As I waited to be called in, sitting on a chair, Wulfe hummed "Walk of Life" by Dire Straits under his breath. He was accompanying me to the scan and the subsequent doctor's meeting, where he would relay all the necessary information to Damon.
The stark, industrial, or perhaps medical setting, with its linoleum floors and the ubiquitous hospital smell, buzzed with activity. Nurses and doctors in scrubs hurried along the winding hallways, either tapping on handheld devices or occasionally pushing patients.
A young couple sat a few doors down from us. The girl, though not visibly showing, was pregnant. Her expression was somber, while the boy seemed bored. I couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness emanating from her. Was she there for an abortion, or had she received bad news? I had no idea.
Suddenly, I recalled our first wedding with Damon in the registrar's office, where I had been analyzing the people around me. Wulfe turned his head towards me, tilting it slightly, as if he were sharing the memory. He was almost always by my side.
To say that the last week had frayed my nerves would be an understatement. Despite Mariella's health taking a turn for the worse, including a few slight convulsions that landed her in the hospital, Damon hadn't stopped badgering me about my health, my babies, their movement, my swollen feet, and my urine. My urine had become their new obsession. Thirteen samples per day seemed excessive, but perhaps they were trying something, given the limited options for Mariella.
Despite the doctors' and Salvatores' conclusion that hospitalization was the safest course for Mariella, with daily monitoring and energy transfer, along with healing magic to nurture the babies and minimize complications for Mariella, the Salvatores surprisingly considered a natural birth rather than a C-section, recognizing its benefits for the babies.
However, a natural birth was not an option for me, due to my narrow pelvic inlet, old ligament adhesions, and inflexible muscles. As the doctor suspected, this scan would reveal the positioning of the five babies in my womb, including the location of their placentas, crucial information given the increased risk of complications with a quintuplet pregnancy.
Damon was determined to avoid a rushed delivery, but a C-section seemed inevitable, potentially requiring a specialized incision depending on the babies' positions. Furthermore, a cerclage stitch might be necessary. Damon had arranged for Wulfe to accompany me today, ensuring I wouldn't attend the appointment alone. He had also equipped Wulfe with medical knowledge to interpret the doctors' terminology and relay everything back to him.
Damon had explicitly stated that if the doctor deemed me unfit to work, I wouldn't, and with Wulfe present, I couldn't hide anything. Despite the worry for Mariella, they also kept a close watch on me. Charles, taking a break from work, would also be at the hospital as his protective powers were helping stabilize Mariella.
Consequently, there would be no fucking for the princess until the babies arrived, which could be a month or more, and although celibacy might be beneficial, her hormones were another factor.
I wondered if she was truly weak and frail, or if she had her comebacks prepared and ready. And one more thing: my nursery wasn't finished. I hadn't even considered putting it where Damon thought, but I'd discussed it with Wulfe and Adam. We planned to repurpose the so-called "mating wing." That meant a kitchen, which we'd need, plenty of rooms – again, much needed – and privacy.
The project was supposed to start on the weekend, but neither Damon nor the Salvatores had paid any attention. I, however, had started my part: ensuring my privacy and the nursery would be mine alone, free from unwanted intrusion.
That meant pheromonal layering. It had to be done in layers. I would walk in and out of the wing, leaving my scent and specific pheromones behind, allowing them to settle before returning to add the next layer. It would take days and a lot of effort, but Wulfe wanted this as much as I did. The girls also didn't want Mariella or the Salvatores anywhere near our new baby wing.
Therefore, once I got home, I would have more work to do. Since this appointment and the scans would take time, the girls would be managing the shop today. That meant we'd go with Wulfe to the shop after this, then home to cook, prepare, and nest. I had already washed many baby clothes whenever I had a moment, in secret, as my washing room was my secret space. I'd also ordered lots of micro-preemie clothes, getting them ready as well.
Wulfe insisted on one thing: that my go-bag, my maternity or birthing bag, was locked, loaded, and in my car every time I left the house. This meant that if the babies came early, my supplies would be ready. He'd been the one packing it with me. Of course, he promised he'd have his own bag ready when necessary, but he needed to work sometimes, so I couldn't fully trust that he'd be ready to leave in case of a birth.
Damon, of course, had to weigh in on my birthing bag, dictating what I should include. He'd even offered to be available for a video call during the doctor's appointment. He also requested that my scan results be sent to him, reminding me that he was my medical guardian.
He'd sent even more paperwork to my doctor to verify this, and it was obvious he was upset that I'd kept secrets. I had my reasons, though. I was, after all, an alpha female, fiercely independent, but also his wife. I sensed his worry for Mariella, and I was also the protector of Damon and every Salvatore, so I had many reasons to try and make things easier for him.
Of course, what I considered easier didn't necessarily align with his desires, as he was a control freak. He hated being kept out of the loop and not knowing every detail about my pregnancy and the babies' health.
