The Quiet Giant's Mate Epilogue - Ivan

Going to that masquerade ball was the best thing to ever happen to me. Soon to be second best. I know you’re probably wondering what could replace finding my mate as the best thing to happen to me. I will happily tell you it’s the birth of our pup. I love Regina with all my heart, and meeting her changed my life, but becoming a papa is something I believed was even less possible than having a mate. 

Finding out Regina was pregnant had a ripple effect of reactions, mostly good. Isadora was over the moon that she was going to be a Nonna. Damon was… sad, not disappointed that we were having a baby. He was sad that he would be away for most of the pregnancy. He’s sent little trinkets from his travels that are customs from the packs he’s visited when a new pup is on the way. Regina has loved receiving mail every week or so from around the world. 

Zoe sounded happy for us, though she’d had her own mountains to climb in the later months of Regina’s pregnancy. I’m not going to get into that because it’s not my story to tell, and I’m the guy that keeps his mouth shut. Knowing Zoe, she will tell you about it in her own time. Now that she is back in Nebrodi, she is excited to be Zia Zoe and to spoil our pup rotten. 

Alexander… well, his reaction to the news was mixed. He was happy for us but had his issues to work out. And again, like with Zoe, I won’t discuss Alexander and his problems. That’s for him to talk about if and when he’s ready to. For now, he’s at least mostly on track and has shown signs of excitement to become Zio Alexander. 

Regina’s extended family was all thrilled about our pending pup. André laughed and said, ‘I told you so’ when Regina told him. He was also excited that our pup wouldn’t be much older than his heir and was talking about how they’d get to grow up together.

The princesses Gwen and Christina are excited to meet their Beta but have been arguing about whether we have a son or daughter. Gwen firmly believes we will have a son, while Christina says, girl. They’ve asked more times than I can count, which it is. And I kept telling them we wouldn’t know till Regina gave birth. This didn’t stop them from continuing to fight about it.

Amelia was happy for me, even though she fell into depression thinking about her past fertility issues. After our announcement, I hated making her feel bad or that she had to see her therapist more. Regina and I have been extra sensitive to my sister. And, of course, Amelia had Stephen as she worked through her feelings about it. As gross, from my perspective, as her brother, as it is part of being there for her was having unprotected sex. 

How and why do I know this? Because while we are days away from Regina’s scheduled c-section, my sister is happily four months pregnant and due around Christmas. I couldn’t be happier for her. Of course, she’s being extra cautious and following all her doctor’s instructions. Grace is overloaded. She’s super excited to have a cousin but unaware she will be a big sister. I know she will be the best big sister and cousin ever.

“Ivan!” Regina shouted from our master suite. 

I wanted to use her nap to make the final touches on my old bassinet. Amelia had found it a month ago at our family villa, but it needed some work as someone had broken it when they sacked our family estate after the war. I was sad to see the state of it, and I have spent these past weeks repairing it. My child may be the next Incubi Beta heir, but they are a Furlan and deserve something of my family. 

“IVAN!!!!!!” Regina screamed, and I felt her pain. 

I dropped the brush I had used to stain the oak bassinet and rushed to our room. Regina was hunched over, holding the footboard for support with one hand and her enormous baby bump with the other. She was doing that Lamaze breathing with a puddle at her feet. Did she pee herself?

‘Not piss.’ Cain shook his head. 

“Oh shit!” I blinked as realization dawned on me.

“I’ve got you,” I assured Regina as I grabbed her hospital bag we prepared ready to go. 

‘Damon, we are heading to the hospital now. You may have planned for a c-section, but this pup isn’t in the mood to wait.’ I informed Damon as I scooped Regina up bridal style.

“Ah! Ivan! I know you’re strong, but I’m a whale!” Regina scolded me while wincing in pain from another contraction. 

“You are not.” I protested. 

“You are my fiery pixie, carrying the future of the Incubi beta line and the product of our love.” I have said similar multiple times after she started showing, which, given her size and how big a Furlan baby is, was earlier than even Delilah began to show. 

Regina rolled her eyes but did stop protesting. She focused on breathing as I put her into the SUV. For the moments it took me to get from her side to the driver’s seat, I felt her pain spike and saw her holding her bump again. I took her hand immediately, using the bond to relieve her pain. This is a benefit to the bond and my gift. I can take in her pain and not feel any difference. 

Thankfully there wasn’t much traffic between our villa and the pack hospital. We arrived at the same time as Damon and Isadora. They quickly hurried over from their car to ours as they saw me getting Regina out of the passenger seat. Regina was more relaxed now since I was taking on her pain.

“How far apart are the contracts? Has your water broken? Was there any blood?” Damon quickly asked in full doctor mode.

“Two minutes,” I answered the first part as I carried Regina inside.

“Yes, my water broke, and no, I didn’t see any blood,” Regina added.

“You can place her in the wheelchair now, Signor Furlan. We’ll take her from here.” A nurse smiled as she pushed a wheelchair to us as we walked inside.

“No. I’ll carry her.” I shook my head.

“I must insist, it is hospital regul….” She started to argue but was cut off when I growled.

“It’s not worth the argument, Johanna. My son-in-law isn’t going to set her down unless necessary, or she tells him to.” Damon sighed. 

“Which room is prepped? I want to check if she’s dilated. And do you have an OR ready for the c-section if we still go that route?” Damon questioned all business.

