drugs, so as to not interfere with the results of her dragon's blood shots. I'm merely honoring her request."
Ross Anderson narrowed his eyes and waved toward Holly. "She's in pain, Fraser. The window has nearly passed for her to have anything, even the tamer dragon-shifter-safe ones."
"Holly isn't a child. She can make her own decisions."
Fraser moved closer to his father-in-law when Holly's tired, yet firm voice rang out. "Stop it, the both of you. And come here."
His dragon spoke up. She may not be a dragon-shifter, but I often forget she can thread dominance into her voice like a clan leader.
Ignoring his beast, he rushed to Holly's side and took her hand. "Do I need to fetch the doctor, honey? Is it time?"
"You two need to stop fighting." Holly switched her gaze to her father. "I'm an adult and can make my own decisions, Dad. A little pain means nothing if it can help save the lives of thousands of other humans mated to dragon-shifters around the world."
Fraser kissed her brow. "That's my female, always thinking of others before herself." He laid his forehead against hers. "Just promise me that if things turn south, you do what's best for you, regardless of how it affects the experiment."
Before she could answer, she closed her eyes and sucked in a breath.
Another contraction had hit.
He murmured soothing words until it passed. Holly opened her eyes, and he wished he could erase the pain in her golden-brown eyes. Her voice was faint as she said, "Call the doctor. I think we're getting close."
Before Fraser could do anything, Ross rushed to the call button and then raced out of the room to probably find someone just in case. He and the human male might have their differences of opinion, but Fraser would've done the same thing.
He's also quick for his age, his beast added.
"Fraser." He focused back on his mate, and she added, "Be nice to Dad. He's merely worried. I'm his only child, after all."
"I know, honey. But acting normal with your dad helps to calm me down and not think about the worst-case scenario. I don't want to lose you."
Raising a hand, she cupped his cheek. "I'll be fine, Fraser. I know what it's like to grow up most of my life without a mother and I'll be damned if I'll let that happen to my children."
He kissed her. "Good. Because I like having you around, too. It'd be an absolute madhouse at dinner without you there."
She pinched his cheek and he flinched. "Good to see I'm only useful to bring truces to you and your sister."
"Don't say that, honey. I love you." He kissed her slowly. "I don't want to ever imagine my life without you."
"Oh, Fraser."
She sucked in another breath and gripped his hand tighter. By his count, the contractions were coming fairly close together.
He debated going to find a doctor himself when Dr. Layla MacFie rushed in, tugging on her second glove. Before he could ask what had taken so long, Layla spoke. "Right, then let's check and see how dilated you are, Holly. It's not every day I have a midwife in labor, but I imagine it feels a bit differently from the other side of the coin, no?" Layla placed her hand between Holly's thighs and then nodded. "Aye, it should be any time now. Let's get you situated." She glanced at Ross. "And I want you to wait outside. One alpha male is enough for me to handle during a delivery."
Ross rushed to Holly's other side and kissed her cheek. "I won't be far, Holly-berry. Shout for me and I'll come running at full speed."
"I'd like to see you try running that fast. Maybe you could set a time record on Lochguard," Holly said, humor dancing in her eyes.
"Cheeky lass." Ross touched his daughter's face one last time before exiting the room.
Never taking his eyes from Holly, Fraser asked, "What should I do, Layla?"
"Stay out of my way and support your mate. I'll give you one warning before I kick you out, too."
He met the doctor's gaze then. "I'm not going anywhere."
Layla shrugged. "Then behave and we won't have a problem."
A good dragon-shifter doctor needed to be able to put any dragon in his place, alpha or not. Seeing as Holly wasn't the first female to give birth today, Layla had probably perfected her technique earlier with Hamish Boyd.
Holly tensed again, and Layla went into motion. "Since Sid and Gregor had to help with another patient and are now on call, Logan should be coming soon, so let's get you up."
Fraser helped Holly sit up as the doctor placed her legs into the stirrups.
As the minutes ticked by and Holly rode out the contractions, Fraser murmured soothing words about his bonny lass.
But deep down, he worried. A normal human female's chances at birthing a dragon-shifter child was fifty-fifty. Holly's hypothesis was that injections of dragon's blood increased a human female's chances of survival.
Increasing her chances wasn't enough, though. He wanted a guarantee.
His dragon said, She will be fine. Believe in our mate.
I'm trying.
Finally, Layla looked to each of them in turn. "It's time. When the next contraction comes, push for me, Holly."
The recently arrived nurse, Logan, stood to the side waiting. Fraser wanted to shout for him to do something.
His dragon sighed. Logan is one of the best nurses on Lochguard. He wouldn't be standing still if there was anything else that needed to be done right this second.
Holly gripped his hand so hard it felt as if she'd break his bones, and every other thought fled his mind. His mate needed him.
Never taking her gaze from her task, Layla said, "There's the first head. You're doing brilliantly, Holly. Keep it up."
