by TJ Cross
Then his professor reached over and grabbed his omega's hand, stroking it with his thumb. Tobias smiled, he hadn't stopped wondering how exactly he happened to get so lucky.
"Can we go back to the cabin tonight?" Tobias asked, "I want to try shifting again. I feel like I'm ready. I know I didn't have much luck the last few times but I'm certain I can do it now."
"Of course," Nathaniel said and he leaned over and gave Tobias a sweet kiss.
After they had dinner and it was dark out, Nathaniel drove them out to his cabin in the woods. It was only forty minutes away but it was secluded enough that they were safe to shift there without any chance of someone seeing. Nathaniel pulled up outside and the two of them made their way to a clearing round the back of the cabin.
Tobias felt his dragon rise in him and his own human senses heightened. It had been happening a lot lately. His muscles would tense and he would become hyper-aware of his surroundings. Heat scorched in Tobias's chest and for the first time ever he felt his human body morph within seconds into a dragon.
"Attaboy!" Nathaniel shouted out excitedly and then the next moment he was turned himself.
It was the first time Tobias had seen Nathaniel's dragon too. He'd wanted him to wait until he was able to shift himself. He thought if Tobias met Nathaniel's dragon he might be too intimidated. He had expected by the way Nathaniel spoke, that his dragon was beast-like and frightening. But the sleek fiery red body that appeared beside him wasn't frightening at all. He was beautiful. Tobias looked down at his own dragon body, his scales a thousand different shades of blue.
"Your dragon is beautiful, Tobias," Nathaniel said, his voice a little deeper than his human form's.
Nathaniel brought his head to Tobias and their dragon's sniffed at each other, getting acquainted with the scent they surely had been craving. They weren't as large as Tobias had imagined either, when he pushed back onto his hind legs he still wasn't able to see above the pine trees that shielded them.
"Thank you," Tobias said, "thank you for bringing me home."
And with that Tobias raised his wings, taking flight for the first time. He made it above the trees before Nathaniel had caught up to him and together they dances on the tree tops, looking out at the full moon and distance city lights.
Tobias had felt nothing like it in his life. He belonged. Wherever Nathaniel was, he belonged.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Nathaniel
"It's time," Tobias groaned to Nathaniel. "Wake up! It's time!"
Nathaniel opened his eyes, adjusting them in the darkness before he made out Tobias's face. He looked like he was in pain, his eye brows knitted together and his forehead scrunched up in frustration. Oh God. Nathaniel realized what he meant now. It was time. The baby was coming.
"Are you okay? Has your water broken yet?" Nathaniel asked him.
Tobias shook his head and clutched at the sheets as Nathaniel guessed was a contraction taking hold of his body. Fuck.
"How many contractions have you had? How far apart?" Nathaniel asked him.
"I... I don't know," Tobias managed to say before a desperate scream escaped his mouth. "It's your fucking job to count them!"
Nathaniel switched on the light and checked the time. It was a little after 5AM.
"Sorry baby, I'll do it now. Just stay strong, remember the breathing techniques we practiced?" Nathaniel said, helping Tobias sit up in bed. He rubbed his lower back as he omega keeled forward, another contraction rippling through him a few minutes later. Four minutes apart. They needed to get to the hospital.
"Holy fuck! Holy fuck! Holy fuck!" Tobias roared. "Get me to the hospital. Now. Get this fucking monster out of me."
Nathaniel knew Tobias was talking that way because he was in pain. He couldn't help but smile a little to himself, he didn't dare let Tobias see -- the alpha loved his omega's potty mouth.
He helped him into his coat and then grabbed their hospital bag from beside the door and made their way into the car. Tobias's contractions had eased for the moment and he looked at me and smiled.
"Holy fuck babe, we're gonna be dads in not too long," Tobias grinned.
"I know," Nathaniel said, grinning at Tobias.
He was so excited his hands were shaking as he grabbed the steering wheel and made off in the direction of Dr. Potts clinic.
"I can't believe this is happening. Really happening," Tobias said, before another contraction rippled through him and his potty mouth came back.
Tobias was screaming profanities by the time Nathaniel had wheeled him into the clinic. The nurses took him through to the shifter birthing unit and it wasn't long before Tobias was lying in a hospital bed as they waited for the team to prepare for the delivery.
Suddenly Tobias was crying and Nathaniel was by his side, holding both his hands and asking him what was wrong.
"Nothing," Tobias said, "I'm just... happy."
