Kapitel 109: Chapter 108

Hu Yetao had been expecting the media frenzy surrounding his pregnancy but it had surpassed even his expectations. The press was relentless in attempting to get photos of a pregnant Hu Yetao with his Alpha. He and Oscar had taken to not even leaving school grounds after the news broke in The Prophet. Luckily, the Hogwarts wards had been adjusted to keep reporters out during the leaving ceremony, and now they only had a few hours left of blessed peace before walking out those gates to face the inevitable mob.

Oscar had said the other night that they would probably be moving countries even if they weren't having a boy because it was just too much; too much scrutiny and stress, especially for a family that had a very critical secret to keep.

Hu Yetao had nodded in agreement, wishing - not for the first time - that he wasn't so bloody famous.

He settled back against his Alpha with a sigh, giving Oscar's hand a gentle squeeze. He knew Oscar was a little more on edge today because they finally had to face the world without the safety of Hogwarts behind them. Oscar had been less and less tolerant of other people around his mate the closer Hu Yetao got to his due date, he only bore Xinyao and Jing Long's presence near his pregnant Omega now without snapping.

"The Ministry still pushing you to join the Auror training program?" Xinyao asked before popping a mottled green jellybean into his mouth and promptly grimacing.

"Yeah," Hu Yetao exhaled, dropping his head back onto Oscar's shoulder. "They won't take no for an answer."

Jing Long pursed his lips, looking infuriated on his behalf. "I don't know why they expect you to continue to put your life on the line for them when I think that everyone can agree that you've risked your life enough times already. I understand offering a position to you initially, but how many times have you refused them now?"

Hu Yetao couldn't help but smile at his friend; he would make a brilliant human rights lawyer. "Including this morning?" he replied dryly. "Four times. Although to be fair, I didn't answer the last two, I just Incendio'd them."

"I sent a reply on your behalf," Oscar interjected casually. "It said 'get fucked.'

Xinyao laughed and then paused. "Uh, you're joking, right?"

Oscar merely arched a brow in response.

Hu Yetao snorted. "He thinks he's invincible to the Ministry now that he's my mate."

"That's probably true." Jing Long smiled as he took the box from and offered Hu Yetao and Draco Oscar jellybeans. "But I wouldn't test it too much."

Oscar sorted through the pile of jellybeans that he'd poured into his hand and then chucked the rejections back into the box. He passed half of the acceptable ones to Hu Yetao before popping the rest into his mouth.

"I hope your hands are clean," Xinyao grumbled as he took the box back.

Hu Yetao chewed on the flavourful jellybeans as a wave of nostalgia washed over him. He was excited about it but he also knew that he was going to miss this.

They sat in silence for a while before Hu Yetao's rumbling stomach prompted Oscar to tell them that it was time to go.

Hu Yetao hugged Xinyao and Jing-Long - as well as he was able to with his massive stomach - and smiled at them both with glassy eyes, not needing words to say how much their friendship had meant to him during his time at Hogwarts. They knew they were the reason he had managed to escape certain death on more than one occasion. What they didn't know was that they wouldn't be a part of his life in the same way that they had once been; he had loyalties to a new family now. One that he was willing to do anything for, including holding his best friends at arm's length to keep his family safe.

Hu Yetao stepped back and took his Alpha's hand before the four of them proceeded towards the front gates together…

EPILOGUE

Hu Yetao took a sip of his tea while gazing over the rim of the cup and through the window at his mate. Oscar was currently bounding across the vivid green lawns of Wang Manor in his Nundu form, his father directly behind him.

Oscar had to spend every morning working off his excess energy now that Hu Yetao was overdue by nearly a week.

Hu Yetao set his cup down with a sigh, one hand absently rubbing his lower back. Oscar wasn't the only one ready for this baby to come; he was so tired of feeling uncomfortable and achy, not to mention bloody hot now that they were in the midst of an oppressively warm summer. Oscar did everything he could to make Hu Yetao feel as comfortable as possible, with lots of massages and bringing him anything he needed or wanted but Hu Yetao's discomfort was making him rather difficult to live with.

Hu Yetao felt bad about being so grumpy all the time but Oscar never complained and he vowed that he would make it up to him once he was feeling more like himself again.

"Can I get you anything?" Shui Xian quietly enquired from across the small round table in the sunny conservatory.

Hu Yetao smiled wanly at her. "No thank you, I think I'll just go for a bit of a walk. My back is beginning to ache from sitting for so long."

