Mako

"I hate you so much right now!" River yells at Raine as she groans her way through a labor pain. "You just had to go into labor and start mine, didn't you?"

"Oh shut up," Raine bites back. "You would have.. gone into labor anyway!"

"You don't know that!"

"Neither do you!"

Tuluk nudges my shoulder, "what do we do?" He asks softly and completely confused.

"I.. do not know," I tell him as we watch our mates continue to argue between their pains. "Perhaps we should move them to separate rooms? Or maybe separate beds?"

"Don't you dare!" They both yell at me.

"Maybe you two should wait outside?" Calla says as she rushes past us with an armful of towels, Brunk following with several jugs of hot water. "We've got this."

"Yes," Brunk agrees. "Maybe do something about the body in the kitchen?"

"And maybe find the dead guards before someone else does?" Calla adds.

"God River," Raine groans. "Why'd you have to kill everyone?"

"Well excuse me," River argues. "But if you'd have just... aahh god... killed him when you had the chance.. I wouldn't have had to."

"Sorry I'm not a homicidal maniac," Raine snaps.

"I was protecting our families!"

"You were having fun with it!"

"Well at least I know how to finish the job!"

"I hope your half orc baby rips you in half!"

"It will," Calla pipes up. "Trust me I've had three."

"AAHHHHH RAINE!" River sobs as she holds a hand out to her sister.

Raine takes it and gasps out, "I'm here."

"I hate you so much," River says again, but there's no malice in her voice, only pain.

"I hate you too," Raine tells her sister.

"Mako!" Calla yells at me. "If the two of you are going to be in here, make yourselves useful. Comfort your mates!"

Tuluk and I run to our mates, kneeling beside them. I offer Raine my hand and she takes it, squeezing it tightly and I was pleased at how much strength was in her little body.

"Don't look at me like that," she warns.

"Like what?"

"That's the look you get when you want to fuck," she groans. "I'm never fucking again!"

"Keep your hands and your dick away from me Tuluk!" River warns her mate. "And you!" She yells at Calla, "get out of my vagina!"

Calla pops up from between River's legs, "I was checking your progress. And good news! You're almost ready."

"What do you mean almost? Get it out now!" River orders.

Calla shakes her head as she moves to Raine, "no can do. Babies come when they want to, and orc babies are especially stubborn. But you," she says as she grins up at Raine, "are ready to push."

"River?" Raine says fearfully.

"I'm here," River tells her.

"As am I," I tell her, giving her hand a small squeeze.

She looks up at me apologetically, "don't take this the wrong way.. but.."

"Do you wish me to leave?" I offer.

She nods, "I'm sorry. I just really only want River and I don't want you to see me like this."

"It is alright," I tell her as I stand up. "I will be outside."

"Tuluk get out," River tells the male.

He springs up from the floor and we leave the room, closing the door just as Calla was telling Raine to push.

"I'm glad she told me to leave," Tuluk admits. "I was starting to feel faint."

I chuckle, "I would have liked to stay, but I understand them wanting us gone. I do not think that we were being much help." And in truth, I did understand why Raine asked me to leave. I would have liked to see my child being born, but Raine did not need me in there, and this was about her and River having a safe delivery.

With everything that they've gone through and everything that they've sacrificed for each other, all they truly needed right now was each other, and I was not going to deny her that. Not now and not ever.

Tuluk and I stand in silence outside the door as we listen to our mates labor and then one by one, to the sound of our babies screaming at the world.

We don't rush in until Calla comes to get us, "you can come in now but be quiet and gentle."

Tuluk and I follow her back in and go to our mates who were pale and covered in sweat, but both smiling down at a bundle in their arms. I kneel beside Raine once more and she moves the blanket aside so that I can see our child.

"A girl," she tells me. "Just like we wanted."

"A daughter," I whisper as I give her the biggest smile of my life. "What do we call her?"

"Asha," she says immediately. "After my mom."

My chest rumbles as I repeat her name, "Asha. It's a good name." I reach slowly towards my daughter, taking her tiny hand with my little finger, "hello Asha." Her little blue eyes stare up at me as her tiny hand grips my finger.

"Are you going to name your son or just stare at him?" River teases her mate.

I look up at the most starstruck male I'd ever seen. His dazed expression would have been funny if I wasn't wearing a matching one.

"Edo," Tuluk whispers. He clears his throat and says louder, "Edo, for my father."

I look down at my family and feel as if my heart were about to burst from happiness. "Welcome to the Icebears Asha and Edo."