A Beta Before An Alpha

5 2 months later.

Zac's Point of View

I look over to Lauren and she's got tears streaming down her face, and she’s sobbing. It only took us 5 % months to get through all of the 10 or so movies with wolverine in them. I have to say, this Logan movie is f*****g sad. Really sad. No wonder she and Simi were talking about it like this. I lean in and give her little kisses, and hold her a little closer.

She looks up to me, with her big hazel eyes, filled with tears, and I feel my heartache. I love this woman so much, it even hurts to see her cry from a movie. I find myself tearing up too, I'm not sure if i's because of the movie or because I was thinking about how much I love her.

“I told you,” she says. I know how much she wanted me to cry in this movie, so I'll let her have it, regardless.

lift up her shirt to rub circles on her bare belly. Our baby must be able to feel the sparks because every time I rub it, our pup reacts and starts kicking or wiggling around, and it makes me so happy. I could literally hold Lauren in my arms, and rub her belly all day. She's due in 1 week, and I can't wait to meet our baby.

'm dying to know if it's a girl or a boy. We both agreed that we would wait to be surprised to find out the gender, but as time has gone by, 1 wish I knew. “Do you want to watch something else babe?” I ask. It's thundering and pouring out today and it's Sunday so we have the day to ourselves, and dinner isn't for another few hours.

“Sure, you pick though,” she says. She's laying in between my legs, her back on my chest, and she leans her head back an and nestles in, and I know she’s going to nap on me. I love when she sleeps on me. My beautiful mate, my woman, my wif I can't believe how much I f*****g love her.

I put on a serial killer documentary that she got me hooked on, and enjoy holding her with one hand, and holding her belly, our pup with the other. At the starting of the second episode, she shoots up, wide-eyed.

“Are you okay? What's wrong?” I ask.

“I think I'm in labour” she huffs.

“You're not due for another week,” I remind her.

“I don't think our pup cares,” she responds and gets up. I immediately hop up and follow her.

She makes her way into the bathroom, and I decide to grab her bag, the nursing pillow, and the diaper bag we have prepared and put them at the front door. I'm going over everything in my head, and I think I have everything we're going need, and everything is taken care of.

When she comes out, “We're all ready to go, babe,” I assure her.

She just chuckles, “My contractions are not that strong, I can talk through them. We could be here for a day or 2," she responds.

“Well, that's not how they make it seem in the movies," I state.

This is not what I had imagined, but I follow her back to the couch. Instead of watching TV though, we just talk, for the mq part about our baby. Every 10 minutes or so she winces, and rubs her belly. At 6, I ran down and got us dinner to go, so Lauren and I could have some privacy.

“should 1 call your Mom?”

“Not yet, I just want to be with you right now,” she explains, but shortly after dinner things seem to get more intense. “Ohh there getting stronger,” Lauren winces, standing from her chair.

“They're getting closer, and stronger pretty quickly babe. I'm going to call Doc, and let him know to be expecting us soon! She nods while pacing the floor.

Within 30 minutes, things have progressed enough that it's time to go to the hospital, and I mind link Joan to meet us the Luckily she’s not working at Peggy's tonight, because it's closed on Sundays, so she'll be able to make it.

The doctor said she was progressing quickly, so I'm hoping things don't last too long. I hate to see her in pain. She is handling it like a champ, and I'm so proud of her, but I hate it. We took some prenatal classes in the city, and I am grateft because they taught a lot of pain management techniques that I can help with, and I feel like I need to help her through this. Her arms wrapped around my neck, as I rub under her belly, and she sways. She takes deep bre aths, trying to breatl and concentrate on making it through. I can see the pain in her eyes, and it's f~**g brutal.

“You're doing so good baby, I am so proud of you,” I encourage her in between contractions. joan is encouraging her too. She was in labour for about 5 hours before she was told that it's time to push.

Contraction after contraction for 45 minutes, Lauren pushed with everything she had. To say that I am proud is an understatement.

“One more push, Luna. One more big one’ The nurse says. I'm holding one of her legs for her, and one of her hands. She’ sweaty and I can see she's exhausted. If I could take this pain for her I would. I F****g hate this.

