CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Despite the severe pain, Mir looked over their shoulder at the pacifist alpha who had claimed their heart. “You did what?”

Tavish scratched the back of his neck. “I was annoyed, ok?”

“Remind me not to annoy you,” Toren said.

Mir huffed out a laugh then concentrated on coping with the pain as the banter continued around them. This wasn’t a party, but the two alphas and beta certainly seemed to be treating it like one.

Tavish being here melted the iron they’d wrapped around their emotions, but one punch wouldn’t be the end of Mir’s fury at the stupid sod sitting less than a hundred yards away for all this time, spying on them. The pain peaked, lasted a count of ten, then Mir’s muscles began to relax, until next time. If they was going to say anything, Mir knew it’d better be now.

“Glad you’re all having such a good time. I’m sure you can all find a bar to continue this bonding session. I’m going back to bed, because worrying about you has been fucking with my sleep.” All three of them winced as Mir swore. It ratcheted their anger.

“Oh, how terrible, the omega said a bad word. Well, here’s another one. Fuck off and leave me alone.” Mir started for the stairs up to the bedrooms. They could feel the next pain starting but hoped to get behind a closed door before being forced to give in to it. Once in the quiet, they could concentrate, and hopefully the contractions would stop.

Like every other time Mir had blown up since getting here, Tor and Cor looked at each other, each wanting their sibling to take the pain of calming Mir down.

“Mir.” One word, one fucking word, said in that familiar disapproving, but compassionate tone, had Mir’s feet welded to the floor.

Not turning around, they ground out, “What?”

Footsteps behind them, then the scent Mir had been dreaming of got stronger, although it was hidden behind a ton of soap. Soap, not disinfectant. Tavish hadn’t been doing any doctoring, but he had been washing a lot. Probably trying to remove the stink of his family. Mir wished they could forget the scents of Sakish and Zepish too.

“You can’t run from this, Freckles.” The familiar endearment demolished Mir’s brick wall of defiance almost to ground level.

Their jaw tensed as the pain rose; rather than going with it, letting it wash over them, they used the physical pain to jab at the source of their emotional pain.

“And how is washing it away working for you?” The pain stole Mir’s focus, and they reached blindly for something to anchor themself.

Mir’s reaching hand was taken by the wrist and hooked around the back of Tavish’s neck. Without conscious thought, their other hand joined it.

“Lean forward, that’s it, try rocking side to side.”

With their nose against Tavish’s collarbone, Mir did as the calm, confident voice asked. And it was better. Irritating. Smug. Conceited. The words spun in Mir’s head, but they weren’t the ones that left their mouth.

“I missed you so fucking much.”

Big hands rubbed up and down their back, as if trying to draw the pain away. “Ditto. We’re such a pair of idiots.”

“Sp… speak for yourself.” Mir gasped as the pain peaked and then went higher.

“Things are moving on, huh?”

Mir could do nothing but shake their head.

“I’m here now,” Tavish rumbled. “Let go. You’re safe.”

The pain began to fade, but Mir didn’t let go of Tav, instead their eyes began to prickle. “Can’t. Once they’re out, they’ll be taken. Whatever Corish says, they’ll be taken.”

“I’ve already explained about the law in such cases. It isn’t—”

Mir pushed away from Tavish and rounded on their brother. “I’m not talking about the damn law. Do you think what they did to me was fucking legal?” They waved a hand at Tavish. “Do you think he’s the only one who’s been watching this place? Once they’re born—” They gritted their teeth as another pain began to niggle. “Once they’re born, they’re fair game. And if you think a one-handed bookworm, who is no longer a musth-addled psycho, a lawyer and an eavesdropper can go up against—” Words failed as the contraction continued on its inevitable course.

“It’s more than just us,” Toren said. “We have a whole network of people who—” Mir stopped listening as the pain stole their focus.

