Cora's P.O.V
The birds chirp loudly on the warm spring day. The sun is shining brightly, not to hot but perfect. The soft grass beneath my body is cool on my back. The sound of running water from the nearby stream fills my ears. The earthy smell of nature I have grown to love surrounds me. Kelsey and I lie in the warm sun next to the stream I used to visit when I was younger, both of us heavily pregnant. I feel my little boy kick from inside me.
"He just kicked" I say. Kelsey turns her head to look at me, she gives me a smile.
"Your little Alpha's getting ready to come" she says. I giggle and rub my large stomach,
"this bun still needs a little more cooking in the oven" He kicks again, harder than before and it actually hurts.
"Ow, that one hurt little guy" I say rubbing my stomach. Kick.
"Ow". Kick.
"Ow".
Then I feel it, the feeling of my water breaking.
"Kel" I say pained. She sits up the best she can, her eyes widen in shock.
"The babies coming" I say struggling to get up. After some struggle and help from Kelsey, I waddle back to the pack house, as I mind link Caleb.
Caleb's P.O.V
The boring monthly meeting drags on. My pregnant mate too far into her pregnancy to travel, my Beta with me instead. 'Caleb get your ass back home now, I've gone into labour' . My mouth drops open. Shit. Aidan raises an eyebrow at me from across the room. "Cora" I mouth. He furrows his eyebrows.
"Baby" I mouth back. His eyes widen and he spaces, he's mind linking Kelsey of course. 'Cora's gone into labour' I mind link my Beta. He nods and I run out of the room, closely followed by Aidan. I shift as I run into the forest, my wolf taking control and sprinting home to my mate and soon to be birthed child. As I near the edge of the forest I shift back and change into a pair of sweat pants. Aidan's wolf comes running into view. He also changes as I run towards the pack hospital. Our doctor shouts out the room number to me as I run past her, but I don't need to know Cora's room number, my wolf is guiding me to her as I follow her sweet scent of roses now mixed with my scent of cinnamon.
Dressed in a hospital gown, Cora cries out in pain as another contraction hits. I rush to her side grabbing her hand in mine. I plant a kiss on her cheek.
"Hey baby" I say as another contraction hits her. She smiles at me as she breathes controlled in and out breaths.
"Caleb I want this child out of me" she says.
"I know, I know. It'll all be over soon" I reply rubbing my thumb in a circle motion on her hand, kissing her knuckles. Aidan runs into the room half clothed like myself. Kelsey appears at the doorway, I hadn't noticed her when I came running in. Our doctor pushes her way into the room.
"I'm going to have to ask you all to leave the room" she says.
"I'm not leaving!" I say.
"Alpha" she says showing submission to my wolf,
"birth is a painful time for she-wolves and-"
"And that's exactly why I should be here" I say.
"It's up to the Luna" I look towards Cora.
"Caleb you son of a bitch I swear if you get in the way of the doctors I'm kicking you out" she says crying out in pain.
"Okay sweetie" I say and plant a quick kiss on her lips. The doctor and nurses enter the room, shutting the door behind them.
"Ready?" I ask her. She nods as she has another contraction. The mid wife begins to instruct her and pats a damp cloth to her forehead.
"Cora, in one moment I'm going to ask you to push, can you do that for me?" she asks. Cora nods.
"Ready, 3, 2, 1. Push". Cora screams out in pain.
+++
Half an hour later and my handsome son is born. Werewolf births are quicker than human births.
Cora lays exhausted, loose strands of hair stick to her sweat coated body. The doctor hands me the surgical scissors and I cut the umbilical cord. The baby cries. The mid wife washes, dries and wraps our pup. He is handed to Cora first, still crying. As soon as he touches her grasp he stops crying. She smiles happily as happy tears well in her eyes. Slowly, Cora leans down and kisses the head of the sleeping baby.
"Here, Caleb. Meet your son" Cora says handing me the baby. I gently hold him, he's quite large for a baby, above average I would say. I hand the baby back to his mother, I can feel the yearning feeling Cora has to hold him, her motherly instinct kicking in.
"What are we going to name him?" I ask.
"Adrian" she replies not taking her eyes off of the pup.
"How about Adrian Ryan Rhyes" I ask.
"My dads name"
"Is that okay?"
"It's amazing" she cries happy tears again as I press my lips to hers.
I walk out to the waiting room,
"Come inside" I say,
"Meet Adrian Ryan Rhyes our son" I say proudly. Aidan is the first to hold him.
"You named him after dad" Aidan says.
"And you." Cora replies,
"Aidan - Adrian"
Aidan smiles happily. Kelsey is next to hold the baby.
"Aunty Cora!" Henry yells excitedly from the doorway, their pack nanny standing behind him with Cordelia in her arms.
"Hey Henry" Cora says hugging him as he climbs up onto the bed,
"Do you want to see your cousin?" He nods his head. Kelsey hands Adrian over.
"Henry this is Adrian, your new cousin" Cora says. Henry leans down and kisses the baby on the head,
"Hello Adrian" he says. The whole room erupts into a chorus of 'aw's'.
Cora's P.O.V
My son lays peacefully asleep in the basinet next to me. Caleb has fallen asleep uncomfortably sprawled out on the plastic hospital chair next to me. Aidan sleeps in a chair in the corner of the room, he seems used to doing this.
I try to sleep but I'm too excited, scared and sore to sleep. I lay awake staring at the ceiling, listening to my child's heartbeat, so small and strong. Adrian's heartbeat increases and he wakes up crying. I go to get up but Caleb stops me,
"I've got it" he says,
"Go back to sleep"
"I wasn't sleeping" I reply.
"Why not?"
"I can't"
Caleb holds our pup in his arms, gently rocking him back to sleep. Aidan stayed asleep this whole time, the sound of a crying baby not enough to wake him.
Once Adrian is asleep Caleb puts him back in his basinet.
"Thank you" I say.
"It's the least I can do" he replies placing a kiss on my temple.
"Come lay next to me, please?" I ask.
"Of course" Caleb responds and climbs in next to me. I lay my head on his chest, maybe now I'll get some sleep.
"Are you ready to be a mum?" He asks as he caresses my head.
"I don't know Caleb. Honestly I'm scared to death of screwing up" I reply.
"Hey," he says turning my head to look up at him,
"We'll get through this together, I promise you, you'll never be alone in all of this. Heck I'll need you more then you'll need me I mean I can't even change a nappy" I giggle at him.
"I love you Caleb" I say getting lost in his eyes, the very eyes I saw staring back at me from our child.
"I love you too Cora" he replies kissing me.