Yuri tried to still her wagging tail, she honestly did. The last thing she wanted to do was discomfort her sleeping mate at that time of night. Knowing her mate she would have growled threats at her or, worse case scenario, have her magically bound before wrapping herself back in the cocoon of her blanket and falling back to sleep. The magical process of binding wasn’t anything to be scared off, it was the deadened nerves in the morning that she disliked.  She threw a glare behind her, lowly growling at her twitching tail, mentally screaming at it stay put. It lowered some and she grinned satisfactorily.

Wrong move, her tail shot up, wagging lightly in response to her emotion and Yuri sighed wearily. She had been at it for some time, when she felt the slight cool draft and saw the subtle shift in Jessica’s otherwise peaceful expression. It was cute, the subtle crinkling of her nose, the audible huffing as she exhaled, the way her eyelids twitched as if she was about to wake up along with her brows crinkling down the middle that looked to be the beginnings of her getting angry. She couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful woman in deep slumber. She counted herself lucky to have been fated to be this beautiful, smart and witty woman’s mate. But staring at her sleeping mate and having the witch waking up at an ungodly hour of the night were two different things altogether; the latter was not something she would want to come face to face with.

It was hard to control her tail though, not when she felt this overwhelming giddiness inside her that just made her want to jump around in joy, whoop and holler, possibly even dance around to the silence. And for a good reason. A wonderful reason!

She had never been so glad for her extra-sensitive senses until she started smelling the change in Jessica’s scent as certain hormones started to kick off at a certain point in time. It was something so ancient to her, general knowledge passed down from generation, but it’s something not just anyone can pick up. It was something that usually brought joy to her pack and wards off other pesky suitors, the undeniable scent that was distinct to expectant mothers. To everyone else, the scent was a heavy sort that served a sort of warning, for Yuri she just smelled a lot sweeter, a little bit more addictive, and Yuri couldn’t get enough of it. She’d press up against Jessica as much as she could, wanting to leave her own brand of scent while adapting Jessica’s on her skin- something she wore proudly as she waltzes about out of their home.

Jessica had often had to kick her off her bed or locked her out of the room the first couple of months, growling at her when she stuck too close to her side. She had given up her resistance after an incident at the kitchen with Yuri getting scalded by a hot pan when Jessica turned, not knowing the werewolf had been standing behind her the whole time she was cooking.

Yuri was through the roof when Jessica basically let her move into her bed, on the condition she stopped following her everywhere she went in their shared flat. Yuri had readily promised, though she would be breaking said promise after two more weeks and the witch gave up on ever having her own personal space with Yuri around. It was easier to ignore her presence, even better Yuri obeyed her like a loyal dog and would grab anything she asked, which lessened her irritation of never getting alone time.

Their shift work ended soon after Jessica entered the fourth month when the bump was getting harder to hide that clued her colleagues of the good news she had been dreading the number of the fairy kind to find out. Fortunately, she was placed under day shift to help relieve her of the stress of work. With the thought of ridding herself with unhelpful, bumbling ethereal colleagues she was more than happy to receive her new shifting hours. And with Jessica’s work schedule becoming a lot more manageable, and expectant mother-friendly, Yuri was all too eager to butter up her superior to put her back to regular morning shifts in the hospital.

Yuri eagerly pressed her ear up against the growing bump, pushing the obstructing shirt further up while moving her head around to find the spot she’d been at earlier. The smile on her face widened as her hand gently caressed the underside of Jessica’s baby bump as soon as she heard the fast-paced beating over Jessica’s strong steady ones. She turned her head around to press a kiss on the skin where their baby would be, the spot that had the strongest foetal heartbeats.

The first time she heard the heartbeat had shot her into a total blissful state. It had been when Jessica let her do whatever she wanted, like talking to her then flat stomach, with her arms wrapped possessively around the woman as she was ignored over the company of a book. Yuri was talking and asking her questions (most of which she had answered herself anyway) when her ears picked up a constant humming whenever they were pressed against Jessica’s abdomen. It wasn’t until later that evening when the full moon had forced her to change that she really heard it.

