A Grey Wolves Howliday (The Grey Wolves #14) by Quinn Loftis

“And that’s my cue.” Wadim stood and practically jumped over a couch to scramble out of the room. Bethany would have found it funny if she wasn’t sweating profusely and experiencing blinding white pain.

“I’m with you.” Adam was on his feet next. “I’m pretty sure when another male is instructed to hold his mate’s thighs up and apart that it’s time to make like a fae and flash.”

Jen snorted. “Good one, fairy boy.”

“I think it would be a good idea if all the males except Drake got out of here,” Fane said. He and Decebel started to grab kids and shuffle them toward the door.

Costin tossed Titus over his shoulder and walked from the room. “I’m not mad that you peed on me,” the boy called out to Bethany. “Your baby is going to be very pretty, and I’m going to love her. The angel told me so.”

Bethany smiled, though it probably looked like a grimace. Apparently, they were having a girl.

“Wait.” Jen stopped stacking towels. “Did he just say the angel said he was going to love this chick?” She motioned toward Bethany’s spread legs. Awkward much? “Does that mean they’re true mates?”

“Jen, it’s really not important right now,” Jacque pointed out. Sally and Rachel knelt down on either side of Bethany.

“What’s wrong with my girl? Why can’t he be her true mate? I mean, yes, he has horrible taste in sweaters and is a peeping Tom, but he’s a genius and it would make me and Sally in-laws. We’d be family.” Jen got down beside Jacque at Bethany’s feet.

“We’re already family, you obsessive compulsive, narcissistic she-wolf,” Sally practically snarled. “This isn’t about you, or Titus, or Thia, or anything other than Bethany and this amazing miracle that’s about to happen.”

Jen looked up at Bethany and smiled. For all of Jen’s quirks, she was a rock in the midst of chaos. “You got this, Beth,” Jen said, her voice firm. “And you know I’m just kidding. I would be absolutely thrilled if Titus and your awesome chickadee were true mates. Humor and self-pity are the ways I cope with stress.”

“And everything else,” Jacque muttered.

Another contraction hit, and Bethany couldn’t continue to focus on what the girls were saying. She felt both of her ankles being pushed so that her knees were bent further up and out. The nightgown she wore had been folded up until her stomach was exposed, and one minute her underwear was there and the next ir was gone.

“Okay, that was weird.” Bethany heard Jacque’s voice.

“But much easier than trying to pull them down and safer than Jen wielding scissors to cut them off.” Peri’s words caught Bethany’s attention.

“Definitely no scissors,” she gritted out through clenched teeth.

“Don’t worry, Bethany, Jen will not be allowed to have any sharp objects,” Jacque assured her. Bethany liked the fact that with Jacque as the alpha female, if she said Jen couldn’t do something, then she actually had the power to control the blonde. That was quite comforting.

“How are you, beloved?” Drake’s voice was soft as he leaned his mouth down next to her ear.

“Scared.” Bethany panted. “I don’t want anything to happen to her.” Sally and Rachel put their hands on her bare stomach, and both healers closed their eyes. Warmth spread all over her abdomen as their hands emitted a soft, golden glow.

“We’re not going to let anything happen to this little pack member,” Sally told her, though her eyes remained closed, and she seemed intently focused on whatever it was she and Rachel were doing.

Bethany’s stomach tightened, and she braced for another contraction, but the pain was much less this time. Then Drake tensed behind her and cursed under his breath. She looked inward toward their bond and realized he was taking some of her pain into himself.

“Sorry it took me so long to remember I could do that,” he told her. “You shouldn’t have had to suffer that first one.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she told him, switching to the mate bond. “I don’t like the idea of you suffering, either.”

“You just worry about doing what the girls tell you to, and I’ll worry about helping you get through this with as little pain as possible. I love you, Bethy. I’m scared, too, but I know our little girl is going to be fine. I feel it in my gut.”

Bethany couldn’t help the tears that appeared. Drake had told her once that he never wanted her to experience any pain ever again because she’d been through enough to last several lifetimes. Though she knew he was excited about their child, he’d been dreading the labor since they realized she was pregnant.

“Bethany, you’re doing amazing.” Jen leaned forward and pressed a cool washcloth to her collarbone, which caused Bethany to sigh in relief. “You’re beautiful and calm, and you’re not even swearing at the man who is to blame for what is about to happen to your vagina. I really feel like someone should curse him a blue streak right now.”

“Where’s Thia when we need her?” Bethany heard Zara quip.

“The last thing we need is that mini-hellion witnessing childbirth,” Peri said dryly. “She’d get it in her head that all females were supposed to be pushing out babies and probably try to shove dolls between our legs in an effort to recreate this whole miraculous event.”