Chapter Fourteen

Kurt

I wanted to take the omega home right that night, but it wasn’t practical. Not to mention how I was enjoying his company. I’d arranged to have some groceries brought in and we were dining in for all our meals. I enjoyed feeding him, and he enjoyed not having to face strangers who might ask questions. Our pack had already been warned about his rogue marking, but he wouldn’t be the only one there anyway. We took in a lot of others who’d been rejected by their pack for one reason or another, and there were worse scarrings than Wade’s. I was increasingly proud of how we operated, the kindness and tolerance of our pack a shining light.

And it might have been a little selfish of me to want to have him to myself for just a little longer. The cabin was paid for for several more days, and this vacation was more than what the doctor ordered.

We would make our way home soon, this honeymoon time precious to us both. The resort offered so many activities, but we were very content just being us. Making love, eating good food, taking care of the omega and watching him blossom more every day…it was the best thing ever.

I was lying in bed in a half dream of being home with Wade installed in the alpha house, when a sound penetrated my rest.

“Ohhh.” A moan.

My brain tried to process it, without waking, but that was not going to happen. And when I opened my eyes, what I saw had me scrambling to my feet. “Omega, what’s wrong?”

He was curled around his belly, clutching it and groaning. “Oh no. I think the baby’s coming. I’m cramping.”

“But I thought it wasn’t due yet.” He had said that, hadn’t he? Or was I making it up?

“I think…it’s due soon but maybe not this soon. It wasn’t as if I had any medical care in the pack.”

“Don’t they have a healer or a midwife?”

He whimpered. “Yes, but not for me.”

“Not ever?”

“At the beginning, I was fine and so I didn’t consult them, and then I…” He subsided into ragged breathing, and I had never felt more helpless.

“We’re getting the pack healer on video chat right now.” Why hadn’t I done it sooner? “And no arguments.”

“I-I’m not arguing.” He leaned back, letting out a long, slow breath. “I think you’re right.”

I scrambled to find my phone where I’d left it in the living room then returned to the bedroom and punched the healer’s name. He was always on call for everyone, something I needed to work on. A pack our size needed more than one healer, both for adequate coverage and to avoid burnout. “Zeus, we need your help. Wade is getting some pains, and he isn’t sure when he’s due. Can you help us figure out what’s going on?”

The older wolf had been in his position for all of my life and I wasn’t sure how long before. Long time, anyway. I’d never seen anything rattle him, and this was no exception. “I will do my best.”

We’d used the computer for our conference, but the phone was fine for a one-on-one conversation.

“Hand the phone to the omega, please.” Zeus gave me a professional smile. “It will be fine, alpha. Why don’t you go make some tea while I consult with my patient.”

My grip tightened on the device, and my alpha self wanted to insist on being present. Not dismissed. Any member of my pack’s business was mine, traditionally, and my omega’s even more so. But the one person who could overrule me, boss the boss so to speak, would be the healer where a patient was concerned. So I passed the phone to Wade and left him to discuss his pains with the healer.

Not that the cabin was big enough to offer total privacy, especially with shifter hearing, but I closed the bedroom door and went into the kitchen to prepare some soothing tea and a plate of cookies. If he was in true labor, he probably shouldn’t be eating anything, but from the bits and pieces of conversation I was getting, the healer thought these were just those early pains that Wade had mentioned he had not had up until now.

By the time the kettle boiled, the call was over, and Wade emerged from the bedroom looking relieved. “The pains seem to have stopped for the moment, but Zeus says from everything I told him, it’s fine to deliver whenever I’m ready. He thinks, with a first baby and my description, that I still have some time though.”

“Get back in bed and I will bring you tea and cookies to celebrate.”

He grinned. “I might have other suggestions…”

Tea and cookies later. “You are insatiable, omega mine.”

“I know. I blame you for being such a sexy alpha.”

I’d take that blame any day.