Meryn looked over at him. "I can see that." Then she frowned. "But I can barely handle that for myself much less a baby," she said, sounding worried.
Ellie had an idea. "Meryn, do you want to try something?"
"It depends, do I have to move?" Meryn asked.
Ellie shook her head. "No. Since you use visualization for your empathy, maybe we can go over different scenarios so you can see how you would react to having a child."
"Okay." Meryn wiggled in her chair, getting comfortable before closing her eyes. "Ready."
"Wonderful. Now, try to imagine a real-life situation; this will only work if you're honest with yourself about your reactions. Do you see your baby?" Ellie asked.
"Yes. Awww they are so little."
"Little?"
Meryn grunted. "If I have to push this thing out it better be little. I'll kill Aiden if this kid has his big head."
Beside her Grant coughed to cover his laughter and she continued. "What else can you tell me about the baby?"
"Meryn two-point-oh is wearing a Doctor Who onesie.
Ellie smiled at her geek reference. "Are they crying?"
"No. They make sound when they cry right?"
"Usually. Are they fussy?"
"No. They're just kinda laying there."
"Are they hungry?"
"How can I tell? Babies don't come with those pop-up timers like turkeys have to tell you when they're ready. How do I know if they're hungry?"
"What expression does the baby have? Are they suckling on their fist?"
"I don't know." Meryn's face scrunched up.
Ellie frowned. "What do you mean you don't know? Just look at the baby to see what facial expressions they are making."
"I can't see them."
"Why not?"
"Because Ryuu is holding the baby," Meryn said, her eyes still closed.
Elizabeth snorted. "Well, you did say to make it honest and realistic."
Ryuu's smile was gentle as he laid a hand on his charge's shoulder. "I would let you know if the baby was hungry denka. They will be tied to me as you are."
Meryn opened her eyes and beamed up at her squire. "You're my turkey popper! You feed me, so I know you'll help feed the baby too." She frowned. "Do they make Hot Pocket flavored baby food?"
Ryuu shuddered. "I do not believe so, denka. But rest assured that your child will receive the best nutrition available." He inclined his head. "It is my honor to ensure you and your child are healthy." He held up a plate of macaroons. "Pastry?"
Meryn shook her head. "No, but I'd love some of the meat kebobs Sebastian ordered for me this morning. This kid is half bear and half badass, so I think they are making me crave more protein."
Sebastian practically tripped over himself. "I'll get them for you." He hurried from the room toward the kitchen. Ellie had a feeling that Meryn's likening him to Elizabeth's mother had touched the squire greatly.
Grant leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. "I have to go. Aiden has called a meeting with some of the warriors."
Meryn frowned. "He's up to something."
"I'll find out soon enough." He stood and looked down at Ellie. "You'll call me if you need anything?" he asked, holding up his walkie-talkie. Ellie realized they hadn't been apart for very long since finding one another. She had already become accustomed to having him at her side.
"Of course, I will. Have fun at your warrior meeting," she said cheerfully.
He hesitated, and as he walked out, he kept giving her glances over his shoulder.
"He loves you," Anne commented.
Ellie blushed. "He shows me he does every day."
Rheia absently rotated her cup on the saucer. "I hope the men stay out of trouble."
Meryn waved at her. "What trouble could they possibly get into here? Besides, we'll see them in an hour or two for lunch."
Rheia and Ellie exchanged looks. Meryn had most definitely jinxed them.
*****
When Grant walked into one of Magnus' meeting rooms, Aiden stood at the front next to the large television. Office chairs were situated facing the television in a semi-circle. He sat down in one of the two empty chairs, choosing the seat next to Declan. Everyone waited for Aiden to start the meeting.
All of the Alpha and Eta unit members in the city were present, along with the twins.
"Gentlemen, I've called you here today to go over a very important mission," Aiden began. "As you know, some of our mates are already with child, and I have a feeling that before too long, the others will be as well. Our children will grow up together and more than likely, gods willing, be warrior brothers to one another." Grant found it amusing that Aiden assumed they would all be having boys.
