Chapter 19
The day of the open house had finally arrived. Robert had made sure everything was cleaned up. Maisie and Anne had come with him after making sure their new wolf hire of the MacQuarrie pack, Jeanette Sanderson, was managing the inn for now. Their mom and dad were staying at the inn but had been looking at homes for sale in the area and were arriving at the open house later. Anne hadn’t planned to be here for longer than three hours, so she could return to work at the inn. But Anne and Maisie wanted to help Robert hang up the rest of the animal photos first thing this morning, now that Veronica had finished framing for him. Maisie had brought her camera with her to take photos of the clinic. She would photograph the open house celebration at Robert’s house later. She had received the print photos for Colleen and Heather and had them at the house.
Chef wouldn’t be here for another hour with the food and beverages. Half an hour after that, they would be open for viewing the house and the clinic.
When Anne, Maisie, and Robert entered his clinic, Anne noticed right away that picture hangers were on the walls. Maisie smiled at her sister.
Then she and Anne began to hang the pictures that would fit the spaces the best while Robert took a couple of the photos of Colleen and Grant’s Scottish fold cats and Edeen’s fox terriers into the exam rooms and hung them up in there.
Maisie peered into the room he was in. “Oh, those look good in there.”
Then she went to the next room that was set up to be a labor/delivery room and for surgery. “You won’t have families in here, will you?” Maisie asked Robert, Anne peering into the room.
“Wolf-shifter families will only be in here when we have a wolf shifter in delivery. When we have customers’ pet patients in here? No.”
“Then we need really cheerful pictures in here,” Maisie said.
“All your photos are cheerful,” Robert said. “Let’s put Mittens’s playful pictures in here. Maybe you can take some photos of the wolf pups after Colleen and Heather deliver and we can showcase those in here.”
“Sure, that would be fun.”
Maisie started taking pictures of the clinic. It was so nice and new. She hoped all his patients would be happy there. She loved it here.
“Hello,” Colleen called out, walking through the front door of the clinic.
“Hey,” Robert said, and Maisie went with him to see her while Anne finished hanging the pictures in an exam room.
Glancing at the photos hanging on the lobby walls, Colleen smiled. She was dressed in a pretty yellow-and-green sunflower dress that made her look summery and cool. “Aww, the pictures look beautiful in here.”
“Thanks,” Maisie said. “Veronica did a wonderful job framing them. I need to talk to you and Heather about taking your baby pictures. Do you want me to do new birth ones?”
Anne came out to join them and said hello.
Colleen greeted Anne and said to Maisie, “Um, once the pups are born and after I shift back and am settled, you can take pictures. I would like to have some done with Grant, but not while giving birth.”
“Okay. You can call me after you’ve delivered, and I’ll grab my camera equipment and come.”
“That will be perfect. I spoke to Heather, and she said she wants it done that way too. I’m so glad that your parents will be here too. I wanted to come and see how everything looked before everyone got here. It’s beautiful. Everyone will love coming here with their pets. You said you would have the maternity photos and the animal photos ready for me at the open house also, right? I can’t wait to have them framed and hung up.”
“Yes. They are in the office at the house. I can give them to you now, and—”
Colleen’s face suddenly turned ice white, and she quickly grabbed the check-in countertop in the lobby, looking like she was about to faint.
Robert immediately seized her arm. “Colleen, are you okay?”
“I think I was wrong about the false labor pains for the last few days.” Colleen grimaced, holding her stomach. “Man, that contraction was strong, and it’s not letting up.”
Then Maisie saw water dribbling down Colleen’s legs, and she grabbed her free arm. “Your water broke.”
“Uh, yeah, I think you’re right,” Colleen said. “You do realize we have a full moon out right now, don’t you?”
Smiling, Robert shook his head. “It figures. Let’s get you into the delivery room. I have a special bed for you ladies and other delivery options.” Robert sounded as though he was talking about Anne and Maisie too.
He was so endearing.
“What about a water bath for a delivery?” Colleen asked.