“You're nearly done, baby. One more, and then you can finally hold our baby."

She looks up at me with tired eyes and nods. She takes a deep breath, starts squeezing my hand and she’s pushing with everything she has... baby cries fill the room.

“You did it, baby! It's a girl," I look to Lauren, tears streaming down my face.

“A girl?” Lauren asks through tears. I nod, and they put her on Lauren's chest right away, before even cutting the cord. Lauren has her arms around her, and she’s sobbing, “Hi baby girl" she says.

“she’s perfect honey,” her Mom says.

“She really is perfect, and look at all this hair, I say through tears, and rub her little head. She has 10 perfect tiny fingers and the sweetest little button nose.

After a few minutes, they ask me if I want to cut the cord, and I agree. Then they take our baby, and wipe her down, weigh her, and look her over. Her little cries fill the room the whole time. “21 inches long, 7 pounds 9 ounces,” the nurse says loudly.

“Alpha, do you want to hold her, while we take care of Luna?” the nurses asks. I nod. They hand her to me, and I bring her close, kissing her forehead. She's perfect. So beautiful and precious.

Looking at her, I am sure that there is nothing that would ever make me abandon her, and I feel the need to tell her. “1 promise you, baby girl, Ill always be in your corner. Always."

“she’s perfect just like her mother. Look what your body created, it's incredible baby” I admit. She smiles at me, and I ber down to give her a kiss. “I'm in awe of you babe. You're the strongest person I know,” I add.

When they bring us back to our room, out of the delivery room, the nurse helps Lauren with breastfeeding. I watch my wi looking down at our daughter nursing and she’s just beaming. I'm tearing up again, at the sight. Lauren looks at me, and notices my moment of weakness, and extends an arm to me.

“Are those happy tears?” She asks.

“The happiest,” I beam and give her a kiss. She pats the bed beside her, and I sit beside her, and she cuddles in.

“It's getting late, I'll get going, and give you both some privacy. If you need anything, call me. Do you want me to make some calls and spread the word? Let everyone know?” joan asks.

“Thanks, Mom. Just as long as you tell them they can visit tomorrow, and not tonight,” Lauren chuckles.

“Of course,” she smiles.

She gives Lauren a kiss on the forehead, “You did so good today hun, and you both did good with this little one” she says as she smiles down at our girl. She strokes her head and then gives me a hug and leaves.

I burp her before Lauren switches breasts, and when I finally hear a little burp, I hand her back.

“She's so tiny in your arms, and it's so cute. I know I just pushed a baby out, and maybe I should dislike you right now because you impregnated me, but I'm even more in love with you than ever. Seeing you with her, and the way you took ca of me and encouraged me while I was in labour... Without your support, I don't know if I would have been able to do it," s admits.

“I felt useless. I hated that you had to do all the work. I'm glad that my presence made a difference for you. I just wanted take the pain from you, take it for you. I am incredibly proud of you though,” I finish, and lean in to kiss her. She fists my shirt, and pulls me closer, wanting more of me. My hands cup her face and kiss her until she’s breathless.

“I love you," I whisper on her lips.

“I love you too," she whispers back. She leans her head onto my shoulder, while she continues to nurse our baby girl.

So what are we going to name her?” 1 ask. We had a list of our top boy names and top girl names, but Lauren insisted we not pick a name until we see our baby.

“What do you think?” she asks.

“I don't know. I really liked Amelia and Norah, and I know you really liked Piper and Audrey... I don't know if she looks like any of those names though,” I admit.

“I agree,” she says with brows furrowed.

I grab my phone and start looking up names again. I keep spitting names out, and after about 100 names with no respons from Lauren, she finally stops me.

“Wait... I liked that last one... Alivia. Not Olivia, but Alivia. Does she look like an Alivia?” she asks. I take a good look at her “I think she might,’ 1 admit. Lauren smiles and nods. “Yeah, I think so too. Alivia Mae Slade,” she says and looks up to me, smiling.

I lean down and kiss her. Mae was my Mom's name, and we never really talked about middle names before, but I am incredibly touched that she wants to honour my late mother.

“It's perfect,” I admit.