Grant exchanged looks with a grinning Declan. Grant hadn't thought of it before, but Benji would be growing up with Declan's unborn child. He grinned back, and they bumped forearms.
"That being said, I believe that as unit warriors, our knowledge of child bearing is woefully inadequate as Kendrick pointed out to me."
"Where is Kendrick anyway?" Colton asked.
"He's still working in the lab," Nigel informed them.
Aiden nodded. "As he has studied medicine, he is already aware of a lot of what we will be learning here today."
"What exactly are we learning Aiden?" Adriel asked.
"Kendrick helped me to procure a video that will show us the miracle of birth so we may better help our mates when their time comes. As your Unit Commander and resident female expert, I felt it was my duty to make sure we are prepared for our children."
Colton nodded, looking touched. "Aiden, it is an honor to serve with you. You are always thinking of ways to make us better."
"Why is he the female expert?" Declan asked. "I would think it would be Micah."
Micah shook his head. "I don't know nothing about birthing no babies."
Colton frowned. "Why does that sound familiar?"
Micah chuckled, and Declan elbowed him in the ribs. "Pay attention. You're the medically trained one in our unit. If something were to happen to Kari or my unborn child, I would be turning to you."
Micah paled, and his eyes became serious. "I swear I will pay attention and learn all Aiden has to teach us."
Gavriel rubbed his chin, looking a bit concerned. "Aiden, I have helped a midwife a time or two in my many long years, maybe a video is not the best way to..."
Aiden shook his head. "Kendrick assured me this is what they use to teach young human females about childbirth. If young human females can learn from it, so can we." He looked out over the room. "Ready?"
"Ready, sir," they said as one.
"Good men!" Aiden pressed play and sat down in the last empty chair.
Grant watched the opening scenes where they introduced a pleasant looking woman who was huge with child. She smiled at the camera and told them her age and where she was from.
"Did she just say she was twenty?" Etain asked.
"That can't be right; she's just a baby herself," Declan said frowning.
"Remember men, human females can become pregnant as early as ten or eleven. They get their cycle once a month for decades."
Grant swallowed hard. "Ten?"
"Thank the gods Penny is a shifter. I'd hate to go feral killing whatever sick freak tried to get to my daughter." He blinked. "Gods, in human terms, she should could become pregnant in six years," he whispered. "Remind me to call Sascha later to double the patrol around the house."
Aiden nodded. "Good thinking."
Grant watched as the narrator announced that contractions had started.
"She's doing quite well," Etain noted.
"Why are they lifting her hospital gown?" Micah asked.
"Oh my gods, they are showing her..." Aiden stared wide eyed at the screen.
Over the course of the next few minutes, the woman's labor and impending delivery progressed quickly.
"What is that?" Colton asked, pointing at the screen.
"I think that's th
e baby," Nigel said in horror.
"Is it stuck?" Neil asked.
"I think it is, why is it not just coming out?" Adriel asked.
"That is what the contractions are for," Gavriel explained. "Their inner muscles constrict, pushing the baby out."
"It's coming out of her, you know," Nigel whispered.
"I don't think it's supposed to stretch like that," Neil said, peeking at the television through his fingers. "She's very red, and she's screaming like she's being murdered."
Declan sat forward. "What the hell is that needle for?"
"Oh my gods! It's going into her spine," Grant swallowed hard, feeling light headed.
"They won't do that to my Kari!" Declan growled.
"Why is he putting his hand up there?" Micah demand. "That has to hurt."
Grant watched in horror as the doctor took a scalpel and cut the flesh at the bottom of the woman's opening. They all gasped in horror.
"He is mutilating her!" Adriel hissed, his eyes turning red.
"What are those?" Declan asked, pointing at the screen. Grant noticed the man's hand trembled.
"They just said they are called forceps," Neil announced.
"They kinda look like salad scoopers," Nigel said.
