Chapter Thirteen
Duncan
“I will get this baby out of me if it’s the last thing I do,” Viktor murmurs, walking down the road, one foot up on the curb, the other on the street. He waddles up and down, up and down, up and down. Apparently, he read online this was a great way to kickstart labor.
We’ve already tried spicy food and sex. Unfortunately, we did that in the wrong order because when Viktor put his mouth on my cock I was in for a terrible time. I swear I can still feel the tingly burn even a few hours later.
Viktor holds his round belly as he walks.
Gods, he’s so beautiful pregnant. I’ve spent so much time worshipping his changing body.
I can’t seem to get enough of him. I’m almost not ready for his pregnancy to be over.
Then again, this just means I’ll be able to get him pregnant again in the future. If he wants that, of course!
“They’ll come when they’re ready,” I say, chuckling when Viktor looks over his shoulder with a glare.
“Well, I’m ready! I am so big and so sore and so done with being pregnant! I want this baby out!”
“You’re cute when you pout like that.”
“If you don’t stop I’ll suck your dick again, Duncan.”
“Is that…is that a threat?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll give you some more spicy sucky sucky.”
My face flames and I sputter with laughter. “Never call it that again.”
“I’ll call it whatever I want!” Viktor declares, turning around and switching feet on the curb. Then he starts waddling back towards me. He groans. “Please child. I wish to be free!”
I giggle as I watch my mate, overwhelmed with the affection blooming in my chest. He’s so silly in the best possible way. He brings the silly out of me as well. I look down at my shirt, proof of that across my chest as I wear the shirt he got me for Christmas.
Viktor finally reaches me and I hold my arms open for him. He falls against my chest with a sigh. I kiss the top of his head.
“Don’t worry, love. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before--” I don’t finish my sentence, my words cut off as something splashes across my feet and the ground. Ah. Right. Viktor’s water just broke and splashed thoroughly through the little shorts he was wearing.
“Fuck yes!”
I wrinkle my nose at the mess but it doesn’t matter because Viktor is pulling me towards our house, cackling maniacally to himself. I shake my head and follow along.
The two of us hop into the shower. I rub Viktor’s back, starting to time his contractions that have started thanks to his water breaking.
He breathes through them so beautifully.
He’s so strong. I admire him so much. I am so lucky to call him my mate and our children will be so lucky to call him their father.
“Do you wanna move to the bedroom?”
Viktor wrinkles his nose. “It’s gonna be so messy. I don’t wanna clean that up.”
I kiss his nose. “I’ll clean everything. Don’t worry about that.”
“Don’t wanna move.”
“You don’t have to,” I say softly, holding my mate and smiling. Even now he’s thinking about everyone but himself. “You’re allowed to be selfish.”
“Sounds fake.” He looks up at me. “Maybe I’ll sit in the bath?”
I nod my head and turn the shower off. Then I help Viktor out so I can clean the bath and make sure it’s okay for him to sit in. Once it’s clean and filled with warm water, I help him back inside.
“Oh, this is nice,” he murmurs, tilting his head back against the lip of the tub. He closes his eyes, his body going lax.
While he’s soaking, I hurry to the kitchen, getting some ice chips and some water and some easy snacks. Viktor needs to worry about bringing our baby into the world so it’s my job to take care of him however he needs.
I stack a bunch of towels nearby as I kneel on the floor beside the tub, holding up a cup for Viktor to sip from. He’s sweating and his cheeks are red from the pain but even so, he’s beautiful.
I push Viktor’s hair out of his face, running a cold washcloth over his neck, wiping the sweat from his face. I’m present and available. I encourage him and hold his hand and do everything in my power to make this easier for him.
“Okay,” he says eventually and I don’t know if hours or days have passed, only that Viktor is looking up at me with wide, hopeful eyes. “I think it’s time, Duncan.”
My heart stutters in my chest. I bring my hand to my chest, slamming my necklace against myself. I suck in a breath and I can feel the magic washing over me, steadying my heart, steadying my nerves.
I take Viktor’s hand in my own, giving him a nod. “I’m here.”
“I know you are,” he says with a soft smile. “It hurts so bad.”
“I know, baby, but it’s okay. You can do this. You’re almost done and then you can rest.”
Determination flares in Viktor’s eyes. I wish there was a way to take his pain away. Instead, I hold him as he starts to push.
“That’s it,” I murmur, “just like that, Viktor. Keep going. You’re almost done.”
Viktor lets out a final cry before his body goes slack. I reach into the water, pulling our baby out. I use the towels to wrap them up and wipe the gunk away before holding them up for Viktor to see. His eyes are heavy and he looks exhausted. Despite that, he smiles up at me.
“A little boy,” I say with a grin. Our baby lets out a fierce cry and it might be the most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard. “He’s got a pair of lungs.”
“He’s perfect,” Viktor says with a watery smile.
Viktor sits up enough that he can hold our baby while I work getting all the more unpleasant parts of giving birth taken care of like disposing of the afterbirth and cutting the umbilical cord.
All the while, Viktor makes sure to keep himself and the baby warm.
Once everything is done, I help Viktor out of the bath and shuffle him into our bedroom. The whole time, he can’t seem to look away from our baby’s face. He’s just as enamored with him as I am with him.
The three of us get into bed, Viktor holding our baby and me holding him. This is perfect. This is everything I didn’t know I wanted or needed in my life.
“Viktor,” I breathe out, overwhelmed with how much he means to me. “You were incredible. You were so strong and so calm. I couldn’t be more proud of you even if I tried.”
Viktor turns his eyes towards me, glistening with unshed tears. “I love you,” he says softly. “The only reason I could handle all of that was because I knew I could lean on you. You are everything to me, Duncan.”
“That works out because you’re everything to me, too.”
I kiss his messy hair, leaning my head against the top of it so we can both look down at our son. My arm traces lazy patterns against Viktor’s arm.
“I know I said that I’d know his name once I saw him, but I’m still coming up blank,” Viktor murmurs, his thumb running over our son’s head. He’s practically bald with just the finest layer of soft hair on his head, like down.
“How about Jasper?”
Viktor sucks in a sharp breath, turning to me with wide eyes. “Have I told you lately how much I adore you?”
“A time or two,” I say, burying my face in Viktor’s hair. Crystals have always been important to us and our relationship. Viktor uses them for enchanting and I use them in the jewelry we make together. It feels right to take inspiration from them.
“Jasper,” Viktor says softly. It sounds right. It sounds like our son’s name. “Jasper. Welcome to the family, my little love bug.”
Viktor nudges me. “Did you scent him yet?”
I nod my head. “Alpha wolf, just like his daddy.”
“Well, I guess we’ll have to have another since I was hoping for a little mage.”
“Viktor,” I say with a chuckle. “Let’s give it some time before we start planning any more.”
“Fine, you’re no fun,” he says, sticking out his bottom lip at me.
“Just because we’re not planning any more babies right this second doesn’t mean we can’t practice some more in the future.”
Viktor hums. “You make an excellent point, alpha.”
I kiss his head again and then I pull away from Viktor in order to lean down and kiss Jasper. I love them more than words can say. I love them so much it threatens to burst forth from my chest and spray all over them.
Yeah, I’ve been spending too much time listening to Viktor say silly shit because even he would think that was a little weird.
Even so, I’d have it no other way.