Jessica had grown concerned when the transformed wolf wouldn’t leave her side, whimpering whenever she tried to manoeuvre away. Too concentrated on the new sound Yuri had shut off the link between them to savour the time she had listening to the rhythmic beating as if she was listening to a quiet, once in a lifetime orchestra she just couldn’t miss. She had tried to herd Jessica back to rest on the bed, but the witch only grew more concerned, fearing the wolf was trying to tell her something was wrong with the baby and was refusing to voice it out as a form of psychological fear.

It was when the witch started shaking like a leaf, frantically searching for her phone to ring for help when Yuri gently nipped at her fingers, nudging them to her belly. What could only be taken as a proud look showed on the werewolf’s furry face as she looked between Jessica’s tear-streaked face and her stomach before gentle nosing her abdomen that the witch sagged onto the nearest chair, relief flooding her as one hand the werewolf’s head, the other absently running along her stomach.

The rest of the evening was spent on the bed, Jessica, mentally exhausted at the scare, dozed off to a dreamless slumber, and Yuri, still in her wolf form, resting her head over the fast-paced beating of a tiny, developing heart.

Yuri instinctively tensed at the sound of Jessica groaning. She watched intently as Jessica smacked her lips, pulling a hand out from under her pillow to rest it over her stomach and finally stilling with a long inhale. Yuri covers her hand with both of hers, leaning over to press three succeeding kisses on the back of her hand then moving to press a few more to the exposed, protruding belly. She couldn’t get enough of leaving kisses over her mate’s growing bump, not until she could finally have their child in her arms.

The thought of it warms her heart, recalling her numerous dreams of joyous squeals, high pitched giggles, and little stubby baby legs tottering across the carpeted floor. And the more she listened to the continuous drumming of the new life the clearer she sees her dreams becoming reality. Subsequently, the more she falls in love with the woman sticking with her through it, regardless of the near endless demands and the more frequent bouts of flaring anger. It was nothing Yuri couldn’t handle, too excited with the thought that in just a few more months they would have the little bundle they’d been eagerly waiting for to make her grand appearance.

Her eyes flickered over to the side table wherein laid the black and white picture the doctor had printed out for them upon Jessica’s last check-up.  Yuri had been over the moon when the gender was finally revealed and she wasn’t ashamed to admit she teared-up once she was handed the image. She couldn’t even begin to differentiate the black and white swirls and weird shapes but that didn’t stop her from scurrying to Jessica’s side and proclaiming the beauty of their would-be little girl in between her sniffling- to which Jessica rolled her eyes and embargoed the picture complaining about how she was embarrassing her. Yuri let her mate drag her off, satisfied at the mixed feeling of excitement and content she’d gathered from their mental link.

“Hey there, little one.” She whispers, moving Jessica’s hand over the spot she had been resting her ear against. Oh, how she wanted Jessica to experience the same heart skipping joy she’s felt through the months. Sometimes she felt it was a little unfair in her part, how she couldn’t share the wonderful moment of listening to the melodic symphony produced by their little family. It was as beautiful as the sun peeking through the mountains at dawn, the full moon illuminating the clear night sky, the crystal cool water flowing through the river banks. Like the wonders of nature at its raw state.

“My honey, my baby girl” She continues, her voice turning a softer as her eyelids close, putting all her focus on the melodic beating. She starts humming along, the corners of her lips curling up in a toothless smile.

“I’ve got so many things to tell

But I’m not sure where to begin

Sometimes I’m scared of tomorrow

Though it seems so far away

My darling, my sweet little bird

you are my treasure, my whole world

You are my angel

the rays around my sun

and I can’t wait ‘til the day

I can hold you in my arms

You’ll have your mother’s eyes

and her cute little grin

And I know even now with you

I will never ever win”

“I bet you won’t.” Her wolfish ears twitch at the sound with the corners of her lips lifting up to a toothy grin. She drags her thumb along the length of Jessica’s index before intertwining their fingers. She presses a kiss to their joined hands before reshuffling back up to the head of the bed. Jessica still had her eyes closed, but from the slight change in her breathing pattern, Yuri knew she was awake, and fortunately, not cranky for once. She scooches closer, pressing a kiss at her jawline, giggling with the pregnant woman when her face was swatted off.

