Seven mates for seven brothers

56- Congratulations!

Kenneth did not make a single sound while Conrad carried him to the pack house and Grace arrived about three breaths after he did.  Very carefully she wrapped Kenneth’s arm; securing his hand as well so that he could not put too much strain on the healing arm and the young muscles around it.  All the while she was busy; Conrad had sat on the counter; just watching his mate.  As did Cassy and Alex when he arrived.

“How do you know this stuff?”  Alex asked as Grace washed the plaster of Paris off of her hands.

Grace smirked at him and winked at Cassy.  “Do you honestly think I would be able to hang around Tess that much and not pick anything up?  I know almost as much about healing as she does.”

Conrad bit his tongue to stop himself from cracking up completely.  The two types of personalities his mate displayed was so amusing.  When she was taking care of someone like she was now; she was confident and sure about her actions; just as she was confident she would get the cooperation she was asking for.  It seemed that no matter how badly at fault her old pack was; they did at least have some measure of respect for healers.  Still; it only made the matter so much worse because they were also the reason for the flip side: her fear.

“So,” Grace asked as she faced Kenneth when her hands were clean.  “Do you want a sucker?”

“No ways!”  Kenneth protested hotly.  “I am not a kid!”

Grace look at him for a long time, then she nodded her head.  “No; you’re not a kid anymore.  Would you rather have a glass of milk and some of Cassy’s biscuits with us then?”

“Really?”  Kenneth asked as he eyed Alex wearily; afraid of getting his hopes up.  None of his friends ever had milk and biscuits with the alpha before.

“Sure k … Of course.”  Alex confirmed; stopping himself from saying kid just in time as Cassy took the milk out of the fridge.  Conrad was already getting the glasses.  Alex watched as the boy’s eyes lit up when Cassy took out the biggest container and dumped it on the table.  He watched with loving eyes as Cassy let her hands trail in the lad’s hair that still had some bits and pieces of the forest in it.  Her eyes got all dreamy and she gently touched her swollen belly and he smiled with her when her eyes found his across the table.  He could not wait to meet these babies!

“When are we going to Barry for the next ultra sound?”

“Tomorrow afternoon at about three; and I honestly hope they give their full cooperation this time.  We know there are two girls; but the other one keeps his or her legs crossed all the time so we don’t know what it is and I cannot wait with the painting any longer.  If we cannot find out the sex for all three tomorrow; I am painting in yellow.  Bright yellow!  It is neutral enough for either and both at the same time.”

Alex eyed Cassy carefully; he had tried to reason with her before about the color.  One of the books he had read had said that bright colors were too stimulating for newborn babies.  Before he could even consider his next words; she shot him a meaningful stare and he gulped.  He might be the alpha of this pack; but his mate had him dancing like a puppet on a string!

Cassy became aware that Kenneth was watching the two of them with big eyes and realized that he might be getting the wrong impression about Alex; but he surprised her by giving Alex a sheepish grin.

“My mom was that way too when she was expecting my baby sister.  My dad could never win an argument.”

Alex nodded his head in acceptance and stage whispered.  “I know the feeling.”

At dinner time everybody was eager to hear the story all over again and Conrad was just as eager to repeat it as often as it was requested.  He hoped that it would put Grace more at ease to know that her actions were appreciated and admired by others in the pack; but it seemed to have the opposite effect on her and she became more and more quiet and almost sullen as the day grew to a close.  Eventually he stopped because he could see it was starting to upset her; and he was more than slightly frustrated to see that his silence upset her more.  Goodness; she was far away from pregnant; how come she behaved so much like Cassy sometimes that it scared him?