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As much as they both adored their precious pup more than life itself, it was oh, so rare that they had their cozy little home just to the two of them since welcoming their first child into the world that they were currently taking full advantage of the time alone.
And that meant coupling on every surface of their cottage. . . again.
Or, at least, as best they were able given her condition and her resultant fluctuating libido. Not that he minded.
Much as he was enjoying worshipping her body openly and as often as she would allow as he had before she'd birthed his pup, he was also enjoying the simple quiet moments between them just as much. It had become a luxury to simply hold her in his arms without the constant threat of interruption.
Not that he would ever begrudge the attention their lively pup demanded. Really, he loved every second. But he was still revelling in the opportunity to lavish his mate with his full and undivided attention, providing for her every comfort and desire as she grew another pup of his in her belly.
Another. . .
He growled happily low in his throat, burying his nose into the juncture of her shoulder, inhaling deeply. Letting her intoxicating scent - so sweet and ripe and his - flood his senses. His hips rocked just a touch more firmly against her bottom, wholly satisfied by the feel of her in his arms and his cock enveloped securely in her slick, tight heat.
But even as they rocked together in the nest of blankets he'd made for them before the fireplace - pleasure blooming in soft, comforting waves between them as his cock slid lazily between her legs in contrast to the fervent, sweat-slicked need that had consumed them earlier that morning - their hands never strayed from where they rested, entwined, over her swollen belly.
They were both very aware that her time was nearly upon them, and thus their precious time alone was nearly over.
Hence why their firstborn had been safely handed off so that they could focus on each other and the new life they were about to welcome to the world.
Already, her false labour pains had long become a familiar occurrence and he knew instinctively just as she did that it would happen very soon indeed.
Yet, if anything, instead of pushing their couplings to become even more frantic as time grew short, they had become fewer and more tender. And not only because her impending labour made her far too uncomfortable and restless for anything more.
Anxiety warred with excitement to twist in a sharp, jagged lump deep in his gut.
He remembered the too early and far too swift birth of their first all too clearly.
He remembered his rage and terror and how bloody helpless - how utterly useless he'd felt.
Never had he regretted his transformations, but he had that night, trapped in his wolf-form as she'd laboured and fought to birth their pup alone on the bedroom floor.
Well, she wouldn't be alone this time. This time, he would be at her side. And more mercifully still, the moon had passed three nights before. A moon he had passed curled around her - inside for once, despite his wolf-nature's discomfort at being confined indoors - his every sense trained on her lest their newest pup decide to come a few days early once more.
With a low, heavy sigh she tensed in his arms before melting back against his chest, her chest heaving enticingly, as she tilted her head back to meet his gaze. He obliged in her silent entreaty for a kiss, peppering them sweetly against her lips, her cheeks, her lids as he continued to rock, carefully watching her for even the slightest signs of discomfort as he began to build her back up again. His wolf-nature puffed up proudly at the happy hum that vibrated through her at his ministrations, his cock twitching as her thighs squeezed tighter around him.
But he restrained himself, fighting the urge to spill just yet even as his abdomen tightened in anticipation and the familiar flaring tingle began to pulse from the base of his spine down to his clenching bollocks.
He would bring her to release once more.
One last time.
***
She groaned, low and deep in her chest as he helped her back across the breadth of their home toward the nest of blankets where they'd only just coupled the afternoon before. Outside, dawn would surely have been spreading in watery streaks across the sky, the first true rays of daylight brightening the woods outside their little home had it not been for the heavy grey clouds and first splashes of rain plopping against the window panes.
Shortly after he had spilled inside her, her waters had broken and it hadn't been long after dusk had fallen that her labour pains had begun in earnest.
The night had felt like it lasted forever, an unending blur of pacing and groaning and dozing as her body worked to birth their pup into the world. But now, as dawn broke, it felt like it had passed much too swiftly.
Panic and fearful apprehension had sharpened his temper. The memory of her cries and the sight of her flushed and struggling where she leaned against their bed when he'd finally lost control of his fury and smashed in through their bedroom window when their first pup had been born were branded into his mind.
Like that horrible, wonderful night, her naked skin was flushed and shiny with a sheen of sweat, her wild curls clinging to her face and neck no matter how often he brushed them carefully back. Further, when her eyes weren't screwed shut against the waves of agony rippling through her petite frame, they were boring into his with frightful intensity as she cursed his name and his balls and his ruddy troublemaking cock under her breath.
More than once, he had to swallow thickly and restrain the urge to cup his bits protectively at the creative things spilling from between her grit teeth as she shared what she wanted to do to him once his pup was out of her.
He'd had to forcibly remind himself more than once that she liked his cock near as much as he did, and that it was just the pain talking.
But as the night had turned and exhaustion began to wear at them both, the curses had come fewer and further between in favour of whimpered groans and her crushing grip in his as the pain grew in intensity and frequency.
