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At almost 40 years old, Anton pretty much has his life figured out. He remains unchallenged as the alpha of his pack, and unless one of the boys has a sudden and uncharacteristic change of heart, he doubts any of them will try and take the title from him. He has his work in the forest which soothes the animalistic need to be surrounded by nature as much as possible, and gives them access to a space to safely transform in every full moon.
They’ve made peace with the vampires, and as of 3 months ago, Anton has been dating Viago. It’s a development he never could have predicted; a year ago they were so deep in their inflated hatred of each other that Anton was fully expecting there to be an all-out massacre at any point. Instead, their meetings with the vampires are filled with games and laughter, and the evenings end with passionate kisses with Viago under the lightening sky.
Life is good. Life is great, actually— which is why it feels like some massive cosmic joke when Anton has to rush home from his shift early because his body is on fire and his underwear is becoming unnaturally wet. He barely makes it through the front door before he collapses, face pressed into the carpet and whimpering as a series of painful cramping overtakes him. He feels gnawingly, achingly empty, and it’s like his body is trying to clench down on something that just isn’t there.
This can’t be happening, Anton thinks once the pain subsides into something barely tolerable. There’s no way, but his hand is already slipping under his waistband to dip between his legs. He withdraws it and stares, dumbfounded, at the slick dripping from his fingers.
“I’m an omega,” he whispers in horror. He wants to cry, but the next cramp hits and he curls up in the fetal position with a groan.
~~~
Werewolves are, for the most part, a purebred species. They have a shared ancestor with the Humans, dating back thousands of years, but at some point the species split in two. Werewolves were strictly reclusive until the last few hundred years, when some packs began to re-enter society.
There were some issues with that. Humans hated that the Werewolves were so deeply connected to the beast, and Werewolves judged Humans for their lack of connection to it. It wasn’t until the last few decades when it was discovered that the two species were actually closely related that tensions began to ease, and they realised that they actually got along really well together when they put prejudice aside.
Some connections grew intimately close, but since Humans have their own issues with the secondary genders that provided no benefit other than to dictate their role in society, it was agreed that cross-species relations between the two would only create complications. Werewolves and Humans were supposed to stick to their own kind.
Of course, that was never gonna happen.
Anton isn’t sure who it was, maybe his great- or great-great-grandfather, but someone somewhere in his family tree fucked a Human and introduced the potential for all future descendants to be cursed with a secondary gender. There’s no way to tell if a Werewolf/Human cross-breed will be a hybrid, not until the offspring presents. In Humans, this tends to happen in the late teens, but for a hybrid it’s unpredictable. It could happen earlier, or it could happen much, much later.
No-one in Anton’s family has presented. He was starting to think the stories of a cross-breed existing in his family line were made up or their Werewolf genetics were just too strong, but of course Anton would be the one to finally be cursed by it.
An omega, of all things. He’s the alpha of a werewolf pack for Christ’s sake— how can he be an omega too?
The oldest known age for a hybrid to present is 28, although Anton supposes that honour falls to him now. Although, ‘honour’ is more like ‘humiliation’ especially with the way it has him kneeling on the bed and trying to fill the ache inside him with one of his dildos. He’s been at this for hours and nothing is coming close to satisfying him.
He’s not unfamiliar with Human biology; he knows heats require an alpha for them to pass comfortably, but he also knows an omega can ride it out alone— it’ll just last longer and involve a bit more suffering.
Anton orgasms and cries when it doesn’t bring him any relief. He wants to curse the irresponsible werewolf that has plagued him with this fate but his heat-addled brain is making it difficult to focus on anything that doesn’t involve being filled. The bed is a mess of slick and come and drool and tears but Anton doesn’t care and just presses the dildo in harder.
He’s so lost in the haze of his hormones that he doesn’t hear the front door open, or the voice call out to him. It isn’t until Viago walks into his bedroom that he even realises that someone else has entered his home. Anton turns towards Viago, his movements sluggish as if he’s trying to move through molasses. Viago is watching him with wide eyes and he takes a step back, a hand coming up to cover his nose, but Anton barely notices because there’s a scent rolling off of his boyfriend that Anton has never smelt before.
It makes his blood burn and and lights up every nerve inside him because Viago is an Alpha.
“You’re—” Anton gasps as he rocks against the toy, unable to stop moving even for a second. “How are you an Alpha?”
Viago lowers his hand tentatively. His eyes are almost black, and Anton can smell how turned on he is. “I was Human once, remember?” Viago says. “I presented long before I was turned.”
