Page 19 of Don't Howl At Me

“Four weeks?” I questioned. “Shouldn’t I be larger by now?”

“Normally, an omega shifter would have a telltale bulge at this stage since the egg is usually there for only two months. Once delivered, the child would be born a month after that. But some omegas carry a bit differently. Sometimes they don’t show until a few days before the eggs are delivered. You seem to be in that group of shifters. I expect you will notice a change when the eggs have their next growth spurt in another week though,” the doctor explained. “I’ll take a picture for you to share with your alpha.”

“Thanks, Doctor,” I murmured. I was distracted by staring at my children.

That part of my visit ended too soon, but other patients were waiting. After answering a few questions, I left the office and headed home. I had some news to share and needed to figure out how to tell Wolf he was going to be a father. These babies were a surprise I didn’t know I wanted until they were already on their way.

Ours,my dragon growled in contentment.

Yes, ours.

***

I had everything set for a beautiful night with my mate. A night when I would tell him about our children. I was nervous but kept working on dinner, waiting for Wolf to come home.

Goddess, I hope he will be excited.

I’d never considered becoming a parent. I saw myself working for GSC until I got too old and then fading away. I never thought I would find my fated mate and have children. As a parent, did I still want to stay on with GSC? Did I want to shift into a different department and take fewer field cases and more localized stints like Zander did?

I was shocked to discover a new part of myself. I wanted to be a stay-at-home omega. Mostly.

I wouldn’t mind occasionally helping at the training center or with a case or two at GSC. But I did not want a nanny or anyone else raising my kids. Hopefully, Wolf would understand and support that choice.

I’d decided to borrow a line from my late sister-in-law. After all, these children would be born just in time for Christmas. Doing it this way healed a part of my grief. I was honoring Seb, Shelly, and their baby with this act. And so, I put my crafting skills to the test and made a homemade ornament for my mate.

My picture was a bit different than Shelly’s had been. After all, it would be announcing that these were Wolf’s and my babies. I painted a pine forest clearing with a full moon and some snow. A howling wolf was on the ground, and a raspberry-colored dragon flew past the moon. Two tiny dragon eggs laid in a crocheted blanket nest next to the wolf. One egg was a raspberry color like my dragon, and the other was the teal of Wolf’s magic. Deep emotion struck me as I looked at it. Would this be what our eggs looked like once they were delivered?

“Ollie?” Wolf’s voice carried in from the front door. I hurried to put the ornament in the box.

“In the kitchen,” I yelled out. “I made lasagna for dinner.”

“Yum,” Wolf said. He kissed me, and I momentarily got lost in his embrace until he noticed the box. “What’s this?”

Dinner could wait. “I made you something today. Go on, open it.”

Excitement built in my chest as Wolf took the present and unwrapped it. A slight tilt of his lips, and his eyes focused on the gift I had given him. The paper came off, and Wolf lifted the lid. It took a moment for recognition to hit Wolf, but when it did, the most beautiful light shone from his eyes as a little bit of his magic expelled from him in search of mine.

“Are you telling me we have pups coming, babe?”

“I am. I went to my doctor today for my normal annual exam. Imagine my surprise when the doctor told me these two were riding shotgun here.” I rubbed my stomach, and Wolf’s eyes followed the move.

Suddenly, I was up in his arms and spinning. Wolf’s head was buried in my neck, the room bursting with joyful energy.

Wolf settled me down but still held me in his arms, trembling, eyes shiny with moisture.

“I hope those are happy tears, alpha,” I whispered. “Because I already love these little buns in my oven.”

“They are the happiest tears I have ever shed,” Wolf said. His lips crashed into mine with a hunger that surpassed even the passion of the first night.

“Take me to our bedroom, alpha. Show your omega just how happy he makes you.”

Wolf lifted me in his strong arms and rushed me up the stairs to our bedroom. He gently laid me on the bed and slowly began to undress me. Stopping at my stomach, Wolf covered it in kisses. It was a mixture of sweet and cute but also turned me on.Maybe I just had a horny dragon.

“You are incredible, omega.”

“Please, alpha,” I begged. “I need you.”

Always. I will always need my alpha.