28. Grace

-Adrenaline—Zero9:36 featuring Ice Nine Kills-

One month later…

This morning’s wellness check went off without a hitch and from what the healer said, I can deliver any time now. Being a wolf has its perks. According to what we were told is I am past the sixty-three-day mark and my child can come anytime between now and another twelve days. Every female is different and so is every pregnancy.

Ethan, Griffin, and Nicolai accompanied me and watching the big bad alphas panicking was worth it. Nicolai sat calmly beside me holding my hand while Ethan and Griffin started making phone after phone call trying to set things up. While they had their mini melt down, Nic and I listened carefully to what the midwife told us. When I start nesting, I more than likely will deliver within hours.

Shortly after the appointment was over, the guys drove me over to where the new house is being built. The frame work stands tall overlooking the stream and the valley. Dozens of workers move all over the structure, doing their part.

“Like what you see so far?” Nicolai asks as he parks in front of the structure.

“It looks enormous.”

Griffin comes over to my door and helps me get out. He rests my hand on his forearm and we walk around the build site looking at it from all angles.

“Well, with four working alphas and your omega being a designer, we needed space enough for us to be able to work from home and for future children.” He smiles sweetly and motions for us to follow him up the stairs.

Ascending the stairs, I take in the structure”s grandeur. I feel as if I am stepping into a fairy-tale castle. Nicolai’s tone is almost drowned out by the banging and the different tools running. My stomach feels a little tight today and I know it’s one of the things to watch out for. I smile, showing interest in everything he’s doing and showing me.

“Grace looks tired.” Griffin mentions, and I throw my thanks up to the heavens that he is paying attention.

“Let’s get you home.” Ethan doesn’t wait for the others to acknowledge what he said. He simply scoops me up like I weigh nothing and carries me back to the car.

The ride home is short, and apparently my legs don’t work, according to Ethan. He picks me up and carries me through the house to my bedroom and lays me down. “I can walk Ethan.” Smiling, I try to reach down for my shoes and my stomach gets in the way.

“I know you can, Grace. Let me do this for you.” His normally hardened features soften as he removes my shoes from my feet, followed by my socks.

“I’m not broken Wolfie.” Rubbing my stomach, the tightness still isn’t going away. I remember this from when I was pregnant with Ashina. It can be false contractions or the real deal. So far I’m safe, my water hasn’t broken yet.

“Darlin, you are doing the hardest part of this. You took a microscopic egg and an even smaller sperm and grew a little being.” Ethan smiles as he places his hand on my stomach. Everything is going great until he feels it tense under his hand. “What was that?”

“Probably a false contraction. The midwife told us about it today, remember?” I try to soothe his worry, but the more I think about it, the more I don’t think this is false at all.

“Yeah, she did.” Ethan’s phone pings and he smiles. “Snack time.” He smiles and helps me up, and we make our way to the kitchen.

“How are you feeling, Grace?” Nic comes over and takes me from Ethan.

“I’m doing great.” Smiling, I wiggle myself just a little, being playful until I hear a splat and my ankles get wet. Shit.

All eyes are on me in a second and everyone except Nic goes into panic mode. Shaking his head, he walks me over to the bench and sits me down and offers me a drink. “How far apart are the contractions?” Nic asks softly as he runs his fingers through my hair.

I stare up at the clock when the next one hits and breathe through it. “About five minutes. We have some time, I think. But then again, this is my second baby.” I bite my bottom lip and he nods.

Without skipping a beat, he calls for the pack midwife from his pack to come to us. Barrett, having heard Nic, calls the one from his pack to join us. Within fifteen minutes, I have two midwives trying to talk over one another, trying to figure out what’s best for me. Shaking my head, I stand up and waddle out of the room, stopping when the contractions hit.

“Do you want to go back to the clinic?” Griffin comes up alongside of me and offers his support down the hallway.

“No … I need… I don’t know what I need. But it’s too loud and bright … I don’t like it.” I feel my wolf trying to get me to hide away from all the noise.

“She’s nesting.” Ruby shoves her way between her son and me and then pushes me down the hallway. “Where do you want to go? Close your eyes and breathe deep and let your wolf tell you.” I do as Ruby tells me and she takes a hold of my arm as my wolf guides me. When I stop, I open my eyes and it’s Barrett’s room.

“She wants me to be in here.” Barretts room is the darkest and quietest room in the house. Much like a nesting she-wolf, Omegas like their room dark and quiet.

“It’s a neutral room. Everyone can be present.” Ruby says as she smiles, looking down the hall at my mates.

With a quick glance, I look down the hallway at my mates before I step into Barrett’s room. It’s perfect. Quickly, I strip out of my clothes and crawl up into his nest. The blankets are soft, warm and inviting. Crawling in something settles in me and I start digging in the blankets, making myself comfortable.

My guys enter the room slowly and stare at me as my instincts guide as to what to do. When I’m finally comfortable, I lay down and listen to everything around me.

“All we can do now is wait.” Ruby says as she tries to comfort her sons.

“Mom, are you serious?” Ethan says as he moves to sit beside the nest.

“Yes, she will tell us what she needs when she needs it. She’s not human anymore. Gracie will be alright.” Ruby sits on a chair across from the nest. “Everyone, come sit with Grace. Let her feel you here. It will make the delivery of the pup easier.”

I glance up and watch my guys enter the nest and surround me. My wolf”s instincts settle and I close my eyes. Each contraction comes like a wave over me, blanketing me in warmth. It’s not as painful as I remember from Ashina. This time is different.

Warm hands rest on my skin as each of my alphas make contact. “I’m okay…” I breathe through the next contraction and something about them touching me takes away some of the pain.