That makes sense, or at least Anton thinks it does. It’s very hard to focus on anything else right now with an Alpha in such close proximity, and he says, “Help me.”
“Oh Anton,” Viago sounds so sad, and he doesn’t move any closer. “I can’t, I’m… Liebling, I’m not a Human anymore. I’m not what you need right now. I can go out and find you a Human Alpha—”
“No.” The alpha werewolf balks at the thought. Sure, he and Viago have only been together (officially) for 3 months but he’s committed and very much monogamous. He’d rather let the heat burn through him than let someone else touch him.
(A stupid, whiny voice in the back of his mind objects to this, but Anton blocks it out).
“Please,” he begs, and he can’t stop a few tears from slipping out. “I don’t want anyone else. I just need something.” He doesn’t care if Viago can’t satisfy his heat the way it wants to be satisfied. He just wants to feel something real inside him. “Please, Vi.”
Viago hesitates, but he doesn’t leave. “Okay,” he eventually says, and Anton sags in relief. “Of course, Liebling.” He sounds relieved, Anton thinks. Viago is one of the less-promiscuous Vampires in the city. He hasn’t been with anyone else since he and Anton started dating, and the thought of Anton getting dicked down by someone else must’ve been unpleasant for him too.
Anton continues to fuck himself lazily as he watches Viago undress. He can’t contain his whimper when he sees how hard Viago is already, and his hole gets slicker in anticipation which, ugh, so gross.
Viago doesn’t waste any time and once naked drapes himself across Anton’s back. He guides the toy away from Anton’s ass and pushes him down with a hand between the shoulder blades, until Anton’s face is pressed into the sheets. He groans as Viago’s hips press against him, as if he can’t help but thrust against him and Anton’s rocks back.
Viago gasps, his hands coming up to grip Anton’s hips. “The first heat can be uncomfortable,” he says, sounding breathless already. “I will try to be gentle.”
“Don’t,” Anton says. He doesn’t need to be coddled; he needs to be ruined. He can barely stay still against the feeling of Viago hard and hot behind him, and he pushes against him. “Viago, please.”
“Shh,” Viago soothes. He rubs a hand between Anton’s shoulder blades, and Anton whines when he feels Viago start to enter him. “I’ll take care of you as best as I can.”
And he does. Viago has always had an impressive amount of stamina when it comes to sex, and while Anton admired it before, he suddenly finds that he’s incredibly grateful for it now. He doesn’t tire easily, and he continues thrusting as Anton orgasms, not giving him a chance to rest before another one starts to build. He’s sure the mattress is ruined at this point with how wet the bedsheets are, and when Viago leans further over him it pushes Anton to lie flat on his stomach, the come from his numerous orgasms slides against his skin.
It should be disgusting, but it makes the heat coil even tighter in his groin.
Anton lets another orgasm wash over him. It feels so much better to have Viago be the one to draw them out but the ache inside him is still there, demanding that he finds an Alpha that will be able to breed him.
The ache gets easier to ignore with each orgasm and Anton starts to drift a little. His mind is cloudy with pleasure, his body getting tired. He wonders if he’ll be lucky enough to get a break in his heat– if not, he might have to tear himself away from Viago to get some water and a protein bar.
He’s not sure how much time passes, but Viago’s thrusts start to stutter. “Ah, Anton…”
“Yesss,” Anton slurs. He rocks back sluggishly, trying to push Viago deeper. “Thassit. Fill me up. I want you to breed me.” The words leave him without permission and he worries he’s crossed a line when Viago gasps and stops moving . Anton wants to ask what’s wrong when he feels it– something thick at the base of Viago’s cock that wasn’t there a minute ago.
Oh.
Fuck yes.
Anton instinctively starts rocking back against it as the ache inside him demands that he takes it. “Yes, Viago– please!”
“Scheiße,” Viago pants, his grip on Anton’s hips tightening as his pace picks up again. “Oh, Anton. How– I didn’t know I could–”
“I want it,” Anton whines. “Please, please, please!”
Viago doesn’t answer but his actions are enough. His body pins Anton to the bed and he slams into him, over and over, until Anton’s seeing stars and the relief he feels when Viago finally pushes the knot inside is enough to make him blackout.
~~~
When he comes to, Anton is on his side with Viago spooned tight behind him. They’re still connected, and Anton shivers as he feels Viago pulse and spill inside him. The urgency behind his heat has faded, but Anton knows enough about first heats to know there will only be a brief reprieve before it will be hungry again.
