Page 54 of Slow Birth
“A week up here will be perfect for us,” Vale said. “Your pater already sent someone up to baby-proof the place last week so that Viro will be safer here than at home.”
“And Zephyr will get a break from him.”
Vale pressed his smile against the top of Viro’s little head. “Yes. Poor Zephyr.”
Viro was obsessed with the cat and screeched with joy whenever Zephyr strolled into a room. Zephyr, for her part, was less enthusiastic about the wobbly, unpredictable, and loud creature who had invaded her home. She spent much of her time these days hiding in cupboards and avoiding the family.
“They’ll become friends as he gets older,” Jason asserted again for the thousandth time. “She’ll see that Viro loves her.”
Vale hoped he was right, but part of him suspected Zephyr would always despise Viro for stealing Vale’s attentions, and Jason’s comfortable lap.
“Ah,” Jason said with a hint of lingering tension in his tone. They’d come through the tunnel of trees that made up the drive and pulled into the open space before the cottage. It looked very much like it had when they’d pulled up the first time—except for a massive stack of firewood against the side of the house, the remnants of the damnable tree that had taken out their car.
“It looks as if we’ll be all set for any amount of snow and heat this time,” Vale offered up with a touch of playfulness. If Jason was going to be solemn about this, then he’d have to break him out of it early. His baby alpha had felt guilty for too long. “Plenty of firewood, and a shockingly large box of alpha condoms.” He shot Jason a sly look.
He wasn’t kidding either. There was indeed a big box of alpha condoms in the trunk of the car. Chestfeeding would keep the heat at bay until Viro stopped nursing, but Jason wasn’t taking any chances. Vale had barely restrained his laughter when he’d first seen the enormous box. “Darling, I’d have to be in heat every day of the rest of my life to need that many.”
To which Jason had replied darkly, “I’ll never let a residence of ours run low on condoms again. Better safe than sorry.”
And Vale had let that go.
Though he wasn’t sorry. Not at all. And, he knew, neither was Jason. Viro was worth all the fear and pain. But risking it again for a second child wasn’t worth it to either of them—much to Yule and Miner’s clear disappointment. But they made up for it in hogging Viro all they could. Which was part of the reason they were getting away to the cabin—to escape Vale’s still-overbearing in-laws.
Jason got out first, walking around the car to open the door for Vale. He helped him out so that they didn’t wake Viro, both of them marveling at the deep sleep of their usually restless child. Urho maintained it was evidence that the boy would likely present as an alpha eventually, but neither of them really cared. They just wanted him to sleep. And thrive. And grow up to be happy.
“It’s too bad Rosen and Yosef couldn’t join us after all,” Vale said as Jason hefted the box of emergency condoms and grasped the handle of the biggest piece of luggage. They started toward the house. “Yosef is so good with Viro. And Rosen is so handy in the kitchen. He could have taken some of those responsibilities off your shoulders so you could truly rest.”
“I can take care of my omega and child,” Jason said defensively. “I don’t need help.”
Vale chuckled. “Of course, oh alpha, my alpha. You are the best provider in the world, and never need sleep or rest.”
Jason sputtered, but Vale calmed him with a hot glance. “If this one keeps sleeping, we could see if the mattress is as soft as I remember.”
Jason’s exasperation vanished, replaced by a glimmer of interest. “If we don’t fall asleep first.”
Vale lifted his chin, and Jason put down the luggage to grip it in his hand, fingers stroking Vale’s beard. “We won’t fall asleep, baby alpha,” Vale said. “I’ve been missing you.”
Jason got the front door of the cabin open quickly after that, though the sight of the living room and the sofa where he’d found Vale in such agony seemed to stop him in his tracks momentarily. But then he straightened his shoulders, put up his chin, and said, “I’ll put the groceries away. You try to get him down. I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”
Vale nodded and shoved away his own memories of pain and desperation and the fear that had clouded their lives in the aftermath. Here was a beautiful view, and another, and a bedroom that was decorated with love. He took Viro into the guest room and noticed that at some point, Miner or Yule had arranged for a crib to be delivered. It took up the space along the inside wall, and Vale noted the sheets and fittings were sweet little gray cats with halos.
Carefully, with bated breath, he put Viro down in the crib. He bit into his lower lip and waited for the usual furious yell to rise up, but it didn’t. Instead, Viro lay on his back, one small fist curled by his flushed face, his eyelashes black on his cheeks, and his hair curling sweetly all over his head. His breathing was steady and deep. His mouth pursed in a slight O. He was delicious-looking, and it was all Vale could do not to scoop him up again and cover him with kisses. But that would surely wake him up.
Carefully, he tiptoed from the room, and hearing the noise of Jason unboxing and unbagging things in the kitchen, Vale headed to the back bedroom and the large, glass wall that afforded the breath-taking view of the mountains. The bed was made nicely with the star-shaped quilt in the middle.
They hadn’t left it like that.
When they’d finally been pulled off the mountain, they’d left the house a wreck behind them, too eager and shell-shocked to get home. But now it was tidy and beautiful again. He smoothed his hand over the quilt, touching the star in the middle, and then sat down on the bed to wait.
“He’s actually asleep?” Jason asked, halting in the doorway with an expression of shock on his face. “Still?”
Vale nodded.
“I thought I’d find you chestfeeding him.”
Vale shook his head.
Jason blinked, took in the room, glanced out the window, and then back at Vale. His expression going from startled and young to hot and very, very alpha in a flicker. “Why are your clothes still on?” He narrowed his gaze, an eyebrow going up. “Get them off. Now.”
