23. Pregnancy

23

PREGNANCY

Wren couldn't lift the curse on Pinks' stranger.

Over the following days, he ran into his least favorite part of being pregnant—morning sickness.

"I don't think I can leave the bathroom," he said weakly, clutching the porcelain throne.

Fang crouched next to him, rubbing his back. "I'm glad I put down extra towels so you're not sitting on cold tile."

"The towels are really nice. Thank you."

Fang drew him into a hug, kissing his forehead and temple. Then he slipped his hand under Wren's shirt—actually, it was Fang's shirt—and rubbed his belly. "Thank you for carrying our pup."

Wren blushed, covering Fang's hand with his own. "I want our baby."

Fang's gaze turned so warm, it made Wren's heart skip several beats.

He knew what he felt toward Fang, now. The day with the huge fight had made him understand his own feelings with stark clarity, and he clung to that truth with both hands.

But this was all so new—he'd just moved into Fang's bed a few days ago—that it felt too soon to tell Fang his secret.

It didn't mean he couldn't cuddle with Fang, though.

"You're my favorite wolf," Wren whispered, before wincing and retching into the toilet again.

"Oh, Birdie." Fang rubbed Wren's back, brushing his hair away from his face. He got Wren a mug of water to rinse out his mouth, holding Wren until he felt better. "You're my favorite person in the world."

Wren couldn't help his smile. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh." Fang petted his hair and waited until Wren could stand. Then he held Wren steady with an arm around his waist, bringing him back to their bedroom. "What was your mom's name?"

"Geraldine." Wren breathed out the pang in his chest. Fang had told him a couple of times that his mom would be proud of him, for unlocking the rest of his magic. Even now, he felt the sheer power of it in his veins, and he was getting better at controlling it.

"What about your dad?"

"Thompson." Wren managed a tiny smile. Dad would be proud of him, too. And Wren wished both his parents were alive, so Fang could meet them.

"My mom's the alpha of her pack," Fang said. "Her name is Talia. She's been wanting to meet you ever since I started talking about you. My dad's Eric. He's more easy-going, of the two of them."

Wren's heart thumped. "Will they... think I'm okay? Enough?"

"Yes," Fang said fiercely. "They will, because I chose you."

Wren still felt nervous anyway.

"Birdie," Fang murmured. "They want to be your parents, too. You'll be fine."

He pulled Wren into a warm hug, rubbing his back. Wren gradually relaxed. "I'll believe you when I see it."

"What about next month? They'd like to come down soon. They have some things for your pregnancy."

Wren drew a steadying breath. One month. Surely that was enough time to prepare himself for it.

More importantly... He looked down at his fuzzy, barely-a-bump belly, dragging his palm over it. He was definitely pregnant with Fang's baby; there was no doubt about it, with the morning sickness, the way he was so fatigued these days. There was a combination of him and Fang growing in there, and one day, the baby would join them out in the world. Wren couldn't wait to meet their child.

Until then, Fang's parents.

Wren gulped. "Just like ripping off a bandage, right?"

Fang laughed, looking amazing like he always did. "It'll be like wrapping you in a warm blanket. Just you wait."

"Next month," Wren said, still shaky with the idea of it.

"Are you ready?" Fang asked quietly, sitting cross-legged facing Wren on the bed.

Wren stared at the fine leather necklace coiled up in Fang's palms, with a small amethyst hanging from it. It contained a good energy that he couldn't deny; Fang had searched several places, and they'd already tried a number of different stones before this.

"Maybe," Wren said. "But we may as well find out."

Fang smiled and leaned in, gently securing the leather cord around Wren's neck. The amethyst touched his skin, warm with the heat of Fang's body, except it also felt like a good presence. Calming.

Ever so slowly, the buzzing at the back of Wren's mind seeped away. Into the stone, maybe? Wren closed his fist around the stone and breathed out, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

But there was just calm in his mind, and nothing else. No terrible foreboding, no bad thoughts to chase away his good ones.

"I think it might be working," Wren admitted.

Fang's smile lit up his entire face. "I'll look into getting spares," he said. "Maybe something shower proof so you don't have to take it off at all."

"Okay," Wren said, leaning into him, eagerly accepting Fang's kiss. "Thank you."

"Always, Birdie."

Wren woke to kisses being pressed all over his face.

"Birdie," Fang murmured, kissing his nose. "We might want to wake up soon."

"You're already awake," Wren whined. "Make them go away."