They don’t speak for a few minutes. Anton is still trying to catch his breath, and Viago traces soothing patterns on his stomach, helping to ground him. Eventually, Viago says, “I had no idea you were a hybrid.”
“Neither did I,” Anton says quietly, and he feels Viago tense in surprise.
“Really? You didn’t know?”
“Not a clue. I knew there was likely a cross-breed a few generations ago, just based on the stories my parents told me… but I don’t know anyone in my family who turned out to be a hybrid. I was starting to think it was just a myth.”
Viago hums in thought. “I’ve heard that the likelihood of presenting decreases with each future generation, so you must be terribly unlucky to have it happen to you.”
Anton snorts. “Don’t I know it. What about you, though; you didn’t know you could still knot?”
“We are rarely sought out to relieve an omega’s heat,” Viago explains. “Their biology urges them to find someone compatible and of the same species, and once you become a vampire, you are no longer capable. It’s been centuries since I was human; I didn’t think it was something I could still do.”
“”S weird,” Anton mumbles. He’s starting to get sleepy now; he feels safe and warm in Viago’s arms, though that isn’t anything new. “Maybe it happened on instinct? Or maybe it’s something vampires do on reflex if an omega’s in heat? Like muscle memory or something.”
“Perhaps,” Viago says but he doesn’t seem convinced. He adjusts slightly behind Anton, causing the knot to shift and Anton gasps, not expecting the jolt of pleasure it brings. “This is all still very unusual. Promise me you will see a doctor once your heat has passed? To make sure all is well.”
“Yeah” Anton replies, his eyes slipping closed. “‘Course, babe.”
~~~
“Well, everything seems to be in order! Your hormones are at a normal level, excluding your estrogen which is higher now, but that’s just a side effect of being an omega.”
Anton grimaces at the reminder. “You’re sure it’s normal?”
“Oh yes,” Dr. Clark (a well-respected Werewolf doctor his family have been using for decades) assures. “Your body will have undergone rapid development in the days leading up to your presentation heat. You now have the correct organs for reproduction, should you choose to do so.”
“Yeah, no thanks,” Anton grumbles. “And, uh… there’s absolutely no possibility of me being pregnant, right?”
Dr. Clark chuckles. “No, you’re safe. Vampires are sterile from the moment they’re turned; it would be nothing short of a miracle for you to become pregnant from that.” He sets the pages with Anton’s results on the table and turns to his computer. “Now, would you like me to schedule a check-up for 6 months’ time, just to run those tests again and keep an eye on things?”
“Sure,” Anton agrees. No harm in being vigilant, he supposes. “Hey, um, doc. You’ve seen this before, right? A Werewolf alpha that presented as an omega?”
“Hmm. I’ve not personally encountered it, but I know a few colleagues around the world that have come across it. Why do you ask?”
“Well, I just…” Anton sighs. “I’ve not seen my pack since the day before I presented. Is this, y’know, going to cause issues? Will they turn on me because I’m an omega?” The thought has been plaguing Anton ever since his heat finished and rational thought crept back in. Pack dynamics are complicated enough on their own, and he dreads to think how challenging it could be to run the pack when everyone knew he was also an omega. The boys could turn on him without warning, and for all he knew he’d find himself without a pack by the end of the week.
Dr. Clark shakes his head. “The scents and hormones associated with a Human’s secondary gender are only detectable by another Human. For a hybrid, that means you will now be able to tell what a Human is, but a Werewolf or a banshee, for example, won’t be able to smell it on you. It will not interfere with your alpha werewolf status.”
Well, that’s a relief, Anton thinks. It’s a bit inconvenient that Humans are going to smell it on him now, but honestly he only really cares that the boys aren’t going to look at him differently. “Thanks, doc. That’s good to hear.”
“Of course, my boy. Now, which of these dates works best for you?”
~~~
Dr. Clark is right. The pack has no reaction when they see him next. They comment that his flat stinks of sex and he needs to air the place, but other than that they’re all acting normal– wit the exception of Clifton. He looks at Anton funny, and Anton doesn’t know why until the scent of something mild and almost neutral reaches him and he understands;
Clifton is a beta.
Neither of them say anything. Clifton just nods shortly and carries on as if nothing happened, That’s fine by Anton; if he doesn’t want to bring it up, then neither will Anton, and they can just carry on as normal. Anton will spend a day or two every month satisfying his heat and then pretend like nothing even happened.
This whole omega thing will never impact his pack life.
~~~
In hindsight, Anton should have recognised the signs but ignorance is a beautiful thing.