Yuri wraps her legs around Jessica’s, her arms coming around the petite woman in a possessive embrace that doubles as a lock to her arms. “Good morning beautiful.”

“What time is it?” Jessica groans, blearily looking towards the window, only to groan again at the sight of the night sky. “Oh my God… It’s still night.”

“It’ll be sunrise soon, don’t worry. You didn’t wake up too early.”

“Thank God… And so, why are you awake?”

“I was listening to baby girl.” She gets a light slap to her arm.

“There’s still a few months to go before she’s born, much less say anything.”

“I know… but I love listening to her heartbeats.. it’s energizing as much as listening to yours is calming.”

“When did you become such a cheese ball?” Jessica asks in between her light chuckles.

Yuri shrugs. “I have my moments.” She takes Jessica’s hand in her own, bringing it up to the spot she had been resting her head at. “Isn’t that right, baby girl?”

“Ah.” Jessica suddenly stiffened.

Instincts going into overdrive Yuri sprung to attention, ears high on alert and looking wide-eyed between her mate’s confused facial expression to the hand that had gone above her belly.

“What? What happened? Is it the baby?” She moves out of the bed, hovering uncertainly at the side, her gut wrenching in distress as she wonders whether calling the ambulance was in order. She was a nurse, but she dealt mostly with ward patients. Pregnant women were out of her comfort zone. She could barely remember the lessons(she had nodded of through most of the lesson as it landed on a full moon) on a normal day. The stress was not helping her any.

“I just.. I think.. I felt something pop… I’m not hungry though..” Jessica her head to the side, rubbing the spot in silent thought.

“Pop.. pop?” It was Yuri’s turn to her head in question. “Like..” She made vague motions right around Jessica’s torso, looking to get even more confused the more she tried to comprehend the statement.

“Pop?” She repeats with an added exaggeration, her facial expression successfully making Jessica giggle. She beckons for Yuri back to the bed, tapping the space next to her.

The werewolf eases gently into the vacant space, careful not to jar her pregnant mate. Her ears falls flat to the back of her skull as she worriedly eyes Jessica top to bottom, frowning further when Jessica laughs at her show if worry.

“Why are you laughing? This is serious.”

Jessica stops laughing long enough to adopt a blank look (it effectively makes Yuri tense and sweat). “Hello Serious. This is Jessica.” A gleeful smile soon breaks the tense air and Jessica chortles at her own lame joke, even swatting Yuri’s arm in the process.

“I’m sweating bullets and you’re just going to laugh. Am I the only one who’s worried?”

“Relax,” Jessica sighs, carefully running her fingers under her eyes to dry the happy tears. “I think… baby girl wants to say hi.” She bites her lower lip, unable to repress the wide smile as she watched Yuri’s whole body deflate in relief.

“God… Why are you so giggly today?”

The smile falls from Jessica’s face, her usual poker face falling into place. “Oh, do you not want me to be happy?”

“Oh, God. No, please.” Yuri’s wolfish ears flatten to her skull as she puts on a crooked grin. “Smile, you look so gorgeous when you smile.”

“So, I look ugly when I don’t.” Jessica’s frown deepens.

“No! I didn’t mean that! I meant! I meant…” At this point, Yuri’s voice goes pitchy as her mind flies off into overdrive to find a way out of the corner she’d put herself in. She smiles awkwardly, lifting her hands close to her face, fingers already formed into hearts. “I love you. Please don’t banish me from the bed.”

The frown on Jessica’s face slowly pulls up. She lets a snort slip and the next second she’s pressed back onto her pillows, arms wrapped around her chest, completely tickled pink with laughter. “You should’ve seen the look on your face!” she cackles gleefully.

Yuri deflates, head falling back against the headboard, actually hurting her in the process. Jessica’s laughter only intensifies to the point that she’s wheezing, tears spilling down her flush cheeks. Nursing the pain on her head Yuri can only grimace.

“The things I do for love…”