New generation

Trepidation took hold of Creed when his mate wandered around their sanctuary for hours on end unable to find the particular quiet, cosy and dark place for her to give birth. He had urged her to their room, but she refused strongly despite going into labour. She pushed though her labour, sweating and gasping. He could see the strain on her face when her brows knitted together, her amber eyes flashed dangerously and her breathe became shorter.

He had followed her around, but she hissed, clawed and pushed him away. He lurked around the rooms that his mate would waddle into; he became invisible to her as she braced her hands behind her back and pulled herself into another room. Eventually, she chose the den, Creed knew this when she began to circle one particular corner near the fireplace although not too closely. Creed rushed to set out what would be needed for the birthing and dropped layers of bare cotton sheets for her to settle on.

Groaning, she first went on her hands and knees, then she switched to go on her back. Neither helped as she rolled around softly in pain. Wisps of memories flooded before his eyes as he recalled the birth of his brother. James Logan Howlett. He, and his son-of-a-bitch father, hadn't been allowed on the grounds. Still, his father hauled him out in the cold night and tried to find some break in the wall of protection so that he could see his new born son.

Victor had ditched his drunken father sometime in the night and ran on all fours towards the doors of the kitchen. He had slipped in from there and watched from the shadows as servants ran amuck like headless chickens as the cries of the mistress broke out. Only this time, he was not watching from the shadows and he would not be denied the right to see his family, his cub.

He triple checked that everything was ready and available while he cast a long side glance around the room. Everything had been pushed back to create an even wider area in front of the fireplace, the main source of heat, and long shadows were printed on the smooth wooden floor planks in the dim room. The supplies were on the side but just in Victor's reach.

A stabbed wail broke his thoughts. He rushed forward silently and helped his mate stand when she began to stagger on to her feet. Neither had really spoken a word since she had gone into labour. It was pure instinct and body language they were drawing upon.

Her labour was long and hard, but she held on. A sharp cry warned him that it was time before he smelt her water dripping down her bare legs. He was glad he had gotten her those loose shift dresses, it allowed for so much freedom. She squatted lightly: with one arm tightly wound around his arm, her other hand went down to her vagina.

"I can feel the head" she whimpered.

Creed rumbled out a deep purr and bumped his head against hers in an act of feline affection. His stormy eyes switched between her open legs and her face. He held her firmly as she shook with effort and screamed in unimaginable pain. Her claws ripped through his skin and muscle, but he paid it no mind. Soon after her cries began, Victor's own hand reached down where her hand was. He only paused to completely retract his claws and then waited for the rest of his cub to come into the world.

"Come on, cub. Ain't much left…" He muttered more to himself than anything.

Just as his whisper left his lips, the rest of their child slipped out into his awaiting hand while his mate cradled their child's head. Victor quickly replaced his mate's arm around his arm to his neck, and speedily reached out for a towel beside him. He wrapped his cub in the towel and handed it to his mate as he gently deposited them all on the soft sheets.

Victor pulled over the bowl of warm water, and cleaned his mate as she began to clean the cub with another towel he gave her.

"It's a girl." She swashed their daughter gently, but her anxiety began to rise.

She wasn't crying.

Creed didn't let the dark thoughts take over and clamped the umbilical cord before cutting it, ensuring all of the placenta was removed from his mate before he turned his eyes to her. She rubbed her head against their daughter's head a few times but he could smell her tears coming along. Victor shifted behind her and wrapped his arms around his mate, rocking them. His dour face hardened and he felt his throat tighten with every moment of silence.

His mate beagn a soft purr which cracked the silence. It was light and unlike what Creed often produced. She only paused to clear her throat a couple of times. As wrinkly and blue his daughter's face was Victor couldn't deny how beautiful she was. He licked his mate's neck to console her, but as their last shred of hope was about to die a tiny whimper made both parents snap open their eyes.

They held their breath and stilled. Then, their daughter whimpered, her head extended and she sought out her parents blindly. Suddenly, she released an air splitting scream which almost burst their ear drums but it was such a relieving sound to the parents.

His mate gasped, tears of happiness cascaded down her face and kissed the top of their cub's head. Victor's face split into one of the proudest smile he had ever worn and only his mate would see it. No cub of mine would die this early, he mused to himself. 'Specially since my mate been waitin' on them so long. Gotta keep mate happy. Gotta keep mate and cub safe. His mate cradled their cub, and Creed cradled his two girls.

Victor nuzzled his mate's head and uttered only one word through their cub's screaming, "Amelia".

Within the first hour, Amelia was suckling her mother's breast. By the end of the first week, the cord stump was completely removed. By the end of the third month, Amelia was beginning her curious exploration and was already working her leg muscles. Kicking and cooing.

Victor, though curious, had kept his distance, afraid that his bloodied hands would somehow soil or injure his daughter, but his mate wasn't having any of it. One night she caught him, sat him down and gently parked Amelia into his arms.

Victor kept his mate close just in case after all this was the first time he had actually held Amelia. Not that he didn't watch over Amelia or help his mate, but he was wary that his clawed hands shouldn't go near someone so fragile… or at least someone as fragile as his cub. His mate was fragile, and even then he was not always careful with her. His mate leaned over his shoulder and whispered sweet nothings at Amelia. The moment Amelia's eyes cracked open, Victor knew he was lost, that she had stolen his heart.

Amelia let loose a big, bright, toothless smile and half gurgled half laughed at him. Her arms left her blanket and flailed them around happily. She cooed up at him which almost melted his heart, but decades of hard life meant unlike most people he didn't cry. But, it provoked a fang-bearing smile from Victor nonetheless.

"She's got yer eyes" Victor commented.

His mate's hand slid down to the nape of his neck, "No. Look closely."

Victor squinted at his daughter and upon further inspection found blue flecks near the centre of her iris'. Victor grunted, "Yer right. She's got her own eyes." He managed to pull his eyes away from his daughter to momentarily regard his mate, he couldn't say it, but he was proud of her. Child birth was no easy task. Fortunately, he didn't have to say anything.

She knew just by his one look.

His mate leaned forward and planted a hot lingering kiss to his forehead, "You'll be a great father. You just have to trust yourself. Trust your instincts."

Victor wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her further to himself, "Teach me then, mate."

After the first encounter with his cub, his mate had begun to leave Amelia with him more often. Whether it was leaving Amelia next to him on the sofa when she took a nap, or when she gave Amelia to him to burp, or generally when she laid Amelia down on his chest when Amelia was awake.

Naturally, Amelia was most comfortable with his mate, but she quickly warmed up to Victor as well. Whether she knew he was her father or not, he didn't know, but she was beginning to like his presence.

One evening when Amelia was asleep on his chest, he called out to his mate who wasn't too far away.

"Victor?" she sidled closer to him.

He reached over and brought her closer to him chest. He took his time to get lost in those hazel eyes of hers, while his mate stroked his furry cheek. He leaned in until they shared the same air, but he pulled away, "Put the cub to bed."

His mate didn't question him. Only gave him a prompting stare before she gently took their precious cub to her crib. When she returned he immediately latched onto to her and dragged her into his lap. His mouth attacked her own ferociously, "Mate, gotta leave soon, will ya be alright with the cub for a while?"

She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled closer, "Only if you come back."

"Never gonna leave ya, mate. Never." He sealed his promise with another searing kiss. "But, you knew that already, didn't ya?"

His mate smiled bashfully and leaned in for another kiss. "Of course, I did. You're Victor Creed. You always keep your word."

"Damn right"