Blue

That last chapter seemed longer on Microsoft Works.

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Eli woke up, feeling something laying on his stomach. When he looked down, he saw Ashton’s arm wrapped protectively around him, as the white wolf laid on his own stomach, his mouth open.

Eli couldn’t hold back the smile as he heard his mate snort in his sleep.

He sat up, Ashton’s arm sliding down to fall in his lap, before looking around. It was his old room in Mama’s cottage.

The bed really was small. Eli was about to fall off the edge, and Ashton’s arm, the one not in his lap, was off the other side of the bed, and his feet were hanging off the ends.

But why he was in the bed was something else all together.

“Ashton came by, looking for you.”

Eli looked up to see Mama in the doorway, a rag in her hand.

“He moved you in here, after you went and fainted.”

“Oh…” Eli said, looking down as his mate still slept. “Did you tell him?”

Mama shook her head. “Figured that was something you needed to do.”

Eli nodded. Truthfully, he wanted to be the one that told Ashton about the… pups…

A jolt of excitement ran through Eli’s body, making it feel tingly from his toes to his fingers.

He was… pregnant.

He was gonna have babies!

The urge to shake Ashton had to be quelled quickly before Eli’s excitement got too much for him, and instead, took a deep breath, before looking back at Mama, who watched him with a small smile on her face.

He knew Mama was very happy. He knew that, since she’d never had her own, she loved whenever she got a chance to coddle something small and cute.

Eli managed to slip out of bed without waking Ashton up. He has some questions that seemed they were going to need to be figured out sooner rather than later.

When Mama saw him get up, she left the doorway, leading into the main room of the small cottage, which was also the kitchen.

“Mama?” He was still having trouble trying to calm himself down. He wanted nothing more than to cuddle against Ashton and fantasize what it would be like surrounded with tiny white furred babies.

Mama tilted her head in the way he knew that she was listening.

“It’s just…” As much as he loved the idea of children, there were many things he just didn’t know. “How do I…”

Mama gave a big sigh. “There’s not much I can tell you. You weren’t my own, so I can’t say that we share the same bond as blood, but what I can tell you, is that you don’t need to be told left and right how to raise your child. It comes naturally to a wolf. Especially the bearer.”

Eli nodded in understanding. He’d seen how the animals acted in the woods, when a mother had just given birth.

But, despite that, he still wasn’t sure if he was mothering material.

“And, if you ever get stuck, you know that I’m more than willing to show you a thing or two.” Mama’s smile grew wider as that glint came back into her eye.

Eli knew that she loved him, but like she had said, she wasn’t blood. That she even went against her instincts to raise a child not her own… well, he’d seen animals reject babies from a litter of another animal, even of the same type, to the point of starvation.

But Mama hadn’t done that to him. She’d done her best to raise him, and to teach him that there were some things he just needed to learn on his own.

Her philosophy was, if she taught him everything, how would he learn anything? Especially after she was gone. Even so, he relied on her more than he knew she wanted, but not out of annoyance. Out of worry. He had Ashton now, though, but that didn’t mean that Eli was just going to throw her away.

“Eli?!” Eli jumped when he heard a voice coming from farther inside the home. Ashton’s sleepy, startled voice carried loudly, and Mama snorted when they heard quick footsteps.

Ashton stopped when he saw Eli, giving a sigh of relief, as he came up behind his mate, wrapping his arms around the others body, and putting his chin on his shoulder.

“Yes?”

“Sorry. Panicked.” Eli snorted this time when Ashton answered.

“Hey, you fainted earlier. I have the right.”

“I’ll leave you two alone, then.” Mama cut in, rolling her eyes as she made her way to the door leading outside, intending on giving them privacy.

The room was quiet as the door banged shut.

“Elena told me there was something you were going to tell me?”

Eli tensed. Ashton noticed, and tightening his arms slightly around his mate.

“Is everything alright?” There was worry in Ashton’s voice, and Eli hated that. Having to make his mate worry for him was not something he liked.

But then again, what if… what if Ashton didn’t want them?

Yes, there were very that rejected their own children, but what if, what if, what if?

The only time Ashton had even said anything about having pups with him was the first morning after they’d first coupled.

