"There's a spot!" Milo pointed at an empty parking space.
I pulled the car into it as my mate threw off his seat belt. "God, Milo, wait until we're stopped."
He didn't listen and jumped out. Rolling my eyes, I put the vehicle in park and climbed out.
"Come on." He waved for me.
"I'm coming."
Snatching my wrist, Milo dragged me toward the hospital. "Can you walk a little faster?"
I checked my phone. "It's fine. They're still in the waiting room."
"I want to be there when they bring the baby." He left me the moment we were inside and hurried down the hall to the elevator.
It still hadn't arrived by the time I caught up with him.
Milo tapped his foot and pressed the button again. "Do you think it's faster to take the stairs?"
"It's five flights. I'll wait for the elevator."
"The gift!" Milo clasped his muzzle. "I forgot it in the car."
With a sigh, I turned around to go and get it. "I'll be up in a couple minutes."
Milo grabbed my arm. His ears splayed to the side.
"We can give it to them later?"
Swallowing hard, he nodded. "That works."
The door parted and we stepped into the elevator. Milo pressed into my side.
"It won't be long before we here waiting to see our pup for the first time."
Milo smiled and rubbed his face in my fur. "We better not be late for ours."
I laughed. "We're not late." I rechecked my phone. I had no messages. "Axil would have let me know if we were."
"His family is going to be there, right?"
"The beta's parents are there already. Jedrek won't be and haven't said when they'd be coming."
"That's why Axil asked us to be on time."
I lifted the boy's chin. "I'd rather obey the speed limit and make sure my mate gets here in once piece." I kissed him.
We arrived and stepped out into the hall. I went to the nurses' station. They were all in human form. I guess it reduced the chance of fur being spread around the hospital.
"Hello, we are here to see Axil and Jedrek of Wolfsbane."
The woman smiled and picked up the list. "Can I get a name?"
"Collin of the Jamestown Estate and my mate." I squeezed the sub to my side.
"Milo," he added.
She smiled at him. "They have been waiting patiently for you. The beta came out a few minutes ago to see if you got lost." The nurse stepped around the desk. "This way."
We followed her to a room in the back corner. She knocked and poked her head inside. "Your guests have arrived."
Jedrek sat up straight. He smiled when Milo entered and went to give him a hug. "What took so long?"
"Collin obeyed all traffic signs."
I laughed and nodded toward the beta and his family. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
I sat down on the end while Milo talked with Jed. The nerves coming over the man were pretty obvious. He already looked haggard and the pup wasn't even here yet to keep him awake all night.
Leaning forward, I got Axil's attention. "Is the alpha coming?"
The beta shook his head. "We're going to bring the boy to the mansion this weekend. We didn't want to overwhelm the pup on his first day of life."
"I can't wait to meet little Lincoln." Milo smiled.
Jed wrung his hands in his lap. I hadn't expected him to be in human form. It was hard for the pup to bond when his dad didn't have any fur to snuggle into. It wasn't my business, though. Axil will handle it. Relaxing in my seat, I watched the clock.
Axil's mother leaned over to her son. "Has he been born, yet?"
The beta nodded. "The doctor came by when I was in the hall. They're probably cleaning him up."
"Did you talk to the florist?" whispered Jed. "I forgot to call them."
Axil put his arm around his mate's shoulder. "It's all been taken care of. Our surrogate will be treated like the queen that she is."
His mother gave the beta an approving smile.
The clock continued to tick.
"They'd tell us if something happened, right?" Jed let out a shaky breath.
"Nothing happened." Axil nuzzled the man's cheek. "The doctor said he was doing great."
Jedrek's emotions were starting to show. "Werewolf babies have less problems than humans, right?"
"Breathe." Axil wrapped his mate up in his arms. "Lincoln is fine. If he inherited anything from you, the pup is simply being a handful for those poor nurses."
Wiping his face, Jed scoffed. Milo scooted to the edge of his seat. I placed my arm around his shoulders. Watching the couple was making me nervous about our own approaching due date. A knock sounded on the door. Jedrek sat up straight.
The doctor entered. "We have your son. Would the parents step forward?"
Axil took his mate by the hand. The doctor showed them the paperwork to sign. Jedrek put down the pen and after writing his name on the bottom. The beta pressed up behind him and rubbed his mate's arms. The nurse rolled in the small baby cart.
Jed covered his mouth. "Oh my god." He leaned over the bed. "He's perfect."
Axil kissed his mate's cheek.
"He's so small." Jed brushed a finger over the pup's cheek. "Hi, Lincoln."
The pup yipped and wiggled in his bed.
Jed went to pick the baby up.
Milo shot up straight. "Your clothes, Jed. I read that werewolf pup bond through smell."
Looking panicked and unsure what to do, Jedrek ran his hands down his shirt. "I should shift. They like fur, right?"
