by Connor Crowe
"What's that?" Felix asked.
I fumbled with the words for a moment. I didn't know how to phrase it, but the gut feeling couldn't stay hidden any longer. Something had been nagging at me ever since I met Lionel, and if anyone could help me figure it out, it would be Felix.
"When you first met Markus," I said at last. "How did you know?" I stared at the ground, my cheeks heated.
Felix gave a little laugh. "You're not the only one to be fated to his worst enemy." He shook his head, a wistful, far away look in his eyes. "Believe me, being fated to Markus was the last thing I could have expected when I infiltrated this pack. I was just supposed to steal the treasure and get the hell out. But..." he shrugged. "Some things happened that no one could have planned for. And I'm glad for it, now. If I hadn't been caught, I never would have met my mate."
"At least you're mated to a shifter like you," I mumbled. "Have you ever even heard of being mated to a human before? Are we even..." I grasped at the words, but nothing could make it sound less awkward. "Compatible?"
Felix snorted. "Is that what you're calling it?"
"What?" I groaned, but I couldn't stop the smile that came with it.
"I've learned something during my time here in Nox Bay. And during my time in the Black Hands, as well. I know it's going to sound super lame, but I've seen it play out again and again. And this business with your human mate, my relationship with Markus, all of it—the universe doesn't make mistakes. Love sees beyond all that."
A few moments of silence passed between us. Warmth spread through my body and outward toward my hands and toes. Love. Belonging. Acceptance. If I felt it this strongly in my heart and in my soul, how could it possibly be wrong?
"Do you love him?" Felix's voice was sure and steady.
I thought of everything we had been through. The touch of his skin, the warmth of his breath, the rumble of his voice in my mind. Not to mention the incredible stretch of his knot...something I'd run away from far too soon.
Next time we were together, I resolved, we would mate properly. For real. Forever.
If there even was a next time.
I gritted my teeth. Couldn't think about that right now.
I must have flushed while thinking about Lionel's knot, because Felix was right on my heels. He grinned widely. "I knew it. You do love him, don't you?"
I let out a breath. "Yeah," I said at last. "I do. I just never thought..." I shook my head, a nervous laugh forcing its way out.
"One more tip for you," Felix reminded me, placing a hand on my shoulder. It wasn't an aggressive gesture this time. More like a big brother. "Omega to omega. When it comes to this fated mates business, no amount of thinking is gunna help you figure anything out. Listen to your heart. Listen to your shifter. Listen to your feelings when you're around him. The fates know what they're doing, and if it's right, you'll feel it."
I nodded. Relief washed over me in waves, as well as a new realization. A new purpose. I did love him. And I wasn't going to let that go to waste.
"Thanks, Felix," I said at last. "I think I know what I have to do now." I stuck my hand out for him to shake.
"Hey, us omegas gotta stick together after all. Welcome to the family, Kit."
Family. That word bounced around in my head. Was that was this was, after all this time?
It was as if he had heard me. "Yes, Kit. You're family now. I was an outsider too, you know. We both were after losing everything at such a young age. But Nox Bay took me in, and they will take you in. I will make sure of it. Now come on, let's go join the others."
His hand met mine in a firm handshake. But it didn't stop there. His hand clenched around mine in an almost bone-crushing grip.
I glared at him, yelping in pain. "What?"
Felix's eyes were wide with pain, and his hand shot to the swell of his belly.
"You don't mean..." I gasped. "Now?"
Felix grimaced and forced out a nod. "Think so." Even in the midst of his pain, he still found the energy to joke. "Guess all that talk about new family members got the little one excited."
"Let's get you inside."
He didn't let up on his vise-like grip, but I threw an arm around his shoulders and helped him back down the hall to the medical ward. Thank goodness we were so close.
As we rushed over there, though, I couldn't help thinking about my own little one. Seeing Felix in labor made it all the more real, somehow. After all this time, he was finally going to have his baby.
Which made me question myself—was I ready to do the same?
