Chapter 34: Thirty-four.

Sammy handed Daniel a coffee, she hadn't spent much time in the kitchen at the pack house, but enough to know where all the important things were.

Like the coffee, the tea and of course the alcohol.

But, it was only three in the afternoon, and somehow wine, or even beer didn't seem appropriate as a drink while they awaited news from upstairs 

This house had become a strange place to be for her, there was a feeling of belonging in this building, something that its occupants seemed to extend onto her as well. Despite her being a relatively new feature, she was accepted, and even found some people deferring to her, or asking for her opinion on matters which she had no clue on. Daniel told her it's because she is their Beta female, but also because of her bloodlines, that despite her not having her own wolf she was strong enough to challenge even Shane.

A fact the Alpha found more than a little irritating, and also a fact his mate found down right hilarious.

Sammy had to admit though, she was shocked herself one day when Shane approached her to thank her. In the time they had known each other, she had pointed out a few of his flaws. Flaws that his own pride wouldn't allow him to acknowledge. He had decided this was a good thing for an alpha, to have someone who would question their judgements. No one was impervious to having faults, and he was glad to be able to be an even better version of himself for his mate and his pack, thanks to her.

Sammy had cried a lot that day.

Daniel tackled Shane without thought when he saw them together, his mate with tears strewn down her face.

Of course, he felt like an idiot when he found out they weren't sad tears. Only tears caused by the overwhelming emotional rollercoaster she was on, and the sudden shock of not merely being accepted, but actually being wanted.

And now, they waited. Waited for news with the rest of the pack, on the arrival of their newest member.

Everyone seemed to be going about their business while they waited though, everyone except Daniel and Sammy.

As the pack betas, they were required to be on standby, should anything crop up, while the alpha pair were unavailable.

But, it was a peaceful day, so currently they were sat in the drawing room watching the fire as it burned in the hearth, and snuggling up together. Daniel loved this, he loved everything he did with Sammy, but this was one of his favourite things. That they could just be. He loved the contentment of just holding her, and that she too seemed to react to it, seeking him out just to be with him. It gave him a sense of peace to be able to just hold her. Both of them simply sitting together while they awaited news, in his mind it was how it should be.

At least they were, until Daniel jumped, narrowly missing pouring his hot coffee all over his mate.

*DANIEL!* Abigail had suddenly shrieked through his mindlink.

Sammy jerked, as Daniel put his coffee on the table, a look of worry etched over his features.

*Abigail, what's wrong?* He asked concerned.

*Get up here now,* she panted, *And bring Sammy!!*

"We have to go, now." Daniel stated, pulling Sammy upright with one tug.

"Okay," she said as he pulled her out the drawing room, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, but Abigail needs us," Daniel stated, suddenly deciding Sammy was moving too slow, and grabbing her waist.

In one fluid motion, she was slung over his shoulders with all the grace of a large potato sack, and Daniel proceeded to take the steps three at a time as he ascended the staircase.

"Put... me... down..." Sammy managed between his large lunging steps.

Daniel ignored her, only dropping her, when they were outside Abigail and Shane's door.

Sammy whacked him with a scowl, "Was that really necessary!" She barked out at him, as he knocked the door.

"GET. IN. HERE!" Abigail screamed, between grunts.

Daniel's hand was shaking as he reached out for the handle, but he hesitated for too long.

"Oh for God's sake!" Sammy muttered, slapping his hand away and opening the door.

She stepped in and froze at the scene in front of her.

Abigail was slowly pacing the room between her contractions, grabbing whatever she could hold onto when another hit.

But Shane?

Shane was lying sprawled out, on top of an equally unconscious midwife.

"That bastard, he fucking fainted on Claire! She hit her head when they landed," Abigail fumed.

Sammy couldn't help it. She laughed, hard.

Daniel was still frozen outside, unsure of what to do, and mentally blocking out all sound.

"Honey," Sammy called out, failing to stifle her giggling, "Can you please remove your friend from on top of the midwife?"

"What?" He asked coming into the room suddenly.

His nose was assaulted by a range of scents that automatically made him nervous. He brushed it aside though when he saw his best friend on the floor.

"Oh, shit." He swore, moving to lift Shane up.

He was about to place him on the bed, when both Sammy and Abigail shrieked at him.

"No!"

"But..." Daniel objected.

"Daniel, Abigail is in labour! She has dibs on the bed you idiot!" Sammy, sighed. "Just, put him in a corner out of the way or something."

"But, I can't, he's the..."

"Daniel," Abigail growled, "If you give him my bed, I will crush you!"

