Page 30 of Matched in Mayhem

“Three,” I repeated, sort of wanting to look at Bennie but I couldn’t bring myself to take my eyes off the screen. “Three babies. You put three babies into me.”

Then the first tear drop hit my shoulder and I twisted around, knocking the wand onto the floor as I moved to check on my alpha. It was too late for him to change his mind now. The babies were already made, but as I turned around to hug him, his emotions began to unravel over our mating link.

“Oh, baby,” I got onto my knees and hugged him tight, feeling like an ass for ignoring the midwife, but some moments were for true-mates and this was one of them. My big, brutal tiger was crying because he was so happy and awestruck by seeing our babies on the screen. His hand found my bare stomach and stayed there protectively. We held onto each other for a long, quiet moment. I forgot that the midwife was there watching, because we were going to have three babies. We only met because a meddling dragon figured us out before we did and then went overboard to bring us together. I had my mate and now we’d have three babies. We had good family and friends and belonged to a strong, healthy pack. This really was the good life.

“Oh, great,” I laughed, wiping away tears. “I caught our crying cooties.” I wiped my tears on his shirt and he laughed too. Then we shared a long, slow kiss and it wasn’t until our tongues were dancing between our mouths that I remembered the poor midwife who was watching all of this unfold. If not for him, I’d have stuck my hand down Bennie’s pants, and we could’ve practiced for our next conception.

“Alpha,” I growled, a playful warning. “The midwife is still here.”

“Ugh!” he said, but his tone was playful.

Eventually, I was able to sit back down and let Midwife Wane take the measurements he needed. Then, as promised, Bennie left. He kissed me goodbye a thousand times and made me promise that I’d call him if I needed him, but he did leave.

***

Not long after Midwife Wane pronounced me healthy and left someone knocked on the back door. We were outside of the matingmoon phase now but sometimes Raziel still liked to leave presents on the back porch. If he’d heard about his incoming godchildren there was no doubt in my mind that I’d open the back door to find a full nursery or something equally absurd. If he’d given us a house for meeting, what would he give us for triplets?

Only it wasn’t a gift waiting for me on the back porch. It was a bear, holding a baby to his chest, with a box tucked under his other arm. My first thought was that he had the wrong house, because he looked more like a dad in need of help than a delivery man.

“Can I help you?” I asked, unsure whether to reach for the box or not. Maybe he actually needed help and ours was the first house he could get too? The omega bear was sweating bullets that ran down onto his face. Why was he out here with his baby? Why?

“Bennie? Grandpa?” I sent out the message for help. “Wane?” I even tried the midwife. Maybe he was looking for him and someone said he was here.

The box fell to the ground and I reached down to get it for him not wanting him to bend over while holding his cub. Only when I stood up the sweaty bear had a gun pointed at me. So, this was how today was going to go? A bear with a baby wanted to rob me. Okay.

“What the actual fuck?” my wolf growled.

“Do you need help?” was what I managed to spit out. Keeping the situation calm was my best bet for all three of us making it out alive.

“Six. Six of us. The kittens,” my wolf reminded me.

“All the more reason for all of us to survive,” I said.

“I..” he said, “Inside. I’m coming inside.”

“Okay,” I said, stepping backward. “But are you okay?” I asked again. Even if he had ill intent, I couldn’t very well tackle him while he held onto his baby. It was sort of a smart move. Well, smart in a desperate way, but dumb overall. Some people wouldn’t care if he held his baby. Only, I couldn’t hurt that baby. Even if the bear man shot me dead now the baby didn’t deserve to die. No baby deserved that.

“I’m sorry but I have to kill you,” he said like he was apologizing for dropping my package.

“Um, no, I don’t think so,” I shook my head because what else was I supposed to do.

Bennie and the others were exploding in conversation and plans over the link. I had the sneaking suspicion that nay second now Grandpa Clyde would knock down the door and eat the bear.

“I have to. It’s not your fault, but I have to,” he said, his hands shaking.

“Why do you think that? Do you need money? I can give you money. Giftcards? Food? Maybe a chair to sit down in. You look like you might fall over,” I said, trying not to bite my lip. “How old is your baby?”

“Six hours,” he growled.

“Oh, honey!” I said, stepping forward, not quite forgetting about the gun, but more worried about the baby. Only a few types of shifters used guns: the cowardly, the desperate, the outnumbered, and the ones who wanted to scare people more than kill him. Anyone who would drag a baby into a gun fight wasn’t a coward and he wasn’t outnumbered. That left him wanting to scare me or being that fucking desperate.

“You’re not taking my baby!” he growled, half turning away from me.

“Okay,” I nodded. “I don’t want to take your baby. I just.. Do you need help? Seriously. I think you’ve confused me with someone else. I… Are you looking for Raziel maybe?”

“A bullet wouldn’t kill that fucker,” the bear rolled his eyes. “Fucking hell. Fuck him! Fuck him and his family! Fuck them all with a spikey pole!”

“I’m Alby,” I said, introducing myself, ignoring what he said about everyone else.