Of course, if Mama had found out before, that he didn’t, then she would make sure that Eli knew. Though, it wasn’t like there was anything they could of done to keep him from getting pregnant.

Well, other than get pregnant, of course. Werewolves had very few litters. More than two was apparently something that didn’t happen a lot.

“Eli?”

He had to tell him though. Why did he have to bring it up now? Why couldn’t he have let Eli have his time to come to terms with this himself. Not that that would take much. He knew that he would love them beyond a doubt.

But Ashton.

Eli barely noticed when his mate moved from behind him to stand in front of him.

“What is it?” Ashton pressed on, and Eli sighed, before looking up at him with large eyes.

He shifted nervously, before starting. “You know how I’ve been smelling… weird lately?”

Ashton nodded hesitatingly, still not quiet sure if it was a good thing. For all Eli knew, Ashton thought he smelt terrible, despite himself thinking he smell, well, good.

But that wasn’t the point.

“It’s because… I’m… you know, you know?”

Ashton gave a slightly humored snort. “No, I don’t.”

Eli whined.

“Come on, what is it. Is it bad?”

Eli wasn’t sure how to answer that. He shrugged. Before nodding, then changing his mind and quickly shook his head.

“No… maybe.”

“Eli, you’re not really helping.”

“Sorry.” Eli let out a deep breath, before steeling himself.

He couldn’t do this.

Maybe he should have had Mama tell him.

No, she wouldn’t do it.

“I-I’m p-preg…” Eli’s voice caught in his throat, but Ashton had already caught it.

“Pregnant?” he said confused, before he caught on, grabbing Eli‘s arms lightly. “Pregnant?!”

Eli’s eye squeezed shut as he waited for Ashton to get mad and start yelling.

A minute went by. Ashton must have been trying to reign his anger in, because he wasn’t doing anything. Eli was too worried to open his eyes to see the level of anger.

He jumped when he felt something against his forehead. The surprise caused him to open his eyes, to look right into Ashton’s.

They didn’t look angry. Maybe he was still in shock? Was he going to faint like Eli had yesterday?

He hoped not. Eli wasn’t sure if he could hold Ashton up if he fell forward, and he didn’t want to risk landing wrong and hurting his babies.

Ashton’s hands were still on his arms, and he could feel the shiver that seemed to shake Ashton’s body.

“Ash?” Eli swallowed thickly, before being startled as he was suddenly in a bone crushing hug.

“Can’t… breath…” Eli gasped, a thought venturing wildly that that might have been the point, until he was let go suddenly.

He didn’t even get a chance to get a good look at his mate as he was pulled into another hug.

“Sorry, love.” Ashton nuzzled against his neck. He pulled back slightly, and Eli couldn’t stop the blush caused by the large grin on his mate’s face.

Ashton pulled him in for a sweet kiss, before another shiver went through his body.

Eli didn’t care what Ashton was doing, he was just relieved that he hadn’t lashed out in anger.

And… he looked like he liked it. That Eli was going to have babies.

Ashton started to shower kisses over Eli’s face, making the smaller wolf laugh out from the ticklish feelings.

Ashton finally stopped, catching Eli’s eyes, his own smoldering, “I want you so much right now.”

It was Eli’s turn to shiver as the blood began to flow to his groin. He didn’t even fight, not that he would have, either way.

The moment was ruined, however, when Mama burst through the door.

She barely even gave them a look as she quickly made her way to a large cabinet in the corner of the room, mumbling to herself all the way.

“Damn that man. Swear I will cut it off if I get a hold of him!”

Eli could almost say he was terrified of Mama at this moment, as she pulled a gun twice as wide as the one he had seen earlier, with the man, out of the cabinet.

“Mama?” He called out, worried. He yelped when she turned to him.

“Don’t you even think of leaving this house until I get back, you hear?”

Eli nodded quickly, watching her stomp out of the house, a woman on a mission.

“Eli?” Ashton seemed disturbed as well. “What was that?”

The red wolf could only shake his head. “I have no idea.”

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This chapter was actually quite easy to write.

Sorry, but I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to update Bridges again. I’m having a bit of trouble with that story. Hopefully soon, considering how much time I’ve had to try with it.