A Fox Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Six

Eloise Magdalena Smith is born in the late evening after a difficult few hours. Just like Quinn, she is already stubborn. After two hours of pushing, Althea had realized that the baby was stuck, face up in a way that made it impossible for her to pass through the birth canal.

It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to bring that little baby into the world. But, Althea had managed to get her facing the right way, and with a few more pushes, she was joining us in the world. She was bigger than Willow was at birth and cried loudly while she was being toweled off.

But I have never seen my best friend happier. He had tears slowly falling down his face while pressing soft kisses against the newest fox hybrid's face. Eventually, she had calmed down, comforted by Quinn's warmth and smell.

We had left to allow them some privacy after Quinn was all cleaned up, but I had come up once I recognized the sound of my best friend crying. Althea had gone to bed once she had either thrown away or washed everything that we used. But, Willow had decided to be wide awake and adorable, despite the late hour.

Braeden had come by earlier and was fast asleep on the couch. Neither of us wanted to leave our friends, so sleeping on a cramped couch was fine for the night.

Now, I walk towards the back bedroom, the sobbing becoming louder as I get closer. It is intermixed with the cries of Eloise, and a gentle voice that must belong to Link. Raising my hand, I give the door a tentative knock.

Nothing happens for a few seconds before the door is cracked open. An exhausted Link looks me over, obviously confused before recognizing that it is just me. His shoulders slump as he opens the door, allowing me to step inside.

"Maybe you can help," he murmurs, before walking back over to the bed.

Quinn is sitting back against the headboard, Eloise squirming against his chest. His face is swollen from crying, and it makes something inside me break to see him like that. Moving silently, I make my way to the bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress. The movement catches Quinn's attention, and he looks up at me with watery eyes.

"What's wrong?" I whisper, rubbing his leg through the blanket.

Another sob leaves him, and he looks like he is having trouble holding himself together. "S-She won't stop screaming." He shakes his head, a few more tears falling down his cheeks. "I think she's hungry, but when I try to nurse her, she starts to cry."

Link is watching us carefully, so I decide to hand him Willow. Might as well have my hands free for this situation. He takes her easily enough, used to holding her by now.

Scooting up the bed, I sit right next to Quinn. Eloise's little face is scrunched up in discontent, her tiny hands flailing as she cries. Quinn doesn't even flinch as I start to feel around his breast tissue.

"What are you doing?" Link asks from behind me, sounding confused.

"Seeing if Quinn's milk has come in," I murmur. No matter how hard I try, I can't get any milk to come out. That, combined with the fact that Quinn had a harder birth, and the fact that Eloise is nonstop crying, leads me to believe that his milk has not come in.

Quinn looks at me with wide eyes as I drop my hand away, clearly waiting for my answer.

"I don't think it has come in yet." His face falls, and I grab his hand, knowing that he is in distress.

"She's starving?" he murmurs, voice warbled from his tears. "Oh god, I can't even feed her. I'm a terrible parent already."

"No, no, no," I say, placing a finger underneath his chin and forcing him to look me in the eyes. "You are not a terrible parent. This is completely normal. Most people's milk doesn't come in for a few days, especially with the first baby."