Everything Changes Ch. 05

"Sure, Livvy."

They returned to their temporary bedroom and, as he slid in beside her, she asked, "Who found me?"

"I did."

She inhaled, exhaled. "Probably the roof."

"Mm, hm." Calvin kissed her shoulder. "Do you feel sleepy?"

"Not really. I want to go home."

"Sorry, little one. I need more sleep; the drive is long."

"I know."

"Come, mate," he slipped an arm around her waist and nibbled on her neck, "perhaps we can find a deep, dreamless sleep." She stroked her neck and she tipped her head sideways. He kissed her, licked her neck, cradled a breast, the pad of his thumb rubbing over her nipple. He stroked her body, trying to spark her desire.

She halfheartedly pushed at his hands. He whispered in her ear. "My beautiful, beautiful mate."

She squirmed. "No."

His hands ran up and down her slight curves, her breasts, her thighs. She sighed, twisted, and pushed him down to the bed. Stephanie pulled off his pants, then crawled upward, toward his erection. He sat up on his elbows. "Little one, come up here." She shook her head, reaching up to grasp his firm length.

"You need your sleep, Calvin."

As her mouth approached the tip of his cock, he grabbed her shoulders, hauled her up, and twisted them so she was beneath him. "And I will get it, mate. But you need love and comfort more, little one." He held himself over her. "And, tonight, here, I intend to give it to you." Calvin kissed her nose. "Close your eyes... Now."

Stephanie looked at him, pointedly, then her eyes closed. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I don't want you to think. Just feel, Stephanie."

He laid beside her and stroked her body, running the tips of his fingers over her skin. Her shoulders, her sides, her thighs. Her legs opened slightly. He smiled at that, before he started kissing her.

Her eyelids, her jawline, across to a shoulder, back along her collarbone. Her hands went to his shoulders and he half considered telling her not to touch him so that he controlled their contact. He was curious about her sleepwalking, but that would wait.

Down her sides and up between her breasts. She groaned, twisting, trying to get the tips closer to his mouth. He ignored her wordless plea and kissed down her belly. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, trying to drag him back to her boobs.

Next he kissed from one hip to the other, then along her pelvic bones. She groaned again and shifted her pelvis. 'No, no, little one, not yet,' he thought.

Calvin kissed the brown curls on her mound and licked the scar that ran across it.

Her smell. Oh, it was growing stronger and he knew, without touching, without looking, that she was wet and ready for him. Selene knew he was ready. He inhaled deeply. But no, not yet. He was going to take her higher. Her fingers were in his hair.

He kissed down her thigh. Feather light kisses on the back of her knee had her twitching.

He looked up at her. She was panting, her chest heaving.

He began kissing up the other thigh, stopping before he reached her sex. And she finally spoke one word, needy. "Calvin."

"No, no, little one. Deep dreamless sleep requires more, and longer."

He crawled back up her body, pressing her into the bed. Taking her face, he kissed her deeply. Stephanie's arms wrapped around him. A kiss on her lips and he smiled against her.

Sliding down slightly, he began to lavish attention on her breasts. Calvin mounded them up, as much as he could. He suckled, he nibbled, he worked the tips with his fingers. The fingers of his other hand traced her lower lips.

Stephanie groaned, shifted her pelvis, wanting more. Wanting more now. He smiled against her again. [Patience, little one. I would have you sleep beside me until morning.]

More, more, and he felt the tension in her body. He felt her stiffen and he bit down on her nipple. She jerked, and groaned, and a gush of fluid covered his hand.

He slid down quickly, kissing her belly, her hipbones. Then he swept her juices up. His tongue slid over her lips, between. Sweeping over her clitoris as she gasped. He sucked it strongly into his mouth and she broke again. His chin was coated with more of her juice.

He next slid two fingers inside her, pumping them into her slick, warm depths. He could feel the rippling of her walls around those fingers and he hooked his thumb around to rub her clitoris. Stephanie writhed and grasped at him. She whimpered. "No. Stop."

"Not yet, my mate. As I said, I shall have you sleep well tonight. And I with you. Show me what I do to you."

A long, drawn out moan left her lips and she came a third time.

He rose up and pushed his solid length in to her, pushing against the contractions, groaning himself as he did so.

