33. Nesting

February came around so fast between celebrating the winter holidays, Hiroshi having his baby and gaining some new pack members. We now had a shiny new alliance with another pack and were connected by a portal.

Thanks to the new pack, several omegas had found their mates and betas had met potential candidates for making their transitions with.

Having allies was important, even with the attacks lessening. The trouble wasn’t over and I wasn’t naive enough to think my baby would end all our troubles. There would be pushback.

Northarbor, well, the aviary, loomed over us. They had lost much over the last few months, but weren’t ready to admit defeat, to recognize that times were changing. Alphas could no longer hold onto the old ways. They had been false to begin with.

The end of my pregnancy was approaching, and with it was a ball of anxiety which wanted to burrow under my skin.

Fears over the birth and beyond kept me from sleeping until exhaustion pulled me under. I was struggling to get anything done at work because I kept falling asleep at my desk, because I had been worrying so much.

I knew being scared was natural, especially since I had not grown up as an omega. If I had been, I might have been a tad more prepared. At least I would have had more omegas around me growing up, some sort of education, but since my transformation, I was woefully unprepared for what came next.

At first, it was little things. Like a blanket had to have both of our scents on it before it was placed on our bed. Then it was the furniture placement. I knew better than to move anything myself, even though I was strong enough, because T would be upset. So I asked him to move the bed, move the dresser, then to move them back when that was wrong too.

“What’s he doing?” I heard Chase ask T.

“Nesting. Or the early stages, I believe.”

“Cool. Hiro said he needed something in the nest from all the people in the house, so I’ve been sleeping with this blanket so Ax can line his nest with it.” Chase lay the purple blanket on the pile of other blankets I’d made.

I picked it up and took in the soothing scent of my twin. “This is what I needed. Thanks Chase.”

“No worries. Is this a couple thing? The nesting? Or do you need anything else?”

“Um…” I thought for a moment, listening to my agitated alter. They had adjusted better than I had to their new reality, but the birth bit was freaking them out. “My wolf wants you to sit here and just watch over us, if you can.”

Chase crossed the room to sit cross-legged on our bed. “Here cool?”

I nodded and returned to the placement of all the cushions and blankets. This nest was for a princess, so it had to be perfect. Rationally, I knew, being my first nest and with the lack of reading I’d done about the birth, this nest was likely to be a mess. There was time to refine it. There was still a week until my due date.

“Dear one, are you expected into work today?”

“No,” I said distractedly. T waited for me to elaborate. “My parental leave has started. Aldrin wanted it to start a couple of weeks ago.”

The doorbell rang. “I’ll get that,” Chase said as he leaped from the bed.

“Would you like me to help?” Teárlach leaned forward to inspect the nest.

Sitting back on my haunches was hard with a massive baby bump. He caught me as I nearly toppled over.

“Please. I can’t get the sides right.” My frustration was written all over me. I gripped the blankets in tight fists, ready to scream. Nothing was right about this nest.

I was a bad omega.

“Whatever you are thinking, dear one, get rid of it. That’s your fear talking. Omegas have done this since there were shifters. The goddess said there were many children in our future, so of course you can do this. We just need to have faith.”

Mate is right. We can do this. My alter interrupted the moment with my mate.

Do you like being an omega? I’ve never asked.

Yes. Special. Our baby loves us. She is ready to come. Soon.

“My alter agrees with you.”

“Your alter is very smart, just like you. This is normal.”

“Oh! Look at how big your nest is!” Kade came in, holding a couple of blankets. “I… uh… wasn’t sure if you’d need our scents, too.”

He held the cream and yellow blankets out for me to take. As soon as they were in my hands, I relaxed.

“This is exactly what I’ve been needing! I know where they need to go.”

Kade’s pleased smile and Blake’s proud expression showed me just how important it was for them that my nest and birthing experience was perfect.

“Where are the kids?” Chase asked, as if he just noticed they weren’t attached to their parents.

“We’ve had some contact with some of the leadership over in the Northarbor Aviary. They are trying to broker a truce now they’ve learned about the elves and the beta gene. We had a video call with them, but asked the community center to take the kids for a while.”

“Do you trust them?” I asked, suspicious of both the timing and the offer.

“Hell no.” Blake gave me a flat look. “I’m willing to listen to them, but it will be a long time before we can trust a thing they say, or reduce security.” He sighed. “I’m just glad we have Greenbriar.”

“Yeah, that pack is cool. Alligators! We’ve told them about the elves and are getting them up to speed.” Chase had settled into being Second well.

“Cryabell is working on her meditation!” Kade’s eyes lit up with joy. “She hopes a family bond will be enough.”

“That’s great news!” Teárlach said cheerfully. “I hope we get more elves with animal souls soon.”

The room was beginning to get too noisy and full. Kade caught me squirming and fussing with the blankets I had just placed.

“We’re overstaying our welcome. Call us back for the birth if you want. We won’t be offended if you want less people there.”

Just the thought of them not being by my side nearly gave me a panic attack. Fucking hormones. “No! I want you there, I just…”

“It’s okay, Ax. You’re overstimulated. Shift with T and get your alter scents over the nest now it’s done. Just chill today and we’ll come back as soon as you need us, okay?”

