Love at First Mate - Badlands Territory

I take each tiny car seat and snap them into the bases I spent three hours working on this morning, making sure they were secure. But now that I see the girls sleeping, so trusting, I take another few minutes to check them again, listening to Wynter giggle behind me in the wheelchair.

“He’s very protective,” the nurse remarks, and I turn to give him a scowl but he just smiles back. Why they had to give my wife a damn male nurse today is beyond me.

If my protective instincts were bad when it was just Wynter, then they got dialed up to ten when she was pregnant, and now that the babies are here…fuck, I’m at scorched-earth level and trying to reason with me is futile.

“He’s something alright.” Wynter flutters her eyelashes on a playful eye roll, when I look over to see a shiny silver mini-van pulling up behind the suburban, all four doors opening, and all I hear are screams and laughter.

It’s Gran, Howard, Josephine, Wayne and his mate Tina, as well as English all wearing pink and acting like lunatics.

“Shhhhhhh!” I stomp toward the loving mob. “If any of you wake them...” I look around at their smiling faces and excited eyes, unsure what exactly is the correct sort of threat for people that love you, and your family, and just want to show you their enthusiasm. I shake my head and wave my hand in front of me. “Just, be quiet. They’re sleeping.”

“Hi, honey.” Myra comes over to Wynter and leans down to give her a hug. “We’re so happy.” Her voice cracks and Howard comes up behind her, giving her a soft whack on her rear end.

“Congratulations.” He looks to me, then Wynter. “Those are some pretty damn cute cubs you got there. Clearly take after their mother.”

Wynter smiles as the rest of the crew gathers round, all hugging and peeking in the back seat of the Suburban to see the girls.

“When they are pitching a fit they sure take after their Daddy,” she adds, giving me a wink.

English is standing next to me, looking at the girls, and when I look at him he’s fucking crying.

“Dude.” I look around. “What’s wrong?”

“They’re beautiful.” He pinches the bridge of his nose and sniffs, choking back a little sob, and I look at Wynter who gives me a sympathetic look and motions for me to pat him on the back or something.

“Man, get it together.” I shove his shoulder instead of the hug, and Wynter gives me a look so I open my hand and switch to an awkward pat on his back. “You’ll find your mate. You’ll have your time.”

“I’m not sure. I’m forty-seven years old, man. What if I don’t have a mate? What if I never get the chance to make little cubs and have what—” He stops, turning away, waving me off as he steps to the back of the vehicle and Josephine takes over, giving us a little shrug, holding her index finger up to say hold on a sec.

“What are they all doing here, anyway?” I step over to Wynter, then look over to see Wayne, his mate Tina, Myra and Howard, all practically climbing in the back of the SUV to be closer the babies. “Hey! Get out of there! You all have grown-up germs. You make them sick, I’m going to break your legs.”

“Ragnar.” Wynter uses her mom voice on me. “You’re not going to be breaking any legs. And you know as well as I do shifter babies are as tough as any adult. They’re not licking them, for gosh sake, they’re looking at them. You need to chillax, big daddy.”

I growl along with my bear as the nurse helps Wynter stand, and I nod a grumbled thank you before letting him know I’ll take it from here.

“You okay, baby? Here, let me put you in the seat.” She starts to protest but I’m not listening. I scoop her up and lift her, slide her carefully into the seat, then pull the seat belt over her belly and buckle her in. “You hurting anywhere? I have a kale, orange and mint smoothy there for you.”

She makes a disgusted face, then forces a smile. “Thank you?”

“You have to be healthier than ever. You’re going to be feeding our cubs and I’ve been reading all about nursing and what foods are good for lactation. And what things you should avoid for the most milk production and dense nutrition.” The words tumble out, and Wynter’s eyes are wide as I hear my gran’s stifled chuckle from behind.

I turn to see her wry smile. “Who would’ve thought you’d be this guy?” She runs her hand up and down my back. “I’m proud of you, Ragnar. You’re going to be the best, biggest pain the ass father to your little girls.”