Arranged Bonds

Chapter 13: Heart to Heart

I'm cuddled up to his chest. It feels nice. I can hear his heartbeat, it's rhythm tattooing a song into my skin.

I feel special in a way. Last night was the first time he only gave pleasure, never taking or asking for it to be returned. I think we are making small steps with each other. I can tell that we genuinely care for one another, even if it's not quite love. It's like we're in a constant state of courtship, except with all the benefits of a married couple.

He hasn't whispered her name in his sleep tonight and I find myself smiling before drifting back to sleep for a few more hours.

---

I'm awoken by the extreme pride and happiness of my mate. His emotions are always so powerful in me, even when he's not around I sometimes find myself in bed, just letting myself feel what he feels.

His head is near my small protrusion, his ear listening intently. His large, work roughened hand is cupping the underside of it, rubbing small circles, giving me all sorts of butterflies.

I don't want to disturb his moment, so I pretend to be asleep. "I know your awake." His scratchy morning voice vibrates against me, sending a wave of pleasure straight to my crotch.

I hesitate for a nanosecond before reaching down and running my fingers through his unbound waves. He hums in pure pleasure. "What are you doing?" I'm asking and he is smiling as he situates himself to spoon me, his morning wood pressing between my ass cheeks snugly.

"I can hear it." His lips are on my neck.

"Hear what?" I'm pulling teeth for this information.

"The heartbeat." He's so happy he's glowing more than me.

I try to listen intently and scrunch my nose when I don't hear a thing. He notices my face and just laughs, a full blown, pure happy sound that escapes his chest and punctures deep into my heart.

"You will hear it soon enough. Your appointment with Beatrix is today isn't it?" I smile at him even though I can feel myself turn green at the thought of seeing her. I might not hate her now, but she still rubs me the wrong way.

He's still holding onto my stomach firmly, not wanting to let go even though I have to pee, but I finally escape from his clutches and busy myself with my morning routine. I don't wash myself and I know it may seem disgusting, but I want her to know exactly where he's been. I want her to know what it smells like to have his scent mixed with another females. I want her to see the twin bite marks on the inside of each of my thighs. Does that make me a bítch? If it does, I really don't give a shit.

---

He's feeding me as we make our way to the pack clinic. I still can't keep much down, even with his soothing touch. He feels awful and I let everyone watch as I sooth my mate. I want the pack to know that we are no longer on bad terms and the tension that had slowly grown between the members slowly starts to dissipate.

We make it to the clinic doors before the blueberry muffin I had been craving starts to come back up. Nox is attentive. He is rubbing my back as I retch into the nearby bushes.

Beatrix already has her soothing tea ready for me and Nox seems surprised when I accept it. I don't tell him that I usually make her take a sip first.

I sip my tea in small increments as she goes over a new regimen she wants me to follow. She is giving Nox the recipe to the herbal tea as I pull my yogas and panties off behind the curtain around my bed. I seat myself in the stirrups like she had instructed.

She is moving machines around and Nox is back, kissing my cheek affectionately. I know he's happy for this baby, but I wish I knew if he is happy with me too.

"I am." He's whispering this into the palm of my hand now, twining his fingers with mine, kissing my knuckles. My heart is fluttering.

Beatrix pops back in and goes about her business, checking my vaginal canal, checking my breasts for any abnormalities, and asking me a few questions before she finally start to pull out the ultrasound wand. I'm excited to hear the heartbeat like Nox had earlier. I squeeze his hand as she squirts the cool jelly on my stomach before pressing the wand to my bump.

I don't hear anything at first and I slowly start to panic, but Beatrix reassures me when she turns up the volume on the monitor. She's pointing to the screen but I can't focus as I listen to the rhythm of my baby's heartbeat. It almost sounds too fast and I look up to Beatrix. "Should it be that fast?" I'm interrupting her. She scowls at me for a brief moment before sighing.

"I was just explaining. Look." She's pointing again. "Do you see that dot there? That's baby number 1." Tears are on my cheeks and I'm crying happily, but then something seems to register. Baby number 1?

"Do you see the dot beside it?" Beatrix is ushering me to look at the screen again, ignoring  my confused state. "That's baby number 2."

I'm not paying attention to her anymore, but Nox is so happy his mind block is torn  for just a fraction of a moment and I see how much love he has for these babies, for baby 1 and baby 2.

I don't see any further than that before his wall is back up like it was never gone and I realize that I'm having twins.