“And this is not the time for this discussion,” Tavish said, voice firm as he moved in front of Mir again, encouraging them to resume their previous position with firm, gentle guidance with hands and voice. This one seemed to last longer, and panic began to rise.

“It’s ok, breathe through it, just a little longer, that’s it.” Tavish lifted his lips from Mir’s hair. “Can you get the stuff upstairs?”

“It’s really happening?” Corish’s voice radiated panic.

“Duh, yeah, brother. I don’t think they’re doing a slow dance for the fun of it.” Mir’s beta sibling sounded far more confident than their brother.

Mir heard Toren moving over to the packages Corish had carried over and then their footsteps trotting up the stairs.

“You’re going to do the actual birth stuff though, right Tavish? We can wait down here and do the expectant uncle pacing thing?” Corish sounded so damn hopeful.

As the pain began to fade, Mir turned their head and tried to focus on their brother, but their eyesight was fuzzier than ever.

“I’m good,” Tavish’s voice rumbled from under Mir’s ear. “But not even I can look after two newborns while delivering a third. As I’ll be down at the business end, someone needs to stay up the noisy end.”

Mir snorted at the ‘noisy end’ description, then reality hit. They’d been noisy last time too. They’d been screaming, crying, and fighting, even while birthing the next, as the first was taken away.

He clung onto Tav’s shirt, fingers digging in. “Don’t take them away from me. I can’t do that again, I—”

“Nobody will take your babies,” Corish’s voice reeked of alpha certainty. Even though Mir was pretty damn sure Corish couldn’t make such a promise, not long term anyway, but right now, they didn’t have a choice.

Mir swallowed, the pain waned, and they regained the power of speech. They looked up at Tavish’s face and realized for the first time that he’d shaved his beard. He looked like he had when they’d first met.

“Didn’t like the beard?” Mir asked.

Tavish blinked. “Erm… wasn’t really me. Ready to go upstairs or would you rather do things here? Because moving up or down the stairs is not going to be possible soon.”

“Seems a bit cruel to make Toren gallop up and down again, doesn’t it?” Mir replied and stood upright again. The heaviness between their legs proved things were moving. They headed to the stairs, with Tavish hovering behind Mir and Corish behind him.

They only got halfway up the stairs before the next pain started. “Taking a break,” they ground out, and stopped, bending to put both hands on a step above them. The position relieved pressure on their internal organs; it also satisfied the need to protect their belly from the world.

Tavish dug his thumbs in on either side of their spine, in a way that might have been borderline painful at any other time.

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Mir groaned as they hung their head.

“Go grab all the cushions off the sofa,” Tavish ordered. “If Mir liked this position, they might want to deliver like this.”

“On the stairs?” Corish sounded so horrified that Mir huffed out a laugh as the contraction waned.

“Yes, we’re all going to fit in here. Seriously, how did you qualify as a lawyer?” Tavish said, his tone light but firm, easily taking charge of the situation. “We’re going to pile the cushions up on the bed. Mir could kneel on the floor and rest on the bed, but I’m not sure my knees will take it. How did you deliver last time?”

Slowly, Mir looked back over their shoulder. “I do not need that in my head right now.”

“Understood, loud and clear. Although, since we’re here, how about we check in on the pups? Best way to do it is to check heartbeats between contractions and during one. Ok?”

“What do you expect me to say?” Mir ground out, then blew out a breath. “Sorry. I’m a bit crabby.”

Above him on the stairs, Toren said, “No shit.”

Mir glared at him. “If you think this is funny, how about you try it some—” Mir buttoned their lip. They didn’t want Toren to experience this because that would mean that fucking beta doctor had got to his sibling too. Although they appreciated Toren’s attempt to lighten the mood. This was serious business, but it would be lovely if these pups came into the world amid peace and tranquility, surrounded by love.

“No talking, I have to listen.” Mir’s jaw clenched; they hadn’t been talking anyway. As soon as the cool metal disc touched their belly, anxiety hit.