Daniel nodded, "Corner it is," he agreed, moving him over and underneath the corner window.

Sammy rushed to Abigail helping hold her weight as another contraction hit.

"Thank you," Abigail panted, once the pain passed, her head flopping to rest on Sammy's shoulder.

"Shh, I got you. Though I will admit if she isn't waking up, I would be a better help if you shift," Sammy joked.

"Oh, if only I could. My pain threshold is much higher in wolf form," Abigail responded with a wince, as another contraction hit.

"Daniel, check on Claire. See if you can wake her?" Sammy asked.

Daniel did as he was asked, completely fine as long as he had something to do.

"No, she's out cold. I need to get her to the infirmary wing." He answered, scooping her up.

"I'll be right back." He stated, before fleeing the scene with obvious relief.

"Hey Abigail?" Sammy asked, "Not to make this about me. But, should I be concerned, he's gone off, cradling her gently, but hoisted me up here like a sack of dirty coal a moment ago?"

Abigail just laughed, as she made her way back to the bed. After a moment she sighed, leaning forwards with her hands on the mattress in front of her.

"Is there another midwife we can call?" Sammy asked, while gently rubbing her friend's lower back.

"Ha!" Abigail blasted. "There are only two," she paused, while breathing through another contraction. Once it had past she continued, "But Lois, is visiting her Mom out of state, and we can't call a human one, the council won't allow it."

"So, are you telling me that these ridiculous rules have been made by men no less, and now your man has passed out and left you up shit creak without a paddle?" Sammy enquired, annoyed for her friend.

"Not at all," Abigail growled out through another contraction, "You're my paddle." She stated with a smirk.

"Wait, what? I'm a vet, Abigail," Sammy objected, "Isn't there a doctor at this infirmary, Daniel's off to, that we can call on?" Sammy enquired.

"Fuck no! Doctor Townsend and I do not get on." Abigail snarled.

"Well, your going to have to explain  that one," Sammy asked, as Abigail braced yet again.

"She was.... dating Shane, when we met," she growled, at least she tried the noise was more of a groan. "She wasn't best pleased at being dumped."

"But, surely she is over it now? You're in labour, Abigail." Sammy gently tried to persuade her. "She has a duty of care..."

"NO," Abigail snarled, "She tries to seduce Shane at every opportunity, she would likely ignore me and start dry humping him in the corner instead." She seethed.

"Seriously?" Sammy asked in shock, "Okay," she added, shrugging her jumper off. "Me it is then." She added nervously. "Did Claire make any notes or anything."

"No...idea," Abigail ground out, "But I think I need a shit. How is that possible? Am I not suffering enough," she ground out.

"Abigail, let me look at you," Sammy sighed.

"WHAT?" She asked, confused.

"I want to examine you, Abigail, if you want my help I need to see what's going on. Though, I'll be honest the last thing a delivered was a calf, years ago, and I got to use a large metal jack for that heifer." Sammy blurted out. "Don't worry though, I do know your baby comes head first, not feet." She added for some levity.

Abigail's laugh was quickly replaced by a groan, as she removed the underwear and pad under her Shane's large shirt.

"Sorry," she murmured, as she climbed up onto the bed, "I seem to be leaking a lot since my waters went, "I didn't want to ruin my new carpet."

Sammy shrugged, "Trust me, its fine. I've seen worse. Like the mess, Daniel left in the enclosure after I wormed him. Christ, it was bad," she smirked, making Abigail both laugh and cringe, as she turned onto her back.

Sammy was positioned between Abigail's legs, as Daniel strode back in.

"Woah!" He yelled, instantly covering his eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

"What is going on, is you waking up that lump on the floor now!" Sammy ordered, "Abigail you're crowning, it's time to push, Mama."

"Really?" She asked in shock.

"Really! It's not a shit you need, Sweetie, it's your baby waiting to meet you." Sammy confirmed with a nod.

"On your next contraction you need to push," Sammy instructed a rather panic stricken Abigail.

Abigail nodded, and when the next wave of pain hit, she was baring down.

Sammy tried to conceal how much her eyes were bulging at what she was seeing. She quickly scanned the room, looking for Claire's supplies.

"Daniel!" She squealed, "I need gloves!"

"I'm a bit busy, Gorgeous." He answered, just as he sloshed a vase of water over Shane's head, having removed the flowers first of course.

Shane jerked up, as Abigail scowled at the beta.

"Daniel, I swear if you stained my carpet, I'll beat you to a pulp," she snarled viciously.

"What the fuck?!" Shane growled out looking confused, and jumping onto his feet to grab Daniel by the throat.