Fang snorted. "I would if it were anyone else. But it's my parents."

Those words had Wren sitting upright like he'd been shocked with electricity, and he almost broke Fang's nose with his forehead.

"Oh, gods," Wren whimpered. "I'm still not ready."

"Rip off the bandage, right?" Fang grinned and pulled the covers off. "Either I bring you downstairs as you are, or you can put on some clothes."

"Clothes," Wren said immediately. "And I need to brush my teeth. And. Wait." He squawked. "Are they here already?"

Fang grinned indulgently. "They can hear you."

"Oh, gods!" Wren pulled the covers back over his head.

"Birdie." Fang reached under the covers and pulled him out bodily. Wren didn't protest much when Fang dragged him to the bathroom, standing him in front of the sink.

"What do I wear?" Wren cried.

"This is fine." Fang smoothed his hands down Wren's pajamas.

"It's inappropriate! They're your parents!"

Fang gave him a fond, exasperated look. "We're wolves. We don't even wear clothes half the time."

"Am I supposed to be naked? " Wren squeaked.

Fang laughed so hard, Wren scrunched up his face and shoved him in the chest. "I'm just saying that it doesn't matter what clothes you wear. Or not."

Wren didn't really believe him on this. He brushed his teeth and washed his face, then hurried to their closet, where Fang had made ample space for his clothes.

It still felt so incredible, seeing his things in Fang's bedroom—his worn books between Fang's whittled wood carvings on the dresser, his quilt laid over Fang's on the bed they shared. Fang had hung up some of Wren's things on the wall—pictures of Wren's family—and it felt as though Fang was all but moving Wren into his life.

"You look great," Fang said warmly, stroking his hands over Wren's shoulders, down his back and chest, adding his scent to the layers he'd already left all over Wren's body.

"Okay." Wren sucked in a breath, then blew it out.

"Besides," Fang murmured, stepping so close that there was no air left between them. He slipped his fingers under Wren's shirt and caressed the bump of his belly. "What they're really interested in is this right here. You don't need to cover it up."

"All right," Wren said, giving in. He followed as Fang tugged him out of their bedroom to the living room downstairs, where Hector was chatting brightly with Fang's parents. Wren clutched his alpha's hand more tightly.

Talia and Eric Cedargrove stood up when they entered the room, full of smiles. Talia was taller than her husband, more muscular, whereas Eric was a slender, smaller man, closer to Wren's size. "Wren! Fang has told us so much about you."

"Um, you too," Wren blurted. "It's great to finally meet you."

And it was—he wanted to get to know the people who had raised Fang to be who he was today.

Fang's parents beamed. They stepped forward and pulled both Fang and Wren into a hug. It was the biggest, most parental hug Wren had received in a while, and it made him tear up.

But it was different from his own parents' hugs; Talia and Eric made sure to run their hands over Wren's shoulders and hair, scent-marking him just like they were doing to Fang.

"Welcome to the family," Talia said, looking Wren in the eye.

Wren flushed. "I, uh. Thank you."

"Fang has sounded happy ever since he met you," Eric said, ruffling Fang's hair. "He was a moody pup before that. Thank you. "

Fang grimaced. "Dad."

"You'll always be a pup to me," Eric said with a laugh.

"Not in front of my mate," Fang grumbled.

Wren's stomach flipped. Were they mates now?

Fang glanced over thoughtfully. Had Wren's heart given him away?

Talia's laugh was low and melodious. "That's what mates are for. To know you no matter what situation you find yourself in." She glanced at Fang's arm wrapped around Wren's waist, Wren leaning into him. Her gaze grew warmer. "Even now, Fang's trying to hold you close. Here, we've brought some things to help you through your pregnancy."

Wren followed them to some reusable grocery bags on the coffee table. Talia began pulling out various things—bags of homemade jerky, moon-themed lamps, and some cooling mats.

"For when your fur gets too hot. You won't have a full coat, but it'll be enough to trap some heat anyway," Talia explained. "There are different sorts of jerky in here: Beef, venison, and other wild game. You'll develop a taste for gamier meat closer to your due date."

Wren didn't doubt that. Already, he'd been having the urge to sink his teeth into things; Fang had been encouraging Wren to bite him in bed.

"Fang, have you taken Wren for a full moon run?" Talia's eyes sparkled.

Fang's cheeks pinkened. "Soon. I've been planning on it."