What if something had happened to one or more of them? If they’d agreed to go to the hospital, if there was anything wrong, they could have done a c-section. But then the babies would have been taken. Would that be better than dying inside me?

What happened to all those full-term babies?

Tavish’s hand returned to Mir’s back, and they could feel the alpha’s body heat as he leaned over, touching the disc to various places around Mir’s belly.

The next contraction started, and Mir kept as still as possible, mentally riding the pain wave. The disc moved around again, but this time, the placement was more precise as Tavish had learned the location of the babies.

He waited until Mir relaxed. “Well, we have three happy campers, but you are a little stressed, which is understandable. Fancy getting somewhere a little more comfortable to meet your babies?”

Meet them. I’m actually going to meet them this time.

Mir didn’t realize they’d spoken aloud until Tavish spoke, his voice a little choked up. “Yes. Yes, you will. And they will stay with you until they turn into damn annoying adults who want to go their own way. Now, before the next one hits?”

Mir looked up the stairs, blew out a breath, and started climbing, still using their hands to balance themself. To their joy, Toren didn’t say a damn thing, or try to open the bedroom door for them.

Toren had been busy. The curtains were closed, but there was an Anglepoise lamp on a wooden stool, neither of which had been there earlier. On the chest of drawers, a green cloth draped over things Mir really didn’t want to see. The absorbent, waterproof backed pad laying halfway up the bed really brought home that they would be seeing, holding, their babies soon.

A big bundle of bedding sat at the top of the bed, perfect for resting against. “Someone’s done their homework,” Tavish said from behind them.

“Well, with Mir shutting down any mention of hospitals and doctors, I thought I should do a little research. Although shadowing a birth attendant for a couple of nights is not in any way a substitute for your expertise.”

“I’m going to get you back for not telling me that sooner,” Corish’s indignant tone came from behind them.

“Why would I?” Toren grinned. “It was so much fun watching you panic.”

“That’s it. I’m rescinding my offer of affiliation.”

“It’s already signed, sealed, and deposited at the registry office.”

“I never signed it.”

Toren grinned. “You really think I can’t forge your signature after all these years? Are you going to prosecute me for alpha abuse, little brother?”

The next pain in the chain that would lead to holding their babies swelled, and for the first time, Mir welcomed it, rather than fighting against it. With quick decisive movements, they pushed down their shorts, and left them on the floor. They hesitated as their hands went to the buttons of their borrowed shirt. Being naked reminded them of Hell, but birth could be a messy business, and Tavish would want access to all of them.

“Leave the shirt on if it makes you more comfortable,” Tavish said, gaze flicking to the equipment under the green cloth. His need to check everything was ready oozed from every pore.

The contraction was building. They needed someone to rest against, to do what Tavish couldn’t right now.

“Will I do?” Toren offered.

Without talking, Mir held up their arms, and Toren walked into them. Mir was an inch taller, so they bent a little to rest their head on their sib’s shoulder, but it felt good, familiar.

Tavish’s magic hands touched their lower back, kneading it in just the right way to provide a counterpoint to the pain.

“If you push right here, it can help relieve a little of the pain,” Tavish said, but Mir didn’t know or care which one of their siblings he was talking to. Mir’s perceptions were starting to close down, like they had most of the time they’d been in Hell. All that mattered was pain, pressure, and need.

“You’ll be doing all that though,” he mimed massaging Mir, “won’t you?” Corish sounded petrified.

“Most of the time, yeah, but I also have to do other stuff.”

“Well, Toren can do it then. They’ve done a bit of training. I’ve got no idea what I’m doing here. I’ll be hinderance not a—”

“You’d rather deal with a slippery newborn?”

If the pain hadn’t been so intense, Mir would have laughed at Corish’s horrified, “Slippery?”

“Blood, mucus, birth fluid, perhaps vernix too.”

The pain faded, and Mir pushed away from Toren, giving the beta a pat on the shoulder in thanks. Corish looked like a rabbit caught in a flashlight beam, a rather pale, green rabbit.

