13. Baylen

Chapter thirteen

Baylen

I turn onto my side, unable to find a comfortable position. Pins and needles run up and down my legs. A groan leaves my lips, frustration welling up inside of me. I just want to get a few more hours of sleep!

I’m officially working from home full time. Milo was able to tell me which of my employees and colleagues are shifters. I explained the situation to them and not only were they happy for me, but they also took care of everything behind the scenes. The official announcement is that I’m having a medical procedure done. I don’t really like lying but we can’t go around telling people I’m getting ready to lay an egg.

I flip onto my back, resting my hands on my stomach. I know other pregnant people always talk about how wonderful it is to feel their baby move inside of them, but that’s not my experience. Because our baby is inside an egg, I haven’t felt them one bit. Just a heavy weight inside of me, letting me know they’re there.

I’ll admit I’m not upset by this. The idea of something moving around inside of me freaks me out. It would remind me of an alien trying to break out. No thanks!

A hand joins mine on my stomach. Looking over, I find Milo staring at me, blinking slowly. He looks adorable when he first wakes up, hair a mess, no glasses.

“Why aren’t you sleeping, sweetheart?”

“I’m incredibly uncomfortable.”

“Do you want me to rub your back or something?”

“I don’t think that will help,” I admit softly. My legs feel like they’re cramping, my stomach hurts, and there’s a bunch of weird pressure happening between my legs. Plus, I’m craving water. Not to drink, but to lay in. “Will you run me a bath?”

Milo turns over and checks his phone. “Baylen, it’s three in the morning.”

“I know, but I want a bath. I want to be in the water.” That’s not something new. Ever since having our baby planted inside of me, I’ve been craving the water. It’s one of the reasons we got the giant bathtub installed, but this time it’s different. I don’t just want the water, I need it.

“Okay,” Milo says slowly. He lets out a long yawn, stretching as he gets out of bed. He’s so good for me. Always ready to do whatever it takes to make sure I’m comfortable.

“Hey, Milo?”

Milo pauses, turning around to face the bed, still rumpled from just waking up. My chest feels like it may burst so instead of holding myself back, I let it all out.

“I love you.”

Milo’s face breaks into a sleepy grin. “Oh, Baylen,” he breathes out. “I love you too.”

“I know,” I say softly.

Instead of heading straight to the bathroom, Milo stops beside me. He ducks down and kisses my lips. “I love you so much,” he says again, giving me one last peck on the lips before straightening and heading to the bathroom. I wait until I hear the water beginning to run before getting myself out of bed.

Another groan leaves my lips as a cramp lances through me. My midsection tightens until I’m out of breath, leaning against the bed. The pressure between my legs gets worse and worse. That’s when it hits me.

Oh.

Oh fuck.

It’s time for the egg to leave my body. I have no idea how I know that for certain, only that I somehow do. It’s happening. It’s happening and I need to get into that bathtub now .

Once the cramp recedes, I make my way to the bathroom. The room is steamy from the hot water in the tub. It smells like the vanilla oils I like. My chest warms at the knowledge that Milo is always taking care of me, even in little ways like this.

“Thank you,” I tell him, giving him a quick kiss before I strip out of my clothes and get into the tub. “Oh, this is lovely. Would you join me?”

“Of course,” Milo says. I watch as he strips out of his boxers, letting out a long yawn as he does, still sleepy from being woken up at such an odd hour. I’d feel bad but instead, all I feel is excitement. Our baby is about to be in our arms!

I lean forward, letting Milo get into the tub behind me. His legs are on either side of my hips and his arms come around, wrapping around my middle. I lean back against him and sigh happily.

“This is perfect,” Milo murmurs, kissing the side of my head. “I’m so comfy I could fall asleep.”

“Please don’t,” I say with a warm chuckle. “I need you awake so you can catch.”

“Catch? Catch what?”

“Our baby.”

Milo startles so thoroughly that water splashes out of the bath and onto the floor. “What?”

I turn my head to the side so I can look at him over my shoulder. “Our baby is coming. That’s why I’m experiencing this discomfort.”

“How do you know that? Why are you so calm?”

“Remember when we talked about shifter instincts?”

“Yes,” he says slowly, his eyes still wide with confusion. Between the two of us, I’m genuinely surprised he’s panicking. He’s usually so in control!

“Well, I’m leaning into my instincts,” I say, explaining as best as I can. “I can feel it’s time. You don’t have to panic, it’ll be over soon and then we’ll have our baby.”

Milo leans his forehead against the back of my shoulder, breathing deeply for a few seconds. He’s probably getting his heart under control. It’s beating so wildly I swear I can feel it against my back.

“Okay,” he finally says, his voice coming out softer and more like himself. “Would it be okay if I let my tentacles out?”

“Yes, please. I wanna be wrapped in them, Milo.”