Nevertheless, he'd been utterly mesmerized by her strength and the unsettling clench and rippling of her pregnant belly despite his anxious hovering and the sick, helpless fury throbbing in his gut that he was unable to do anything to take away his mate's pain - especially since he was more than aware that there was more than a kernel of truth that her state was his fault in a very big way.
He was the one who put the pup in her belly, after all.
Fuck, she was so damn strong.
And despite it all, pure, unadulterated love and pride swelled almost painfully in his chest.
His mate was magnificent.
She panted as she leaned heavily against him, her legs shaking beneath her. "It's. . . it's coming," she groaned between breaths, her eyes shut and her sweat-soaked skin gleaming in the dim light from the dying fire. He hummed, ignoring the sharp lump in his throat as her fingers squeezed weakly in his, absently massaging at her lower back in a small effort to help ease her discomfort.
But she was already shaking her head against his chest.
"No," she insisted more firmly, reviving. She blinked, her head tilting back to fix him with a bleary, pain-infused look that nevertheless nearly glowed with certainty. "No, now. It's coming now."
Despite the way it wobbled with pain and exhaustion and an underlying thread of fear that had his inner wolf howling with fury and his own belly clenching with helpless terror, her tone brooked no argument. Mutely, forcing himself to drag in a deep, steadying breath, he nodded, obeying the fervent light in her eyes.
With a stifled groan, she lowered herself down into their nest before the fire with his help. His gut twisted at how heavily she leant on him, one hand cradling her straining belly as she settled heavily among the thick blankets. But her grip on his shoulder was as remorseless as the agony that was wracking her body.
And as he positioned himself before her, folding his large frame to kneel between her spread legs, a gasping whimper forced its way past her grit teeth. Her hand slid from his shoulder to hook around the back of his neck, bracing herself against him as she rode through another labour pain as the other clutched at her knee, pulling her leg as tight against her chest as her straining belly allowed to make way for their pup to push its way out of her. He very nearly couldn't tear his attention away from the way her lids squeezed shut against the intensifying waves of pain, the glimmering tears of effort that squeezed free mingling with the sweat pouring off her.
But he did. He had too. Her grip on his neck tightened almost painfully, but the sting was the furthest thing from his mind. As a stifled cry tore from the back of her throat, he tore his eyes from her flushed, grimacing features.
And turned to the babe she was struggling to birth.
He swallowed thickly, terror once more twisting painfully in his gut as proof of just how close she'd said she was became impossibly clear.
No sooner had he knelt between her legs, then he caught a fleeting glimpse of pale crown emerging between her shaking thighs.
For a split-second, time seemed to stand still.
Murmurs he hoped were encouraging fell from his lips as she rocked and groaned, her features screwed tight in a grimace of desperate, determined effort as she bore down. He could feel her eyes on his face, boring into him as she strained. He glanced up, meeting her pleading gaze. A giddy grin tugged at his lips and he cupped her cheek for a moment, his thumb swiping soothingly at her damp skin.
"I can see our pup, Pet," he rasped. Biting her lip, she nodded, the wild light in her eyes hardening into resolve.
Fuck, he loved this witch.
As each moment dragged into the next, the child they'd made together slowly, painfully slowly, pushed further into the world with each monumental heave she gave.
He nearly couldn't breath for awe, the moment utterly surreal as their baby's head squeezed out of her and into his waiting hand - it was so small resting on his broad palm. Shaking with effort, its mother gasped in a sobbing breath before bearing down once more.
Her nails were like blades burrowing into his neck, pain prickling against his skin. But he barely noticed, transfixed as he was by their pup as it emerged from within his mate's incredible body. He could only grin like a besotted fool, babbling who knew what as their pup suddenly slithered, pale and slimy with blood and birthing fluid, free from between her legs and into his waiting hands with a wet gush. With a cry, she sagged against him even as he laughed, choking on emotion far too big to properly feel.
Their child, their pup, was born.
In his hands, the tiny thing twitched and jerked and mewled as he cleared fluid from its squashed and rapidly reddening face and, before either of them could rouse enough to do anything further, their baby let out a beautiful wail of complaint.
And they were both suddenly laughing with joy and relief.
Her eyes glowed with delight as they met his, tears streaming down her face as he cradled their precious pup between them, carefully pressing it into her eager arms as she disentangled them from around his neck.
And as the babe began to grizzle and root at her breast, he was gathering them both in his arms, cradling his mate and the pup they'd made securely against his chest.
The only thing missing was their precious curly-haired firstborn joining them in his arms for the moment to feel complete.
But that would happen soon enough.
For the moment, he was more than content to hold his exhausted mate and their greedily suckling newborn, the three of them lulled by the gentle sound of the early spring shower pattering at the windows of their little home.