As one, the men leaned away from the television as the forceps were jammed up inside the woman.
"They are going to hurt the babe!" Gavriel shouted.
They watched as the doctor twisted and pried the small goop covered infant from its mother's body. Once free of the birth canal, the baby was held up by its ankles and whacked on its bottom.
Hisses and growls erupted around the room. "If any doctor even thinks of laying a single fucking finger on my son or daughter, I'll fucking kill them!" Aiden snarled.
"I don't feel so good," Nigel said, swallowing repeatedly.
"Part two? What the hell is part two?" Colton demanded. "They've already beat the child."
"It's a different woman, maybe it's another birth?" Micah suggested. He tilted his head. "I'm no medical expert, but it looks like they are preparing her for surgery."
Neil turned to Grant, tears in his eyes. "What is the doctor going to do with the scalpel?"
Grant shook his head, his heart racing out of control "I don't know."
"Oh. My. Gods!" Colton shouted. Next to him, Gavriel swayed in his chair.
"They are eviscerating that poor woman when she is with child!" Etain exclaimed.
"Her skin ripped," Declan said weakly.
Grant looked around the room and saw the terrified expressions on the twin's faces. He quickly stood and stepped between them and the television, pulling their faces into his chest. "Aiden, turn it off! Turn it off!"
Aiden sprung from his chair, and in an effort to stop the gruesome images, ripped the DVD player out of the wall. Breathing heavily, he let it drop to the floor. "I will personally beat the next man I hear say that women are weak."
"They lived, right? Please tell me they lived," Micah begged.
"Humans are barbaric," Etain whispered. He was practically bent in half, his face in his hands as his elbows rested on his knees.
Gavriel stared blankly at the floor, muttering non-stop under his breath. "She will need to be cut open, I know it. It is her luck. Everything will go wrong; gods, they will try to cut her and I will go feral, killing the doctor. I will never know my child," Gavriel's steady stream of panicked fear kept going, his unfocused eyes unblinking.
Grant felt his insides trembling. "I've changed my mind; I don't want children. Benji is more than enough for us."
"It's too late for my mate!" Colton gasped. "I didn't know." His eyes were wide as he looked over at Aiden. "I didn't know."
"I will go feral. They will cut my sweet Beth, and I will go feral," Gavriel murmured from his chair.
The twins looked up at Grant, weeping. "Meryn's gonna die! She's too little for any of that!"
"We can get through this! We will get through this. We have to," Aiden repeated, pacing back and forth by the television.
Declan turned to Colton, both men wearing matching expressions of horror. "Maybe there's a spell that can pop the baby out?" Declan suggested. Colton nodded and kept nodding, his eyes wild and spooked.
"Meryn!" the twins wailed in unison.
Grant realized that though the men around them had faced down countless ferals, nothing in their long lives had prepared them for the gut wrenching fear of watching the one person who you loved more than life struggle to bring your child into the world.
"Gods help us!" he whispered.
*****
Ellie wasn't the only one who looked baffled at the men's expressions at lunch.
Meryn glared at Aiden as both Nigel and Neil clung to her on either side. "What did you do to my boys?" she demanded.
Aiden shook his head. "It was a special mission: classified."
Meryn turned her attention to Kendrick who was smirking. "What'd you do?"
He looked at her shocked. "Me?" he asked innocently. "I realized I owed Aiden for the educational experience he showed me in introducing me to those cookie ninjas. Since I am one of the few warriors with any real medical training, I felt it was my duty to help the men understand what you ladies will experience during childbirth. In fact, I knew we'd all need our strength today, so I ordered a special lunch. We have all types of comfort food on the menu."
Ryuu and Sebastian began carrying in deep dishes of steaming hot sides. Ellie inhaled and smiled. "Gods, that smells amazing." Her nose twitched. "Is that mac and cheese?" she asked.
Ryuu nodded. "We have mac and cheese, baked beans, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and even a turkey," he said, pointing to the cart that Sebastian was wheeling in. Carefully, Sebastian lifted a huge platter and set it in the center of the table. When he picked up a large silver spoon and inserted it forcefully into the turkey to dish out the stuffing, the twins screamed and bolted from the room.
