The Werewolf and the Halfling

"Let me through. You out!"

Christian glared at Mary and his mother shaking his head Christian sidled next to Jessica and grasped her hand.

"I want to be here." Mary reluctantly agreed.

A few hours later Jessica was still squeezing Christian's hand this time crying out as another contraction ripped though her body.

"Things were easier when you were giving me the silent treatment." Christian said.

Just hours before Jessica had been upset over Christian's reluctance to speak to his father, three months of dodging calls and midnight arguments made Jessica very grumpy, as least in the weeks up to the birth he had allowed Diane into the house, aware that she was the only one to have birthed a hybrid.

Mary insisted on being the midwife as she was 'more of a mother to Christian than that blood sucker had ever been'. The arguments between Mary and Diane were almost if not more so irritating as Christian and Julian's.

"It was your fault" She huffed.

"It's not good to argue, I am very busy now."

"You are busy?" She snapped. "I can do this with Diane and Mary thank you very much, you can go sit downstairs with the men."

"Ah, but Jessica I was here when we made this child, I might as well see it through." He said grinning.

Jessica would have hit him if she could have reached him. The bulk of her stomach blocked nearly everything from view. Except it could not block out Christian, his face was looming above her and he was grinning.

Well, he could smile as much as he wanted. He wasn't the one with pain ripping through his body. She had that privilege. Though she could not help smiling when the pain eased. He was determined to have her laughing through her contractions, and he was very successful.

"You are not going to scream again are you?" He asked, frowning noticing the dazed look on Jessica's face.

"I might, if it suits me." Jessica huffed again as he wiped her brow with a damp cloth.

"Give me the cloth" she said, panting. "It eases the nausea to have it over my mouth. It's the damp wool"

"The damp wool? You are going to give me a lycan child! Confess it, Jessica! You are conspiring to birth a child who enjoys rolling in puddles and drinking from the toilet." Jessica laughed at his reference to werewolves. Christian always preferred his vampire heritage.

"I fess up." she said as another contraction began to slide its way over her belly. "I confess to having a lycan child"

"Tell me." He said when the pain passed. "We made this child that day in the woods, didn't we?"

"What day in the woods? You enjoy romping in the woods too much. I've lost count"

"You must remember. I know you must." He whispered as Mary felt her belly and pressed to feel the baby's head all was well, although Diane couldn't help but point out her cards had told her everything would be fine.

"It was the day when I brought you that necklace." Christian fingered the golden howling wolf around Jessica's slender neck.

"I remember it was cold." She gritted out, holding his hand tightly.

"I remember only the sun and the blue of sky."

"You would. It was me who was bared from nipple to knee, legs spread for the world and his dog to see." They both blushed as Diane tsked.

"So you do remember." Christian whispered against her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"I think that was the day our child was conceived. You screamed when you came. I remember a flock of birds flew up at the sound"

"And I remember that one left a white sign of its terror upon your head." She said, throwing the cloth at him.

Still grinning Christian bent to freshen it and then placed it damp and dripping, over his wife's mouth. She breathed in deeply, her nausea quieted.

"Not much longer." He said, rubbing his hand down her thigh in a long caress.

"He comes too slowly." She said. "If I had the strength, I would..."

"Would what." He asked.

Jessica smiled weakly and lay back. "Sleep. Do you think I will sleep ever again?"

"Not for another year...at least." "Thanks for the reassurance."

Christian shrugged and grinned watching as the Mary spread Jessica's knees to feel the baby.

"I only repeat what my mom told me." He said. "She may have lied. But I don't think so there was too much prideful anguish in her voice."

Hearing his words both Mary and Diane looked up nodding with agreement.

"Can you see the head?" Jessica asked.

"Yes its dark blonde and wet and only just coming" Diane said.

"What do you need me to do?" Christian asked Mary.

"I need you take my place on this bed." Jessica gritted out as another pain struck her fast and hard.

