Page 161 of Trove’s Purpose

Maybe.

It was an unusual feeling, because he wasn’t sure what it was. Both longing, desire, unease, and worry. All of it was swirling unpredictably inside him. He both wanted to breed his mate, and was scared of the idea of actually being a father.

The nursery was nice though. The enclosed beds that doubled as incubators. The chairs that could hover and rock so the females could sit there with their young. The bright, colorful walls and the murals upon them. The soft toys. Teething toys, clawing toys, pouncing toys. They didn’t know exactly what they needed, so they had been buying whatever they wanted.

What would a domini youngling need? Definitely pouncing toys. Teething toys, for sure. He didn’t know beyond that. He didn’t know anything about younglings.

After inspecting the nursery, he and Tanin returned to the rec room so Tanin could once again claim his post in the corner by the door, just waiting.

Impatiently, painfully waiting.

Human females really took their time in this. What could possibly be taking so long? Why did it have to be endless like this.

Then, finally-

“She’s in the final stage of labor,” Alred announced from overhead, causing everyone in the rec room to freeze. “She’s pushing the youngling out now. It won’t be too much longer.”

He said that, but it still seemed entirely too long that they were then kept waiting. No one was trying to distract themselves anymore. They were all just still, tense, waiting.

Waiting…

Waiting…

“They’re ready for you, captain,” Alred finally said from overhead.

He had barely even finished when Tanin was up, running from the room. Trove and the others were slower in following. He didn’t know that he’d be welcome in the medbay yet, but he couldn’t help but be drawn in.

It was like there was something in him that needed to be close to this. That needed to be nearby. His sister, his family, his clan, was vulnerable now. He had to be close in order to protect her.

And yes, they were on their ship, traveling through subspace. There was no one and nothing here that could catch up to them. They were as safe and isolated as they could be.

But the instinct remained regardless.

Tanin was already inside the medbay when he arrived. But Chee was also standing outside. She looked tired. And the moment she saw him, she stumbled his way and practically fell into his arms. The door opened and the other females began emerging. All but Goldie and Garnet. Grace and Haven went to their males, also appearing just as tired.

“She’s fine,” Chee announced to everyone, smiling despite her fatigue. “Honestly, that went incredibly smoothly. She didn’t have a hint of pain the whole time. It was amazing.”

She considered that horrible, long wait amazing? Smooth? Trove was terrified about what human births were like without help if that was considered a great one.

“It’s a girl,” Grace announced, leaning into Sway. She let out a long breath. “She’s such a cute baby girl. Garnet started crying when she was done. I’m glad Tanin got here fast. It was like she wanted him there and couldn’t stand him being there all at once. Crazy.”

Haven nodded along. “I think we need to be better preparing for what the alien hormones will be doing to us for our births.”

To Trove’s fear, Chee nodded along in agreement.

Like she also anticipated making him go through this long wait.

He wrapped his arms around his female and helped bear her away.

“Come on,” he said. “You need rest.”

“Goldie and Garnet need rest,” she corrected, but she let him take her away down the hall without a fight. “They were rockstars in there.”

Trove hummed in agreement, though he didn’t know exactly what that meant, he understood what she was saying.

Back in their room, he helped Chee to the bed.

Already, it was so different in here. The addition of his female made everything change.