~~~
It starts with feeling ill for several weeks following his first heat, but strangely only in the mornings. Anton starts sniffing his milk and side-eyeing his cereal, thinking one of those must be the culprit. Maybe the cows are being fed a new nutrient that Werewolves are sensitive to. He sort of goes off milk after that and switches to oat milk instead, which agrees with him a lot better. He warns his packmates about the milk, but none of them claim to be having any weird reactions to it.
Odd, but probably nothing to worry about.
He’s convinced his gums are bleeding, though he can’t find any evidence other than the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He goes to a dentist, just to be safe, but his teeth and gums are given a clean bill of health– although he is told he needs to floss more.
He feels so sleepy, too. Sure, he’s always tired anyway, but he can usually power through it without any problems. Now, though, he’s struggling to find the energy to do anything more than just laze around on his couch and watch YouTube on his phone.
The couch is old and not too comfortable anymore, which makes him grouchy so he starts taking all the soft things into his bedroom. All the cushions, fuzzy blankets, and even the spare duvet find themselves in his bedroom and he arranges them around until he’s nicely encased and in soft, decadent heaven. All the exhaustion catches up with him, and he falls asleep.
He wakes up a few hours later when the sun has gone down and he hears his front door open and close.
“Vi’go?” Anton calls out sleepily.
“It is me,” Viago replies. Anton listens as his footsteps approach, and he turns over in time to see Viago enter the bedroom. Viago is smiling, but his expression drops when he notices Anton. “Oh, Leibling. Are you ill?”
“Nah, jus’ tired.” Anton emphasises his statement with a yawn. “Been sleeping most of the day.”
“And you’ve… redecorated, I see.” Viago steps further into the room, his eyes darting over all the furnishing Anton has surrounded himself with. “Are you cold?”
“Cold? It’s the middle of winter,” Anton chuckles. “No, I– I just wanted to be comfy, y’know? I’ve been feeling a bit rubbish on and off for a while, and just wanted to build myself a kind of nest and have a nap.”
Something he’s said causes Viago to pause, and suddenly Viago descends on him in a flurry. He grabs Anton’s chin. “How long have you been feeling like this?”
“I–” Anton freezes, thrown by Viago’s behaviour. “A few weeks, maybe? A month, at least.”
“Your last heat, when was it?”
“Um… ten– no, eleven weeks ago.”
A panicked look takes over Viago’s face. “And you hadn’t thought it odd that you haven’t had one since?”
Anton frowns. “My doctor said the first year of heats can be erratic.”
“Yes, for underdeveloped Humans– not for fully grown adult Werewolves!” Viago leans down, pressing his ear to Anton’s stomach. “This doctor of yours, are they familiar with hybrids?”
“...No, he was a Werewolf doctor. My family’s always used him.” Viago doesn’t say anything, and Anton starts to grow nervous. “Vi, you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?”
Viago stands up abruptly, and he starts to pull Anton to his feet. “What’s wrong is that your doctor wasn’t qualified to give you advice. Come, put your shoes on.”
“Why? Where are we going?”
“I am taking you to a Human doctor.”
~~~
Th-thwum, th-thwum, th-thwum, th-thwum…
Anton hears the second heartbeat coming through the monitor and feels like his own stops in response.
Pregnant.
He’s fucking pregnant.
“You’re almost 12 weeks along,” the Human doctor (Dr. Herring) says neutrally. Anton feels sick. “The fetus looks healthy, and the heartbeat is strong.” She clicks something on the screen and the image grows bigger. “You said this was your first heat?”
“Yeah,” Anton rasps out. He feels Viago hovering behind him, despite the vampire standing motionless. “Is that normal?”
The doctor tilts her head, considering. “Well,” she begins, “Humans who present on the later end of the spectrum often find themselves quickly falling pregnant if they aren’t being careful. It’s easy to forget about protection in the heat of the moment.” Her eyes quickly dart over to Viago. “I assume that was your case.”
“We didn’t think there was any risk involved,” Viago admits. His voice is weird, strained a bit distant. It’s the first time he’s spoken since they arrived and he quickly described Anton’s symptoms. “I’m supposed to be sterile; I’ve never even heard of a Vampire achieving a knot before.” He’s so matter of fact about it, unlike Anton who still feels morbidly embarrassed about the whole thing.
