Her visions weren’t always specific or one hundred percent accurate, but her gut was rarely wrong. This sweet baby was a little girl. She knew it.
“Where’s Mimi?” Rebecca asked, lifting her gaze to scan the room.
“I’m right here, child.” Mimi stepped into view on the other side of the bed. The woman could be almost invisible when she put her mind to it.
Melinda smiled at the grandmother who raised her and Miles in their mother’s absence. The calm on Mimi’s face spoke volumes. She was a seasoned medicine woman. If anything was amiss, she would know it better than Melinda.
Rebecca exhaled long and slow, probably also reading Mimi’s expression. Another contraction rushed through her body, buckling her knees.
Griffen grabbed her hips from behind to steady her. “Don’t you think you should lie down?” he asked.
Rebecca shook her head, panting.
Griffen looked at Melinda.
“She’s fine. As long as she’s comfortable standing, let gravity do its job. Her water hasn’t broken yet.” Melinda would have scented that as soon as she entered the house.
A shuffle of movement behind Melinda made her turn to find the midwife, Sheila, scurrying into the room.
Sheila was a godsend. Nearly everyone in their tribe used her for births. Since she herself was a member of the tribe and the pack, she was a shifter and very knowledgeable about their unique species.
Giving birth to a shifter was no different than giving birth to a full human, but it was nice to have someone lupine present to assist, especially if most of the occupants of the house were shifters.
Rebecca was nervous, more nervous than the average woman giving birth. Melinda couldn’t blame her. She was human, and her mates were shifters. No amount of trying to convince her the baby would indeed come out in human form and be perfect would ease her nerves.
“Everybody who doesn’t want an eyeful, out,” Sheila commanded. She bustled around to Rebecca and calmly took her pulse. “How’re you doin’, sweetie?”
“Good. But I think it’s going to be fast.”
“Probably, depending on how you look at it. I heard you’ve been in labor all day.”
Rebecca winced. “Yeah. Sort of.”
“Let’s see how far along you are.” Sheila helped Rebecca onto the bed. Griffen and Miles hovered next to the bed, assisting.
Melinda stepped back to give them space. She glanced at her brother and smiled. He’d turned completely to mush, his face white, obvious stress over his mate’s condition written all over him. And he kept chewing on his lower lip.
That baby would have him wrapped around her little hand in one second.
•●•
Keegan paced the giant living room, nursing a beer. He had hoped the alcohol would help him relax, but it was doing nothing to ease his nerves.
His mate was down the hall somewhere, inconveniently helping her friend give birth.
He didn’t blame her of course, but he wanted her in his arms, her undivided attention on him. Him and Trace.
Fate was indeed on their side when She arranged for Trace and Keegan to share a mate. For the first time in his life, he was certain She knew exactly what She was doing.
He sauntered to a window and stared out into the night. The sun had gone down, but he could see the landscape clearly if he wanted to. Instead, he was inside his head, picturing Melinda’s smile, the way her long hair bounced when she walked. Her small frame encased perfectly in that pale pink dress.
Trace set a hand on his shoulder. “This is rough.”
“Yes.”
“People are starting to leave.”
“I’m not going to be one of them.”
Trace chuckled. “Me neither. I hear ya.”
Keegan turned to face his longtime friend. “How’d we get so lucky?”
Trace shrugged. “No idea, but I’m not questioning it.”
“You’ll move in with me,” he stated, his mind running ahead.
Trace nodded. “Seems reasonable since you have your own house and live alone. I’m sure not taking the two of you back to my condo where my brother sleeps in the other room.”
“Logan is going to love this.” Keegan smirked.
“Oh, I’m sure he’s already plotting with Zachary.”
Logan was Trace’s youngest brother and the only one still living at home. Originally the condo had been purchased by the oldest brother, Griffen, who lived in it with Trace. When Griffen moved out, Zachary moved in with Trace. Now, with Trace leaving, Logan would probably have his bags packed before morning.
Trace cleared his throat. “Of course, we might need to consult with our mate. I’m not sure where she lives, but somewhere on the rez. She might be attached to her place.”