Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
“ H amish, I am not happy.”
Hamish glanced up at Reed, frowning. They’d been watching a movie, since Reed was pretty confined by his huge belly and swollen feet these days, and he’d thought they were having a nice morning.
But Reed’s face was showing some strain.
“What is it, baby?”
“Well, I think I’m really in labor.”
“What?” He sat up straight. “Your water hasn’t broken yet!”
Reed scoffed. “Yeah, it did that when I went to the bathroom at like, five this morning. You were sound asleep, so I just took a shower.”
He popped up off the couch like a jack in the box. “Oh my God. We need the midwife.”
“See, this is why I waited. But I think you’re right.” Reed showed him the birthline, which holy crap. That was so ready.
He grabbed the house phone to Alaina. “Hey, it’s Hamish,” he said when she answered. “It’s time.”
“I’m on my way.”
Two hours later, Reed was in the bedroom, the bed stripped to just sheets and towels, his body bowing as he pushed. How could he have hidden from Hamish this long!
“You’re doing great, Reed. So good.” Alaina smiled, her expression encouraging. “Hamish, rub his back, huh?”
“Of course.” Hamish would do whatever he could to make it better. If he could take this on himself, he would. They’d floated in the tub. He’d held Reed’s hand. And now he was going to love on Reed’s lower back. “You got this, baby.”
“Arrrnnnngh.” Reed made this wild noise. “I don’t feel like I got this.”
“But you do. If Starry can push out twins…”
“Oh, stop it.” But Reed did grin at him, just faintly.
“Push, Reed.” Alaina always looked so calm, but he had a feeling that was an illusion. She was a lot like a duck, he thought -- gliding along the surface, paddling madly underneath.
Reed pushed, making that noise again, and he rubbed and let Reed grab his free hand when he needed to, and it took forever, but before he could blink, it seemed, Alaina was making crooning noises.
“Here she comes. That’s good, Reed. That’s perfect.”
Yes. Reed had told him at the shower that they were having a girl.
Hamish couldn’t be more thrilled.
And then it was, “One more push, Reed,” and Reed yelled, and the baby slid free, and?—
And his phone blew up.
So did Alaina’s.
“Oh my gosh.” Alaina looked at him in utter panic. “Starry is about to have his baby.”
“Aw.” Reed laughed. “Go. Dandy is here to help us clean up.” Dandy was a sweet, quiet omega dragon who was learning the midwife trade from Aliana. “Give him my love.”
“I will.” She raced out, because that was the boss’s mate, after all, and Reed was all done but the goo.
“Here, Hamish,” Dandy said quietly after a few moments. “Hold her while I clean up Reed.” And the baby was in his arms.
He looked down at her, so in love already. “Carissa, right Reed?”
“Yes. After my mother.” Reed’s mother had passed when he was a young dragon, but he spoke so eloquently about her…
“Carissa. Hello, baby girl. Your omega daddy will want to hold you soon.” He wanted her to bond, skin to skin, with Reed. Even as he wanted to hold her and protect her for the rest of his life.
“He’s ready now. I’ll go get some food ready.” Dandy gave him a beaming smile.
“Thanks, Dandy.”
Dandy waved, leaving them, and he placed their girl into Reed’s arms, helping his exhausted mate hold up their baby.
“Look at her,” Reed said, sounding awed. “She’s so beautiful.”
“She is. I love you both so much.” Tears actually stung his eyes. “Thank you, love.”
“For what?” Reed looked up with him, love in his eyes. “You saved me.”
“And you have given me everything.” He stroked the sweaty hair back from Reed’s face. “You are my everything.”
“I’m also tired, so don’t make me cry.”
He chuckled. “You can rest now. Alaina showed me how to swaddle her during training.”
“Mmmm.” Reed relaxed back against the bed, trusting him, and that was the most amazing thing he could imagine. So he would hold onto it with every bit of strength he had.
"Starry!” Reed carried his little girl into Starry’s front room, beaming. “How are you feeling?”
“Good. Good. How are you?” His friend looked as tired as he felt, but he was also ecstatic. The twins were playing on the floor, and Starry was feeding his and Des’s newest, a little boy named Jameson.
“I am great. Let me know when I need to get back to work.”
Starry laughed a little. “Not yet. Bring me that baby and let me look at her.”
“Babby!” Little Crispin waved, his fingers opening and closing.
“Yes. Babby. That’s right, little one.” Starry was so sweet with his kids.
Hamish and Des swept into the room, fresh from a meeting, but they were both carrying trays of food.
“Who wants lunch?” Des asked.
“Papa!” His twins made a beeline for him, while Hamish came to kiss Reed.
“How are my mate and my best girl?”
“Ready for whatever that is.” He was so glad not to be craving spice cake. He just wanted real food.
“Francois ordered in barbecue,” Hamish told him. “Smoked turkey and brisket and cole slaw with potatoes and corn bread.”
“Yum.” He’d always felt as though he didn’t have a family.
His old clan, hell, his own father, had always been awful to him. He was so much of a spare that they could just send him out to be a hostage to another clan.
But this? This was his family now, and they were so good to him. He was a part of something, and it felt amazing.
They sat down to have supper, all of them grinning at the babies, who were in their little basinets, the twins in their highchairs.
“To our family,” Des said. “Our children, our friends, and our clan.”
“To us,” Starry agreed.
“To us,” Reed echoed with along with Hamish. And when Hamish kissed him right there in front o their friends and bosses, he returned the contact eagerly.
He had a mate. A child. And a home. Security.
And that was all he could ask for and more.
End