Dr. Herring says, “There’s still so much we don’t understand about hybrids and their unique biology.” She turns back to the screen, and watches the little blob with the visibly beating heart. “Hybrids are embarrassed by their secondary gender, no matter what it is. Very few, if any, are willing to be involved in research. I get it, because it must feel like you’re nothing more than an oddity that needs investigation, but we need to know how they function so we can better treat things like this.” She sighs, and looks at Anton. “Something in your omega genetics has triggered a vampire’s previously-assumed inactive ones. I’ve never seen anything like this before, but this could mean that a Werewolf/Human hyrbid has hormones strong enough to undo the effects of Vampirism on the reproductive organs. If you’re willing to donate some blood samples, I can send it off to one of the universities who take interest in this. I’m not sure how much data we’d get back from it, but it would be a start.”
Anton nods. “Yeah, sure.” Might as well make something out of this dilemma.
The doctor takes a few vials of blood and explains what they’ll likely be testing for, but Anton isn’t really listening. His gaze is trained on the monitor, watching the little bean of life that his body has created without his knowledge (or permission). It’s horrifying.
(It’s kinda cool, as well).
The doctor sets the vials of blood aside and turns to her computer. “Now, we usually don’t ask you to come back until you’re ready for the 20 week scan, but I want to see you earlier since this is your first pregnancy. I can book you in just now, but if you’d like, I can send you away with some resources for you to read over so you know what options are available to you. If you decide to carry to term, then you can contact my office to arrange your second scan, ideally around 16 weeks.”
Options.
Such an innocent word, but Anton feels the suffocating weight of the decision that he’s about to make.
God, what a mess.
~~~
Viago is quiet on the trip home. It makes Anton nervous, who can’t tell what’s going on in his boyfriend’s mind, and he automatically starts driving the route to his flat but Viago doesn’t comment on it, so he assumes the vampire wants to come back with him.
It’s not like he can’t just fly himself back home if he doesn’t want to be around Anton anyway.
Anton pulls into his allotted space and cuts the engine. He doesn’t move, and neither does Viago. They sit there in silence, Anton gripping the steering wheel and Viago staring listlessly out of the window, until Anton clears his throat. “So, uh… this is… something.”
Viago opens the passenger side door and exits the car without a word. Anton tries not to cringe when the door shuts.
He fully expects Viago to take off, but is caught by surprise when he climbs the steps to Anton’s flat instead. He turns back and looks at Anton expectantly.
“...Right,” Anton mumbles. He gets out and locks the car before following Viago up the steps. Viago could easily turn into mist and slip under the door but he waits for Anton to unlock the door, and they enter the flat together.
Anton drops the keys into the bowl as Viago goes into the sitting room, still completely unreadable but Anton supposes that it’s a good sign that he’s sticking around– unless he’s about to dump Anton’s ass.
Anxiety crawls into his stomach, and Anton joins him after hanging up his coat. He deposits the stack of leaflets that Dr. Herring gave him on the table just inside of the sitting room. Viago paces back forth, and Anton watches him for a moment. He sighs. “Viago, what–” His words are muffled by Viago’s shoulder as the vampire practically throws himself at Anton, arms wrapping around his shoulders, and Anton hugs him back in reflex.
“I am so sorry,” Viago says, his voice tight. “I should have been more careful when I realised I was– I just didn’t think this could happen. This feels so impossible.”
Anton blinks. “Vi, this isn’t your fault.” Viago leans back and looks at him with skepticism. “Okay, I mean technically it couldn’t have happened without you, but how could you have known this was even a possibility? ‘Cause it sounds like no-one knew.”
Viago doesn’t look convinced. “Still, I feel like I should have been more sensible about it. This is all so new to you, but I helped many Omegas through their heat before I was turned. I didn’t even think about taking precautions with you.”
“Babe,” Anton says, and he cups Viago’s face in his hands, “you can’t blame yourself for this. From what the doctor said, it’s a freak occurrence; there is no way you could have known. Okay?”
Viago’s eyes water slightly, but he nods. Anton leans in to kiss him gently, and Viago clings to him a little desperately, seeking reassurance which Anton is more than happy to give. When they break apart, they press their foreheads together, and Viago says, “I understand you will have to make a decision in the coming weeks, and I want you to know that I will hold no ill-will if you make the choice to terminate. Whatever your choice, I will support you, mein Liebling.”
A lump forms in Anton’s throat, and he feels little of the weight lifted off him knowing that no matter what he picks, Viago will still be there. He presses another kiss to Viago’s lips and whispers, “Thank you.”
~~~
He decides to keep the baby.
It’s not that difficult of a decision in the end, which is weird considering how put off he is by the whole omega thing, and how little he desired to be pregnant when he saw his doctor right after his first heat (he made sure to cancel that follow-up appointment now that he has an obstetrician with more knowledge about the Human side of him.)
