20. Alaric

20

Alaric

"So, what happened to Jade not being your type?" Taylor asked.

My eyebrow twitched. I resisted the urge to shift into cat form and slap my tail across his shit-eating grin.

"I changed my mind," I retorted. "Now, are you actually going to help, or just stand there asking inane questions?"

Taylor let out a good-natured snort as he followed me around the downstairs living room. After I'd broken the news of my pregnancy to the rest of the family, Taylor and the other mated omegas offered to help me find nesting materials. It was a sweet bonding activity, despite me being so picky. I couldn't help it that my egg deserved the best.

"Hey, I can do both at the same time," Taylor said. He picked up a wool blanket from a wicker storage basket. "How's this?"

I glanced over his suggested item. "Hm... No. Too scratchy."

"All right. What about this?" Taylor asked, replacing the wool blanket with a thin fleece one.

I squinted at it. When I pinched it between my fingers to test the texture, I wrinkled my nose. "Gods, no. Too plasticky."

"Artificial fleece is polyester," Taylor pointed out.

"No, absolutely not," I protested. "I need the highest quality materials. I won't stand for anything subpar."

The corner of Taylor's lip curled. "Shockingly, we actually agree for once."

A loud, rambunctious voice called from across the room: "How ‘bout this, Alaric?"

Taylor and I turned to see Muzo shaking a beat-up corduroy pillow like a dog with a piece of roadkill.

"No, thank you," I said. As much as I appreciated his enthusiasm, I should've known better than to ask a canine to assist. Our sensibilities were on a different level, to put it politely.

"That pillow has seen better days," Taylor said, grimacing at the pitiful object. "Maybe I should re-upholster it in my spare time."

Matteo chuckled from behind us. He was picking through a stash of nicer pillows. "You've got spare time, Tay? Me and Thystle's hands are both so full with Heather, I haven't had a minute to think about songwriting since they hatched."

"I shamelessly hand Ruby off to Crimson when I feel the urge to sew," Taylor admitted. "Or to Viol."

Mylo sighed wistfully. He sat on the floor, organizing our few collected items by softness. "Viol is such a lifesaver. I don't know what I'd do without him. Even though Saffron helps too, rearing twins is a handful." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "But I can tell the girls tire out Viol more than the other kids."

"Double trouble," Muzo agreed with a nod. "What about you, Alaric? How many do you want?"

Restlessness had nagged me ever since I confirmed my pregnancy. I had a feeling it'd only disappear when the egg was successfully laid and hatched. I couldn't imagine how agitated I'd be if I was expecting twins.

"I'm content with one, at the moment," I replied.

"It's a lot of work, even with a full family ready to help," Taylor said.

I paused, suddenly struck by his words: a full family.

Jade was my one and only fated mate. Yet he wasn't the only person in this house that I loved.

I knew I was difficult, bitchy, and hard to get along with. But in spite of all my flaws, every omega here had accepted me, and wormed their way into my heart. I could finally admit to myself that they were my closest friends. And as the mates of Jade's brothers, I realized we weren't just friends—we were family.

The one I'd always dreamed of.

My breath hitched. A tidal wave of emotion swelled in my chest.

Oh, for fuck's sake, I could not cry right now.

Taylor—my fellow perceptive feline—noticed the slight shift in my expression. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine," I said past the tightness in my throat.

Matteo and his literal eagle eyes didn't miss my face, either. "It's all right, Alaric. It's normal to get emotional when you're pregnant."

"I am not emotional!" I snapped, my voice cracking. Rest in peace, my failed attempt at hiding it.

"Aww, Alaric," Mylo said sympathetically. He looked like he wanted to hug me, but was too shy.

I groaned. Throwing my pride to the wind, I pulled him into it. Muzo leapt on board, throwing his lanky arms around us. The scent of ferret and wet jackal surrounded me, but it was oddly wholesome.

There was one noticeable absence, someone who probably needed a hug more than anybody. But he wasn't here. Yet.

"Alaric? In a group hug?" Taylor said, pretending to be shocked. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Should we buy a lottery ticket?" Matteo teased.

"Oh, shut up and get in here," I snapped, yanking them into the pile.

"You smell different," Jade commented as I returned to the bedroom. "Like... wet dog."

Huffing, I dropped my collected items on the king bed. "Blame Muzo."

Jade put two and two together. "Group hug?" he asked, amused.

"Don't remind me. Put that blanket over there, will you?"

Jade obeyed my every fussy order for the next hour. I had no problem bossing him around when it came to nesting, since I'd be the one pushing an egg out of my ass. I wasn't looking forward to that part. But it would be worth it in the end.

