Chapter 1026: Breastfeeding Alpha
"Are you going home to change?" Mindy asked Gideon.
"Only if I have to," Gideon responded. "I will ask nurses if they have something handy I could use. If they don't, I will come as fast as I can."
"Don't worry, we won't leave her alone," Tatiana assured him.
Gideon exited the crowded room and paused in the hallway to take a deep breath. The last few hours were stressful, and now the room was full, and he needed a breather for the reality to sink in: he was a father!
Gideon spent a long time on his own, and then Mindy entered his life, and a few blissful months later, he became a father. It was surreal.
His baby girl was perfect, and he couldn't wait to spend more time with her. But first, a change of clothes. Where did all the nurses go?
In the VIP room, Mindy was holding Lavender, and females surrounded her hospital bed.
"When is it OK for me to stand up?" Mindy asked Travis. She didn't want to stay in bed and look like a sick person.
"If you feel up to it, go ahead," Travis said. "Just start slowly."
Mindy loved company and her girlfriends, but what she really wanted was to go home and spend time with only Lavender and Gideon.
This whole thing was draining and emotional, and she needed cuddles and comfort from her mate.
Mindy was determined to show Gideon she was fine when he returned, so they can leave.
"Are you sure she is fine to walk around already?" Maya asked Travis.
Travis confirmed. "Even human females can walk immediately after the delivery. Mindy is a Beta with a bloodline of an Alpha. Her bleeding is already minimal, and I expect it will stop completely by tonight." He turned to Mindy. "But listen to your body. If you feel discomfort, take it easy."
Mindy was happy to hear this. Before people came to meet the baby, nurses showed Mindy how to breastfeed the baby, and Gideon changed Lavender's diaper. They were ready for parenthood.
Cornelia grimaced, and James was right next to her. "What's going on?"
"I think I need a checkup," Cornelia said while holding onto her belly.
Talia smiled, "You better ask for a delivery room. Your baby is coming."
"This is fantastic!" Dawn exclaimed. "Your babies will share a birthday."
James paled when he realized what was going on. "Baby is coming. Baby is coming! BABY IS COMING!"
Cornelia swatted his arm. "Why are you yelling?"
"WHO IS YELLING!?" James shouted to the amusement of everyone in the room.
Cornelia cupped his cheeks. "Calm down, Jay. I will be alright. Everything will be alright."
Without warning, James scooped Cornelia into his arms and turned to Travis. "My mate is about to give birth to our child. Why are you just standing there? Lead the way!"
Travis bowed respectfully. "Yes, Gamma James. Please, come this way."
James, Cornelia, Travis, and Olivia left the room, and Liam, Amelia, Caleb, and Trisha went after them.
'PAK!'
Erik clapped loudly. "Who is in for placing bets if the child will be male or female?"
Maddox was first to respond. "Put me in. Fifty bucks on a boy."
"Fifty?" Damon asked mockingly. "Put me in for a hundred. A girl."
Maddox narrowed his eyes at Damon. "I changed my mind. Make that two hundred for a boy."
"Five hundred," Damon said with a smirk.
Talia and Tatiana exchanged helpless gazes. Those two will never grow up.
'Stop them!' Talia said to Caden through the mind link.
Caden made a face. Maddox and Damon crossed a thousand dollars already. How can he stop them?
"Leave something for others!" Caden exclaimed and turned to Erik. "I bet fifty bucks it's a boy."
Keith, Arya, and Pierce also joined to place bets, putting a pause on the costly bickering between two Alphas.
"It seems your daycare will start operating soon," Maya said to Petra. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, yes," Petra confirmed enthusiastically.
Maya gestured toward Edgar and Valeria. "Maybe Axel and Yasmin will be willing to let their kids play there under your supervision. It will be good practice for when infants come. And also, for your pups."
Petra's eyes widened. "My pups?" She recently turned sixteen years old and having her own pups seemed like something that would happen in the distant future.
Petra didn't notice Zack shifting in his place as he had his hands in his pants pockets.
Just thinking about Petra's pups made him hard. Those would be his pups also. Will he be able to wait for two years? At first, he was determined to go through with it, but with every passing day, Zack realized that the difficulty level was increasing.
"Are you alright?"
Zack jolted when he saw how close Petra was to him. Could she feel his emotions? Didn't that mean she could feel their bond to some degree? Or was he just that transparent?
He told himself to be cool. "I am fine. Why?"
"I was wondering if you want to join me to ensure the nursery is…"
"Yes," Zack said before Petra could finish her sentence. He would join her anywhere, anytime. Even if she didn't ask, he would follow her.
Petra smiled and turned to Erik. "What about you?"
Erik waved at Petra and Zack to go ahead. "I'm in charge of bets here."
Zack's mood soared. It will be just him and Petra! At the same time, he knew that privacy would come with his wolf craving intimacy, and that would be hard to deny him. Again.