It didn't take long, after his treatment of her, for his knot to grow. She panted and moaned as he pressed it inside of her. She was muttering as he made his short jabs. He took her face in his hands. "Look at me." Her eyes fluttered open and she struggled to focus on him. "I love you and I'm here. I've got you."

He stilled above her, his seed pulsing into her depths. She quivered around him, and, recovering slightly, he pressed his pelvis tightly to hers and ground against her until she shrieked and she squirted again.

He stroked her hair, kissed her nose, and rolled them over. "Mm. Sleep now."

The next morning, they woke. Stephanie was rolled up against him, her nose against his side, her knees drawn up. It was an unusual position.

Breakfast was pleasant although Aurora glared at her. Cody sat next to her, looking broken.

Calvin asked to speak to Stephanie's sister for a bit and suggested Stephanie spend some more time with her father. She growled slightly but complied.

She was quiet the drive back. He glanced over a few times at her crossed arms and impassive face.

Finally, he sighed heavily. "Why are you angry that I spoke to your sister?"

She grumbled, "Why? Why alone?"

"I simply wanted to talk to her about your sleepwalking and didn't want to upset you."

"Why?"

"I wanted her advice on what to do if it happened at home."

"But I haven't sleepwalked since I was young."

Quietly, he replied, "You did it last night."

She glared at him, then grumbled, "Alright."

The rest of the ride was more relaxed. As they came within sight of the den she blurted out, "I want to start studying with Sharilyn."

He slowed, surprised by her outburst. "Well, certainly. You should discuss it with her."

They were welcomed back by the pack, and days returned to the usual.

*****

He swum up from sleep, disturbed by an unfamiliar noise. The bed was cold at his back and it was normally so very warm, especially since she had become pregnant. The ring of sleet against the window was loud; those running sweep would be having a miserable time of it. But there were other noises.

Emmett opened his eyes and saw other eyes. Amber reflections in the closet, low to the ground. And he heard whimpering, whining.

"Lys? Mate, what's wrong?"

He vaulted from the bed and went to the closet. When he reached the door she growled at him. The growl deteriorated into a whine.

Lyssa was in the back corner of the closet, in the nest of clothes she'd pulled together, in wolven form.

"Sweetheart, what's going on? Is it time?"

She didn't answer and he listened to her pant. [Natalie, I think Lyssa's having our pup.] He smelled the fluid that had gushed from her body. The tang of salt and blood. [Natalie!]

[Coming, Beta, coming. Are you bringing her to Medical?]

Emmett reached for his mate and she snapped at him. [She won't let me touch her.]

[Madam Beta, what's happening?] Natalie got no answer. [Lyssa?]

As she strode through the door, their healer said, "She's not answering me."

"Me, either. What's wrong?" There was a note of fear, bordering on hysteria.

Natalie crouched in the darkened space. "Light, please."

Lyssa growled and blinked at the light. "There's blood."

"That does happen, Beta. It's not a problem, unless there's a lot."

"Lyssa. Lyssa, let me see." Natalie moved slowly, touching Lyssa's shoulder, splaying her hand and touching chestnut fur on the way down to her swollen abdomen. Her flank twitched.

Leaving that hand on Lyssa, Natalie turned to Emmett. "She's in labor, the pup's coming."

"Why won't she talk to us?"

"It happens sometimes. She feels vulnerable right now, hurting. The wolf is her way of keeping them safe."

"Even from me?"

"You're a big male, Emmett." As she spoke, Emmett changed and a large, grey wolf sat in the doorway.

"OK. She's in the early stages and, since this is her first, it could take a while. I'll go downstairs and check to see that we're ready." He heard the unspoken, '...in case something goes wrong.' "Let me know if she starts bleeding or seems to be in a lot of pain. We'll be back to check on her in a while."

Emmett's big head dipped as Natalie backed out. "I'll inform the Alphas."

Emmett laid down and crept forward on his belly. "Here." Natalie turned the lights out. "She'll probably feel better without the light."

Emmett crept forward a bit more, wanting, needing to get close to his mate.

She was laid flat on the sheets and clothing, panting. As he touched his nose to hers, she closed her eyes and whined. [Lys. Dear heart, what can I do?]

With the power available to her, he was surprised by the quiet volume of her send. [stay] Her send was ragged, creaky, like a voice long unused.