“If you’re going to pass out, leave,” Mir growled, but then they softened. This must be damn freaky for someone not mentally prepared for it. “But I’d rather you stayed. You smell safe.”

A beaming smile lit Corish’s face. “I do?”

Mir managed a mock scowl. “Yeah, but don’t get too cocky about it. I’m going to need a hand to squeeze, and someone to swear at.”

“A very important job,” Tavish said, deadpan.

Before the next contraction hit, Mir turned to Tavish. “You smell safe too.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Still in the market for a Pa for these babies?”

“You applying for the job?”

Tavish’s eyes brimmed with mischief, telling Mir that he was still the same person he’d been the last time they’d met. Goofy and protective. “You haven’t sent out a job description.”

The next contraction started to bite.

“And as sickeningly cute as this is, fancy getting on the bed or your baby’s first experience of life could be getting dropped on the floor on their head.”

Mir pulled off their shirt and nodded at his siblings. “You two too. Babies like skin.”

Without an argument, Toren and Corish pulled off their shirts, and Mir’s brother went to stand at the head of the bed.

Mir climbed on the bed on all fours, hugged the pile of bedding that smelled of home—a combination of Tavish, Corish, and Toren—to their chest and announced, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Your wish is my command,” Tavish said. “Going to need to do an internal, just to see how things are progressing.”

They’d known this had to happen, but it didn’t mean they liked it. Mir put their forehead on the bundle of bedding and tried to shut themself off to the next sounds and scents. Disinfectant and latex gloves.

“Hand,” they demanded, and reached toward Cor. His big uncalloused had closed around Mir’s, and the other smoothed over their bare shoulder.

“You got this,” he rumbled, but there was still a hint of a question in his voice.

“So have you,” Mir managed before the next contraction stole their focus. They gripped Corish’s hand hard as they concentrated on the pain, but the hands on their lower back and the softly spoken encouragement came from Toren.

Halfway through the contraction, Mir got the urge to push. Holding their breath, impatient for this to be over, they bore down.

“Doc?” Toren called out.

“These pups are impatient to meet us.” Tavish’s calm voice came from behind them. “But try not to push yet. Pant through it.”

Mir shook their head, “Can’t. Got to.”

“Corish, make them look at you, and show them what we need. Like this.” Short huffing breaths came from behind.

“Open your eyes, big sib.” They opened their eyes to see Corish’s bearded face only a few inches away. Vaguely, Mir worked out that their brother must be kneeling on the floor beside the bed.

Corish panted, and although he looked utterly ridiculous, like an overheated flock protector dog, Mir copied him, until the urge to push faded.

“Just going to do an internal,” Tavish murmured, but Mir tensed anyway. “Mir,” this time, his voice was a little sterner. “This is me and now, not them and then. We will not take your babies.”

“Never,” Corish agreed.

“Never,” Toren echoed.

Their presence surrounded Mir, protective and understanding, but anxiety still fluttered.

“Can I do the exam now?”

“I… I just need a minute.”

Corish’s hand cupped their face and Mir met the green eyes they knew almost better than their own. “You’ve got this. Keep your eyes on me, we’re going to count, ok?” Mir huffed in amusement. They had always asked the twins to count while Mir patched up the never-ending minor cuts and scrapes. It was ridiculous, but Mir counted along with Corish.

“One, two,” Corish said, “Go for it, doc. Three…”

The lubed fingers slipped into them so damn gently that Mir hardly felt them. It was nothing like the uncaring, unannounced jabbing and pulling of last time. It lasted less than a count of ten.

“Ok, baby one is head down and well on their way. Push whenever you want, but I’ll ask you to pant when the baby’s head crowns, ok?”

Mir nodded, unable to talk as another contraction took hold.

“They’ve got it,” Corish said, as if Mir couldn’t hear Tavish. Although, as their body took over, Mir lost focus on anything else.