Anton considers terminating at first, especially when he realises how much more his body is going to change in the coming months and that he will need to labour to deliver the kid. Not to mention that he doesn’t know the first thing about pup-rearing.
But then he starts to think about this wacky biology of his and how it somehow made it possible for his vampire boyfriend to impregnate him and just… that’s a bit insane, isn’t it? It wasn’t like Anton never wanted kids; an alpha Werewolf wants to pass their genes down to the next generation. Anton just never found the right person until he met Viago, a person who he wants to be his mate, so he accepted that he would be a child-free Alpha.
If he couldn’t have pups with Viago, then he wouldn’t have pups at all.
So isn’t it odd, that in the generations of wolves since his great- (or great-great) -grandfather, that Anton is the first one to become a hybrid? An omega. That had a heat so potent that it woke something instinctual in Viago that he didn’t even know was possible.
They may never get an answer on how exactly Viago’s secondary gender was reactivated, but Anton would be a fool to look this gift in the mouth. The baby growing inside him is a little piece of him, and a little piece of Viago, and in the end, Anton can’t bear the thought of losing that.
He tells Viago this a few weeks after the initial news, and he laughs as Viago showers him with kisses as he promises to take care of them both.
~~~
There’s a full moon at the start of week 15. Anton dresses the following morning in the woods and notices that his trousers are starting to get a bit tight. He’s beginning to show, and that means he needs to tell the pack.
He waits until a few days after the full moon has passed, and gathers them all in his flat. They look a bit confused at being summoned in the middle of the day, but they wait respectfully for Anton to say his piece.
“There’s gonna be some changes around here in the next few months,” Anton begins. “Changes which might be a little… well actually, they’ll be pretty damn unexpected.”
Declan frowns. “Is this about us chasing that harpy through the woods the other night? I told you, that was all Nathan’s idea.”
“Oi,” Nathan G protested. “Dont act like you weren’t chasing her right alongside me! At least I didn’t try to take a bite out of her. You ripped out some of her feathers!”
“It’s not about the harpy,” Anton interrupts loudly before they can devolve into a full-blown argument. “Although, once I do manage to find her, I’ll be sending you to apologise, Declan.
“Aw, man.”
“What I want to talk about isn’t anything that you lot have done,” Anton continues. He takes a deep breath, and just goes for the ‘ripping off the bandaid’ technique. “Look, a few months ago I found out that I’m a hybrid. An omega one. Viago helped me through my presentation but, uh, we seem to have somehow created the miracle of life… and I’m keeping it.” He’s met with a few blank stares, though Clifton is unsurprised. “There’s gonna be a pup joining the pack in a few months, and I hope all of you accept them as if they were a pure-blooded Werewolf.” There’s a beat of silence where no one says anything. “Well?”
“...Does this mean we can stop pretending that we don’t know?” Dion asks.
“Oh thank god,” Nathan M slouches in his seat. “I was so close to slipping up a few times. I can relax now.”
Anton stares at them, aghast. “You all knew?”
“Well, duh,” Declan says. “It was easy to figure out when we started smelling pregnant wolf pheromones coming from you– it wasn’t rocket science.”
“But we didn’t know if you knew you were pregnant at that point,” Stu adds, “so we agreed to wait until you told us.”
“...I can’t believe you all knew,” Anton grumbles. He collapses into his armchair. “You all suck.”
“You take that back. We’re gonna be the best uncles a werewolf pup could ever ask for.”
“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl yet? Have you thought of names?”
“When did you find out? And we need a specific date to see who won the bet.”
“Nathan, don’t tell him that! We’re gonna get in trouble now…”
Anton lets the chatter of his pack wash over him, their questions and unending curiosity like a balm to his frayed nerves. He rests a hand over his stomach, and briefs a sigh of relief.
You’re in the pack now, little pup.
~~~
Anton’s next scan goes well, and before he knows it, it’s time for his 20 week scan. He and Viago agreed that they both want to know the gender, and they wait anxiously while Dr Herring tries to get a good position on the ultrasound to see.
“I think… yes! There, baby finally moved enough.” She turns back to them both and smiles. “You’re having a little girl.”
“A girl,” Viago breathes, and he squeezes Anton’s hand tightly. He turns to him, smiling wide and says, “Anton, we’re going to have a daughter!”
“Yeah,” Anton says, just as overwhelmed. He’s so fiercely protective of this little life inside of him, and it’s not even here yet. He knows he’ll do anything for her.