“Regina, baby, do you want the wheelchair or Ivan to carry you?” Isadora asked.

“Ivan. He’s taking the pain through the bond, and I am not losing that.” Regina insisted like I knew she would. 

I can’t be of much other help. It’s not like I can deliver the baby or go through this for her. I might as well do the one thing I’m good at, taking pain without batting an eye. The nurse blinked as she realized I was the reason Regina was completely calm and pain-free despite being in labor. 

“Yes, both the delivery room and an OR are ready as requested, Beta,” Johanna confirmed as she led the way to the maternity ward. 

I haven’t been in this hospital since the war when I was admitted after Silvano poisoned me. I still don’t know if he did it to help me escape to gain favor with Ignazio or because he wanted me there so that when the group Ignazio sent to blow it up would kill me—neither worked out. 

My sister’s group was captured, and I doubt she would have gone through with blowing up a hospital. And I had no intention of escaping. Returning to Ignazio was a death sentence. In this hospital, I found out what Ignazio had done to my sister, and any sense of duty to him for the promised safety of my sister died. When he died, I felt nothing. Well, that’s a lie. I felt relief that he was gone and could never hurt my sister again. 

But I digress. I’m in the hospital today for a good life-changing event. Today we welcome our first and possibly only, I wouldn’t dare assume Regina would want to go through any of this a second time into the world. I begrudgingly put Regina down when we got to the delivery room as she needed to change into the hospital gown, get in the bed, and be hooked up to various monitors for her and the pup. 

I wouldn’t say I liked it, mostly because, during the whole process, I couldn’t maintain contact with Regina and therefore take away her pain. I hate seeing her in pain. Once she was settled in the bed, I could sit at her side and hold her hand to take the pain away again. It was just in time because when Damon checked on Regina, she was fully dilated, and the head was visible.

All those pregnancy books, websites, and even wisdom from medical professionals and other she-wolves about how long labor can take for a first-time mother were wrong. From the time her water broke to when Damon placed our son in Regina’s arms was about two and a half hours. Noè Damon Furlan, as predicted, was a big pup. He weighed in at over four kilograms and was just over sixty-six centimeters. 

He’s perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, my dark hair, and Regina’s blue eyes. And given that he was born naturally with no complications, I guess it proved Regina’s point that she was truly made to be with me. I doubt any other woman could have carried, let alone birth, my son so easily. Within hours of his birth, the hospital staff had a circus of ranked wolves to try and control. 

Everyone wanted to see the baby, but there was only so much room for visitors. And given that Regina and Noè needed their rest, I had to tell three Alphas and everyone in the extended family to go home and wait till after Regina and Noè were home to visit. Somehow this was interpreted to throw us a welcome home party. 

When we arrived home from the hospital three days later, I was concerned by the number of cars outside. Inside our villa, everyone from our families was waiting with the house decorated in blue and white with moons and wolves and a banner saying ‘Welcome Home Baby Noè!’. It was like the baby shower part two, but now with a theme and gifts more centered on us having had a boy. 

Regina cried. It might be from excess hormones, but I’ll keep that to myself. I’ll admit it was a kind gesture from everyone. Noè was welcomed into the family with such boundless love. I don’t think I could have asked for more. Princess Gwen gleefully rubbed it in her twin’s face that she was right about their Beta being a boy while Christina pouted. Grace was over the moon at her new cousin and tried to be the best little helper possible. 

After the party and everyone, even the little ones with help from their parents got a chance to hold our son, it was finally just the three of us. And it was my turn to surprise Regina. While she’d enjoyed the party, I’d snuck away and finished the bassinet, set it up in our bedroom, and used the handmade blanket Isadora gifted us as the bedding. 

“Time for bed for the new mama and pup.” I smiled as I gently took Noè from her so she could get up from the rocking chair Zoe gave us at the original baby shower.

"Yes, I think you’re right.” Regina yawned as she leaned into me as we walked to the master suite.

“Do you have the energy for one last surprise?” I asked.

“If your surprise is twenty-five centimeters of cock, you’ll have to wait. I may be a werewolf and heal faster than a human, but downstairs is closed for a few weeks.” Regina teased me though I knew to an extent she was serious.

“I’m aware we aren’t having sex for a while. I’ll live. I survived twenty-three years of celibacy. I can survive however long you need.” I assured her as I guided her into the bedroom.

“I…Ivan.” She pressed a hand to her chest as she saw the bassinet. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes. Amelia found it, and I restored it.” I nodded as I gently placed our sleeping son into the bassinet that has held generations of Furlans. 

“It’s perfect.” Regina sighed beside me, watching our son sucking at his thumb. “I’m glad Noè will have this Furlan heirloom.

“Me too.” I sighed as I wrapped her in a hug. “Thank you,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome, though I’m confused. Why are you thanking me?” Regina laughed softly, not wanting to wake Noè.

“For being you. For being everything, I thought I didn’t deserve. For giving me a family.” I answered.

“In that case, I should be thanking you. You gave me all that too.” She sighed, hugging me as tight as her arms let her. 

“Come, let’s try to get some sleep before he wakes up again.” She smiled as she tugged me to the bed.

I fell asleep content with Regina in my arms and our son barely a meter away. I’m home and have a family I never dared to dream of. I know there will always be challenges for us. With a new baby, we must adjust our lives around his schedule. And I’ll happily adapt our lives to fit our son.