Page 40 of The Dragon’s Accidental Manny

His brother had given birth in a clinic, but Ledger told me most shifters had their babies at home. I was an honorary shifter and my baby probably had a dragon inside him, so home was where I wanted our little one to enter the world.

“I’m not sure.” I clung to him as another contraction took hold. “Do these cramps have teeth? Because owww!” We panted together, and my body went limp when it was over.

“How did no one warn me how owie this would be?”

I recalled Ledger saying that it would hurt, but he’d emphasized that I’d have a baby at the end. Maybe that was the role of all omegas who’d given birth, so they didn’t scare anyone from getting pregnant.

We wandered up and down the hall, stopping and starting according to the contractions, and I mumbled, “Pain before gain,” until it was running in a loop in my head.

“What do you think the baby’s thinking?” I had my back to Price, and his arms were wrapped around me and rubbing the bump.

“‘It’s very squishy in here?’ or ‘I wonder where this leads to?’ or ‘Can someone turn on a light?’”

That tickled me, and I grinned, but it became a snicker and then laughter, and I bent forward. “Owww. Don’t make me laugh.”

I turned around and whacked his arm, but his lopsided smile told me he was trying to take my mind off the pain.

“Bedroom.” When the children were home, it was our sanctuary from the pandemonium that was the rest of the house. “This is where we wake up together and where our baby should be born.”

We’d prepared plastic sheeting, old towels, and sheets, and Price covered the bed, but I wasn’t ready to push. We paced more, and he put on our playlist. He bopped around making me laugh again, but when he held out his hand, I hesitated before letting him pull me into his arms.

“I’ve heard this can help with labor.” He wriggled his hips and shimmied across the floor.

“If the baby can see you, they’ll turn around and say, ‘Those people are weird. Get me another family.’” But I couldn’t stifle my laughter.

“And I say to that, who wants a boring family?” Price had his arms in the air as he spun over the carpet. “Embrace the chaos.”

“What would Bea say if she were here?” I asked.

Price made a Bea-like face. “Observe the adults. They are dancing. The little one refuses to comment.”

A sharp pain wrapped around my belly, and Price grabbed me as I bent forward.

“It’s time. I need to push.”

Price asked if I needed to be on the bed, and I did, but I wanted him behind me. But then he couldn’t see the baby being born. My head was muddled as instinct took over and I needed to get our little one out.

“A mirror.” He grabbed our floor-length one and wheeled it to the bottom of the bed.

With Price behind and me between his legs, I leaned forward and pushed. But nothing happened. There was no baby, and I fell back and Price dabbed my damp brow with a cloth.

“Again.” Oh gods, I was being ripped apart. How big was this baby?

“You’re doing great, my love.”

He was here, talking me through the contractions and pushing, and though he couldn’t bear my physical pain, he kept up a steady stream of “That’s it,” “You’ve got this,” and “One more.” His lips were at my ear and his hands never left me.

When I gasped that I couldn't do this, he said, “You already are.”

“Oh my gods, it hurts.” I panted as another contraction passed and no baby. “And again.” I screamed as I gave it everything, all my energy, stamina, and strength.

“Cam, look.”

Sweat dripped into my eyes as I squinted at where my mate was pointing.

“The baby’s head. Our little one’s almost here.”

The next however many minutes or hours blurred. Pain, pushing, and panting.