"What in the hell?" Meryn demanded, looking confused.
Ellie looked up at her mate to see a fine sheen of sweat appear on his upper lip. She was more surprised to see that he wasn't the only one. Both Gavriel and Aiden looked just as pale and weak.
"Colton!" Rheia exclaimed as the blond shifter ran from the room, his mouth covered.
Childbirth? Ellie turned quickly to look at Rheia. She could see the other doctor had put two and two together as well.
Rheia's mouth twitched between frowning and smirking. She looked up at Kendrick. "You're bad."
Aiden shook his head. "No, he truly helped us understand." He looked up at Ryuu. "It looks wonderful, but no turkey for me today." His sentiment was echoed by the other warriors.
Meryn turned to Sebastian. "Can you check on the twins?"
He nodded and untied his apron. "Of course. I imagine they retreated to the communications hub. I will take them some sandwiches instead."
"Just not turkey," Colton said weakly from the door. On unsteady legs, he made his way back over to Rheia.
When he sat down, he buried his face in her neck. She rubbed his hair. "My poor mate."
Meryn scowled at Kendrick. "The twins are traumatized."
Kendrick winced at her statement. "I did not know they would be included. I would never have done that to them."
Meryn looked only slightly mollified. "You better spoil them for a while," she ordered.
Anne laughed. "As if he wasn't going to do that anyway?" Kendrick blushed at his mate's admission.
Magnus eyed the men, concerned. "I think I am extremely grateful I was not included in this."
Broderick chuckled. "I have a feeling I know what they saw." He looked at each of the warriors. "It's a thousand times worse in person. Watching a video or reading a book doesn't prepare you for the smells."
Colton held up a hand, tears in his eyes. "Please, for the love of all the gods, say no more."
Broderick smiled and nodded. "Very well, you'll find out for yourself in six months or so."
Meryn
elbowed her mate. "The butt sex isn't looking like a bad idea now, is it?"
Aiden moved over to sit in the empty chair where Nigel had been sitting. He pulled her into his lap. "I would take your pain if I could," he rubbed his chin over her head repeatedly.
"It's okay, my wonderful bear. Women have been having babies for thousands and thousands of years. We're built for this," Meryn said, rubbing his chest.
Elizabeth held Gavriel's hand to her cheek. "We're stronger than we look."
Colton looked at his mate for encouragement. Rheia snorted. "Yes, it will hurt, and yes, I will make you suffer right along with me, but it will be worth it when we hold our son or daughter for the first time."
Ellie looked up at her mate. "Didn't they show that in whatever video you watched?" she asked, guessing at what they had done.
He shook his head. "We had to turn it off before then."
She reached up and cupped his face. "My poor baby."
He turned his face and kissed the center of her palm. "We don't have to have any children. Benji is perfect for us."
Ellie rolled her eyes. "I thought you said you wanted a dozen?"
Declan gasped and turned to his warrior brother. "What?"
Grant shook his head. "That was before I knew what went into making one."
Ellie giggled. "I don't think making them is the problem."
Grant gave her a goofy grin and then frowned. "You know what I mean."
She ran a thumb over his lips before reaching for her fork. "We'll be fine. Did the video show the months leading up to labor?"
Grant shook his head. "Why?"
Meryn laughed. "What you saw wasn't everything."
"No!" Declan exclaimed.
Meryn nodded. "Oh yeah. There's weird cravings, bloating, back pain, peeing all the time, and don't get me started on the nausea."
Aiden rested his cheek on Meryn's head. "My mate is the strongest person I know."
"Well said, Commander," Broderick commended.
After that, everyone dug into their amazing lunch, except the men who avoided the turkey. Just as lunch was winding down, Kendrick stood and murmured under his breath. Once again, Ellie felt the air pressure in the room change. He had cast another soundproof spell.