Nathaniel smiled at him and then leaned down and kissed him lips.
"I never knew what people meant by tears of joy. I must look like a fucking pussy. The baby's not even born and I'm already sobbing about it."
"Not at all. You're the bravest person I've ever known. And I've been around for a pretty long time, so I know what I'm talking about," Nathaniel told him. "I love you... you know that right?"
Tobias looked up at him and the tears subsided for a moment.
"I know you love me. I feel it every day. And I love you too, Nathaniel," he said.
And with those three words Nathaniel's heart swelled in his chest, an uncontrollable grin taking over his mouth. But he knew it already, he could feel Tobias's love for him. It was there when they brushed against each other in the hallway as much as it was when Nathaniel was at work, missing him so bad, and most of all it was there when they were locked in heated passion, their bodies sharing the most intimate of moments that only true lovers could.
"I know. I feel your love for me too. I feel how much you love the baby as well, you're going to be a wonderful father. We're going to be the happiest little family, you'll see. I'll do anything to make you happy, my love. You're my life, my whole damn universe," Nathaniel said, and he didn't even feel like he'd gone soft. He knew he had. And he was okay with it, because going soft meant their was more room in his heart to love Tobias.
Two nurses came into the room and began rolling Tobias's hospital bed out of the room.
"It's time," Tobias said, "I can't wait to meet our little guy... or girl."
Nathaniel couldn't either. He'd been desperate to know the sex of the baby at their last scan but Tobias had decided he wanted it to be a surprise. Nathaniel was glad he'd made that decision now because it just made it all the more exciting. He quickly changed into scrubs and then joined Tobias back in the surgery room.
Dr. Potts was there along with Dr. Kite, the anesthesiologist and the two nurses who had wheeled Tobias into surgery.
"Time for your epidural," Dr. Kite announced.
Dr. Kite was human but she'd worked with many shifters before so they trusted she knew what she was doing. Tobias moved to an upright position and Nathaniel held him tightly as the needle was inserted to his lower spine.
"Look at me," Nathaniel said, "just breathe baby, the worst of it will be over soon."
Nathaniel hated seeing Tobias in pain but he knew it would be over before it began and that nothing would compare to having their baby in their arms after all was over.
"How are you feeling now?" Dr. Kite asked Tobias, prodding at his stomach.
"I don't feel anything, so I guess it's worked," Tobias said.
"Perfect. We'll wait a little longer and then begin the Caesarean," she said, adjusting the catheter.
Nathaniel looked down at Tobias who was looking more and more relaxed by the minute.
"Shall we begin then?" Dr. Potts asked.
"You're ready?" Nathaniel asked Tobias, making sure he felt confident to begin.
He nodded and squeezed Nathaniel's hand while the nurses drew t
he surgical curtain at Tobias's chest so he couldn't see the surgery himself.
"I'm ready."
Nathaniel felt as though he had been holding his breath the entire surgery. In just moments they would be meeting their little hatchling, their baby. It was a once in a lifetime moment and Nathaniel wanted to cherish every moment.
The sound of their newborn baby's cry filled the room as Dr. Potts brought them into the world.
"A boy!" he said, placing the tiny bundle onto Tobias's chest.
Nathaniel looked down at Tobias and their son and his chest swelled with pride and more love than he could ever express.
"Hello," he said, kissing his son's forehead, "you did it, baby, congratulations."
Tobias cried and held his son close to him, kissing his tiny forehead as his new born cries calmed and the baby opened his eyes.
"Would you like to cut the cord?" Dr. Potts said to Nathaniel.
"Yes," the alpha said proudly, taking the scissors from the doctor.
The nurse held up their son and Nathaniel snipped the cord, feeling completely proud of what a beautiful son they'd produced.
"What are you naming him? Dr. Potts asked.
Nathaniel looked at Tobias, they had settled on a name already for either sex but the final decision he told Tobias would be his.
"Cyrus," Tobias said, "his name is Cyrus."
EPILOGUE
Tobias
Three years later
"Cake!" Cyrus said, tugging at Tobias's jeans. "I want cake!"
"Not yet sweetheart, we're waiting for your guests to arrive, remember?" Tobias told him.
He was finishing the final stages of icing Cyrus's birthday cake and his son had unfortunately woken up before he'd had the chance to hide it from him.
"Come here you little rascal!" Nathaniel said, scooping Cyrus off the ground.
Their son broke out into fits of laughter.
"Put me down Daddy!" he squealed, although he was smile on his face said he was loving being up in the air in his fathers arms.