"That is a wish I will pray Artemis ignores." He said, kissing her knee as he stroked her legs. They were trembling. She was trembling and cold.

"What colour is my skin?" She asked, suddenly deeply afraid, why was she cold? Was something going wrong?

Christian looked up and stared into her large green eyes.

"The same colour as always, like risen dough, warm and your cheeks are as rosy as berries"

"I look healthy?"

"You look robust, If you were not otherwise occupied, I would take you now."

"Not for another year, at least." She said, sinking back onto the bed.

"Touché." He said grinning.

"He comes." Christian said, bending down to watch, his head lost to her sight and only his shoulders visible.

"Tell him to hurry." She said, and then she screamed. The pain was unlike any she had experienced. Sharp. Deep. Long. Then done.

"The head is out." Mary said. "I have him by the neck."

She could feel something coming, coming and then it was out and the child sliding with it. The pain was a swiftly receding memory. "Is he out?" Jessica asked.

"Yes...he is." Diane said smugly knowing her cards had been right. Mary handed the baby to be clutched to Christian's chest, the cord a twist of blue and red.

"A tiny lycan cub born in a crashing wave of bloody water." Christian said his voice thick with pride his eyes swimming with tears.

Jessica felt the pain of her after birth trying to break free. A dim pain when compared to the birthing of a child. She leaned up on her elbows, suddenly renewed in strength.

"A boy?" She said smiling, her eyes tearing so that she could not see a thing.

"Yes." Christian said, laying the baby on her belly, the cord holding them together for just a few moments more. "A son."

She stared at her son as he found her breast. She couldn't take her eyes off her miracle. He was tiny and red and wrinkled with golden hair, which was curled and wet at the top of his head, bare and bald around the ears. He was perfect. Beautiful. He even smiled.

"He is certainly your son." Christian said, coming to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"He is that" Jessica smiled so hard that her cheeks hurt.

"See how he smiles? That is pure lycan wickedness."

"Oh, he's is not wicked. He is...perfect."

"Yes, perfectly wicked." He said, winking down at her. "That great wash of water? Ruined my boots. My new boots Steve bought me. All the way from San Francisco."

"Christian must we discuss boots? Why not discuss the perfect son I have given you."

"I would say that I have given you a perfect son."

"I cannot argue there." Jessica said, nestling into his arms, her son suckling the nipple and pulling hard to find milk. "His name?"

Christian kissed the top of his mate's head and ran a fingertip down his sons cheek.

"I think I will name him Raphael, he will heal the damage caused by our warring people."

"Yes, Raphael clever choice, wonder how long you've been sitting on that one for." Jessica smiled, taking her mate's hand in hers and kissing the base of his thumb.

They watched Raphael while he nursed, the nipple falling from his pink mouth as he fell suddenly into sleep. Mary and Diane had cleared the room. Leaving them together, a family.

...

Jessica heard the cry of her baby but chose to ignore it. Raphael constantly demanded food, but she was only one wolf.

"Christian." She grumbled giving him a firm shove with her foot.

When he didn't respond she tried a different tactic, shifting his hair from his nape she placed her lips against his pulse and bit him firmly. Yelping when his strong arms wrapped around her, they tumbled for a good few minutes before Raphael wailed even louder aware that his parents were ignoring him.

"Your son." She said firmly snuggling back beneath the covers. Chuckling beneath his breath he went to his son. By the time Christian reached the nursery Raphael was close to resembling a mutated tomato.

"There, there." Christian held him close to his chest and gently rocked him from side to side.

"Hungry are we?" But already his eyes were closing, Christians thumb firmly grasped in his small infant hand. Jessica opened her eyes slowly as she felt a dip in the bed and a soft snoring.

"Mama's boy." She chuckled hoarsely making room for the added addition. Christian laid him gently on some pillows before joining them on the bed.

"I'll make an alpha out of you yet." He whispered into his sons ear, joining hands with Jessica, encasing their son with their warmth before dropping to sleep.