I was relieved Kade got me. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. He was an omega. A born one. He would understand the process better than me.

“Thank you.”

Kade looked wistfully at my nest. It hit me. He didn’t get the chance to prepare like I had. His birth came on too quickly for anything but a hastily built nest.

“It’s a great nest. Can’t wait to meet our niece!”

I’d been in my shifted form for two days. My alter wasn’t letting me shift back. They knew our daughter was close to arriving and wanted us to rest and heal before she made her way into the world.

Kade had been right. I’d needed that day of shifting with Teárlach to get the scents almost right. When I’d shifted back, I’d asked him to head to Abrocaelum and get something with his mother’s scent on it so she could be represented in the nest.

He brought her back with him.

The elf queen of Abrocaelum had been in my bedroom as I lazed around in my nest, fat and snacking on potato chips.

Teárlach had not been allowed to sleep in the nest that night. Not until he apologized for neglecting to warn me about her arrival. He had forgotten his phone. Again.

Two days after that incident, I shifted and my wolf didn’t let me turn back. Instead, they asked our mate to bring us food in the nest and even hand feed us. Diva!

“I think today will be the day, dear one,” Teárlach stated calmly.

Why was he so calm? I was pacing the nest.

Yeah?

“Oh yes. You’ve been in early labor since yesterday.”

What?

“My magic has been masking the labor pains. Your brothers are on their way, as is Michaella. Aldrin and James will arrive in the next couple of hours. Hopefully, in time to see the birth. I’ll shift once they are here.”

Why have you been taking my pain?

“I did not want you to suffer. Your wolf knew. Did they not share it with you?”

Clearly not.

My wolf was unrepentant. In fact, they were quite cheerful about it. Elf takes pain, makes birth easier.

Our family filtered through the door. After her last visit, the queen sent her regrets that she would have to miss the birth. Like Blake, she had much to do with all the revelations. So many of her people were attempting their own soul-bonds to gain an animal soul.

I was grateful she wouldn’t be there. While I liked her, we weren’t close, yet. It would take time. Teárlach still kept her at a distance, though both were making more of an effort in their relationship.

Pain ripped through me.

It’s time,my wolf told me as they braced themselves.

Shift,I told T.

“She’s coming.”

Teárlach joined me in the nest in his owl form. With his alpha senses and elf magic, he took as much of the pain away as he could.

Hours passed that way. Him taking the pain and me trying to get our daughter out of my body.

I was getting so tired. Sips of water and snacks were fine, but I hadn’t had a proper rest since I’d shifted.

“Teárlach, you need to let Axel take some of that pain.” Michaella looked sympathetic, yet firm.

My mate stubbornly held onto his magic while projecting thoughts at my twin.

“He’s asking why,” Chase said.

“Axel needs to turn the pain outwards, use it as fuel to push the baby out. He’s getting too tired, and no one wants to have to go the surgical route,” the midwife explained.

“He doesn’t think he can.” Chase spoke for T again since Michaella wasn’t on the pack link. Something we needed to fix for her.

“Maybe I can help?” Blake came forward, already taking his shirt off. “Teárlach won’t be able to override his alpha instincts to protect his mate, but as his Alpha, as Axel’s Alpha, I can overpower both.”

“Yes, do that. Quickly, please.” Aldrin frowned. “The baby is in distress. Likely picking up on how tired her papa is, and worried her daddy is.”

Blake shifted into his wolf form, and the room filled with his alpha power. It was staggering. It overwhelmed all of my senses. Everyone in the room bent to his will, aside from Kade and Michaella.

I crouched low and just pushed, compelled to turn all my effort inside. My wolf let out a howl as we bore down.

The pain was excruciating, but exactly what I needed. I used it, and with a few pushes; she was free.

All of our focus turned to the little wolf pup. We got her clean of her sac and just examined her. She smelled of rain and jasmine. An alpha pup like her cousin.

Her eyes were the same as Teárlach’s and mine. A turquoise eye that was so beautiful to me and my own silver-blue. The pelt of her wolf was stunning. She had white, gray, and black fur over her body.

“Oh, my! She’s beautiful!” Michaella gushed over the little pup.

“I can’t wait to check her over!” James exclaimed. “I’ve never seen heterochromia in shifters.”

You did so well, dear one. Welcome little Rieka.He said the last part to the pack link.

“That’s a pretty name.” At Michaella’s stare, Kade elaborated. “Rieka, is her name.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Our daughter shifted then, stunning the room into silence. The heterochromia carried into her human form. She also had dual toned hair. White blond on half, the underside of her hair, and black, similar to mine, on the top.

She got even prettier. I love how unusual her coloring is. T remarked.

You do?

Don’t you?I heard his concern.

I… worried about how people will react to her. Already I was protective of her. I didn’t want unkind words or actions to hurt her feelings.

They won’t be able to look away. She’s fierce looking.Teárlach was filled with pride.

She’s perfect. My heart filled with love, extinguishing all my doubt.

I shifted and scooped her into my arms. “Welcome, little Rieka. We love you so much.”

T joined me, his warm arms surrounding us both. “I love you both.”