I'd packed clothes for myself and the babies, though I hadn't shown Damon much of it. I had my hygiene supplies and my phone charger. Damon had provided at least five different dental substances to help with healing, curb my milk production, prevent bleeding, and increase my blood production. I also had special bags of blood for drinking.
As for the babies, Damon had given his blood and provided instructions on how to activate their vampire side immediately after birth, meaning I needed to give them a drop of my blood right in the operating room. He would have preferred to be present, but that wasn't possible, so he wanted to ensure I knew how to do it; it would help the babies gain their immortality faster and mature sooner. Though they would be tiny, their organs would function better, and there would be no complications.
So, I'd received a lot of advice and orders. My bag was packed, ready to go, and currently next to me. It was on wheels, so it was easy to pull with me, and Wulfe insisted I take it, as one never knew when.
I was idly thinking as we waited to be called for the scan, wondering what kind of drama this would all be, if I could keep him with Mariella and away from me. But then again, once Mariella was fine, Salvatores five, nine, and ten, and possibly even three and four might remember me and try to interfere.
I had grown stronger as an Alpha, as we tend to do. This meant I might have the power to stop them, or perhaps turn them to Mariella's side. But was that the right course of action? Was I sabotaging myself?
Wulfe's calm voice echoed in my mind. "Thank you, my unicorn, for these snippets. I see I have my work cut out for me. But as you get stronger…oh, did I tell you? Our bond is unique. It's not just this mental link. I have linked our Alpha powers, meaning mine grows when yours does. So when you get stronger, so do I. And besides, I'm not sworn to secrecy. I might just tell Damon a few facts here and there, my love."
Oh my freaking god, I did not expect this. But fine, one thing I was: adaptive. I was sure I would find a way to deal with this, too.
Later, as we sat in the doctor's office, the scan was taken, and the doctor reviewed my ultrasound. This meant showing Wulfe my little ones, too. I wasn't too worried. I had my plan in place and my support system ready. The future as a mother of five loomed ahead, but I wouldn't be alone. At least I would have Wulfe, Adam, the boys, and my older daughters to help. That was almost ten people already added to our care team.
We had talked with Wulfe and Adam earlier. Since these ones would be preemies, we would set up a separate room for them at first. Once they reached the size of a normal baby, we could move them into the official nursery, which gave us time to get it ready.
Our preemie room was going to be in the warmest part of the house, with no windows and very dimmed light, as they wouldn't be able to tolerate bright lights or harsh temperature fluctuations. Despite being immortals, they would be fragile.
They wouldn't die, but such conditions would hinder their growth and development. There would also be a refrigerator and a bottle-warming unit in that room, along with other necessities. It would be a very calm place.
I had already used my pheromones and would continue to layer them in that room – safety, love, shelter, and nurture, all the good pheromones. I would also layer my repellents in the nearby corridor, making sure no nosy pack members would wander in by "accident."
This was going to be almost my, or our, den, and Wulfe was with me all the way.
The doctor spoke firmly, but not rudely, her voice laced with experience and professionalism.
"A c-section is the only option," she stated. "There is no way you can give birth vaginally. I'm sorry, but that's just the reality of the situation."
As she helped me up, having already done the ultrasound, Wulfe said, "Wait a minute, I'll get Damon on the line so he can hear this too."
I rolled my eyes. Great. They were a four-hour drive away, so it was unlikely they would come, but I figured he'd pester me with calls and make Wulfe keep a close eye on me.
As Wulfe made the call, I waddled over to a chair and sat down.
Soon, Wulfe's screen lit up as Damon answered, "Yeah, what is it?"
Somehow - probably due to my pregnancy hormones or my pregnancy mind - he seemed too calm, almost predatory, rather than frantic, as I'd assumed.
Wulfe explained, "We're in the doctor's office, and she thinks Mimi can't give birth vaginally, so I thought I'd include you in this conversation."
Damon nodded and said, "Much appreciated. Hello, Dr. Hellmann."
He greeted my doctor. She nodded and smiled, turning the monitor so I could see it too, and Wulfe made sure his camera showed it to Damon as well.
The doctor began, "All five babies are doing brilliantly, but based on our position scan and placental placement scans, it's impossible for her to give birth vaginally. Her pelvic inlet is narrow, and she has old adhesions here and here," she pointed out a few spots. "This narrows things further. Stretching might help, but we have identical girls right at the pelvis, here, coming in first. Since they share an amniotic bag, they would try to squeeze together, which isn't possible. Maneuvering isn't going to work when our singleton is transversally on top of them, here. And your boys are the highest, so there would be a lot of pressure. There are no chances to switch the babies' positions since you have five."
Damon responded, "I concur. No chance in hell. I'll make sure we monitor her. She's had very fast and challenging labors in the past, like the last one, where we had to break her pelvis to get the stuck baby out before resorting to a C-section. Unfortunately, we're stuck here in the hospital, but I'll keep in contact with her, and Wulfe will be with her. Our daughters will be the ones driving her to work and back, and will be with her unless you think she is unfit for working."
