Naughty Elf: Humbug (Santa’s Naughty Elf Mates)

Chapter 14

Chapter

Fourteen

H umbug thought he might just have to kill his mate.

That would make him sad in the long run, his logical mind told him, but right now, it would give him vicious satisfaction.

“Can I push yet?” he asked, panting hard.

Doc smiled slightly. “Soon, Bug. But not yet. We need to make sure she’s in the right position.”

“Ugh.” This baby girl was being a butthead, and Bax wasn’t helping. In fact, he was pacing. “Bax, get your ass over here and help me!”

“What can I do?” Bax came to his side immediately, taking the hand he held out.

“Hold my hand. Sing to your baby girl. Tell her you’ll keep her safe.”

“Oh, I will. I’ll protect you both with my life.” Bax’s gray eyes were almost silver with emotion as he stared into Humbug’s. “I love you so damn much.”

“Sing to her, Bax.” He’d heard Bax sing while he worked and in the shower and while they cooked together. He had a deep voice, but a good one. It would help. Doc had said so.

“What should I sing?” Bax asked, looking at his belly.

“Something Christmassy?” It was after Thanksgiving dinner, after all. Santa had been at the parade today. They sent a different one every year so people thought it was an actor…

“Uggggn.” Another pain hit him, and he tried to breathe through it. It got easier when Bax started to sing, his voice warm and melodious, the song “White Christmas.”

He was able to breathe then, and Doc met his gaze, Doc’s bright blue eyes serious. “Okay, Humbug. It’s time to push.”

“Kringle, it’s about time. Tell me when.”

“When you feel it, you’ll know.” Doc grinned again, and Humbug decided he wanted to hit him more than Bax, who was singing the baby right out of him.

He felt it, though, the urge to push, so he did, grunting long and low to help the discomfort dispel.

Almost an hour later, discomfort was a jingling pale word. He was hurting .

“What should I sing now, baby?” Bax asked, his voice hoarse.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are?” he snapped.

“I love you,” Bax said, his laughter plain.

“Don’t you laugh at me.” It took effort to poke Bax in the chest. “I’m tired, I’m gross, and I hurt! If I ever see Santa again, I am going to kick him right in the chestnuts.”

Now Bax did laugh at him. “Oh, baby. I love you.” Bax put a hand on his belly. “Come on, little girl. I promise, it will be amazing. Guffy and your granny and pop want to meet you. We need you.”

The urge to push came over him again, so he bore down, groaning, and this time—this time, he felt it. Progress. He actually felt her move.

“Very good, Bug,” Doc said, crouching between his legs like a baseball catcher. “I can see the crown of her head.”

“Yay!” Oof. He shouldn’t yell. It hurt his abs.

“Come on, baby girl,” Bax said, his tone so loving it made Humbug tear up. Him. The naughty elf.

“Okay, here it comes. Again, Bug.”

Humbug pushed. He labored, for holly’s sake. And finally he heard Doc tell him to stop pushing. “Here she comes, Bug.”

He stared, trying to see, but sweat ran in his eyes. “Is she okay?”

“Got her.” Doc cradled their little girl in both hands, turning away slightly.

“Wait! Doc!”

“I just need to clear her nose and mouth and—” A wailing little cry split the room, so angry, and Doc laughed. “She sounds just like you, Humbug.”

“Get frostbite, Doc.” He collapsed back on the pillows, smiling at Bax. “We did it.”

“You did it, Gavin. You. She’s amazing.”

Pop bustled into the room with Mama. “Did we hear our granddaughter?”

Bax sniffled. Was he crying? “Yes, sir. And as soon as Gavin gets to hold her, we all get to meet her.”

That sounded perfect. He’d done all the heavy lifting, so he should get to hold her first.

“Cut the cord, Dad,” Doc told Bax.

He blinked, trying to stay awake, and in no time, he held a swaddled, fussy little girl. “Oh, hello, sweet.”

“What are we going to call her?” Bax asked. “Holly? Noelle?”

“Are you kidding?” Gavin snorted. “I think we should name her after my dad’s mom. Merida.”

“Oh, I like that. And her middle name can be Yule.”

“Like Merry Yule?” Humbug had to laugh. “Yule it is.”

“You two are as weird as mistletoe,” Pop said, but he was beaming.

Humbug nodded, his eyelids getting heavy.

“So can male omegas feed their babies?”

“We can, though evolution has played kind of a cruel joke on us. So we look more human, we’re a little deficient in boob, so milk is sparse if it comes in at all. I ordered formula off Amazon.”

“And I brought some elf-specific nutrient powder,” Doc murmured.

“Oh.” Bax chuckled. “Cool. That way I can feed her when she needs it, and you can rest.”

“Bax, take your daughter so I can clean up Gavin here,” Mom said. “That way he can be comfortable.”

“I’ll help. You two go fawn over the baby,” Doc said.

“Sounds great,” Pop said, helping Bax ease Merida away from him. “Rest, Bug. We’ll bring her back in a bit.”

“Be careful.” He was so tired. He yawned, then offered his mouth to Bax for a kiss.

He got it, Bax smiling against his mouth. “Love you, mate.”

“I love you too.” And with that, he drifted off and let Mama and Doc take care of him.