"You want to be put down?" Nathaniel asked him. "Okay then!"
He swooshed him down, landing him softly on the carpeted floor just outside the kitchen. Cyrus continued hysterical laughter as Nathaniel lifted up his shirt and gave him a raspberry right on his little belly.
Tobias watched his partner and child and couldn't help smiling to himself. Cyrus had so much love and attention, it filled his heart with joy that Nathaniel and him were able to give their son that. It was something he, himself never had growing up but he didn't think about that anymore. He had let go of the past, his present being too perfect for his thoughts to stray from.
He couldn't believe that his baby boy was three years old today. The time went by so fast that it almost made him sad sometimes, but then he'd look at his little blue-eyed angel and he realized that every moment was worth cherishing. Even if he was becoming a menacing three-nager. In the cutest way possible.
The doorbell rang and Cyrus began screaming excitedly, as he ran off to see who it was.
"I'll get it," Nathaniel said, kissing Tobias's cheek before chasing after Cyrus.
"Uncle Brad!" Tobias heard his son cry out.
Soon his old room mate walked into the kitchen and pulled Tobias into a hug.
"You're getting bigger," Tobias said, looking down at Brad's stomach.
"Fatter, you mean," he replied, although their was humor in this tone. "Got any snacks?"
"You just ate on the ride over!" Declan said, laughing as he joined them in the kitchen.
It had been a huge surprise when Brad and Declan announced their mating to each other. But it was a good surprise for Nathaniel and Tobias. Brad had remained close friends with Tobias despite him leaving college and he'd eventually confided in him about being a shifter and how Cyrus was born.
Now Brad was pregnant with his own child -- which was a shifter-medical miracle really because no human male had ever been able to conceive before. At least that's what the doctors and medical experts originally thought.
Tobias was excited for his friend to have his baby though. He loved being a dad himself, he found nothing in the world more rewarding than raising Cyrus. And he loved being mated to Nathaniel too, who had been nothing short of a spectacular father and attentive, loving mate.
He hadn't had much time to work on his writing in the first couple of years of Cyrus's being around but now that he was getting old enough to entertain himself, Tobias was able to dedicate a few hours a day to his craft. He had found a love of writing children's book -- about a dragon child named Cyrus of course. He was now in the middle of signing a publishing deal and things had never been more exciting.
The rest of the guests came and Cyrus was overwhelmed by the big pile of presents he'd received.
"Daddy! Look! A dragon softy!" he said, sticking the green plush toy in Tobias's face. "I'm gonna call him Minty."
"Why Minty?" Nathaniel asked, looking at Tobias and grinning.
"I dunno!" Cyrus said, and then he burst out laughing.
Nathaniel reached over and squeezed Tobias's hand.
"We raised a crazy little fella, didn't we?" he said, and then he leaned over and pecked his mate's lips.
"No, Daddy! No kissing!" Cyrus said, climbing up onto Nathaniel's knee.
"But I like kissing Daddy," Nathaniel said, pouting, "I love him so much."
"Oops! You can kiss him then," Cyrus said. "But I want a kissy first!"
Nathaniel and Tobias agreed as they both leaned in and placed big sloppy kisses on each of their son's cheeks.
"Eee!" Cyrus yelled and then he climbed off their laps and ran off to play with the other kids.
Cyrus had exhausted himself after playing for hours and stuffing his little tummy full of cake. Everyone had left and it was just the three of them in the house again, their little family. Tobias and Nathaniel were grateful for it when Cyrus went to sleep like a little log and they retreated to their bedroom.
Even three years into their relationship they were still as sexually active as ever. Every night they would strip down and shower together, then make love for hours until they were both absolutely spent. That night was no different, after they'd washed each other down they climbed into bed and began kissing.
Every night was special, every moment they shared each kissed that passed their lips. Tobias was more in love with his mate than ever, each day his heart grew bigger and allowed more room for their love to blossom.
"I love you Tobias," Nathaniel groaned between kisses. "Always have, always will."
"And I love you too, Nathaniel," Tobias said back, closing his eyes as he pressed his body against his alpha's.
Their velvety cocks rubbed against each other and Tobias's breath quickened with desire.
"And I know that we're already mates, that you're already stuck with me for the rest of your life," Nathaniel went on, "sorry about that by the way."
Tobias smiled, he loved that his hardass alpha had gone soft on him. Over the last couple of years the darkness in his eyes had faded and their was nothing but light and love left.
