Chapter Eleven

“Candy?” Doc said, tilting her head to the side as she looked at her daughter and the woman whose hand she was holding.



“Mom, this is Annie.” Candy bit her lower lip as she looked at her mother. She wanted her mother to accept her mate, she wanted her mother to accept her.



“Annie it’s nice to meet you. Why don’t you come on back?” Doc shook herself, returning to her professional bedside manner.



Annie brought her hand up to her stomach. Looking from the doctor to her mate. She could feel the tension pouring from Candy. She didn’t need the bond in place to be able to see the change in the other woman.



She could feel it in the way she gripped her hands, how Candy gulped, how her eyes moved from Annie to her mother.



“I am,” Annie said before shaking her head, and giving Candy’s hand a squeeze. “We are.”



“Yea, mom. We are.” Candy said, stepping forward, pulling her mate closer with her.



“Right this way, I’ll have you step on the scales and get your weight. Then I’ll take the rest of your vitals and we’ll see the babies.” Doc smiled at Annie and then turned a tight smile to her daughter.



Candy took a deep breath as she moved to follow her mother and her mate. She watched her mother take Annie’s vitals and as the older woman led her girlfriend? Wife? She wasn’t sure what to call her, besides her mate.



That word was so much more than those human labels could ever be. Candy and Annie were two souls who were made for each other. Candy tried not to think about what that could mean as her mind moved to Stolas. His scent had teased her senses just as Annie’s had.



“Candy, a word?”



Candy looked at her mother and then towards Annie as she moved to sit on the examination table.



“Sure mom,” she muttered, closing the door. If her mother wasn’t planning to accept her mate, she didn’t want it to hurt the other woman. Candy turned to look at her mother, the shorter woman smacking her upside the head. “Momma, ow. Stop.”



“That’s for not telling me you found your mate.” She growled, pulling back her hand to smack her head again.



Candy dodged the smack, “Mom, come on.” She said ducking the next hand.



“How could you keep this from me?” Doc asked, placing her hands on her hips as she glared up at her daughter, “How could you not tell your father?”



“Are you done hitting me?” Candy asked, holding her hands up.



“For now, yes.”



“I just found out yesterday.” Candy said, “There really hasn’t been much time for me to tell anyone about us.”



“I’m your mom though.” She pulled her hand back and Candy flinched away, preparing to try to avoid the blow. It wasn’t that it really hurt or anything, but it was annoying.



“I know, I’ve just been a little busy.”



“You still should have told me, I’ve got a lot of preparations to do now.” Doc said as she turned towards the door pulling it open, “I’m going to be a grandma.”



Candy smiled, out of all of the things she had been expecting that hadn’t been it. Stepping into the room, she looked towards Annie with a smile. Her mate gave her a small nervous smile as her mother moved closer.



“Now let’s see those twins, my daughter texted me earlier when she set up the appointment. She forgot to tell me that you’d be my daughter-in-law.” Doc said as she pulled Annie into a hug which had the redhead’s mouth dropping open in shock.



“It’s nice to meet you.” Annie squeaked out as the older Latina leaned back, holding her at arms’ length as she studied the girl.



“I’m so excited that my Candy’s found her mate, welcome to our family dear.”



“Thank you,” Annie whispered, trying not to cry. This is what mom-hugs were supposed to feel like. Warm and welcoming, like you were coming home.



“Now, lets see my grandbabies. Akiro is going to be so excited.” Doc said as she helped Annie lean back on the table. She pulled out a bottle of blue gel as Annie pulled her shirt up and moved her pants past her swollen belly.



Doc frowned as she looked at Annie’s belly. It was larger than it should be for the predicted date of conception. She’d only helped birth one set of twins before, as she couldn’t help but be nervous.



Human and wolf births were similar, the shifter babies had been strong enough to not need to go to a hospital. She hoped the same would hold true for Annie.



From what she had learned about the girl from her twin, the children were most likely part wolf as well. “Alright, this is going to be cold.” She said with a smile, squirting the gel onto Annie’s stomach.



“Momma,” Candy said, pressing her lips together. She turned away, dimming the lights while shaking her head.



“Oh stop, she’s fine. Now lets see those babies, would you like to know the genders?” Doc asked as she looked at the screen, her eyes widening.



“What is it?” Annie asked her heart and stomach plummeting to the floor as she thought that maybe something bad had happened to the twins. She propped herself up on her elbow, looking from Doc to the back of the screen. Candy stepped closer and brought her hand to her mouth as she closed her eyes and then opened them again.



“Looks like we’ll be expecting more than just two babies in a few months.”



“What?” Annie asked as Candy turned the screen towards her mate.



“There are three babies.” She said smiling as she moved to stand beside Annie.



“But no, how?”



“Well, I could tell you how. I think you already know, though.” Doc said as she moved the mouse around, “This is baby A, baby B and last but not least. Our little hider, baby C.”



“There are three babies.” Annie said, she felt her pulse quicken and panic fill her at the thought of three babies. “Can you recheck?”



“Sure, but it wouldn’t change anything.” Doc said, taking shots of the babies. The printer spit out the long strip of sonogram pictures and she pulled out a pair of scissors. “This one is mine.” She said clutching it to her chest as she smiled. “The rest are yours. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to tell your father the exciting news.”



“Mom!” Candy shouted.



“Can’t stop me Candy,” Doc said with a laugh as she left the office.