Axil chuckled and lifted his mate's shirt off. Undoing his pants, Jedrek changed forms before pushing them down his legs. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the pup and I was able to get a good look at the new addition to the pack.
The black pup snuggled into his dad's chest. Jedrek cradled him there and rocked back and forth. Milo gripped my hand. I glanced at him but the sub's eyes were locked at the baby. I was ready for that to be us as well.
"Are you happy?" asked Axil. "Was it all worth it?"
Jed nodded and fell into his mate's chest. "He's everything I wanted."
The beta held them both in his arms. "Look, a little bit of you came through."
With a laugh, Jed smiled. "We're in trouble them."
The pup's chest and belly were red. They better prepare now for when that little fireball grows up.
"We'll have to wait until he's five before we know if he's a redhead like his dad."
Jed rolled his eyes. "Let's hope that he would be so lucky."
With a chuckle, Axil took the pup. "Hey, there. You weigh nothing. You have a lot of growing to do, young man."
The pup growled in his sleep.
"Wow," said Jed. "There is no doubt now that he is my son."
Axil's parents moved in to see the baby. I sat with Milo as they fond over the pup. The boy had a good family. I hadn't decided whether to invite my parents. Arianna could come. My little sister had called to make sure we didn't try to leave her out of our baby's big day. I glanced at Milo. His family would be with us and we had already invited Axil and Jed. Little Lincoln would be there as well to meet his new playmate. She had plenty of family around to support her first day in the world.
***
(Milo)
I gripped the handle of the bag and pressed the doorbell. Jedrek answered and for once, he was in werewolf form. It was kind of weird to see him not as a human.
I held up the present. "We left it in the car."
"Thanks." He took it. "Do you want to come in?"
"Oh no, I don't want to bother you." I held up my hands. "I told Collin I was just going to run that down to you and be right back."
"Good things phone were invented." Jedrek pulled me inside. "Not to mention, you didn't really get to hold Lincoln yesterday."
I gave him a weak smile and wandered over to the couch. Axil was laying across one with the baby on his chest.
"Milo, how are you?" asked the beta.
"Good." I fidgeted. "Umm... do you mind texting my mate?"
"He wasn't planning on staying." Jedrek went to pick up the pup. "Invite Collin down. The alpha sent over a ton of food so you guys can eat with us."
"Oh no, we don't want to intrude."
"You're not." He walked over and held out his son.
I took him and cradled the pup in my arms. "He's so beautiful." I smiled at his little tail.
Axil sat up and reached for his phone.
"Tell him to bring down the dessert I made. It's in the fridge. I was going to bring it down later after it had set up."
The beta grinned. "You're definitely eating with us now. I could never pass up a Milo dessert." With a groan, he stood and wandered off with the phone to his ear. "Hey, come on down and bring the desert. Why? Because I want some. Be nice Collin, you'll have a newborn of your own very soon."
I sat and ran my finger along the red fur on the boy's chest. "He's going to be a strong werewolf."
With a sigh, Jedrek dropped into the spot next to me. "It a relief to know he'll be high ranking. Axil and I have been working on the new foundation for lower ranks and some of the cases I've read about are horrible."
"Well, this little one won't have to worry about it."
"Yeah." Jedrek gazed at his son. "He'll just have to go to war."
"You're being rather negative."
"It's weird." He lifted his son tiny hand with his finger. "All these worries start to swirl around in your head the moment they're born. It didn't matter what his rank would be, I'd find something to worry about."
"You're not helping me feel better about becoming a parent."
Jed shrugged. "I don't want to be the only one who suffers."
Lincoln started to squirm and soon after began to cry.
"I think someone is hungry." Jedrek took him from me and placed the pup over his shoulder.
The pup continued to cry but settled down as he grabbed handfuls of his dad's fur. There was a knock on the front door.
"Can you get that?"
I nodded. "It most likely Collin."
Jed walked into the kitchen while I went to let my mate in.
He eyed me when I opened the door. "I thought it was supposed to be a short visit."
"Jed thought otherwise." I gave him a coy smile and took the bowl. I hurried off to put it in the fridge.
"Look at this little dominant." Collin lean down and ran a finger along the boy's arm. "Where's Axil at?"
"His office," said Jed.
Collin went to go and find the beta.
I wandered over to the red werewolf. "How was your first night?"
Jed shrugged. "Like every parent's first night with a newborn. He's not too bad. He only cries when he is hungry." He nodded to the bottle. "And as you can see, he's not a fussy eater."
The bottle was nearly empty.
I let out a deep breath. "It makes me excited about my pup."
"Have you thought of a name?"
I glanced at Lincoln. "I have one I like. Collin doesn't want to settle yet."
"What is it?" Jedrek propped up the baby.
Grabbing his hand, I smiled at the pup as Lette opened his eyes. "Jetta."
***
This story updates Monday.
What to read ahead: Demonic Regime has to chapter 48 posted, all of which that can be found on Radish Fiction.
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