“Aye, if you want. But I thought you wanted a wolf’s delivery.” Robert helped her toward the delivery room. “It’s your choice. That’s why I set it up that way, to give my expectant mothers several options.”
“I do want to shift. I’ve got my bag with a change of clothes and baby items in my car. I’ve been taking it everywhere with me, just in case,” Colleen said.
“I’ll go get it,” Anne said.
The special delivery room was set up for wolf shifters who wanted to have their babies as wolves. But it was also outfitted with a tub and a birthing chair if the mother changed her mind at the last minute and wanted to deliver as a human, which Maisie thought was an excellent idea.
“So you deliver human babies too,” Maisie said, in awe of him.
“Robert didn’t tell you? He was a family physician before he switched to being a veterinarian,” Colleen said. “He was working only with humans, but now that he’s with a wolf pack, he can perform either kind of delivery safely. We were going to kidnap him and force him to be part of our pack if he hadn’t decided to do so himself. He just didn’t know it.”
Robert smiled.
Maisie chuckled. “That’s great for the shifters in the area.” She loved how humble he was. If she had been a family physician and a vet and she was dating a new wolf she really, really liked, she would have told him all about it to impress him.
Anne walked in with Colleen’s bag. “Wow, I overheard Colleen saying Robert was a family physician before. We are so lucky to have you. I’ll call Grant to let him know the babies are on the way,” Anne said, since Maisie and Robert were taking care of Colleen.
Colleen groaned. “I don’t want to mess up your home and clinic open house.”
“Nonsense. If you’re ready to deliver these babies, I’m ready,” Robert said. “This is a perfectly good time for me.”
Maisie wasn’t sure she was ready. Robert’s vet tech, Tiffany Moore, was a wolf, but she wasn’t going to start working there until he opened the clinic, so she’d decided to take a vacation before that happened. Maisie wondered if Anne was any more comfortable with the idea.
Anne said on her phone, “Hey, Grant, it appears Colleen’s in labor. She’s here at the vet clinic with Robert, Maisie, and me. Her water just broke. Uh, okay. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Maisie was helping Colleen take off her sandals and then her dress. “I just can’t wait for the babies to be born.” Maisie was so excited for Colleen.
“Thanks. Me too. I just didn’t think I would do it during the open house.” Colleen still sounded regretful that the babies had to come right at this time.
“This makes for the absolute perfect open house. You are christening the opening of the vet clinic before we’re open.” Robert was getting everything out that he needed for the delivery and then setting up the large, disposable pad on the floor for Colleen for when she delivered her pups as a wolf.
Maisie admired him for being so flexible, patient, and caring.
“How far apart are the contractions?” Robert gently felt Colleen’s belly before she finished stripping off her clothes and shifted.
“A couple of minutes apart, and they’re strong and consistent,” Colleen said.
Maisie helped her out of her bra and panties, and then Colleen shifted into her wolf.
They heard a truck engine roar up to the clinic. That had to be Grant. He must have torn down the road from the castle to reach the clinic so quickly.
Truck doors opened and closed. “Colleen!” Grant roared as he opened the front door of the clinic.
“Back here, Grant! Colleen has shifted,” Robert called out.
Colleen woofed. She was pacing around the delivery room. Robert made more of a bed for her to lie down on when she needed to rest and brought out a dish of water for her.
Grant and Enrick quickly entered the delivery room. “Lachlan and Edeen are on their way,” Grant said. Maisie had never seen Grant look that worried about anything. He appeared anxious as he frowned and hurried to crouch down next to Colleen, then hugged her. She licked his cheek, and he smiled.
Enrick was on his phone right away. “Heather, Colleen’s going into labor. Have one of your brothers bring you to the vet clinic… Aye, that’s where Colleen is right now, and Robert, Grant, and others are here to assist her. I don’t want you driving to the clinic alone… Alright.” Enrick sounded worried that his own mate might go into labor any minute too, not that Colleen’s labor could trigger Heather’s delivery.
