Page 90 of His Impossible Elf Mate
At first, it was little things. Like a blanket had to have both of our scents on it before it was placed on our bed. Then it was the furniture placement. I knew better than to move anything myself, even though I was strong enough, because T would be upset. So I asked him to move the bed, move the dresser, then to move them back when that was wrong too.
“What’s he doing?” I heard Chase ask T.
“Nesting. Or the early stages, I believe.”
“Cool. Hiro said he needed something in the nest from all the people in the house, so I’ve been sleeping with this blanket so Ax can line his nest with it.” Chase lay the purple blanket on the pile of other blankets I’d made.
I picked it up and took in the soothing scent of my twin. “This is what I needed. Thanks Chase.”
“No worries. Is this a couple thing? The nesting? Or do you need anything else?”
“Um…” I thought for a moment, listening to my agitated alter. They had adjusted better than I had to their new reality, but the birth bit was freaking them out. “My wolf wants you to sit here and just watch over us, if you can.”
Chase crossed the room to sit cross-legged on our bed. “Here cool?”
I nodded and returned to the placement of all the cushions and blankets. This nest was for a princess, so it had to be perfect. Rationally, I knew, being my first nest and with the lack of reading I’d done about the birth, this nest was likely to be a mess. There was time to refine it. There was still a week until my due date.
“Dear one, are you expected into work today?”
“No,” I said distractedly. T waited for me to elaborate. “My parental leave has started. Aldrin wanted it to start a couple of weeks ago.”
The doorbell rang. “I’ll get that,” Chase said as he leaped from the bed.
“Would you like me to help?” Teárlach leaned forward to inspect the nest.
Sitting back on my haunches was hard with a massive baby bump. He caught me as I nearly toppled over.
“Please. I can’t get the sides right.” My frustration was written all over me. I gripped the blankets in tight fists, ready to scream. Nothing was right about this nest.
I was a bad omega.
“Whatever you are thinking, dear one, get rid of it. That’s your fear talking. Omegas have done this since there were shifters. The goddess said there were many children in our future, so of course you can do this. We just need to have faith.”
Mate is right. We can do this. My alter interrupted the moment with my mate.
Do you like being an omega? I’ve never asked.
Yes. Special. Our baby loves us. She is ready to come. Soon.
“My alter agrees with you.”
“Your alter is very smart, just like you. This is normal.”
“Oh! Look at how big your nest is!” Kade came in, holding a couple of blankets. “I… uh… wasn’t sure if you’d need our scents, too.”
He held the cream and yellow blankets out for me to take. As soon as they were in my hands, I relaxed.
“This is exactly what I’ve been needing! I know where they need to go.”
Kade’s pleased smile and Blake’s proud expression showed me just how important it was for them that my nest and birthing experience was perfect.
“Where are the kids?” Chase asked, as if he just noticed they weren’t attached to their parents.
“We’ve had some contact with some of the leadership over in the Northarbor Aviary. They are trying to broker a truce now they’ve learned about the elves and the beta gene. We had a video call with them,but asked the community center to take the kids for a while.”
“Do you trust them?” I asked, suspicious of both the timing and the offer.
“Hell no.” Blake gave me a flat look. “I’m willing to listen to them, but it will be a long time before we can trust a thing they say, or reduce security.” He sighed. “I’m just glad we have Greenbriar.”
