Page 110 of Mated on Live

“I take my last breath as an unmated male, and I give it to you.”

“I take my last breath as an unmated female, and I give it to you.”

Taking their breaths, they dropped under the surface together. The pool was not at its deepest point, they had chosen a spot high enough for Sophie to stand comfortably. But he pushed off the ground, pulling her in deeper as he held her, cradled by the water and the wii.

She leaned up, kissing him. Surprising him. Literally giving him her last breath as he held her under as long as he dared. His little mate needed air sooner than him. And he was eager to take his first breath as a mated male.

Holding her tight, he rose to the surface. He was able to stand easily, but Sophie clung onto him, her feet dangling free, as they broke the surface and breathed their first breath together while his family sang and chanted and drummed.

She smiled at him as he pushed her hair from her face. It clung to her skin when wet in a way that made him almost envious as he fought the urge to lick her where every strand was pressed.

“I breathe now as a mated male,” he told her softly.

“I breathe now as a mated female,” she returned, beaming.

“You are my mate!” He declared, raising a fist in the air.

His family cheered and stomped and chanted their names. Blending them together until Sophie and Serval sounded like one word.

In his arms, Sophie laughed, kicking her delight in the water.

He grinned as he brought her up and kissed her again.

Claiming her as an allowee. Claiming her as a human. Claiming her in front of all his family and the spirits of the ocean.

He breathed now for her.

Epilogue

Sophie

Water lapped at Sophie’s chest, warm and comforting, as she lounged back in the birthing pool. The weight of her pregnant belly buoyed by the glowing water helped ease the pressure on her back. She was still a few hours away from delivering, so she was taking the chance to rest as her body continued going through the early contractions of labor.

She knew, approximately, what giving birth was like back on Earth. It was different back home on Wav’aii. For one thing, the allowee had to give birth in their home nesting pools, so they didn’t have hospitals or birthing centers for that. If something went wrong, the absolute best place to be was the nesting pool. So, families had to purchase whatever they might need themselves.

There was a whole medical scanner hooked up to its own power generator beside the nesting pools now that hadn’t been there before. Serval bought it shortly after she became pregnant because humans, notoriously, could have complicated pregnancies that could kill the mother or child.

Not that there seemed to be any issues so far. Allowee rei weren’t born very big, and the wii in the pool actually helped a lot with the pain, the contractions, and the delivery. At the very least, giving birth into the bacteria filled pool meant she wouldn’t get an infection later.

Everything else was progressing well. Her family was all around her. The females especially were tending to her devotedly. Ellow, in particular, was always at her side. Bringing her sweet water, massaging her back, helping her through the contractions.

That was the task that fell to her female family members. Serval could help if he wished, or if she did, but he had his own tasks. After she gave birth, he and the other males would need to chase down the rei in the water and make sure they were alright, then begin tending to them. Rei were delicate in their first few days, and might not rise to the surface as often as they needed to get air.

He also had to finish setting up the camera.

She didn’t really want a close up shot of her vag or anything while this was going on, but she still needed it recorded.

“Sophie,” he came jogging up to her. “Will this do?”

She tilted her head back as he kneeled, holding up his prize. Behind him, all the male cousins had gathered, staring in nervous anticipation. Sophie frowned, tilting her head.

“Are you sure it’s big enough?”

“Yes. Their limbs aren’t that big when they’re little. And look, we can change the size before putting on a locking bead when we have it the size we need so it won’t get smaller.

Sophie smiled, her nerves fading. “Then, I love it. It’s perfect.”

The cousins let out a whoop of excitement as Serval sat down beside her, letting his legs dangle in the water as he waved his combot forward.

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