That sentiment is tested at 26 weeks, when he suddenly starts craving blood– specifically human blood. The doctor says it will pass as soon as the baby’s born, and she hooks him up with safe, clean blood to snack on in the meantime.
The first drop Anton tastes makes him want to weep in relief because this is just what his body needs– although Declan does nearly throw up when he walks in and sees Anton knocking back a glass like it’s juice.
30 weeks is when they start clearing out Anton’s spare room. Anton struggles with lifting things, now that his bump is growing more prominent, so he’s relegated to sitting on a cushioned chair while Viago and the boys work around him.
“You sure I can’t help?” Anton asks, wincing as Clifton knocks a desk into the wall. It chips the paint, and he tries not to stress over it since they’ll be re-painting the room anyway, but still. “It’s not like I can’t lift stuff.”
“No need, boss. We’ve got this,” Nathan M says with a salute, and drops the stack of books he was holding. “Ah, shit.”
“Language!” Anton scolds, resting a hand over his bump. “There’s innocent ears about, mate!”
“Sorry, I’m sorry!”
They get the room cleared out and lay down a sheet to start painting. Viago and Anton settled on a pale lilac and it looks beautiful against the dark wooden floorboards. They’ll get a soft rug for the room, too, just to make it even cosier.
On week 34, Anton is browsing online for different furnishing for the room when there’s a knock at his door. The sun’s been down for a while and Viago isn’t over yet, but he doesn’t typically knock, so he cracks the door open a little before fully opening it when he realises who it is.
“Uh…”
“We come bearing gifts!” Vladislav says with a grin, holding a bassinet up in his hands. “Now show us where the fledgling will be sleeping.
Deacon and Nick are carrying a cot that looks like it’s centuries old between them, a thought that is only solidified when Deacon says, “This is the cot I was born in,” as he passes over the threshold.
Anton throws Viago a helpless look.
Viago rolls his eyes. “He bought the cot from e-bay and thinks it’s his because the seller was also named Deacon. It is old, yes, but only a decade or so. It says ‘I-K-E-A’ on the bottom.”
Anton chuckles and kisses Viago’s cheek. “Well, it’s a kind gesture either way.”
They get the cot cleaned up and it actually looks rather striking in the nursery. The wood is a deep, dark brown, and the corners resemble a four-poster bed, just smaller.
Nick hangs a little felt bat and a wolf over the posters at the top of the cot. “My sister’s pretty crafty, and she couldn’t resist when I told her you two were having a kid,” he says with a shrug. It’s such a sweet gesture, and Anton has to hug Nick to hide the way his eyes suddenly fill up with tears.
~~~
Anton begins stressing about the birth at 40 weeks. He can’t see his feet anymore, and the last full moon he spent lying down and napping in the same spot he transformed in. He feels so big and unwieldy, and despite all of his alpha Werewolf strength, the constant weight pulling on his front is quickly wearing him down.
His research tells him that the birth canal joins near his rectum, and male omegas typically give birth with the amniotic sac intact to compensate for the fact that they’re being born from the same passage that the colon uses, but despite the books and internet articles (and one video that he felt brave enough to watch for a few seconds) that show that it’s possible, Anton doesn’t think he can do it.
“This is insane,” Anton whines. He has the laptop balanced on his belly, scrolling through pages of happy omegas holding their newborns in an effort to encourage himself, but it isn’t working. “I’m going to be pooping out a baby. How the hell did evolution come up with that?”
Viago leans over the back of the sofa to flick his ear, and Anton yelps. “Don’t diminish it like that,” he scolds. “It’s an evolutionary miracle. Look at what it’s giving us.”
…Well, Anton can’t argue with that. He has a few more weeks to mentally prepare himself for the big event.
~~~
The next day…
~~~
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Anton shouts, bent over and clutching his stomach as the worst pain overtakes him. This is way worse than the heat cramps; it feels like he’s being squeezed and pulled apart at the same time, and he grips the kitchen counter hard enough to crack the surface. “Viago!”
“I’ve got everything packed,” Viago says, rushing into the kitchen with an overflowing overnight bag, pillows, blankets; everything comforting that Anton said he’d want to have with him. “Should I let the boys know?”
“No– wait until we’re at the hospital. The carrier is already in the car right?”
“Yes, along with the car seat.” Viago helps him into his coat, pausing briefly to soothe Anton through another contraction. Fuck this, fuck ever doing this again. “Come, we must leave. I have already called the midwife to let him know.”