Damon's eyes perked up as he heard Violet stirring.
"Kitten!" Damon called excitedly. "Vi is hungry. Should I ask for a free room so we can breastfeed her?"
Talia hid a burst of incoming laughter behind a cough. How much more shameless can Damon get? "Sure."
Maddox frowned in confusion. "Why are YOU going to breastfeed your daughter?"
Instead of responding, Damon scooped Violet out of the stroller, opened the door for Talia, and the three of them left.
Maddox couldn't believe this! Damon ignored him, just like that.
Seeing that Caden shook his head, Maddox realized that Damon's Beta knew something.
"Is Damon the one breastfeeding the baby?"
"Not really," Caden responded.
"Explain," Maddox demanded.
Caden scratched the back of his head. "The doctor told Talia that she would have more milk if she regularly emptied her breasts after feeding Violet. Damon is helping her with that."
Maddox didn't get it. "Helping her? How?"
"When the baby eats, she takes how much she needs. Damon takes the rest," Caden explained.
It took a few long moments for Maddox to realize what Caden was talking about.
The idea of him drinking Tatiana's milk was repulsive and arousing at the same time, but then… he imagined Tatiana lying naked and him suckling on her breasts… her scent, her flavors, the sparks of their bond… and Maddox was on the verge of snapping.
"Tanya," Maddox called. "I think that Ethan will be hungry soon. How about we find some privacy for you to feed him?" And he wanted to empty her breasts after that… and then sex.
Tatiana was not sure from where that came. Why was Maddox so eager about Ethan's feeding? And why was he horny? She could feel him through their mate bond.
Mindy shook her head when Maddox and Tatiana left the room with the stroller where Ethan was sleeping. Mindy was happy for her brother. It's been months, yet she was still amazed to see Maddox smitten with his mate. Her promiscuous brother, who would jump on any female as long as she was willing, was now interested in only one. It was like a miracle.
Little by little, people were trickling out of the room, and Mindy wondered where Gideon was. Even if he went home to change, he should be back by now.
Gideon saw the crowd gathered outside the pack hospital, so he used the back exit to leave. If he didn't sneak in, people would delay him with questions and congratulations, and he wanted to return to his pumpkin-infused princess as soon as possible.
Gideon was almost at his destination when he saw a familiar figure in the hallway on the second floor.
"Gidi," Nina called. "I hear you are a father now. Congratulations."
"Thank you, Nina. Are you visiting someone?"
"You could say that," she responded ambiguously. "How is your mate?"
"Mindy is doing well. Thank you for asking."
Nina stepped closer. "Are you sure?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean…" Nina put her index finger on Gideon's chest. "Your young mate was impulsive before. I can't imagine how hormones are impacting her temper. It must be horrible to live while walking on eggshells."
Gideon didn't want to talk about Mindy with others. Was she temperamental? Yes. Did her pregnancy make it worse? Absolutely! But that was because she was carrying his child, and Gideon would adore Mindy regardless of her temper.
Why was Nina talking smack about Mindy? Was it possible that she was still pinning on him?
He pushed Nina's offensive fingers away from his chest. "As I said. Mindy is fine."
Nina's smile didn't falter. "Suit yourself. But know that when you feel enough of her tantrums, I will be waiting…"
Nina groaned, and she fell to her knees.
Gideon gaped at her while wondering what had happened. "Nina?"
"Are you worried about her?"
Gideon raised his head in slow motion to see Mindy standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. Only then Gideon realized why Nina was on the ground. Mindy used her aura, but Gideon was spared because they were mates.
Gideon stepped around Nina and hugged Mindy, who stood ramrod straight, refusing to relax on him.
"How are you feeling?" Gideon asked Mindy. "Did Doctor say you are OK to walk?"
Mindy glared at him. "Would you prefer I stay in the room so you can see your ex-lover?"
Gideon exhaled helplessly. He was happy, and he didn't think much about a chat with Nina, but Nina had other ideas, and Mindy saw them, and she was upset.
"You know I will never look at any other woman, princess," Gideon said with all sincerity in the world. "It doesn't matter if you are here, in the room, or on another continent. For me, there is only you. Nina, or any other woman, don't stand a chance."
Mindy glared at Nina, who was still stuck to the floor, now sweating profusely.
"Did you hear that, Nina?" Mindy squeezed through her teeth. "He will never, NEVER, look at you!"
Nina cried as her face was plastered to the ground.
"Next time you want to get close to MY mate, remember this, you bitch!" Mindy said angrily.
She exhaled sharply and leaned on Gideon, who was still hugging her.
"Let's go home."
Gideon had no objections. "Do you want me to carry you?"
How could Mindy refuse that offer? "Yes, please."
Nina cried ugly while watching Gideon carry Mindy until they took a turn at the corner, and she couldn't see them anymore.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om