“It could still take hours for Colleen’s first wolf pup to be delivered,” Robert said. “These things can take time. She’s having hard contractions, and I sure don’t want to risk that the first baby comes quickly someplace where Colleen’s not comfortable though.”
Fifteen minutes later, Edeen and Lachlan arrived and peered into the delivery room. “Hey, how are you doing, Colleen?” Edeen asked.
She woofed at them.
Edeen smiled. “I’ll be in your place in a few months. Chef is getting ready to set up refreshments for the open house at your house, and Lachlan is going to take charge of it in your absence, Robert.”
“Okay, thanks,” Robert said.
“I’ll assist them,” Enrick said, though a bunch of wolves would be helping out by serving food and drinks.
Everyone was anxiously waiting to learn of their pack leaders’ babies’ deliveries.
“I’ve helped my brother before with puppy births,” Edeen said, and Maisie felt relief wash over her.
“I’ll help in any way that I can,” Maisie said. “I watched Robert assist with Lady’s pups, but that’s as far as my training goes.”
Robert smiled at her. “You also had a sprained ankle at the time, or you could have assisted me more.” He lifted Colleen up onto the exam table and then he checked to see how far apart her contractions were. “Her contractions are coming closer together and getting harder.”
“For three days, she’s been saying she’s having them, but she said they were false contractions, just getting her ready for the real thing.” Grant sounded like he thought she’d been mistaken.
“They could have been,” Robert said.
“If you don’t need me to assist in here, I’m going to help with refreshments.” Anne appeared as though she wanted to make a quick escape.
Maisie smiled at her sister.
Then Heather rushed into the delivery room wearing one of her long, historical tartan skirts and a peasant-style blouse that she wore for the pie shop, and she gave Colleen a hug around her neck. Colleen licked her face. “You’re finally doing it. Woohoo. Me next.”
Robert glanced at Heather, appearing a little concerned.
Heather laughed. “Don’t give me that look, Robert. I’m fine. You should have seen the expression on my brothers’ faces while we were working at my shop when I got the news from Enrick that Colleen was in labor. I told them that one of them had to bring me here to the vet clinic right away. All three of them brought me as if two had to watch me while the other drove, even though I told them several times that Colleen had gone into labor, not me.”
Enrick joined them in a hurry. “You’re okay, right, Heather?”
Heather chuckled and gave him a hug and kissed him. “Do you need me in here, or is it getting too crowded?”
Maisie stepped up and said, “Heather, you look like you’re ready to deliver any minute. Why don’t you go enjoy the refreshments and rest?” Maisie was certain Heather should be just relaxing and visiting with the other wolves, unless she felt she had to stay for the delivery. But it could take hours.
“Yeah, I agree,” Robert said.
Edeen agreed too. “We’ve got Colleen covered with Robert, Grant, and the rest of us here. We’ll tell you when the babies are here.”
“Alright then.” Heather took Enrick’s hand, and they left the clinic to go to Robert’s house for refreshments.
Not long after that, Callum and Oran came with refreshments for everyone in the delivery room to sustain them, including a bowl of ice chips for Colleen. “The open house is going great,” Oran told Robert. “Everyone feels this is the perfect celebration for the babies coming too, since we are all gathered together. Ethan’s helping out too.”
“I’m glad everyone’s having a good time,” Robert said. “Thanks so much for the food and drinks. Tell Chef he outdid himself again.”
“We sure will,” Callum said.
Then Heather’s brothers left to continue to enjoy the open house with the other wolves.
Colleen got up and started walking again, waiting for the inevitable, when Callum suddenly rushed back into the delivery room and announced, “Heather’s water broke!” He sounded like their greatest enemy was ready to breach the castle walls.
Enrick was bringing Heather into the delivery room, and she was saying, “It will probably take hours for this to happen. Everyone, quit panicking.”
Robert smiled at her. “Come join the party.”
“See? Colleen hasn’t even delivered her first pup yet.” Heather motioned to her sister-in-law.
“What do you want us to do, Doc?” Enrick asked.
“You’re still having your babies as a wolf, right?” Robert asked.