"I'll have Niào bring you some pain reliever potion in the front parlor when you're ready."

Hu Yetao nodded gratefully. He was only permitted two mild pain reliever potions per day and he was ready for his first.

Shui Xian picked up her tea in pale hands and smiled softly at the sun glinting off Hu Yetao's engagement ring. "I wanted to thank you Hu Yetao," she said before taking a sip of her Earl Grey.

"For what?"

Shui Xian smiled gently, cupping her warm teacup in both hands. "Forgiving my son such a wonderful life."

Hu Yetao blinked in surprise, cheeks heating under her warm regard.

"You have given him everything he could have wished for, and what more could a parent want for her child than that?"

Hu Yetao smiled in response, cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. "I love him," he finally replied with a shrug, as though that simple response explained everything, and perhaps it did, because Narcissa's expression warmed even further at his humble words.

She turned away to finish her breakfast and Hu Yetao pushed himself to his feet, trying not to groan at the ache that seemed to be spreading from his lower back to his hips and even up to his neck.

"I'll let Oscar know where you are when he comes back inside," Shui Xian said as Hu Yetao slowly made his way to the door.

He nodded in acknowledgment and then focussed on walking out into the hall, stretching his legs to the fullest stride possible to try to work out the kinks in his ligaments and muscles. He kept getting muscle spasms in his calves and the arches of his feet, so he was trying to keep as limber as possible to avoid the debilitating cramps.

Now he knew why Shui Xian had only gone through this once. He was out of breath moving from the rear of the Manor to the entrance foyer -and that was moving at a snail's pace. He was also at the point where he didn't even perform elemental magic anymore because it was too draining; any magic he had available was being consumed by the developing baby.

Hu Yetao paused to lean against the wall and catch his breath before making the trek to the front parlor. He had originally planned to take a turn about the garden, but he quickly realized that would be too much for him until he took his potion.

He inhaled sharply at the sudden stab of pain that ripped across his swollen abdomen.

He quickly placed both hands on his stomach and held his breath, waiting to see if it happened again. He knew male Omegas had very fast deliveries and he wasn't taking any chances by brushing this off.

When it happened again, the pain was much worse and he stifled a gasp as he stumbled sideways into the wall. He lost his balance and staggered forwards, sliding down the wall to the floor and knocking over a small table holding a vase of flowers to the ground. The crystal vase shattered into tiny pieces, water splashing everywhere.

Hu Yetao didn't care at that moment if the vase was a thousand years old and or if it had been in the Wang family for generations, the pain that was now erupting through his abdomen was nearly on par with a localized Cruciatus.

He screwed his eyes shut and cried out in pain, his hands clenching around his belly as he tried to curl into a ball, his body instinctively trying to escape the agony.

The front door of the Manor was abruptly thrown open and Hu Yetao squinted up at the sunshine streaming through the open doorway to see an enormous blonde cat standing there. The cat swiftly transformed back into his Alpha and Oscar ran over, vanishing the spilled water with an absent wave of his hand before crouching down next to his mate.

Hu Yetao couldn't stop the whimper of relief that overwhelmed him at the sight of his Alpha. He reached out for him and Oscar quickly scooped Hu Yetao up into his arms, lifting him as though he weighed nothing at all.

Hu Yetao closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his breathing like the books had instructed him to do. He knew Oscar would take care of the rest.

He was only vaguely aware of Xiaocheng and Shui Xian appearing in the foyer and speaking to Oscar while Niào was sent to fetch the Clan Healer. After a very hasty conversation between the three Wangs, Oscar turned and began to carry Hu Yetao up the stairs.

Hu Yetao could barely focus through the haze of pain that refused to abate. His contractions were not sporadic, they merely held steady with no breaks in between, as his makeshift womb was not meant to push the baby out in the same way that females were. Their baby had to be delivered by cesarean had to be quick for the health of not just the baby but there as well.

Hu Yetao opened his eyes when he felt a sudden brush of cool air, as though they'd just stepped outside.

Oscar had carried him into a large room which he'd never laid eyes on before. It was reminiscent of the Room of Requirement which Oscar had conjured so long ago when they'd had their first conversation, except much cleaner and more welcoming, almost like a secret grotto in a lavish Scandinavian spa. It was made entirely of stone and had a small, soothing waterfall emptying into an emerald pool in one corner, and then a large raised platform covered in furs in the other corner. There were no windows but the room was lit with multiple wall sconces and the water in the pool reflected the flickering light up onto the ceiling above.