The journey to the hospital is intense. Anton is already wildly uncomfortable but every bump and turn has him whimpering. He starts yelling at Viago to pull over mid-contraction, but Viago is insistent that their baby will be born in the comfort and cleanliness of the hospital; not at the side of the road ‘like some animal.’
(Bit rude, honestly. Lots of werewolves are born out in nature, but Anton lets it slide.)
Everything moves very fast once they make it to the hospital. Viago practically carries Anton in, and he’s put in a wheelchair and hurried through to a delivery room.
“Wait,” Anton says, panic making his throat tight. “Aren’t I going to be checked over first? We’re going straight to the delivery room?”
“Labour progresses quickly in male omega’s,” the nurse says as she wheels him in. “It’s better to get you settled in here as soon as possible. Don’t worry,” she adds, when she notices how pale Anton’s become, “we’ll take good care of you.”
~~~
Anton is sweating, his limbs trembling as he pushes on and off at the midwife’s instruction. This is too hard, he thinks, tears running down his cheeks. He can’t do this.
“You can,” Viago whispers against his brow. He presses a kiss to Anton’s hair. “You are strong, Liebling. You can do this.”
Anton squeezes his hand and gives another hard push when the midwife asks him to. There’s a sudden rush of relief as he feels the shoulders exit, and then seconds later the rest of her is born, and Anton sags back in exhaustion.
“Oh, well done, Anton!” Viago praises, kissing every accessible inch of Anton’s face. “You did beautifully.”
“She,” he pants, turning to look at Viago and frowns. “Why– she isn’t crying.”
Viago runs a hand through his damp hair. “They need to break the sac. They’re just getting the towels ready. Look.”
Viago slides an arm around his shoulders and helps Anton to lean forward. There, on the bed between Anton’s legs, is their baby girl. She’s curled up in the fetal position, sleeping serenely in the amniotic fluid still enclosed around her. But she’s so still, and it makes Anton’s heart race in anxiety.
He reaches out at the same time that the midwife pierces the sac, and their baby girl is suddenly full of life. Her little lungs fill up with air for the first time and she belts out her first ever cry.
“Oh, Anton,” Viago whispers.
“She’s perfect,” Anton says, and he blinks to try and clear the tears suddenly filling his eyes. He smiles and laughs wetly, leaning into Viago. “She’s fucking perfect.”
The nurses dry her quickly and bring her up to the top of the bed. “Congratulations, dads,” she says, a bright smile on her face as she carefully hands her over. “Do we have a name picked out?”
Anton takes her, cradles her tenderly against his chest. He can’t believe she’s real, and she’s here. His world narrows to this fragile life that he carried for almost nine months and is now breathing against his skin. “You pick,” he says, gently tracing the wispy little curls of black hair flat against her head. “You can pick, Vi.”
Viago places a hand against her back, feeling it rise and fall. “Dorothy,” he says, voice thick with emotion. “Because she is a gift.”
“Dorothy,” Anton repeats, taking in her hair, the shape of her nose and the curve of her mouth. “It’s perfect.”
~~~
“She’s so…”
“Tiny,” Nathan M whispers. “How can a person be so small?”
Anton stands at the head of the crib with Viago and chuckles. “She didn’t feel that small coming out,” he jokes.
Clifton lightly scents the air. “Is she a Werewolf? It’s so hard to tell.”
“We don’t know yet. The doc wants to run a few tests, cause they need to know her genetic makeup so they know what sort of vaccines she’ll need, but it can wait for a few weeks.”
Dorothy grumbles in her sleep, and her little arms stretch as she yawns– her mouth opening just enough to show the points of two little fangs.
“...Not to be dramatic, but I would die for her,” Dion says, dead serious.
Declan nods. “For sure. Nobody’s gonna mess with her when she’s got six scary Werewolf uncles watching over her.”
“We should walk her to school together,” Clifton adds. “Make sure all the kids see that she’s not someone you can mess with.”
Anton rolls his eyes, but his heart is filled with warmth. He’s got his pack, he’s got his partner, and now he has their daughter. His family felt complete before, but now it’s like a puzzle piece that he didn’t even know was missing has finally slotted into place.
There’s still so much they don’t know about Anton’s biology, and it’s become infinitely more complicated now that there is a Werewolf/Human/Vampire crossbreed to figure out. It should be scary, but Anton is content in this moment, and confident that between him and Viago, they have it handled.
He’s a 40-year-old alpha Werewolf that suddenly presented as an omega and got knocked up by his vampire boyfriend during his first heat. He doesn’t have any of it figured out right now…
And that’s okay.
~~~ FIN ~~~