“Aye,” Enrick said.
Heather poked at him as if to say it was still her decision to make. “Aye. I know either way can have complications, but I want to do this as a wolf.”
“I know we remove our clothes and shift in front of each other,” Edeen said, “but maybe Heather wants a little privacy while Maisie and I help her undress.”
“Aye, thanks,” Heather said, and then Enrick kissed her and he, Grant, and Callum left the delivery room.
Robert got things ready for another delivery while Edeen and Maisie helped Heather remove her clothes.
“Do you realize we have a full moon?” Heather asked.
“Not until Colleen mentioned it,” Robert said, “though it’s true that there are more wolf-shifter births then. For humans, it’s just an unproven myth that there are more births during the full moon, since there’s no real evidence to corroborate it.”
Once Heather was undressed, she shifted and licked Colleen’s face while she was lying down, panting.
Then Heather circled the room at a slow pace, which was good for her until she felt she couldn’t walk any farther and was ready to deliver.
Robert said, “The guys can come in just as long as it doesn’t get too crowded in here.”
As soon as Maisie let Enrick and Grant in, Grant sat down next to his mate and began rubbing her back.
Colleen moaned.
“Good, right?” Grant asked.
Colleen woofed at him and licked his nose, letting him know she really appreciated his rubbing her back. Then Heather nudged Enrick, telling him he could do the same thing for her.
Enrick laughed. “You got it.” He sat down on the floor, and she rested her head on his leg. He immediately began to rub her back.
She looked like she was getting ready to go to sleep, but then she groaned, and Robert timed her contractions.
“Okay, lassies, no races now,” Robert said.
“Whose pup is coming first?” Edeen asked.
Everyone but the she-wolves in delivery laughed. Though they both licked their mates, appearing amused.
Maisie was sure both Colleen and Heather wanted to deliver first just to get it over with.
Then Colleen began to groan, and it sounded more noticeable than before. Maisie thought this was it.
“Okay, Colleen, you’re doing it.” Robert crouched beside her. “You’re doing well.”
Heather added her two cents’ worth and woofed at her, offering encouragement. Enrick continued to rub Heather’s back.
Grant was doing the same for Colleen, appearing as though he wanted to do anything to take the pain away from her.
Maisie knew how he felt. She felt like that for Colleen and Heather too.
“It can take fifteen minutes to a full hour for the first pup to come,” Robert said, assuring them everything was alright.
Half an hour later, Colleen pushed out the first pup while Heather had gone back to pacing.
This could be an all-day-and-all-night affair, Maisie was thinking, but she was going to remain here until it was done. Anne had planned to stay here until eleven and then go home. But with the pups on the way, she’d decided to stay and help with the open house. William was staying at the inn, watching over things, though his brother, Edward, was swapping with him so William could enjoy the refreshments at the open house and visit with the other wolves too.
Robert was taking care of the first pup, setting the little male against Colleen to nurse. Colleen looked worn out already. It was a good thing she wasn’t having more than the twins.
Heather suddenly lay down and began panting hard. Maisie smiled as she saw Heather’s first pup emerge. Maisie was glad now that she had taken maternity shoots of both the ladies before the open house. Who would ever have thought they would both deliver during the celebration?
Edeen said, “It’s the full moon. I’ll have to remember that.”
William suddenly peeked into the delivery room. “Maisie, Ike, Gus’s brother, is here to speak with you. He talked to Anne, but he wants to talk to you also because you saw his brother last.”
“Not last,” Maisie said.
“Uh, yeah, that’s true. I told him that whoever killed Gus had used a man’s strength to strangle him,” William said, “but that Gus had been with another woman. Ike just shook his head.”
Maisie hurried out of the room, assuring everyone she would be back.
Robert said, “William, you stay with Maisie at all times while she’s talking to Gus’s brother.”
“Yeah, Lachlan is there with Anne, and several others are watching out for her, and they’ll be there for Maisie too. No worries,” William said.
“Good.” Then Robert continued taking care of Heather’s first pup.