Page 59 of Her Second-Hand Mate

She then got under the covers and said, “Turn off the lights when you leave, please.”

14 - Dominic

June 4, 2022

Asharp pain in my abdomen woke me. My first thought was oh no, not again. It was pitch dark outside. The clock on the bedroom wall told me it was only 1 am. Once the disorientation of sleep lifted, I ran to the nursery and found Penelope sitting on her bed, looking somewhat pale.

“Is it time?” I asked, trying to sound calmer than I felt.

The look she shot me reminded me that it was in vain. I still wasn’t always aware she knew what I was feeling now.

“I think so. We’ll get a better picture of the regularity of the pain as time goes on,” she said.

“Are you scared?”

She looked at the tiny crib attached to her bed.

“I am. But I’m also really excited to hold him in my arms.”

“Me too.”

I sat down next to her and held her hand. This was a moment we could share, regardless of what was standing between us.

Two wolves on the threshold of becoming someone’s parents. A family that was about to welcome a new member. My chest felt funny; it felt like when your leg falls asleep or as if a million ants were crawling inside it.

Soon, the pain became more regular and more frequent.

“Can you mind-link Alicia for me?” Penelope asked.

“Do I need to prepare anything?”

“No, she’ll bring her kit with her. When it’s done, you can mind-link Isaac and my friends to let them know.”

“Will you use the nursery or our bedroom?”

She looked away.

“Alicia thinks the bedroom is better because I’ll have more space to walk around, and the master bathroom has a big tub I can use.”

I nodded.

“I’ll go tidy it up a bit, then. Do you want me in the room with you?”

My heart pounded as I waited for her response. I’d respect her wishes, but damn, I wanted to be there with her.

“Being with your mate during labor lessens pain,” she shrugged.

I grabbed onto the peace offering with both hands.

“I’ll be right next to you, then.”

As I tidied up, I decided to hide my feelings from her while she was in labor. Every time I had to stop cleaning because the pain made it impossible to go on, I was simultaneously assaulted by anxiety and a deep fear for Penelope’s life.

Yes, giving birth was normal and natural for she-wolves, a process as old as time, but didn’t Penelope’s mother lose her life in the process? Yeah, no way I’d subject my mate to my paranoiawhile she was bringing our son into the world.Our son. Tears filled my eyes as I clutched the sponge I was using to scrub the already clean tub.

Alicia was the perfect person to help two wolves navigate labor. She was direct and forceful in her instructions, and we were never left with a moment of idleness or hesitation that could breed insecurity or fear. She sat in the driver’s seat of this car, and she knew what she was doing.

She had Penelope walk, soak, and squat; she had me massage, press, and sway with my mate, and I enjoyed every moment of my hands on her beautiful new body. It was in these moments that I opened my mind to her again, to let her feel my awe and adoration as I gripped her hips or pressed at her lower back, to let her feel my love for every inch of her strong, resilient skin.

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