Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Storming off, I could hear their chuckles, but I ignored them. When I reached the edge of the grass, I bent down to put my shoes on. My body swayed, but Mike caught me right before I toppled.
“How about I help you?”
Growling and then letting it dissolve into a grumble, I handed him my shoes. He slipped them on since I stopped lacing them up. We walked, and I realized he was going to follow me with his hands in his pockets.
“Mike, I’m walking around the house. You don’t need to come with me.”
“I don’t mind. Rin would say I could use the exercise.”
I snorted. “Then at least walk next to me. I’m too slow for you to be walking behind me.”
“Fine.”
He walked next to me as we took the path around the massive Alford house.
It really was huge. There were multiple wings, and everyone, including Mason, Ellen, and Audrey, could have their own rooms, and there would still be guest rooms to spare.
Not to mention all the rooms were bigger than even Mike’s room back at the frat house.
“Speaking of…” I bumped into Mike. “Are you guys going to move into a new place? You’re not actually having Rin stay at the frat house, right?”
“You weren’t speaking of anything, Colt. You were in your head again.” He let out a sigh that I don’t think I had heard from him before. “She has been, but I’ve been looking around.”
I stopped, cocking my head to the side. “What’s stopping you? You have enough money. That isn’t the issue.”
“Sabrina doesn’t want to stay in the city.”
My brow furrowed. “For a house, yeah. You both still have classes left, and it’s going to be a little while before she graduates, at least.”
“I said we could find a place…”
I hummed, picking up our walk again. “Mike, she doesn’t need an entire house right now in a place she doesn’t want to stay at and you refuse to rent.”
“It’s a waste of money!”
Chuckling, I shrugged. “Yes and no. Yes, it’s not an investment money-wise.
It is, however, an investment in your relationship.
She’s been wanting to get out of the dorms for years.
On top of that, you being holed up in that room isn’t where she wants to be.
Just take the hit, rent an apartment at the complex across the street from school, and enjoy being able to live together while she finishes school. ”
“Is the great Colton Reinhardt giving me dating advice?”
“You aren’t dating anymore.” I slapped his stomach. “I also mated before you did. It’s mating advice.”
Mike laughed. “You had been refusing to move in with him for weeks.”
“And when I finally did, I felt better. So just move in somewhere. She’s still got another year as long as she doesn’t fail any classes.”
“Maybe. I’ll think about it.”
We walked around the back of the house to the opposite side. I had been able to breathe easier today, but I felt my breath leaving me on the second lap around. Stopping for a moment, I leaned against the side of the house. Mike smirked, shaking his head.
“To think, you used to work the docks.”
“Ugh. Shut up. I’ve never been this heavy before. On top of that, everything inside me feels like it’s being crushed. Eva gets mad at me for not eating enough, but the portions she tries to tell me are normal are ridiculous! I can’t!”
Mike shook his head. “You’re supposed to keep up your energy. You’re burning through those calories by making an entire dragon.”
“Yeah, I think I’m done making the entire dragon. I couldn’t imagine getting any larger than this.”
“Come on. You finish this round and I’ll hold you up a little longer.”
Pushing off the side, I let out a long breath and continued walking. The offer was too tempting, and Mike laughed as we walked. However, as I stepped onto the deck, Eva was waiting for me. She motioned me inside, and I groaned, leaving Mike behind.
Eva helped me up the stairs and into the bedroom. I started to lie down, but Eva clicked her tongue.
“Shirt and sweatshirt off. I need to check all of you today.”
Groaning, I pulled everything off and flopped onto the bed. “We just had a full checkup. Can’t we wait for the one next week?”
“No.”
My head fell back onto the pillow. “Shot down immediately.”
Eva laughed. “My dear, you are on a hair trigger right now. You could give birth at any time. Frankly, I’m surprised you made it this long. I’m not doing too much. Now, do I need to ask the usual questions, or are you going to give me the rundown without me having to pry it out of you?”
“My chest is sore most of the time now. It’s really sensitive and I hate it.
My feet sometimes hurt, and I hate it. She must have dropped overnight, and I feel so off balance now.
I can breathe better, but it feels like she is weighing me down more.
My back hurts more. I want to sleep, but I can’t move and all of it is too uncomfortable. ”
“I’m sorry we woke you up then.” She reached up, pressing around my chest. “There is significant swelling up here. Did you ever feel you needed to pump?”
I shook my head. “They sometimes leak when I take a warm shower or bath, but that’s about it. It hasn’t really hurt enough where I thought it was going to be an issue.”