"Boys! Calm down!" Sammy snapped, "Shane, I swear to fuck if you hurt my mate while I'm delivering your baby, then it will be your only child, because, I. Will. Castrate. You!"

"What?" Shane asked, releasing his friend, "Fuck! Abs, are you okay?" He asked, running to her side.

"No! I am not okay," she spat, as Shane placed one hand on her head, and the other on her swollen stomach. "Get your fucking hand off me," she snarled at him angrily, his hand feeling like it was setting her skin on fire.

Shane instantly jumped back at her anger.

"Fuck! This hurts," Abigail howled, making Shane pale again. "Don't you fucking dare pass out again, Andrews! Or I will castrate you myself!"

"Abigail, you're going to have to stop trying to close your legs," Sammy interrupted her tirade, pushing at Abigail's thighs.

"I can't," Abigail cried, "I can't do this. Please, make it stop," she begged them all.

"Yes you can, Abigail," Sammy chided her, "Now, the heads almost out, so a big push on this next contraction, okay?"

Abigail was shaking, and reaching for Shane's hand, as he gave her it.

"Shit, Abigail, legs open!" Sammy ordered, as she tried to close them again. "Shane, hold her thigh as well, now, Daniel the other one." Sammy demanded.

Shane growled at Sammy's request.

"Not the time, Alpha," Sammy barked, "She needs help, it's hurting her. Let him help."

Shane's jaw was tense as he nodded, his eyes sending daggers at Daniel as he went around to the other side of Abigail, and held her thigh back, before staring at the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his life.

"Okay, on the next one Abigail, push as hard as you can."

Abigail nodded, just as she was gripped by another wave of pain, her body seizing to expel her child from her womb.

She screamed so hard that both Daniel and Shane winced at the sound as she pushed.

A second later, and Sammy was supporting the baby's head as the contraction ended.

"Okay, Abigail, the heads out..." she began.

"Really?" Shane asked, leaning forward to see, only for Abigail to grab him by the collar.

"I swear, if you look down there, it will be the last time, Shane Andrews." She threatened him.

Sammy smirked as Shane instantly retreated, back into his original spot.

"Okay, one more push when your ready," Sammy continued, as Abigail began contracting again.

Sammy caught the baby and sat him upright momentarily to make sure he was breathing.

Abigail was leaning back, her eyes closed and her chest heaving, as Shane closed his too, and nuzzled her neck.

"Eh, guys?" Sammy interrupted them, as a small cry filled the room. "It's a boy," she smiled.

Both parent's eyes flew open to look at their new son.

In one fluid motion, Abigail extended a partially shifted hand and tore Shane's shirt right down the middle.

Sammy gladly handed the infant off to his mother, as she cradled him close to her skin.

Shane was speechless, as Sammy went and grabbed a towel from the stack on the chair in the corner. She draped it over the new mother and child, before looking to Daniel.

"Honey?" She called out.

"Mmhmm?" He asked unmoving.

Sammy laughed, "You can let go of Abigail's leg and stop staring at the ceiling now.

Daniel jumped away as if his hand had been scalded, and Sammy quickly threw another towel over Abigail's lower half.

"He is beautiful, guys. Congratulations." Sammy stated, backing away, just as the midwife came back through the door.

"Alpha, Luna, I'm so sorry. Is everything...." Claire trailed off. "I missed it, didn't I?"

"Yup, but don't worry, I swung him around my the back legs to clear his lungs" Sammy joked.

"What?!" Claire looked appalled.

"I'm joking," Sammy explained to the panicked midwife. "Anyway, we will leave you to take care of them. I haven't done anything with the cord yet."

"Alright, Flower, thank you," Claire answered with a relieved smile.

Sammy and Daniel left the room, as Claire went back to take over.

"You're amazing, you know that right?" Daniel asked Sammy as they walked down the corridor.

Sammy smiled sweetly with a small shrug.

"What I know, is that I'm in desperate need of a shower," she laughed.

Daniel stopped with a growl, and pulled his mate against his body. He caged her in with his arms as he looked down into her crystalline blue eyes.

"Don't do that. Not with me," he stated with a warning.

Sammy gulped hard, suddenly feeling slightly nervous, "Do what?" She asked.

"Don't dismiss the compliments I give you. I give you them, because you deserve them," he clarified, as Sammy lowered her gaze, and rested her forehead against Daniel's chest.

"Look at me," he commanded her, almost shocked himself when she actually obeyed him, "You are amazing, Sammy, and I love you so much, never ever doubt that."