12
Lionel
This wasn't my bed.
This wasn't the warm light of sun coming in from the east window as it always did.
This wasn't my pillow, or my blankets, or...
My vision cleared and I blinked open my eyes.
"We're not in Kansas anymore," I muttered.
And boy, was that ever the truth.
I was laying in some sort of hospital bed. A thin sheet covered me, but it didn't do much to stop the chill of the room from seeping into my bones and prickling gooseflesh across my skin.
Speaking of which...
My eyes flicked lower and my heart sped up. An IV stuck out of my arm, and bandages wrapped around my shoulders and torso. On instinct, I tried to move. Bad idea.
I winced and a low groan escaped as pain shot through my body. What the hell had happened?
Thoughts wove their way back into my mind the longer I lay there, staring at the ceiling and the blades of the fan swooshing around and around. I was alive. I was on an expedition to prove the existence of shifters, and...
I sucked in a breath.
I had found them, all right. And my mate along with them.
Where was he?
I tilted my head as much as I could to look around the room. There were a few other beds in sight, but no sign of my mate.
Mate. I tasted that word, letting it linger. Mine.
When I set off with only a small bag and a dream after being ousted from the University, I never thought things would have unfolded this way. I had this wild hope that I would find and prove the existence of shifters, sure. I wanted to find out if the legends were true.
In truth, I'd found so much more than that.
My ears perked up when I heard the door opening behind me. It banged on the hinges and I heard shouts and footsteps. Unfortunately, I couldn't turn all the way around to look, but that didn't matter. I saw what was going on soon enough.
Felix hobbled into the medical ward, one hand around his swollen stomach. The other was squeezed around a younger man whose face I recognized instantly.
My omega. My Kit.
I sucked in a breath and watched them rush past me and help Felix onto a bed near me. He propped himself up on a few pillows and took deep breaths, finally releasing Kit's hand. Markus rushed to his side, talking too fast for me to hear. The doctor bustled past me.
Markus was waving his arms around in some kind of wild gesture I couldn't decipher, but Felix simply looked amused. Surprisingly calm for one in labor, I mused.
"Are you okay, baby?" Markus asked, running a hand through his hair. "I came as soon as I heard. Do you need anything?"
"Yeah, I need you to stop freaking out. It's making me freak out." Felix teased him, then winced as another contraction hit. "I always heard alphas were the ones to freak out during the birth, but seeing it..." He chuckled. "Relax, babe. It's going to be fine. It's just a baby."
Markus sputtered. "Just...a baby? Felix, this is our baby! It's finally happening! We're going to be fathers, and the little one will grow up and lead the pack one day."
"He or she will be a great leader," Felix replied. "Just like you. Now chill. I'm chill, and I'm the one in labor." His voice lowered, but I could still make out the words. "I only need one thing from you right now."
"Anything."
"Just...don't leave me."
"Never."
I marveled at the show of strength fr
om the young omega. I hadn't known what to expect when I first came upon the pack, sure. I didn't even know if shifters were real, or if those thoughts and fantasies were just as deluded as everyone else thought I was. But the more time I spent here, the more I saw within these men a strength and resilience that I hadn't often seen before.
I had fought with them. I had traveled with them. And I had seen the ups and downs that they went through for the sake of their family and their homeland. How could I not respect that?
The doctor rushed to Felix's bedside and started preparing him for the birth, all the while Felix let out a few tiny squeaks and moans as the contractions came again.
My eyes were so focused on Felix that I jumped when Kit appeared next to me and took my hand.
"You okay?" He whispered.
"Yeah," I breathed, but it felt like my throat was full of nails. "Are you?"
Kit barked out a laugh. "Besides Felix basically grinding my bones into dust, yeah. That guy has a strong grip!" He let go of me and wrung his hands, rolling his eyes.
I couldn't help but laugh at that, but it made my wounds and the bandages tug painfully. I sucked in a breath and stilled as much as I could, still rocking with mirth. I sighed and laid my head back on the soft pillows. "What happened back there?" I dared to ask when I found my voice again. "It's coming back to me slowly, but I remember feelings more than facts. I just remember this feeling of terror. This feeling that I was never going to see you again."
