Gideon slept through the night and was still asleep after the others enjoyed breakfast. Hani wanted to go and play with his friends. Toru agreed and the two of them dressed in the adjacent bedroom so they wouldn't wake the sleeping Omega. All ready to go, Toru asked auntie to keep watch over Gideon while he and uncle Ube walked Hani to the daycare down the street. Auntie was glad to watch over her and would check on her after cleaning up from breakfast.
Toru and Ube walked quietly down the road as Hani skipped and jumped in front of them. He was happy to return to his friends again and couldn't wait to play with them.
"Uncle?"
"Yes Toru?"
"I need to head up to the woods around the cabin. I need to catch a rabbit or something for Gideon to eat. She hasn't really been eating since she became pregnant."
"I see. It's a good idea, she must keep her food intake up with the baby. It will require a lot from her during the next two months. Go when you return to the house. Auntie and I will take care of her and Pup while you're gone."
"Thank you. You know Uncle, if you and Auntie should ever need anything, I hope you will let me know."
"No my boy, we're fine. Other than your auntie's health, we're fine."
Toru stopped in the middle of the road, he didn't know anything was wrong with her. "What's wrong with auntie?"
Ube lowered his head, then turned to look at him. "She's dying my boy." Ube turned and continued his walk.
Back at the house, auntie had finished cleaning the kitchen and opened the house back up. She loved having fresh air everywhere. She returned to the kitchen to make some tea for Gideon. Kettle on the stove, auntie went to check on the sleeping Omega. She gasped as there were now numerous blue butterflies flying around her. Midori couldn't help but shed a few tears of joy. Toru's mother really was present in the house now that Gideon was there. One of the butterflies sailed over to her and landed on her nose briefly. She giggled and left to return to the stove. Feeling a sharp pain, she stopped and grabbed the wall for support. She thought she would fall but she soon felt a delicate embrace from behind and felt intense heat from the hands that held her. Regaining her strength, she turned to see the beautiful golden gaze of the Prime Omega.
Gideon wrapped her a gentle hug as her scent shifted and she began to purr. Auntie knew what she was doing and began to cry once again, this time out of gratitude. Gideon slowly pulled away and looked auntie in the eye, the gold now shimmering. The Omega gave her soft smile, the tears of the Elder fading.
"I love you Auntie." Gideon gave her another hug.
"I love you too my dearest. Thank you, thank you."
The two shared a tender moment before they headed to the kitchen. Gideon took a seat as the healing had made her weak again but she didn't want to say so. Returning to the table, auntie sat the tea cup in front of Gideon who slowly sipped it.
"You didn't have to do that my dear. I've had a happy life."
"I know, but you're family. Our secret?"
"Our secret my dear."
"Auntie?"
"Hmm?"
"Will you help me deliver the baby?"
Auntie had no words as tears began to flow again. Helping deliver an Omega's first born was a huge deal and reserved only for close female family members and their Alpha.
"Yes! Oh my Yes! I'd love to help. But you'll need one more."
"My Elder Grammy will help. So it will be you, her and Toru."
"Oh this is... This is a beautiful time my dear. The fact that you want to have the child here in this house...his mother would be thrilled."
"Is that the woman in the pink kimono?"
Auntie gasped again at what she was hearing, she thought Gideon was unaware of her.
"You've seen her!?"
"Just a glimpse. The first time I was here, after finding the medicine bundle you left in the bathroom, I saw her but only briefly."
"Medicine bundle? That wasn't me my dear."
They both looked at each other and knew it was his mother.
"What was she like auntie?"
"She was a lot like you. Very loving, kind and protective. All the flowers and plants you see here, she planted and cared for. She loved being outside, that's why all of the rooms can open to have a view of the courtyard and why the kitchen is open to the rest of the house. Family was very important to her. She was very special. Odori once told me there was a reason Toru's father left, but she never explained it. She said Toru was special too but he would only know it when the time was right. Odori always spoke in riddles!"
Gideon smiled, remembering the day at the park with Toru, when they were first growing close to each other. "Toru said I was a lot like her. I wish I could have met her and I wish he could have met my real dad."
"Oh? Okada is not your real father?"
"Well he is but he's not my birth father. I was so young when he passed that I don't remember anything about him. I heard the Elder talking to Toru and my dad about him briefly. She said he was possibly a Great Alpha."
"Oh my! Those are very very rare, rarer than Primes my dear. Didn't your mother tell you anything about him?"
"My mother and I don't get along at all, she left when I was four. My dad, uncle and brothers raised me."
"I see. I am sorry hon. For a mother to abandon her Pup at such a young age is almost unheard of."
"Well, she didn't really want me, she wanted a Male Alpha. I don't even think she knows I'm a Prime, she probably just assumed I'm a simple Omega. Even if I was, I'd still be proud of what I am."
"Good! Have you thought of a name for the little one?"
"Oh yes! I knew what it was the second I found out the Pup was a girl."
"Really!? What is it?"
"It's a secret!" Gideon gave Auntie a mischievous smile and continued to drink her tea. The two sat and enjoyed a peaceful conversation.
Getting near the daycare, Hani began to run and was met at the front by Miko, the little Alpha girl. He grabbed her hand and the two took off towards the swing set. Toru just smiled, glad he was making friends so easily. The males were met by one of the caregivers.
Toru arranged for his Pup to spend the day there to see how he liked it. They were happy to have him and the ladies let Toru know he would be well taken care of. Hani stopped and went back to his dad to make sure he could stay.
"Can I stay daddy?" Ha-neul spoke in Japanese, surprising his dad.
"Yes! You can stay all day. I will be back to pick you up."
"Yay!" He clapped and gave his dad a hug then gave Uncle Ube one and returned to the swing set where Miko was patiently waiting for him. Content that his Pup was in good hands, Toru left to return to check on his Mate. The walk back was quiet.
Walking into the house auntie was sitting enjoying the morning, her cup of coffee almost gone. Toru walked over to her and gave her a hug. She meant so much to him, he couldn't think of losing her. Of course she would die, everyone would eventually, but to him she was still young and had many years left. Auntie picked up on his sadness.
"Come now my dear, no sadness, I'm fine."
"Auntie..."
"Toru...I'm fine, your Omega won't let anything happen to me." She gave him a wink. She didn't have to say it for him to already know what Gideon had probably done. It was just how Gideon was. So much for keeping secrets.
"Did she eat anything?"
"No, she had some tea and went back to bed."
"I'm going to head up to the mountain cabin. The Elder said if she stopped eating to try some fresh game."
"Yes! That is an excellent idea. Her body needs the nutrients. Will you get an extra one? I will cook it for dinner. We will watch over her."
"Okay, I'll check on her first then I'll head up there." Toru went to the bedroom to find her asleep. He could already sense her weakness from healing Auntie. The damage was already done so he just let it go. He nuzzled her and growled. Gideon woke up briefly, smiling, she caressed his face.
"You healed her, didn't you."
"You already know the answer to that hon."
"Babe...You are such a handful."
"Yeah, but I'm your handful."
"Yes you are. I'm going to the woods by the cabin, I need to get you something to eat."
Gideon was upset as that meant he was going to hunt and kill the adorable bunnies, but she knew her body needed it. Regular food wasn't enough right now and her wolf knew it. "Okay, thank you. Where's Pup?"
"Oh! He's at the daycare. I got him signed up to go there. I figured it would be good for him and this way I can spend the day with you, help you get back on your feet."
Gideon simply smiled and closed her eyes. The Alpha needed to get fresh meat for her soon. He gave her a gentle kiss and headed out to hunt for his Omega.