Parker had been restless all evening, pacing the living room with one hand pressed to his lower back. I'd watched him carefully and my wolf was on alert. We recognized the signs after reading all the baby books I could get my hands on, though I wasn't sure Parker understood it was almost go time.
"Dawson." His voice was strained. "I think maybe…"
He doubled over, gripping the back of the couch, and I was there in an instant.
"Breathe," I whispered as I placed my hand on his back. "Breathe through it like we were taught." His eyes locked on mine and we got through the contraction.
Parker straightened slowly. "That's the third one in the last hour."
"You're in labor." My wolf was already pushing at me, urging me to look after our mate. "The baby's coming."
Parker gulped and he gripped my hand. "Now? But we still have two weeks."
"Babies come when they're ready." I guided him toward the bedroom, where we'd set up everything the midwife hadrecommended. We had clean towels, plastic sheeting, pillows and wash cloths. I'd made sure we had everything we'd need for a home birth. "You're doing great. Let's get you comfortable."
The next few hours passed as Parker experienced contractions that got closer and became stronger. He tried different positions including walking along the hallway, leaning against the wall, and sitting on the birthing ball we'd bought. I stayed with him through each one, timing them, and doing the breathing technique the midwife had taught us. Over and over I told him how proud I was of him.
But as dawn approached and the contractions intensified, the pain was wearing him down. His face was pale and his forehead was lined with sweat. His cries and whimpers during each contraction cut through me like claws. And I wished I could take his pain away.
"I can't," he gasped after a particularly brutal one. "Dawson, I can't do this."
"Yes, you can." I pressed a cool cloth to his forehead. "You're so strong and each contraction brings our baby closer."
"It hurts." Tears tracked down his cheeks. "So much."
My wolf whined, desperate to comfort our mate. And suddenly, I knew what to do.
"Parker, look at me." I waited until his pain-glazed eyes focused on mine. "I want to try something. My wolf wants to help."
We'd discovered, sort of my accident, that my beast's fur soothed Parker. Sometimes when the baby was kicking late at night, I'd get a little furry and rest my arm on or brush my chest over my mate's belly. And he'd go straight to sleep.
"If I let him through partially, just enough for his fur, would that help? You could hold onto my arm during contractions."
Parker's head bobbed up and down. "Yes. Please. Anything."
I closed my eyes and reached for my wolf, but instead of shifting fully, I held us in between. It was enough that thick fur sprouted along my arms and on my chest. I remained in human form and could still hold Parker and help him through the contractions but now I could offer the comfort my wolf was desperate to give.
"Oh, yes." Parker's hand immediately went to my arm and tangled his fingers in the dark fur. "Oh, that's... that's better."
The next contraction hit, and he grabbed onto me with his face pressed against my fur-covered chest. I felt him breathe in my scent and some of the tension left his body even as he rode out the pain.
I murmured against his hair, "That's so good, Parker. Breathe through it. Both me and my wolf are here for you."
"I didn't know I needed you both." Parker's voice was muffled against my chest. "Tell him thank you."
My wolf was satisfied to finally be useful and comforting our mate when he needed us most.
The labor continued long the night and Parker alternated between positions, always keeping one hand on my fur. He walked the room during contractions, gripping my arm. He leaned against me and buried his face in the fur at my neck. He laughed once, exhausted and slightly delirious, saying he felt like he had two birth coaches though one couldn't talk back.
"He can hear you," I assured him. "And he's very proud of you."
"Tell him I'm very tired of being pregnant."
"Your pregnancy is about to end and your lifetime of a father is about to begin."
Around four in the morning, the contractions changed, and Parker's breathing became more urgent.
"I need to push," he whimpered. "How am I going to push a baby out of me?"