"Shhh," Kit whispered to me, running a hand through my hair. His touch soothed and grounded me, and my heart and breaths slowed for a precious moment. "It's all right. You saved us, is what you did. You saved all of us."
"Is that so?" I hadn't been trying to be a hero. Not really. I just was doing what I had to do.
"They captured Lorsa, is what they did.” He bared his teeth, holding back a snarl. “She never deserved that. She hadn’t done anything wrong. But Harry captured her. Used her magic. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Kit shook his head. “Harry made her use some kind of magic spell. It was affecting all of the shifters. Something that dug down deep, right to the heart of our animal forms. Made us feel like we were dying, crumbling from the inside out. But not you. It didn't touch you."
A few seconds of silence stretched between us while I considered his words. Not me. Was that because I was a human?
"You ran straight for them," Kit continued, his eyes wide and full of admiration. "You didn't even care about your own well being in that moment. I saw everything. You put your life on the line for us, and that means more than I could ever say."
I smiled and closed my eyes again, just grateful for this moment. Images flashed back through my mind as if I were still in the thick of battle. I knew in my heart that they would be there for a long time to come.
The circle of shifters falling around me.
The screams of pain.
And the all consuming notion that I had to do something...anything.
"So it's all right?" I asked hopefully. "Did we save them?"
"I was more worried about you, to be honest," Kit said with a soft smile. "And yes, before you freak out, everyone is fine. We were even able to save Lorsa. And you see Felix over there is just about to add another to our little pack." He shook his head. "Can you imagine, fighting as pregnant as he was?"
"I can't," I agreed, "and before you even say anything, that's a hell no to you getting anywhere near a fight when you're that far along."
"I guess you know me too well." Kit shook his head. "Cause that's totally something I'd do." He squeezed my hand again. "Did you know that Felix and I actually were in the same pack when we were kids? We had a good talk. Turns out we're much more alike than we thought."
I stared at him. "Felix? Our Felix?" I shook my head. "I thought you grew up alone in the wilderness."
Kit looked away, rubbing the back of his neck and giving me an awkward smile. "I did, but that's never the entire story, is it?" He moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to me. "When I was very young, yes, I did have a pack. I don't remember much about it, but I do remember the night everything changed." He shivered, a shadow of fear passing over his face before he continued. It tore into me, and even though I was the one in the hospital bed, I wanted nothing more than to hold and protect him in that moment. He'd been through even more than I knew.
"What happened?" I croaked. “I mean, I know you said your pack got wiped out, but…” I trailed off. I didn't want to push him to talk, but the emotion his anguish roused in me overrode my better judgement.
"We were attacked," Kit said simply. His face was a mask of stone. "Don't remember much. Fire. Blood. Screaming." He shrugged. "I got separated from the rest of the pack. Lost my parents in the chaos. And suddenly it was just me, and I was running, and I was alone..." He sagged against me and I reached out to pull him closer.
With Kit's warm, small body nestled against mine, the pain of my injuries seemed to fade away. My racing heart slowed, and for a precious instant, all the troubling anxieties and fears faded into the background. In the moment, all I needed to do was simply be. I couldn't imagine what it must have been like, to lose one's home and family at such a young age. I couldn't imagine the grief, the fear, and most of all, the loneliness.
"I'm sorry, Kit," I breathed, tilting my head to press a kiss into his hair. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"It's..." He hesitated. "You know what? It's okay. I had to grow up a lot faster than I would have wanted to, but each of the terrors I've faced shaped who I am as a person. If I hadn't been through all that, I wouldn't have met you." His eyes met mine, and they sparkled with tears.
“You'll never have to worry about that again,” I promised him. “As long as you're with me.”
The words came easily now, as if they were flowing forth from my soul instead of my throat. “I'm going to take care of you, Kit. I'm going to take care of you,” I paused, “and our child.”