“You got it, sweetheart.” Milo’s body tenses behind me before his tentacles are coming out from the V of his pelvis. I can feel them against my back and I shiver as they move against me. They start at my lower back and slowly move around me. Two of them slide around my thighs, holding on tight. Two more wrap around my lower belly, holding my little baby bump. Two more wrap around my arms like the most beautiful accessories around my upper arms. The last two wrap around my chest, tugging me back so I’m leaning against Milo’s chest once more. I feel completely surrounded. He’s holding me together whether he knows it or not.

I sigh, my entire body going limp in Milo’s arms. The warm water leaves me feeling like a bowl of soup in the best possible way. The pressure is still there, pressing down, pushing my body to bare down, but it’s manageable now that I’m here, completely wrapped up in Milo.

“You’re so good,” Milo whispers and a shudder runs through my body. My stomach is an overheated butterfly exhibit, fluttering and twisting delightfully. “You’re doing so well, Baylen. I’m so proud of you.”

Not only is my stomach heating but so is the rest of me. I turn my face slightly, burying it against one of Milo’s tentacles on my right arm. He chuckles warmly and the sound washes over.

“You can do this,” Milo murmurs, peppering my head with soft kisses. “You’re the most amazing father already, taking your time and bringing our baby into the world. I’m so proud of you.”

Milo’s praise is a beacon that I latch onto. My body feels like a blooming flower, opening up as our baby descends lower and lower. It hurts, my body stretching like a rubberband, allowing our baby a way out, but it's far off so long as I focus on the sound of Milo’s voice.

“It won’t be long now, Baylen, they’re almost here. You were right about trusting your instincts. Look at you go, sweetheart.”

The tiniest whimper leaves my lips. I feel so open, so exposed. I groan as I bare down, feeling our egg slowly move further and further. It won’t be long now.

“Milo?” I ask, my voice shaky in my own ears.

“Yes, my love?”

“Will you bite me?”

Milo makes a strangled noise. “Right now?”

I nod my head. “Yes. Please?”

“Are you sure?”

“Very. Please? Please officially make me your mate?”

Milo’s forehead presses against me before he’s chuckling. “You always seem to surprise me. I don’t think I have the strength to ever tell you no.”

“Then don’t,” I say, a grin on my face. I tilt my head to the side.

Milo kisses the inside of my shoulder, the part just below my neck. He kisses it again. Then again. I groan as the egg shifts even lower. One more big push and it’ll be free of my body. I grit my teeth to do just that, crying out when Milo’s teeth finally find my skin.

It happens all at once.

Milo’s teeth break the skin of my shoulder and my entire mind goes blissfully white. He is mine and I am his. At the same time, our egg slides free, leaving me feeling relief like I’ve never felt before.

I was expecting pain from both of these things, but instead, all I feel is bliss.

“Mine,” Milo murmurs, licking the bite clean. “Mine. My mate. My partner. Mine.”

“Yes,” I breathe out, unable to keep the smile off my face. “Yours, Milo.”

Milo looks over my shoulder at the egg in the water between our legs. The shell is see through, letting us see our little octopus baby. They flail their tentacles, squirming. My heart leaps out of my chest. It's almost painful.

I might not be the most emotional person, but seeing my baby like this breaks something inside of me. It’s like my heart cracks open, making room for this other person. Warmth builds behind my eyes and I try to blink it away to no avail.

“When do they shift?”

“Keep watching.”

My eyes widen as the little egg seems to shift and shimmer. One moment, there’s a little egg containing a tiny octopus and the next, there’s a little baby in the water. I carefully grab them, bringing them out of the water and pressing them against my chest. Milo wraps his tentacles around both of us, holding us gently.

“A girl,” Milo murmurs, “we have a daughter.”

A startled sob leaves my lips. I’m overwhelmed by the amount of joy I’m feeling. I’ve never experienced something like this before. It’s too much yet somehow, I know that joy will only grow as our relationship together and with our daughter grows.

“I love her so much already. I didn’t know that was possible.”

“Me neither,” Milo says, kissing the side of my head. “Have you thought about names?”

“Yes. I want to name her Missy, in honor of the mistletoe that finally got us together.”

Milo chuckles softly. “We would have gotten there whether there was mistletoe around or not,” he says. Then quickly adds, “I love it. Hello, Missy Ongash. Welcome to the world.”

I wouldn’t say I didn’t like my life before Milo came along. I was content in my own way, but now it’s like I see colors I didn’t know existed. Things are brighter and warmer now that he’s around. He was everything I didn’t know to wish for and for that, I’ll always be grateful.

“Thank you,” I tell him seriously, tugging one of his tentacles up so I can kiss the very tip of it. “I love you, Milo.” Then I mirror what he always says to me. “I love you and everything that comes with that.”

Milo hums happily. “I love you too, Baylen. I love you so much. Being with you makes me happier than I thought possible, sweetheart.”

We share a soft kiss in the bathtub as we hold our baby girl. I’ll have to send Bridgette a gift basket, thanking her for recommending Milo when I was looking for a personal assistant. She couldn’t have known it would end like this but I’m thankful nonetheless.