He licked her forehead, licked her muzzle, rubbed his cheek along hers. He pulled away as she whined again, tensing. She laid panting, eyes closed, between the contractions. He lost track of time, so focused was he on his mate.

There was a knock at the door and it opened, before he could give voice to a response.

And, while he expected Natalie, or Wade, it was Ariel who entered.

The female Alpha entered the suite and approached the closet. "Emmett. Lyssa, I've come..."

The wash of her scent covered them and Lyssa scrambled to rise, slipping, claws ripping cloth. She rose, on trembling legs, head down, hackles up, eyes blazing. A snarl was ripped from her chest and she bared her teeth, growling.

[Lyssa.] Her eyes flicked to him as she took a shaky step forward, the growl continuing to rumble from her chest. [Lyssa!]

Ariel backed away, slowly, never taking her eyes from the chestnut wolf. She retreated to the door. Only when it snicked closed did Lyssa back down, grumbling. Her haunches dropped to the floor then she flopped over, panting heavily.

[Ariel, I'm sorry. I don't know what she's doing.]

[She felt threatened by me, Emmett. And, before you ask, I will explain. She appears to have retreated completely to wolf at this time. As subordinate bitch, she thought I would kill her or the pup, in punishment for breeding.] There is a slight pause. [Natalie told me she had gone far wolven and I wanted to see how far. I'm sorry to have caused her such distress.]

[You've seen this before. You knew it could happen. Why didn't anyone tell me?]

Natalie walked in with water and strips of warm, bloody meat. "Would you have listened before this birthing? Would you have believed it?"

Emmett huffed and licked Lyssa's forehead again.

Natalie crouched and slowly entered the closet. Lyssa rolled upright and drank some water then bolted a few strips of meat.

"How is she doing?"

[I don't know. Panting. Hurting.]

Natalie watched the muscles in her abdomen tense, Lyssa's breath stopped for a bit, and then the meat came back up as she retched.

"Alright, Beta, no solid food for you. Looks like water, if and when she'll take it."

[Shouldn't we get her downstairs?]

"There's no reason to move her unless something goes wrong." The healer looked between the two of them. "I am glad to see she's let you close."

[She told me to stay.]

Natalie looked at him, surprised. "She spoke to you?"

[Just that one word.]

Natalie waited through a couple more contractions. "Alright, things seem to be going well. I'll be back later."

[How much longer?]

"That's up to them."

Emmett looked at Lyssa. [What do I do?]

"Just what you've been doing."

Time passed. A tray was brought, Emmett had something to eat. Other than that he sat beside his mate listening to every whine and whimper. He watched every time the muscles in her abdomen tensed. He waited for their pup to be born.

He had short conversations with several of the pack but his thoughts were jumbled, disjointed. Natalie came occasionally to check on Lyssa.

Around lunchtime, Natalie looked at him. "She's close." She spoke to Lyssa in a soothing voice. "You're doing well, Lyssa. It won't be much longer and you'll have a beautiful baby." To Emmett, she said, "I'll be just outside, now."

It was about 15 minutes later when Natalie heard a change in Lyssa's cries and Emmett said, [Something's happening.] The healer rose from a chair and moved the few feet to the closet.

Lyssa was groaning, straining, and two tiny paws appeared under her tail. "Good, Lyssa. Good. The pup is almost here."

Lyssa fell back, panting, and picked her head up again almost immediately, straining again. "Yes, Lyssa, good. Push."

[I love you, mate.]

The head emerged, covered in tissue, and Natalie cleared the nose. "Once more, Lyssa."

An additional push, and the pup was free of Lyssa's body. She panted and twisted, growling as Natalie moved toward the whimpering pup. The fur was dark, but it was wet from the birth. Emmett snuffled the pup as Lyssa bit through the cord and began cleaning it off with her tongue. Minutes old, she pushed the little one over slightly with the cleaning and its sex was evident.

"Congratulations, Betas, you have a son."

Natalie watched briefly and, since Lyssa appeared to have everything in hand, took her leave. "Please, let me know immediately of any bleeding or other problems."

The pup was a dark brown, and male. A son. They had a son.

Emmett checked him out as he whimpered. [He's beautiful, Lyssa.]

Lyssa blinked at him and her body tensed once more. [Lys?] Oh, afterbirth. He recognized it for what it was as the tissue emerged.