Eva smiled and placed her hand on my head. “Alright, well, if it does, we can get you started on a pumping schedule. It might be good for you to start early.”
I let out a couple of fake cries. “I hate this.”
“You don’t, and you know it.”
Eva pulled out her machine and set it up to do an ultrasound. She moved it around a little; my little girl’s heart beat loud and clear. What I didn’t like was the frown on Eva’s face. She was moving around more before finally putting the wand up.
“Colt, I’m going to need you to pull your pants down.”
My eyes widened. “I…what?”
“I need to check something because, honestly, with where she is located, I’m wondering if you have already dilated.”
I sucked in a breath. “That’s…early?”
“It is early if we were going by normal wolf pregnancy, but you aren’t that by any definition. You have also been in the safe zone for weeks. We’ve all been expecting you to be early.” Eva was pulling on gloves.
As I wiggled out of my jeans and boxers, I felt torn. Yes, I wanted my little girl out. I was done. I felt like I had been pregnant for more than a year at this point. It was a consistent agreement online that this late in the pregnancy everyone was done.
We were no closer to finding Marcus. There was literally nothing. Ebony hadn’t disappeared again, and we were still in the dark. Covering my eyes with my arm, Eva rubbed my belly.
“It’s okay, Colt. I understand.”
My face screwed up as I tried to fight the tears. “It’s the hormones.”
“Of course it is. Can you spread your legs for me a bit and lift?”
I nodded, doing as she said. Hissing as her cold, lubed, and gloved fingers went into my ass, I did everything I could to relax. She pushed further, and I squeezed my eyes shut. There was nothing sexual about this. If anything, it was a little painful as she reached back.
“Colt…”
Humming, I kept my eyes tightly closed as her fingers touched further back.
“Colt, you are four centimeters.” Slowly, she pulled out her fingers. “You only have six to go. Have you not felt any contractions?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. I am in labor?”
“Not actively. Not yet. You would need to start feeling contractions and work your way up to five or six. However, four centimeters are enough. We could end up seeing this little hatchling within the next twenty-four hours.”
My heart rate picked up, and I stared at Eva. She sat down on the edge of the bed after pulling on some sweats I had on the back of the desk chair. I wanted to cry again and scream that it wasn’t fair.
“I need him, Eva. I can’t…I can’t do this…”
She sighed and reached down, taking my leg and putting it in her lap. “I wish I could tell you that you didn’t have to do this without him. You won’t be alone though. Trust me. I’ll be here, and so will your family.” Her fingers kneaded into my ankle and foot.
“Eva…” I broke down.
The door opened, and Sabrina burst into the room.
She climbed onto the bed, pulling my head to her chest. Turning to the side, I closed my eyes and buried myself in her.
Her rosemary scent covered me, and I cried into her.
Both she and Mike had absolutely been eavesdropping on the other side of the door.
Either that, or Eva had tattled to Candice, and she told them to come up.
Sabrina hummed the lullaby that she always did as she combed through my hair. I didn’t know the words, but I knew the melody. Eva got up, and I felt her hands replaced by Mike.
“I’m going to talk to Candy and Ty. I’ll bring back something for you to eat.”
My laugh sounded horrible through my sobs. Eva heard it and chuckled as she shut the door behind her. Sabrina hummed for a little longer before she pulled my head back to see me.
“I love you being such a crybaby.”
“I hate it.”
She nodded, brushing some hair out of my face. “I’m glad we came now. You won’t be alone.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Colt, don’t you dare apologize. What the hell are you even apologizing for?” Sabrina huffed. “Talk to him!”
Mike then put pressure on my other foot, digging into my swollen ankle.
“I’m glad we could be here. We told you from the beginning that we would be here for you.
Always. Getting through whatever you needed.
This is just another stop. We will be here every time.
Next to you. We just got lucky this time that you didn’t need to tell us. ”
I curled back up against Sabrina. “Can you scent me, please?”
“Of course. You want just me, or do you want Mike too?”
“Both of you. Please.”
She ran her hands through my hair again. “Of course, sweetheart. Whatever you need.”
As their scents saturated the room, I listened as Sabrina hummed again.
One of these days, I’d need the words. It was the only lullaby I knew at this point.
Mike’s sage mellowed Sabrina’s strong rosemary scent.
Together, they were the perfect balance.
My eyes fluttered shut, and I felt myself start to fall asleep.
Sabrina roused me a little when she adjusted to lie down on the bed next to me. Mike lay down on my other side, the two of them caging me in. With their scents mixed, I easily fell back asleep.