Some females might curse and lash out, but his brave, strong lass merely went through the next few contractions like a champ, pushing when asked and stopping when needed.
Eventually, a small cry filled the room and Layla held up a tiny, red-haired bairn. "You have a daughter."
Since dragon-shifters waited until the birth to find out the genders, Fraser murmured, "A daughter." He kissed Holly's forehead. "A daughter, honey."
"A ginger-haired MacKenzie menace, I'm sure," she murmured with love in her voice.
Even when exhausted and in pain, his love found a way to tease.
Layla handed his daughter off to Logan. "I want to get both of them delivered, and then you can hold them. We'll take a short break and then try again, aye?"
As he watched Logan tend to the wee bairn, it finally hit Fraser that he was now a dad.
And all he could think about was everything that could go wrong or harm his daughter.
His dragon huffed. Logan won't hurt her.
Holly's weak voice garnered his attention. "Fraser, help me with the next one, aye? I've been exhausted before, but this is a new level. I need your strength, and then you can glower at anyone who looks at our daughter."
His strong mate rarely asked for help, which meant she needed it.
He kissed the back of her hand. "I'm here for you, honey. Always."
She smiled. "I love you."
Layla's voice interrupted his reply. "The second bairn is behaving and is in position. With any luck, he or she will take after Holly's temperament and not make a scene coming into the world."
Fraser growled, but Holly squeezed his hand. "Not now, Fraser."
He somehow managed to murmur support and kiss his mate until Layla said, "Right, then let's try again."
Holly repeated her silent, brave performance, barely murmuring a peep of pain during the process.
But deep down, he knew it had to be painful. He'd just have to pamper her for as long as she wanted, even if it were for years, to make up for childbirth.
Soon, a second small cry filled the room, and Layla grinned as she held up another red-haired lass. "Twin daughters. I almost think it's a punishment of sorts, for what you and Fergus put your mum through, Fraser."
"Two daughters," he echoed.
"Identical I'd say, at first glance." She waited for Logan to clip the umbilical cord before taking her over to the infant check station. "Logan, take the first bairn to meet her parents, and I'll check this one."
Fraser laid his cheek against Holly's, never taking his gaze from the wee bundle in Logan's arms. He came and placed their daughter in Holly's arms.
The wee, wrinkled face was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.
His dragon huffed. She's like a hairless rat.
Shut it, dragon.
He kissed his daughter's forehead and then kissed Holly's lips. "We have two daughters, honey."
Despite her exhaustion, Holly smiled. "Which is rare for dragon-shifters, from what I've heard."
"Aye, it is. But also a sign of good luck. Everyone will tell you so."
As he stared at their first daughter's face, he couldn't help but wonder for a second if the bairn they'd lost would've been a female as well.
No. He pushed the thought aside. He'd never forget their first bairn, but right now, his two living ones needed him.
Logan brought their second daughter and placed her in Holly's other arm, with Fraser supporting her. He also kissed the other lass's forehead.
As he leaned against his mate and stared at his two daughters, happiness flooded his body. He would do whatever it took to protect them and give them the loving family he'd had growing up.
Holly's tired voice filled his ear. "Well, with two lasses, I suppose that means I'll have to allow one of your name choices, too. Just avoid Agnes, if you could."
"But wee Aggie would be such a bonny name."
"Aye, until they start calling her Haggie Aggie, or some other such thing."
He smiled. "You have a point. But you name one first and I'll do the other."
Holly looked at their firstborn. "Then Skye MacKenzie it is."
Skye was an island in Scotland. "Being named for one of the most beautiful places in Scotland isn't too bad." Fraser looked at their second-born. All of the names he'd pitched previously fled his mind. He wanted to honor the tradition his mother had done, giving both of his children names beginning with the same letter.
Then the perfect name came to him. "Summer MacKenzie it is. Because when you put summer and Skye together, there's no place as bonny or breathtaking. For beauty, aye, but also full of surprises and adventure, which I'm sure this pair will have plenty of."
Holly nodded. "I love it. Hello, Summer and Skye. Try not to cause too much trouble for your mum and dad."
Fraser grinned. "You are aware they're half MacKenzie, aye? We may as well make Trouble and Mischief their middles names."
"Then let them save it for their aunts and uncles. It may be a pointless task, but I'd like a bit less chaos in our own house than in your mum's."
"I doubt that's possible, but you'll find that out soon enough."
Holly stuck out her tongue and he chuckled.
Cuddling his mate and two daughters, Fraser couldn't think of any other place he'd rather be. Happy wasn't enough to describe how he felt. He had so much love for his daughters after mere moments, it was hard to believe it.
But one thing was certain—anyone or thing that tried to harm his family would have to deal with him. Fraser wasn't a warrior, but a father's love changed a male.
And with Holly at his side, he could tackle anything.