Lyssa then sighed, flopped onto her side, and Emmett watched their pup nose his way to a teat.

[Emmett, we've got our baby.]

[Yes, we do, sweetheart. How do you feel?]

[Tired. Sore. Happy. Are you happy, Em?]

[Ecstatic, mate. Very, very happy.]

Lyssa's eyes closed and Emmett watched his boy nursing. It was an idyllic scene.

***

[It's the full moon, we should present him to the pack tonight.]

[We never settled on a boy's name.]

[I figured we'd start with an L and E. Or E and L.]

[Oh. Ew. There's a lot of names I don't like or don't want for our son.]

[Such as?]

[No Leroy, Elroy, Lewis, Leslie. No Eldon, Leon, Leonard. No Elton. No Elvis. No Lester.]

[What's left?]

She sighed. [I don't know. Do we have to do it tonight?]

[We should.]

[What was your father's name, Em?]

[Well, Wallace was...]

[No, Em. You never told me your father's name.]

***

Natalie and Wade reassured them that the little one was currently maintaining wolf form because of her state at the birth. That he'd be able to change form within a few days.

She was stiff, and sore, as she slowly made her way to the balcony with Emmett at her side and their son in her arms.

Ariel was smiling broadly and Randall looked pleased. Erich and Madeline stood to one side, also smiling.

As they reached the edge, Emmett turned, took Lyssa's face, and kissed her, careful not to crush their son between them. There was some chuckling. He then took his son from his mate's arms. The pup whimpered and Lyssa growled, lightly.

He laid a quick kiss on his son's head and passed him off to Erich, who took a quick look and handed the pup to Randall. Randall took his time examining the pup. The little one whimpered, tail between his legs, cold and unsettled by the males' scents.

Holding the pup carefully, one large hand around the shoulders, the other under the rear, the Alpha of Wyeth turned to the assembled pack members. "Wolves of the Wyeth pack, tonight we greet our newest member. Our first Beta female has presented her mate with a son today. A healthy pup. Our first Beta has an heir. I bid you welcome and accept Emmanuel into the Wyeth pack."

The assembled wolves howled in celebration.

Lyssa reached for her baby, who was twitching his legs and whimpering at the noise.

"It's the full moon. Let us hunt!"

Another howl went up as the men shifted and took off. Emmett again kissed his mate before charging down the stairs.

Lyssa cuddled her baby close as the females looked at her, expectantly.

Ariel quickly got their attention, "In deference to the short time since the birth of her pup, our Beta female would prefer not to be.." A groan of disappointment went up from the females.

Lyssa sighed. [OK, Ariel. But I'm just gonna sit on the stairs so they can't mob me.]

As Lyssa sat on the stair with the pup in her lap, the other females surged upward. A word from Ariel stopped them as Lyssa growled. "Please. For those of you who have birthed a pup, remember what those first days, those first hours were like. You were nervous, afraid, overwhelmed. She will attack you if you crowd her."

The older females took a deep breath and settled back. They trod the risers, single file, crouching and touching the little one, while offering congratulations.

Hannah brought a glass of milk. "Oh, he's so pretty." Lyssa smiled.

The pups began to show interest in the littlest Wyeth wolf, and a couple started up the stairs.

Lyssa rose, wobbled slightly. Madeline caught her. "OK. I'm tired and he's hungry."

"Go, Lyssa, care for your son. Let us know if you need anything."

Lyssa nodded and walked off as the first howls were heard from the males.

***

Little Em's fur was a dark brown, tipped with silver. His coat shone in the sunlight. He was a pretty thing.

He maintained the form of a wolf cub for a few days after his birth and Lyssa fed him as wolf.

Natalie assured her that everything was fine, but Lyssa worried he might be stuck that way. Lyssa was overjoyed when, on the fifth day after he was born, she found a pink infant in the bed with them. She counted toes and kissed his little feet. She counted fingers and kissed his little hands. She smelled his baby smell, ruffled his dark hair, and was startled to hear what sounded like a small giggle.

Emmett came instantly awake and watched his mate marvel at their son's human form. And grinned broadly.

Because of his form and his size, Emmanuel slept with his parents those first days. Lyssa slept, and fed him, and cleaned him up. And, while she had not been averse to meat before the birth, she positively craved meat now.