Finally, I was somewhat satisfied with the arrangement of blankets and pillows. To test it out, I shifted to cat form and leapt onto the bed. I circled until the duvet beneath my paws conformed to my shape, then settled down with a sigh.

"How is it?" Jade asked.

My whiskers twitched in frustration. "It's missing something."

I worried my constant nitpicking would annoy Jade, but he was calm and patient as ever. "There's still time until you lay. Perhaps you'll find that missing item before then." He sat next to me and stroked my fur. "If there's anything you want in particular, tell me. I'll do everything in my power to make this experience perfect for you."

I purred and rubbed my head against his leg. "Thank you. Sorry about me."

Jade kissed my furry head. "Never be sorry, kitten. I love everything about you."

"Even the nasty parts?"

He smiled. "Especially those."

Three and a half weeks later, a constricting pain seized my abdomen.

I yowled under my breath and curled up tighter in my nest. I'd spent most of the last few days in cat form. The other omegas told me it was normal, instinctual, to remain that way until the egg was laid.

My feathery white tail pressed against my nose, which was cold from discomfort. Although I'd spent hours arranging and re-arranging them, the various blankets, pillows and furs surrounding me felt inadequate. No matter how hard I'd tried, I couldn't get the damned nest to my liking. In my rage, I slapped an ugly pillow off the bed.

As the wave of agony passed, I got up and circled for what felt like the millionth time. I punched the blanket with my front paws, as if that would finally solve the problem. When I lay back down, scowling, I realized it did not.

Jade returned to the bedroom with a tray of fresh tea, biscuits and a soothing smile. He'd fetched the treats when I told him about my sudden pain. Since I wasn't dilated yet, he assured me the best option was to keep me comfortable until labor truly began.

"Anything?" Jade asked, sitting on a chair he'd pulled beside the bed. I didn't like him sitting on it, since it further messed up my already imperfect nest.

"No," I grouched. "I want tea. And like twenty biscuits."

Jade offered me a fancy bowl instead of a cup, since it was easier to lap up my current body. "I cooled it down so you can drink it right away," he explained. "I made it with fresh raspberry leaves to help the pain."

A rush of fondness for my mate made me sigh. "You always think of everything."

I sniffed the tea, twitching my whiskers, then lapped it with my tongue. Just as Jade promised, it was the perfect temperature. The delicate sweetness and light raspberry flavor soothed my soul.

"Thanks," I murmured. "I'm glad one of us is composed right now. My mood swings are horrible. I keep flipping between wanting to cry or claw someone's eyes out."

Jade ran his hand down my back, smoothing my fur. "That's normal. Your hormones will even out soon."

"Have you read every book about pregnancy in your library yet?" I asked.

A knowing smile crept onto his face. "Twice. Some three times." He scratched under my chin. "Don't worry. Everything you're experiencing is normal."

I closed my eyes and purred. It wasn't the first time I was grateful for my alpha's wisdom. Thanks to his natural curiosity, he'd gleaned so much knowledge from his ever-expanding hoard. No doubt he'd added a plethora of pregnancy books to it lately.

"Biscuit?" he offered.

"Yes."

Jade broke the biscuits into cat-sized pieces and placed them on my plate. I nibbled daintily before giving in to my greed and wolfing them down. The treat was a nice distraction from the discomfort in my abdomen.

When I'd sipped my tea and eaten my fill of biscuits, he took them away to keep my nest clean and tidy. Not that there was much point. It continued to infuriate me with its imperfection.

"Still not to your liking?" Jade asked, reading my mind as usual.

"No," I grumbled. "This egg is due any day now, and my nest isn't right. I'm so angry I could eat ten more biscuits."

A knock at the door drew our attention.

"Who is it?" I snapped. "I'm busy trying to lay an egg!"

A stoic, familiar voice replied: "Taylor."

My tail flicked thoughtfully. He had feline sensibilities. He wouldn't bother me unless it was important.

"Come in," I called.

Taylor let himself in. He held a medium pastel-colored box in his hands. Immediately, my curiosity was piqued.

I sat up, whiskers twitching. "What is that?"

"Your tune changed pretty quick," Taylor remarked. Before I could think of a sassy comeback, he placed the box in front of me. "Here, Alaric. It's for you."

I blinked at the box with rounded eyes. "For... me?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Taylor nodded towards the gift. "Open it."

Cats couldn't resist boxes, and I was no exception. My heart raced with excitement as I pushed the lid off with my paws. A thin layer of baby-blue tissue paper blocked my path, so I tore it out with my teeth. What could possibly be inside?

