Kael’s POV

"Damn it, I feel like all my weight is stuck in my belly," Eira cursed as I helped her settle onto the sofa.

It had become difficult for her to sit or stand on her own now. Her belly had grown so large that the days of delivery were close. Every day, she complained, and every day, we tried to comfort her.

She let out a tired sigh and placed her hand over her belly. "Baby, how long are you going to trouble mommy? I can’t even breathe properly. Show some mercy. I promise I’ll love you a lot once you’re out."

I sat beside her. "It won’t be long."

She frowned instantly. "I’ve been hearing that same line for ages," she said, turning to glare at me. "Can’t you come up with something new to comfort me?"

Damn.

Her temper had worsened along with everything else.

All I could say, "I’m sorry."

She frowned again and looked away. "Another repetitive line."

These days, I felt completely helpless around her. If it weren’t for her pregnancy, I would have handled this very differently. I would have kept her in my bed until she had no energy left to stay angry.

My brothers were no better off. They either stayed quiet or spoke carefully, unsure of what might set her off next. All of us were walking on edge around her.

Deep down, we were all praying for her delivery to come soon.

"Do you want to eat something?" Roman asked cautiously.

"Hah! You can’t say or do anything different either," she snapped. "Just want to feed me all the time so I keep my mouth shut."

Roman remained calm. "I was just asking if you’re hungry."

"Instead, do something to take this baby out of me," she shot back.

He went silent, and we all exchanged helpless looks.

Lucian chose to keep quiet, and was only active when it was his turn to mate with her and to cook her favourite food. He was sure he lacked the words to comfort her.

The room had fallen quiet.

"Has someone died here?" she muttered after a moment. "Why does this place feel so boring?"

"Want to go out and start jumping so the baby pops out?" Rafe said, unable to hold himself back any longer.

"Bastard, get lost," she snapped at him, breathing heavily.

"Rafe, keep quiet," Jason said firmly as he moved toward her. "Breathe. Don’t get worked up."

"Then tell that bastard to stay out of my sight," she shot back. "He’s always ready to get on my nerves."

"Alright," Jason said, gesturing to Rafe to stop. He guided her gently. "Take a few deep breaths. Your doctor will be here soon to check on you."

She closed her eyes and followed his instructions, breathing slowly. "Just tell her to take it out. I can’t handle this anymore. It’s taking too long."

"I will," Jason assured her.

And as always, he managed to calm her down. Something none of us four could do.

After a while, the doctor arrived and checked on her.

"We will have to wait another day or two," she said calmly. "It will happen."

"You say the same thing every time," Eira snapped, not sparing even her. "None of you have anything else to say or do. Why don’t you all just fuck off and leave me alone?"

The doctor, already familiar with her temper, chose to remain silent.

I could not help but wonder if all shewolves were like this during pregnancy, or if our mate was simply... exceptional. It felt as though every bit of anger she had ever held inside was now being unleashed on us.

Not that we minded.

The doctor glanced at me. "You have been mating with her..."

"Is that even a question?" Eira cut in sharply. "Do you think they would miss a chance to fuck me?" Her gaze swept over Roman, Lucian, and me. "They are enjoying it more than they should."

As per the doctor’s earlier advice, the three of us had been taking turns, careful with her condition.

She was not wrong. We did enjoy it. She was our mate. But we were careful. We knew our limits.

"Complaining now?" Rafe’s voice came, unable to stay quiet. "Funny. I wonder whose voice I hear every night begging for more. You seem to forget, Roman and Lucian’s rooms are not soundproof. Only Kael’s is."

"Why?" she shot back immediately. "Feeling horny and left out? I’ll scream louder next time so your balls burst from frustration."

Damn.

Her tongue had only grown sharper.

"Even if you were the last woman alive, I wouldn’t get horny for you," Rafe replied.

"Then explain the way you look at me the next day," she snapped. "Wondering how it would feel to fuck me. But you’ll never get it."

"Forgot what happened in the caravan? How you were begging to be fucked, but I had to be a gentleman?" Rafe countered.

"Back then, I used to have a better opinion of you," she fired back. "Not anymore. Now I’ll make sure you die with blue balls."

"Enough," I cut in finally before this dragged on any further.

The doctor stood there, clearly speechless, though this was not the first time she had witnessed their arguments.

"I will come again tomorrow," she said, composing herself. Then she turned to Jason. "Keep a close watch. Inform me if anything changes."

Jason nodded.

He had taken his role seriously, attending to Eira with the utmost care. And perhaps because of that, he was the only one she spared... or at least the one she scolded the least.

And the only time we were spared was when Raven was around. Now he was busy with his teacher, so she didn’t have to restrain herself.

"Time for your shot," Jason told her.

"Just prick me anywhere. It’s so damn difficult to lie down and get up," she said in tired tone.

"That won’t do," he said and closed in, "Let me help you. These pillows will support."

"Even you won’t let me sit peacefully for a while," she complained, but anyways moved to lie on her one side.

"That’s my job as your doctor," he said.

"I hate doctors," she countered. "And you are the worse."

"I know," he said calmly, and injected her with the syringe.

Even if she argued with him, it didn’t feel like a fight, but a sweet fight.

Jason had his way by being so pleasantly calm and skilled that saved him from her volcanic anger.

Lucky bastard.