folding table by the door had seen too much use and were being run
constantly.
“The Lucky Charms are stale, yet they strangely taste okay,” Rebecca said, looking up from her
breakfast.
“I wonder how hard it is to cook.” Felix eyed the kitchen. His man deserved a hot meal.
“If they have to evacuate everyone because of smoke from your cooking attempts, Claybourne will skin
you alive, mate or no mate,” Rebecca said. Felix sighed.
“You’re right. Let’s see. Healthy and boring, or sugar overload? Hmmm I think I’ll go with sugar
overload. He needs the extra energy.” Felix poured two bowls of Lucky Charms.
“He’ll hate…” Rebecca started and a funny look crossed her face. She dropped her spoon and grabbed
her midsection. When she looked up she had a look of stark terror on her face.
“Felix. My baby! Something is wrong with my baby!” she said before curling in on herself. Felix
dropped both bowls and ran over to her.
“Breathe, honey. It will be okay,” Felix said, easily lifting her. He jogged through the hallways, hitting
the gym door at a run. He leaned back and kicked it open, sending the thing flying into the wall.
Felix watched as Claybourne’s head came around and saw who he was carrying. Dropping his clipboard
he ran over.
“No! Becca, baby, no! Why, Doc? Why is she sick? She’s not a shifter!” Aleks, who had already been
halfway across the gym, heading for the door, grabbed Claybourne by the upper arms and was shaking the
man.
Felix gently eased Rebecca on the cot. He looked up.
“Liam, Benedict, grab him!” he yelled.
Liam and Benedict pried Aleks’s hands off Claybourne, allowing his mate to turn to Rebecca. In the
background they could hear Aleks roar and thrash. Liam and Benedict tried their best to subdue Aleks. Pa
jumped off Ma’s bed, stood on his hind legs, and roared. Immediately Aleks froze and dropped to his
knees. The large older bear padded over to his son. Aleks grabbed Rebecca’s hand and lay his head next to
hers.
“Aleks is being loud again, isn’t he?” Rebecca asked weakly, then gasped as another wave of pain hit
her.
“Is it contractions?” Felix asked. He attached blood pressure cuffs, heart rate monitors, and fetal
monitors to Rebecca.
“I don’t think so. The baby is in distress.” Claybourne wheeled an ultrasound machine around and lifted
Rebecca’s shirt before smearing her belly with the clear gel. Expertly he traced the wand over her stomach.
Felix watched in fascination as the little life force appeared.
“Surprise, it’s a boy,” Claybourne said. Rebecca snorted.
“We knew that, Doc.” She dug her fingers into the mattress and gasped again.
“There. See, the baby is moving about,” Claybourne said.
“Like he is in convulsions,” Felix whispered. Claybourne stopped and stared at his mate.
“That’s him? That’s my son?” Aleks asked, staring into the screen. Pa licked the side of Aleks’s tear-
streaked face before he sat back and shifted.
“That’s my grandson. I wish Margaret could see this,” he said, his voice breaking.
Connor threw some scrubs at his pa, who pulled them on while staring at the monitor.
“The baby is reacting the same way in the womb as any other shifter,” Claybourne said thoughtfully.
“My son is sick? Not Rebecca?” Aleks asked, kneeling by the bed, holding his mate’s hand.
Claybourne nodded.
“I’m starting Rebecca on the antiviral and a low dosage of Tylenol, which should help with the pain and
calm junior down. Aleks, I want you monitoring her. If you have to leave, have one of your brothers sit
with her. Someone needs to stay with her at all times. If this monitor changes get either Felix or myself
immediately. It’s the fetal monitor. It will let you know if the baby gets worse. I’m going to go call the
council doctors and see if they have ever run across a situation like this before,” Claybourne said.
“Come on Aleks, let’s move Rebecca
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