I couldn't stop the worry in the back of my mind though, so I added quietly, “the baby is okay, right?” For a terrible moment, I heard nothing but the sound of blood pounding in my ears.
Kit smiled knowingly. “The baby is fine, darling. And so am I. All thanks to you.”
I let out a sigh of relief and settled back into the pillows, still holding my omega against me.
Kit spoke up next. His voice was a soft whisper next to my ear. “I was so worried,” he breathed. “Thought I'd lost you.”
That startled me. I turned so I could look into his eyes, and saw nothing but the truth. "You were really worried about me?" I muttered, wincing as one of the bandages pulled painfully at my side. "I thought you'd rejected me as your mate. Thought you didn't want me, remember?"
"Oh, Lionel."
We lay like that for a few moments, simply holding one another. His breathing slowed. His chest rose and fell in time with mine. Even the sharp stings of my injuries seemed to fade away. Was this what shifters talked about when they mentioned their "animal" reaching out to claim their mate?
I was human. As far as I knew, anyway. Yet something almost beyond me reached out in that moment. Something that had come over me since the moment I laid eyes on my omega. I sure hadn't thought that a crazy old professor like me could ever find something like this.
And to be honest, in the back of my mind, I feared that maybe I really was crazy. That maybe shifters were all just a fever dream to begin with.
But here I was.
Here we were.
And that was all the proof I needed.
In the midst of my reunion with Kit, I'd nearly forgotten the omega in labor just a few beds over. The doctors and nurses were fussing about, with Markus dabbing a cool washcloth on Felix's head while his face contorted in pain.
His legs were spread and propped up in the stirrups, while a small blanket covered his lower half. Felix's breath came in slow, hard gasps of air. He gritted his teeth. Growled. Clenched.
And in one final yell t
hat shook every wall in the building, everything went still.
There it was. The first cry. The first sign of a new life, and the newest member of our growing pack.
The doctor brought forth a messy, squalling baby. He or she was a tiny thing. I could have held them easily in both my hands. I marveled at the small creature, and at the same time, that force inside me rebelled.
That would be us soon. Kit and I. Fathers.
My stomach clenched in anxiety, sure, but there was something else there too. A sense of joy. Of hope.
One that I hadn't had in a long, long time.
"He's beautiful," Kit said, breaking me out of my stupor. "Lionel, look."
I shook my head and snapped back to reality, thoughts of our future parenthood all but fleeing when I saw the small child resting on his father's chest.
Felix's hair was matted with sweat, his face was reddened with exhaustion, but I'd never seen a more happy, satisfied look. Markus was beside himself as well, his eyes never leaving the baby like he was afraid it might disappear if he looked away for too long.
I couldn't believe it. Through every challenge, battle, and danger we had faced, we had a new life in our hands.
"He's....wonderful," Markus breathed when he found his voice at last. I couldn't see much beyond the privacy curtain they'd drawn around the bed, but I could still hear their voices. "But we've been so busy, we never thought of names. What do you think, Felix?"
"Hmm," the omega mused, right before the baby cut him off with a breathy squeal of his own. "He has your eyes, darling. Look."
A silent moment passed. The sounds of movement. I couldn't see what was going on, but that didn't matter. I felt it, all the way down in my heart.
"He has your hair." Markus broke the silence. "Red as the sun rising in the morning, and setting in the night."
"What do you think he'll end up being? His shifter, you mean. Since I'm a fox and you're a wolf..."
"Could be either," the nurse said. I could see from my vantage point her hanging ID tag. Ella Gray. "Hybrid shifters are highly uncommon, but there's no evidence that it can't be done. The child could present with more wolfish traits, or with more foxlike traits. It all depends on what sort of genes were passed down from the parents." She looked to Felix and then back to Markus. "In rare cases, the child will be a hybrid. That is, he will have traits of both wolf and fox shifters. He may be able to shift into both animals, though one usually takes precedence over the other."