"You'll enjoy it," Eric said to Wren. "Promise that you won't let him get hurt, Fang."

"Wren's safety is always my priority," Fang said, huffing. "The pup's, too."

Both his parents rumbled with approval. Talia met Wren's eyes, smiling hesitantly. "Will you let us touch your belly?"

"Yeah, of course," Wren said. He trusted Fang's parents; they were so warm and kind.

Talia wrapped one arm around Wren's shoulders. She kissed his hair and rubbed her hand over his belly bump. "A new pup in the family."

Eric beamed and added his hand to Wren's belly; Fang rumbled, pressing his hand on top of theirs.

Wren felt little movements in his abdomen. Were they just his insides gurgling, or were they little kicks?

"I think that was a kick," Eric murmured.

Fang sucked in a sharp breath. "I want to feel it."

Eric took Fang's hand and pressed it to a spot on Wren's belly. All four of them waited. Wren felt a little bit embarrassed, because there was nothing he could do to replicate that sensation.

Then another flutter happened. Fang's eyes grew wide; they stared at each other.

"That's our pup," Fang whispered breathlessly. He leaned in and kissed Wren hard, and Wren was barely aware of Fang's parents stepping back to give them some privacy.

Wren kept being surprised by how much realer the pregnancy became each time—the morning sickness, the fatigue and belly bump, and now their baby's kick. Soon, they would have another baby in their arms, needing love and protection.

Some time later, he realized that Fang's parents were preparing food in the kitchen. Fang drew Wren onto his lap, nuzzling his cheek. "They're thinking about moving to Cartfalls," he told Wren quietly. "Valor said there isn't really a wolf pack in this area."

"There's just Valor, Liem, and Liem's grandma," Wren said. "And now you. Maybe, if your parents move here, maybe you can all be a pack?"

Fang's smile grew. "I hope so. But I don't want just wolves in my pack. I'd like us all to be in it—even Telos and Yaeger and the rest."

"In that case, I think you're all already a pack. Close friends, but also a family."

"That's very true." Fang grinned, rubbing Wren's belly. "Whatever kind of pack it turns out to be, I want you by my side through all of it."

Wren's breath hitched. He still hadn't told Fang those three words.

Even so, Fang smiled and kissed his mouth, his gaze ever so warm. Did he know? Wren's heart skipped a beat.

Before he could say anything, Steffie began making sounds in her crib.

"Looks like someone's awake." Fang lit up.

He was always so excited to see her, to hold her in his arms, that Wren blurted, "Would you like to be her dad, too?"

Fang froze, his eyes growing wide. "Yes."

Wren couldn't help smiling. "And Timmy Tim's dad."

"Yes. Yes, of course." Fang drew Wren into another deep kiss, brushing his fingers through Wren's hair.

As though summoned, Timmy Tim came skidding into the living room. Fang broke the kiss just in case the shopping cart crashed into them.

It didn't, though. It just ran circles around them, cart flap squeaking excitedly. Wren laughed.

"This wasn't so bad, was it?" Fang whispered as they went to get Steffie from the nursery. "Meeting my parents."

"It's going a lot better than I expected," Wren admitted. He scooped Steffie out of the crib, and turned her to face Fang. "Sweetheart, Fang's your other dad now. Say ‘Papa'."

Steffie giggled and kicked. Fang gazed at them both intensely, leaning over Steffie to give Wren a hard kiss.

Steffie was grabbing at Fang and babbling again by the time they broke away.

"You've given me so much, Birdie," Fang murmured.

"You've given me a lot, too." Wren snuggled closer. Fang had given Wren a home. He'd given Wren a credit card tied to his own accounts, so Wren could buy anything he wanted. He'd given Wren some relief from his anxiety, and made him feel so beautiful.

"I want to give you more," Fang said.

"You could tell me the strawberry sauce story, how it got in your underwear."

Fang winced. "You still remember that?"

"How can anyone forget?" Wren asked, aghast.

"I can!"

"I want to know it anyway," Wren said daringly, biting down a smile.

Elsewhere in the house, someone cackled.

"Shut the hell up, Hector," Fang grumbled.

"Don't say that in front of Steffie," Wren yelped. "She's still young and impressionable!"

Fang made a face. But he pressed several kisses to Wren's belly, and began murmuring to their baby. "Hey. It's your Papa. I know we'll all be living under the same roof as Hector, but I sure hope you don't grow up to be like him."

Wren laughed, and all he could think was, I'm happy.