Red Riding Hood | BoyxBoy | COMPLETED

Male Pregnancy

Alexander's POV

The healer said Cassidy was pregnant. Something that I'm still trying to understand.

"Cassidy is a man," I told her.

"Irrelevant," she replied.

"Of course, it's relevant!" I burst out.

"Unlikely, yes. But not impossible," she said.

"What do you mean 'not impossible'?" I demanded.

"I mean that there are certain rituals one can perform if one wanted a male pregnancy for any reason at all."

"Okay," I said a little hysterically.

She waited.

"Okay," I repeated. "Ignoring the part about Cassidy being pregnant. How would one go about this ritual?"

Healer Trish thought for a moment. "I'm not one to dabble in the sacrificial magic, but the concept tends to be quite similar throughout," she said cautiously. "You should consult with a sorceress if you want to be certain."

I nodded, anxious to know more.

She shot me a concerned glance. "Typically, magic to create life will require a sacrifice. Since babies are too small to see when conceived, the sacrifice for conception tends to be simple unless the mother's body is unfit." She eyes Cassidy. "Prince Cassidy seems healthy, aside from the male factor. Whatever sacrifice he made shouldn't be too significant."

My brows furrowed and I shook my head doubtfully. "Cassidy hasn't done a ritual. I would have felt something through the bond even if it's just emotions."

The healer hums thoughtfully. "Perhaps there are alternatives, though they are not as common, obviously."

"Like what?"

"Like you," she replies. "Sometimes, people want children of a...certain bloodline. In such cases, the father of the child—you, will be the one to undergo the ritual instead."

I blink at her. "But I haven't. I'd definitely know if I had."

Healer Trish frowns.

Queen Tasha coughs politely and everyone turns to her. "I will send for the mage, perhaps she can shed some light on this. In the meantime, would it be wiser to get Prince Cassidy somewhere he can rest properly?"

The healer nods. "He's merely unconscious. Moving him should be acceptable."

Not wanting Cassidy on the ground any longer, I pick him up and head for our chambers. Seffrin kindly holds the heavy doors open and I shoot her an appreciative glance, but she isn't looking at me. Instead, she's staring at Duke Kellen with an unreadable expression. The same look she'd given us when Cass and I first arrived.

But with my mind preoccupied with Cassidy's wellbeing, I simply didn't have the time to decipher that look.

Healer Trish follows us back to our rooms but doesn't come farther than a cursory glance at our lodgings. She nods to herself and helps me settle Cassidy in the bedding while telling me that my pregnant mate is to rest as much as possible because the change will definitely take a toll on Cassidy's very manly body.

I find myself nodding almost hysterically at her instructions and explanations, but I'm terrified. Some of it must show on my face because she pats my arm reassuringly and says, "I'll come back to check on him tomorrow. Prince Cassidy is fine. He may need more naps now, but that is normal." She leaves after that.

Alone now, I refrain from jostling my unconscious mate and instead give him a cursory clean with a washcloth. Cassidy doesn't stir. With him asleep, I can feel the full extent of his exhaustion through the bond, and it takes effort to keep myself awake long enough to wash up too.

After that, I crawl into bed and press a kiss to his cheek before dropping into dreamland myself.

~

To my unending relief, Cass wakes up at his usual time the next morning. He doesn't complain when I fuss over him and doesn't object when I call for Healer Trish to do a check-up.

Healer Trish promptly turns up and conducts a full round of tests and checks for him. I stand by watching as she asks him all sorts of questions that he tries to answer as best as he can.

In the end, she pronounces him hale and hearty but cautions us against overexpanding energy again. I nod very seriously at her words and promise to keep watch through the bond.

She tells us that we are also not allowed to do anything too strenuous for Cass, which inspires a glowing blush in both of us.

"No more than two rounds," she says sternly, and we nod even though our cheeks are on fire.

When the healer leaves, Queen Tasha comes knocking instead. She brings a stack of books with her and the mage.

The books, she left in a stack on the side table. They were all on childbirth and childcare and while Cass and I were incredibly intimidated by the potential daunting responsibility, we were also thankful that there's someone with experience to guide us through it.

I accept those books with a gulp and thank her majesty very gratefully. Cassidy eyes the book on midwifery uneasily.

Queen Tasha doesn't stay for long, but she leaves an open invitation to talk to her if we want. Cassidy nods in thanks.

After some rudimentary checks, the mage declared either of us free of dark magic but was unable to name the power source or the person who had performed the ritual.

"It is most likely whoever did this had no idea what they have done either," he told us. I was a little worried but even my concern was overshadowed by our combined relief to be free from malicious intent. The mage took his leave after that.

Alone in our room, I set the books aside for now so Cass and I can cuddle. The skin contact seems to help since the bond settles slightly once Cassidy is in my arms again.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

Cassidy takes a moment. "I don't know," he admits.

"That's alright," I tell him. "We'll figure it out together."

Cass nods and settles against my chest. We breathe in silence for a while.

"I know we only woke up a while ago but is it strange if I just want to take a nap so soon?" he wonders sheepishly.

"Not at all," I say and kiss his forehead. "Rest. I'll wake you for lunch."

He smiles and kisses me chastely before closing his eyes. The bond pulses weakly with affection and I watch him doze off, skin warm with sleep.

~

Much later, after a light lunch, the royal siblings pay us a visit. Seffrin comes with Colin by her side and Timmeu in her arms. The boys clamber onto the bed to talk to Cassidy, wanting to know what happened last night.

Seffrin stands a little awkwardly by the bed without her brothers as a buffer. I smile and beckon her over to join everyone on the bed too. She sits primly at the side and I take it as a win.

It had only been a few weeks thus far, but everyone here was pack now and my wolf gave a pleased bark in my head. Cassidy shot me a knowing smile.

The boys didn't know anything, and we didn't tell them that Cassidy was pregnant. Seffrin already knew but she didn't tell them either. That was fine for now. Cass and I needed to talk about this first anyway.