Once the way was clear, I gasped. I wasn't often speechless, but Taylor's gift had me at a loss for words.

Inside the box was a beautiful handmade quilt. The fabrics were pastel shades of cream, blue, and green. The top layer had a geometric repeating pattern of two prominent figures: a green dragon, and a white cat.

"Oh, Taylor," Jade murmured, reaching for the quilt. "How magnificent. You made this?"

Taylor scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I know Alaric was having trouble with his nest, so I thought it might help. I got a little carried away with the applique designs," he mumbled.

As Jade spread the quilt over the bed, I couldn't stop staring at it. Emotion gripped my chest. I felt like I was about to cry. Again.

"Taylor..." My voice quivered. "You made this for me ?"

He offered me a half-grin. "Well, it's for Jade, too. And your baby, obviously."

I pawed at the quilt, bundling it closer to me. The fabric was gentle against my fur, and every stitch was lovingly sewn.

And that's when it hit me—this was the missing piece of my nest.

Relief washed over me and I sighed, cozying up in the quilt's warmth. I couldn't believe Taylor's generosity and kindness. He'd been my biggest rival on the first season of the Dragonfate Games. I'd cursed his every win, his every victory, thinking of them as my own personal failures. But I knew it was inevitable. Crimson was his fated mate.

Even though we'd grown and moved past that rivalry, I still couldn't believe Taylor would pour his heart into such a beautiful gift.

"Oh no," Taylor said with a dry chuckle. "He's crying again."

"Shut the hell up, you overgrown tabby," I snapped, tears pouring down my cheeks.

Jade smiled and wiped them away. "Thank you, Taylor. It means a lot to both of us. Even though Alaric has a unique way of showing it."

I grunted, wiping my paws across my damp face. "I am grateful. I'm just not a sap like the rest of you..."

"Says the guy crying tears of joy," Taylor teased.

I huffed, readying a verbal comeback when a sudden pain jolted my midsection. My fur spiked along my back and I hissed through my teeth.

"Alaric," Jade cried. "Does it hurt again?"

I nodded stiffly, in too much agony to speak.

The egg was coming.

Ripples of pain shimmied down my spine. I focused on breathing, since it was the only thing I could do. I felt my pelt bristling, but Jade smoothed it down with calming strokes.

"It's all right," he said softly. "Take it nice and slow."

"Fuck that," I hissed. "I want this egg out of me now. "

"Try lying with your legs spread out," Taylor suggested. "It works better than curling into a ball."

I exhaled hard through my nose, then followed his advice. Since he was the only person in this room who'd actually laid an egg before, I was grateful for it. Trembling, I stretched out my back legs, letting my belly brush against the quilt. Its pillowy softness was comforting despite the pain.

Another sharp pang made me hiss, but I noticed a difference in my body now. It felt open and stretched. Was I finally making progress?

"Tell me," I asked Jade through my teeth.

He glanced at my lower half and said, "You're not just dilated, but actively in labor now."

I was both relieved and agitated from the pain. "Great."

"Keep pushing," Jade encouraged.

"If anyone can do this, it's you, Alaric," Taylor said.

A low, irritated yowl escaped me. "What's that supposed to mean? That I'm loose? I'll have you know I'm—fuck!"

A sharp contraction cut me off. I felt the egg moving inside me with each push. It was really coming out now. My omega instincts kicked into high gear. Determined to get the egg out, I gritted my teeth and pushed harder. Everything was tight and agonized until a moment came where I felt unburdened and the pain disappeared.

I lay there for a second, relishing the sensation of not pushing. As I caught my breath, I heard Jade and Taylor's soft, awed noises behind me.

"It's beautiful," Taylor murmured. "Like it's made of pure emerald."

I whipped my head around. When I laid eyes on my egg, all the agony of labor was forgotten.

I drew closer to it with soft, rapid breaths. It was my egg, so it was obviously stunning, but I couldn't wrap my mind around just how stunning. With its smooth surface glittering from every angle, it resembled a perfectly oval geode. Each speck glowed like a kaleidoscope in a thousand shades of green.

Instinct urged me to touch the egg. When I tentatively placed my paw on its side, I sucked in a breath. The egg was warm to the touch.

It was alive.

I'd never laid an egg before—or given birth—but I somehow knew exactly what to do. My pelt bushed up, fluffing to full capacity, and I tucked the egg underneath my belly. It was as big as a grapefruit, but my long fur and thick tail were enough to cover the whole thing.

Once my egg was safely nestled against my body, I sighed, finally content. All the anxieties about laying vanished.

Now it just had to hatch.