“Their touch with help soothe your through this. They can share in your pain so it doesn’t hurt as much.” Ruby mentions as I watch her get up from the chair. “I’ll be just down the hall if you need me. This is best kept within the bond. Nic, you’ve watched a birth before. If you think anything is going wrong, holler.” Nic looks haunted as he looks at Ruby, then nods.

“I’m not her…” I groan out as a contraction hits.

“I know you”re not. But I am allowed to be afraid of the past repeating itself.” Nicolai reaches out and touches my arm.

Every few minutes, I move and adjust myself in the nest until the contractions are too close together. “It’s time…” My wolf tells me to rise up onto my hands and knees and I rock back and forth.

“Someone get in front of her and support her.” Nicolai instructs.

Ethan moves, knowing full well he may get bit accidentally. “Darling, hold on to me.” He moves so that my forehead is on his shoulder and he rests his hands on my side. Growling, I hold on to him and feel the urge to push.

“Ruby the baby…” I bear down and I feel her touch my hip.

“The baby looks good. It’s crowning, next contraction I need you to push,” Ruby says softly as she rubs my hip.

“You can do this.” Griffin reaches out and touches my shoulder. He leads his silent strength and I feel calmer.

“That feels better when you touch me.” I grunt out between contractions. I bear down on the next contraction and cry some.

“Everyone put a hand on Grace. It’s helping.” Ethan growls as he strokes my ribs gently. The next thing I feel is the touch of all of my mates. Their love pouring through me like water over my skin.

“Push again Grace. Your baby is almost born, you can do it.” I feel Ruby adjusting the way I am kneeling. “Conrad, I need a basin filled with hot water and towels and something to put the baby in after.” Ruby’s calm tone is reassuring and keeps my head pressed to Ethan’s shoulder.

The tones of Conrads’ shoes hitting against the wood floor is distracting. I focus on the sound and guess the distance he is from me. Each contraction that hits urges me to push. I draw in a deep breath and curl my body, drawing Ethan forward with me each time.

“One more and the baby’s shoulders should come free.” Ruby announces, and I hear Conrad return.

“What did I miss?” He says as he sets up the small table next to Ruby. I watch him set it up out of the corner of my eye. I stay focused on him until the next contraction and curl with it, pushing as hard as I can.

Ruby turns the baby and I feel the slip and slide of it when it is freed from my body. Within seconds, I hear its cries and Ethan helps me to turn and lean my back against his chest. “You did good, Darlin.” He murmurs next to my ear as he kisses my cheek.

“It’s a healthy baby boy,” Ruby announces as she washes my son in the basin. When she has all the vernix washed off, she smiles and sniffs the crown of his head.

Nicolai moves forward and smiles, looking at my son. “It’s tradition in my pack that the father bites the umbilical cord. By scent you will know who the father is. He will hold his father’s scent until puberty, then gain his own.” He gives Ruby a knowing smile. That’s a little fact no one bothered to tell me.

Griffin hands me a bottle of juice and I sip at it before looking at his mother. “Who’s cutting the cord, mom?” I smirk looking at my mother-in-law watching her pale.

“You’re putting me on the spot here, Gracie.” She laughs and looks at each of her sons. “Griff, come cut the cord.” She holds her grandson up and Griffin looks shocked between me and his mother. In theory, the way Ethan hogged me during my heat, it should have been him. But Griffin apparently was at the right place at the right time.

When the shock finally wears off, he steps forward and uses his canines to bite through the cord. Ruby secures both ends of the umbilical cord, then wraps up the baby, handing him off to his father. “We have to wait for you to pass the placenta, then off to the shower you go, momma. After your shower, feed the baby and rest. You’ve earned it.” Ruby kisses my temple and excuses herself from the room for several minutes.

“I already texted your Grams and Andrea, letting them know it’s a healthy baby boy. If you allow it, they will come tomorrow to see him.” Conrad says before moving to Griffin’s side to look at the newest Murphy boy.

“How are you feeling, Grace?” Nic asks as he lifts the sheet to make sure I’m not bleeding out.

“I’m good.” I smile and sit up. “Ethan, go meet the baby. Nic can watch over me for a bit.” I yawn and lean into Nic’s arms.

“You sure? I can stay.” His eyes dart from me to the baby, then back again.

“I’m sure. Go give our son some love. I want to rest for a little while.” Ethan kisses my temple, lingering there for a few moments before leaving me.

Nic pulls me into his lap and cradles me like a baby in his arms. The gentle contractions of my body trying to finish the birthing process are a gentle reminder of the miracle I just performed. “You did beautifully Grace.” He presses his lips to my forehead and I can feel the stress melting off of him.

Smiling, I lean into him and nuzzle his neck. “I had a lot of love and support. It helps. Someone spoiled the hell out of me.” I boop him on his nose then curl with a contraction unexpectedly. A soft growl escapes my lips. “I didn’t miss this part.”

“What part?” He looks concerned and starts texting Ruby.

“The passing of the placenta part. I will bleed. It’s normal. Don’t freak out.” I grip his arm and bear down again as Ruby reappears.

“Ah, I see I’m just in time.” She pulls on gloves and checks under the blanket. “Almost done Grace, one more push and it’s all over.” She smiles, looking up at me. I nod and bear down once more and she reaches out and takes away the placenta.

I snuggle into Nic’s embrace and close my eyes. “Rest now. I’ll watch over you.” He moves us so gently and lays us down. I feel him curl around me, surrounding me with his love and warmth. Barrett returns and curls up on my other side and I am lulled to sleep by my alpha and omega.