Understudy [ABO] [MxF] [18+]

T W E N T Y - S E V E N

Gotta be honest with ya'll, this is where my notes end lol from here on out, I'm learning what happens next only hours before you do   ᕙ( ͡¬ ₃ ͡¬)ᕗBut we are close to the end now!

~

True to his word, Elias stayed beside Ally and supported her without fail. To a point that made her want to throw him out of the house.

It was okay at first. He made sure she was never left wanting anything. More blankets? Done. Breakfast in bed? Too easy. Massage her feet? Already on it. She was thoroughly enjoying the royal treatment he was giving her, and she had enough time to herself during the day when he -- with some forcing -- went back to work. The days flew by in a blur of happiness. The doctor had her on some low-level alpha suppressants and omega boosters and that managed to keep the side effects from before in check, and each checkup showed two very strong, healthy twins developing.

Once she began to really show though, he began to get anxious. The dose of her medication had to be increased after some of the spotting returned, and it took a whole week before Elias would let her out of his sight again after that. She knew that, despite him saying he would support her decision, he was still looking for any reason to convince her to change her mind. She ignored the looks he gave her, and tried to remind herself it was only out of his concern for her. 

She was laying on the couch in the living space, nose deep in a steamy romance novel, when Elias got home. As usual, the first thing he did was find her and make sure she wasn't doing anything strenuous. He had found her helping clean the kitchen a few weeks back and had been furious with Poppy, who had become something like a babysitter for her lately. He had received a thorough scolding back from his mother for being an "alphahole", and an even more thorough one from his father later for daring to talk to his mother like that.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently as he kissed her forehead.

Ally didn't even drag her eyes from the page, "Fine, as always, now move along. I'm in a good part."

She felt him lower himself down and flicked her eyes to him, smirking a little at the expression on his face changed as he read the page she was on. "Huh... we can try that sometime, if you're into that, I suppose."

"Sure," she rolled her eyes and angled the book so he couldn't keep reading, "maybe when I don't feel like a watermelon."

Elias smiled a little, but when his eyes glanced towards her swollen stomach she didn't miss the conflicting emotions in them. She could feel it through their bond too. He wanted to be excited, to anticipate their arrival, but it was overwhelmed by his fear for her. He had at least come to fully accept them once she began to show; they were no longer just a blip on the ultrasound. Ally reached down and placed her hand on her stomach, and smiled at him warmly.

"Don't you want to get to know them, too?" She asked and put her book down, then reached for his hand. He didn't stop her. "Apparently, they can hear your voice before they're born and learn to recognise it."

Cautiously, as though he was a rabbit ready to flee, she moved his hand down towards her stomach and placed it there, holding her own on top still. Elias' eyes didn't leave their spot. His whole body was rigid, unsure what to do next. His eyes shifted a little to that uneasy amber colour, but she wasn't sure why.

Then she felt it. A slight flutter, which she had come to recognise as one of the twins moving. She had been feeling it more often lately, getting stronger with each passing week, but whenever she had put her hand on her stomach, she couldn't feel it there. This time though, it was followed by another, stronger movement that she was sure would be felt by an outside hand.

She was proven right when she felt Elias flinch next to her, but his hand stayed firmly planted on her stomach. His eyes were glowing full amber now as he looked back at her, and, to her utter delight, were full of wonder.

"Did... was that a kick?"

Ally bit her cheek to keep her eyes from tearing up. That moment was more genuine interest he had shown in the twins than at any other point so far. She nodded, "It sure was. They must have known your were nearby and wanted to say hi."

Elias looked back to her stomach with a timid smile, and after a moment, moved his other hand to rest on her abdomen as well. "You said they can hear us talking?"

"I think I'm far enough along now that they can," she nodded as she felt them kick again, but Elias didn't flinch this time.

He glanced towards her again with a small laugh, "They are really eager to say hi."

"Well," she said softly and lifted her hand to stroke his cheek, "you are their father, after all."

She realised why his eyes were glowing now. For the first proper time since she found out she was pregnant, his alpha instincts to protect his children were kicking in. Like her omega instincts had the moment she knew she was pregnant, wanting to protect the baby and love it and care for it, his natural desire to protect them all was finally beginning to settle into him. He was finally becoming attached to them in the same way that she was, and the thought was almost enough to overwhelm her.

"They're a boy and a girl, right?" He asked softly, his hand gently stroking her stomach. "I know we found out a while ago but... well..."

"A boy and a girl," she confirmed with a grin. "We both got our wish granted."

Elias rolled his eyes, "Of course. Knowing your way of things, the boy will probably be the first one born, huh? So that he is the older brother like you want."

Ally shrugged, "What can I say? I'm always right."

"Have you thought of any names yet?"

"Not really," she frowned. "It's harder than I thought it would be. Every time I think I have a name I like and I start using it to talk to them when I'm alone, after a few days it just doesn't feel right anymore. Did you have any you wanted?"

Elias' cheeks turned a little pink, "Well, I never really planned on having kids, so I never thought too hard about names. But... I did love my grandmother's name. It was a little bit outdated, but she made it seem to elegant."

"Oh?"

"Briar-Rose," he said softly, as though talking to the baby inside. "Or just Briar."

Her first reaction to the name was to scrunch up her nose, then to laugh. But she let the name sit there for a moment, then spoke it out loud, "Briar... you know, I don't mind it. I'm not fully convinced of it yet, but we can add it to the shortlist."

Elias laughed and finally pulled his hands away, offering them to Ally. "Anyway, you must be getting still from laying there for no doubt hours reading that book. Let's get you up and doing those stretches the doctor recommended, and then I'll organise dinner. The oldies are out at some show tonight so it's just us."

Ally grinned and took his hands, letting him help her up. She moved herself in a way that meant she could easy snake her around around his back and hugged him close, breathing in his minty cocoa sent deeply. There was nothing as soothing as his scent. She would never admit it to him, but there were times where she wished he didn't have to work so she could just lay with him all day breathing it in.

"It better be a candle lit dinner then," she teased as she pulled away.

Elias leaned down and kissed her, letting his tongue brush up against her lip in a way that sent a tingle down her back. "Only the best for you, my love."