The doctor paused, then said, "Her lab tests are normal, and the scan shows no cause for concern. If she feels up to it, she can work, but she should avoid lifting anything below her waist and nothing heavier than four pounds. She should be fine, and we'll continue to monitor her. I'm also available in the case of an emergency. However, I suggest monitoring her uterine contractility daily for at least three hours, as her uterus is full and expanding. It will probably become very atonic, and her contractions might be faint despite labor progressing. So, three hours daily, and if there's any sign of even one contraction, contact the ward and send them the monitoring feed."
Wulfe nodded, and Damon said, "I'll personally oversee the monitoring and ensure it's sent to my phone. I'll also inform others. Thank you."
Wulfe then asked, prompting me to roll my eyes, "Now, I have a question about her lactation. As a triple alpha, she'll produce a lot of milk, but it also means her power will seep into it. Can the babies have it?"
The doctor nodded.
Damon replied, "Good to know. However, she usually loses weight because of excessive lactation, so we tend to curb it down early. Since this is already taking a lot out of her, she might not lactate for long."
The doctor nodded and said, "She can lactate, and she will, believe me. Triple alpha means her body is primed for babies, and even if you stop her lactation, it might restart. Just be aware of that. As for her powers, babies should be fine. Regarding her weight, it's pretty low considering the load of babies and the fluid inside her, but then again, the room for food is limited. However, I don't see a need for intravenous feeding just yet. It's unlikely she'll carry the babies beyond week 32, so there will be time for her to eat once they're out, though labor might start sooner."
Damon nodded and had to end the call as the doctor was coming to check on Mariella. Wulfe closed the phone.
As we continued our discussion with the doctor for another thirty minutes, Wulfe peppered her with questions. He wanted to know what to watch out for, such as how long I should sit or walk, as my cervix seemed somewhat loose. The doctor decided to place extra stitches because my cervix was considered "incomplete." I was effectively sewn shut, and I hoped it would help.
She reiterated that I shouldn't lift anything heavy, crouch, or sit or stand for extended periods. Instead, I should rest, sit, get up and walk a bit, then sit back down, taking it easy and avoiding stress. The doctor also suggested keeping my "go bag" with me, and it would be wise to bring it to my next appointment, just in case. You never know when the time will come, right?
I had hoped to keep these five babies inside me as long as possible, and I focused on boosting them, using my willpower and "alpha power" to help them mature and become more resilient. Though they weren't energy creatures, meaning I had no magical means to make them grow bigger or robust, I hoped my powers would at least help their minds be more receptive, lessening the shock when it was time for them to arrive.
As we drove to the shop, Wulfe said, "Don't worry, my unicorn. I'll prepare a few spells and put them in the nursery for our preemies, making it perfect for them. I can't wait to dress them for the first time. But I have to admit, something about Damon is off, not towards you, but concerning Mariella...or am I wrong?"
I replied, "No, you're not. I'm not entirely sure why he whisked her into a vast hospital when they could have performed the operation here and used energy shots. Is he giving her a lesson, or is he just overreacting? Either way, I'll ensure his focus remains on Mariella. I don't want a horde of Salvatores disrupting us and telling us what to do. All I need is you, my love."
Wulfe wiped his eyes, still unaccustomed to my declarations of love. Having just sent him my love, the babies also sent him their love, and he was getting rather teary-eyed. Once upon a time, it was just me and Damon against the world.
Now it was just Wulfe and me, along with a few others, ready to face the world. Not that the world could truly threaten us; we were a formidable force, seemingly unkillable, and deeply in love, as a family and as a couple. Damon and Mariella and their drama faded into the background as my mind focused on my remaining plans.
Best of all, Mariella had been eager for a registry and baby shower, a party, but thankfully, her health issues had caused those plans to be dropped. It wasn't for me, not right now at least. However, I had provided a list of my preferences to the crones and a few other clients, in case they wished to get something or planned to. Given these few limitations, I just made sure they were aware.
It was truly amazing to have Wulfe in my life. Despite my numerous complaints about being pregnant—the heartburn, sore back, restlessness, constant headaches from crashing glucose levels, sore breasts, and constant tiredness—being with him made everything so much easier.
I remembered my very first set of babies. There had been so many more, but I was all alone back then, having done what needed to be done. Those were dark times, and those babies were with me for such a short while. But now, we would have them.
I had a little surprise for Wulfe. I had sprouted new scales, two dragon scales in my chest, gifts from the very first dragons we saved long ago. I had grown new scales for them, and then they healed. They no longer needed my scales to grow new ones; these had been the very last of their scales, a great honor for me.
Now, I had made a set for Wulfe, too. I knew they were meant for him, and I planned to give them to him that evening, a little gift. They were shimmering blue, golden, and silvery-pink—female and male scales. Number One had his set, but no one else did, not until now. Time was going to change. This pack was going to change, and I wasn't thinking about Damon and Mariella, or the Salvatores, or even Charles. This was our time, mine and Wulfe's.