Page 109 of Ascendant Moon
Seth took another look around and made an additional suggestion.
“I know you have a nice office at home, but would you like to have a desk and computer over here too? At some point, the kids are going to be making so much racket, neither you nor I will be able to get anything done!”
Finn had rejoined them, rubbing his body against their legs and licking fingers as he passed. Leland let loose an amused chuckle as the chaotic scene Seth had mentioned sprang to mind.
“I believe you may be right, beloved. If our pups are anything like I was as a child, we will all have our hands full.”
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Sunday, November 14th, Gladstone
Lincoln had difficulty remembering Scooter’s odd work schedule. It was all over the map, including days, nights, weekends, and was never the same from week to week. Normally, it didn’t bother him all that much, but he was due soon, and it worried him that Scooter might miss the whole thing. He was never really alone, but he needed his mate with him for the birth of their pup. It was about three in the afternoon, and he’d spent the day with the Blairs, napping nextto Jonah and wishing he could speed up time. Scooter would be home in a couple of hours, so he didn’t have to wait very long, but he’d felt funny all day.
Aside from the napping, he’d skipped lunch entirely, and still wasn’t interested in food. Nowthatwas weird! He’d been eating like a water buffalo for months and all of a sudden he had no appetite. Evan had given him an odd look earlier, and kept sniffing the air for some reason. Now Lincoln felt antsy, like he needed to move, and got up to pace the large living room. Jonah watched him for a minute and then let go of a soft howl. Ben, Evan, and the kids all came running, and Evan kneeled down next to him for a word.
“You’re in labor, Lincoln. There’s plenty of time, and Scooter will be home soon, so don’t worry. I asked Ben to call Donna and Melva, and they’ll meet us at the apartment, all right?”
Labor? Is that what this was? Lincoln nodded and then followed Evan, Jonah, and Evie out the door. When they reached the apartment, Lincoln went straight to the birthing nest he’d created in the bedroom and started rearranging. It helped that his Omega packmates were cranking out waves of calming scent, but Lincoln longed for Scooter. Donna arrived just then and let him know that everything would be fine.
“I know you want your mate, and he’ll be here shortly. Lie down for a minute and let me check you over.”
Deft hands palpated the Omega’s big belly, noting the milk-filled teats and fast heartbeat. Scooter’s absence was causing Lincoln stress, which wasn’t good for him or the pup. Donna purposely tried to sound upbeat.
“Everything looks good! The next thing we want to watch for is the mucous plug. Remember when we talked about that?”
Lincoln was panting now, but managed a soft yip.
“Great! After you pass it, things will move along faster. When the pup is ready, you’ll feel the urge to push. It won’t hurt, but it will feel kind of strange. I’ll be right here to coach you in case you aren’t sure what to do.”
Ben and Evan left the apartment to watch for Scooter, and Lincoln resumed his pacing. While this wasn’t really an emergency, Donna pulled out her phone and sent Scooter a message.
>Lincoln in labor. Need you here soonest.
There was no response.
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Scooter hated accident scenes. This one wasn’t too bad, but he’d noticed it on his way home and stopped to offer assistance. He checked to make sure the drivers were okay, waited until the tow trucks arrived, and then offered both drivers a ride home. Fortunately, they lived in town, only minutes from the station. By the time he turned in his paperwork, secured his patrol car, and got in his own vehicle, it was way past his normal arrival time. Poor Lincoln would be worried, and Scooter headed out as quickly as he could, neglecting to check his cell phone.
As he pulled in, the yellow gates flew up and Troy rushed out of the guardhouse waving his arms.
“Lincoln is in labor. Get your ass moving!”
What? Labor? Today? But why didn’t anyone call? Scooter’s mental stuttering stopped abruptly as he realized nothing else mattered except getting home RIGHT NOW! With a heavy foot, he zoomed down the entry road and pulled into the lot in a cloudof gravel dust. A number of packmates waved and pointed to his apartment, and he took off running. The door opened before he got there, and he brushed past Melva on his way to the bedroom.
He spotted Lincoln standing on shaky legs, whining in distress, and went down on his knees to stroke his face.
“I’m here, Linc, and everything will be fine. Love you, so much.”
Donna cut in with comments of her own.
“The pup could come at any time. If you’re going to shift, do it now.”
Ignoring everyone else in the room, Scooter stripped and shifted. He was too focused on his mate to wonder why Donna and Melva were laughing, and it wasn’t until much later that he realized he’d neglected to take off his boxer shorts. Scooter licked Lincoln’s face and ears, sniffed his back end, and then stayed glued to his side while he paced. He may have arrived late to the party, but he was here now and about to be a dad.
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Another ten minutes passed before Lincoln stopped moving and squatted over one of his favorite blankets. Legs shaking, his wolf knew it was time to push, and he could feel the pup’s progress on the way out of his body. Moments later, the little one made an entrance, and Lincoln turned to lick the pup clean and bite off the umbilical cord. Jonah and Evie joined Scooter’s delighted howl, while Donna announced the time of birth.
