6. Seymour

Chapter 6

Seymour

There was no denying it.

It was time.

The baby was coming.

Sure, the baby had been coming since I met Kai, but now there was a change in the air. You could just feel it. It was like the world shifted in preparation for this moment. My mate was about to give birth to our child.

And that was a weird thing to think… that this baby, the one he was growing, was mine, too—that I was somehow a father to this baby. But the protective paternal side of me was shining brightly, and I couldn't force the notion down. It was fair to say that the four of us needed to have a really serious conversation in the not-so-distant future. But not now.

Now was baby time.

Kai let out a wail, a deep visceral cry, but this one was different than all that had come before. It wasn't in agony, though pain was there. This was a combination of victory and perseverance. I couldn't fully understand the power of it, but I could feel it as it wrapped around the three of us while we supported him through this last stage of his pregnancy.

After trying a few positions, Kai decided he wanted to have the baby on his hands and knees. Dante and I helped set up pillows for him to lean on, to keep him comfortable—as comfortable as one could be when pushing out an entire being.

A couple of times, I stepped back a little, trying to give him time with his mates, to let them have their moments with each other. But he called me back each and every time. He insisted he needed us all there.

Kai felt it too, there was no denying that now. He felt that I was his mate and he was mine. He might not fully grasp that yet, but his actions made it rather clear, and my dragon couldn't be more thrilled.

Dante kneeled behind him, and Gideon and I sat in front of him, me patting his brow to keep the sweat from dripping into his eyes, while Gideon encouraged him, telling him how great he was doing, giving him sweet forehead kisses.

"It's burning! It's burning!" He broke through the patterned breathing he'd been struggling to keep.

"I know, my love," Gideon said, pressing his cheek against his mate's. "Remember what that means. It means it's time to push."

"I don't know if I can do this." His uncertainty nearly broke me. He was so strong. I wished that he could see that. And maybe he did in normal situations, because this definitely wasn't one of those.

"I may have only known you for less than a day, but I 100% know that you've got this. I can feel it. I can feel the power of your fatherhood."

He looked at me quizzically and then nodded, his face turning very serious and resolved. The next contraction came almost instantly, and this time he pushed, and he pushed, and he pushed. When Dante told him he could see the baby's head crowning, Kai persevered, more determined than ever.

A few minutes later, the air filled with a sound that I would never forget for as long as I was on this earth—the sound of my baby crying.

I helped Kai onto his side, then onto his back, propping him up with pillows so that he was mostly sitting.

Gideon covered him to prevent a chill while Dante wrapped the baby in the softest towel I'd packed and placed the baby on Kai's chest.

"Hello, Albie." Kai's voice cracked with emotion.

I hadn't been there when they decided on the name, but it for sure suited the little guy.

Kai was beyond exhausted, and still, he carefully brought the baby into position and helped him latch onto his chest for his first meal. Albie was hungry, his little hand kneading against Kai's body as he suckled contentedly.

All three of us alphas watched in wonder, tears in our eyes as we took in the little miracle their love had brought into this world. I'd always known babies were special and had a way of winning hearts, but the intensity of emotions surrounding his birth were so beyond that.

We stayed there in the clearing, helping Kai rest and enjoy this bonding time with his son. But eventually, it was time to go. As wonderful as this place was, it wasn't somewhere we could stay forever.

"Okay, we're gonna get ready to take the baby home," Dante said.

Kai nodded and handed the baby to me to hold while the other alphas helped him get up and put on enough clothes to avoid getting arrested.

"Hey, sweet boy," I whispered.

He was so precious, and my dragon wanted to partially shift and cover him with his wings, keeping him safe from everything. But that wasn't how it worked. If only it was.

We packed up the car and got Kai settled inside.

"I'm just gonna go home. I have to work anyway," I said, though the walk would be long. For the first time, I felt kind of awkward, like maybe I didn't really belong.

"No, come with us. Really," Gideon said, his sincerity shining through.

I did have to work. And maybe I could call in, but also, it was important for them to have some time together, just them, right?

"Please," Kai said. "We want you here."

"We do." Dante added, and I saw that this wasn't an argument I was going to be able to win. And the truth was, I didn't want to.

"Okay," I agreed. "I'd like that." I'd like it a lot.

My dragon beamed at their acceptance of us.

I did too.