It was a long delivery, Leon stayed by Ethan’s side most of the time, the only time he wasn’t was when she was born. Having an Alpha in the room wasn’t a good thing for the staff. He was allowed back in a few moments later where he was nearly in tears seeing his baby girl finally and getting to cut the cord. She was crying loudly with strong lungs. The doctors were busy cleaning Ethan up and making sure that everything was alright with the after birth. He didn’t remember much of it all, he just remembered what to him was the best part, where he finally heard the mighty cry of his little girl. Then he was holding her for the first time, he was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He cooed lovingly at her and she seemed to settle in his arms. He was exhausted, yet he refused to rest until she fell asleep. Leon put her into the crib next to the bed and told him to sleep. Natalya Threse Perterson was 8lb 6oz, she had small tiger ears and tail, with dark tufts of baby fine deep orange hair and fair skin like her Omega father. 

He woke up a few hours later, Leon was asleep in the chair next to him, the nurse had come in and checked on them, and he could hear Natalya starting to fuss. Putting on his glasses he looked to the Nurse who smiled at him. 

“Do you want to see if she will feed from you?” She asked as she picked her up gently. He nodded happily, and undid the string that held the front of the gown up. Leon had been helping him with this part, it was weird to see his own chest grow, but this was typical and temporary for a male.

“So I just need to hold her like this.” He said cradling her gently letting her naturally arrive at his nipple. The nurse nodded and after a few tries she successfully latched on and started suckling. The feeling was odd, he’d had people, including Leon, suck on his nipples but it was nothing like this.

“That’s great she’ll probably suckle for a bit on that side and then I’d try switching her to the other once she seems done. If she is still hungry after it’s okay I’ll have a bottle for you to try.” She said happily. “First time moms don’t always have enough milk.” She reassured him.

“Thank you.” He said softly, just amazed at the little girl happily sucking away. She walked out to fetch a bottle as well as a burp cloth just in case. Leon had woken up when she’d come in and sat there and watched his mate as he fed their precious daughter, she had let go and started to fuss and cry as soon as she had drained him dry. Carefully switching her to the other side she latched on quickly this time and went right back to eating. The nurse brought in a bottle and set it down nearby.

“She’s got a healthy appetite.” He said softly.

“Yes, it must come from me.” he said happily. He hummed softly as she ate. “There’s the bottle, there on the table if you want to try feeding her next.” He said, looking at him. “I have a feeling I won’t be enough.”

“I would.” He said his ears perking up and his tail flicking back and forth. He picked up the bottle and the burping cloth. “We should be able to bring her home tomorrow.” He told him. “Given that you and her are healthy.” He caressed his face, he’d never felt so proud in his life as he did now. Ethan twittered with delight.

“I’m glad. I’d feel more comfortable at home then I do here especially if we’re to have visitors.” They’d agreed to not tell anyone yet, this was their time to bond with their baby.

“My mother’s are going to be upset but they’ll understand it’s late, and they’ll have a lifetime with her, this is our time.” He said proudly.

“We’ll have a lifetime with her as well, but this is our first.” He said, caressing Natalya’s soft cheek. Her tail was curled about his arm and her ears were up and listening to her parents. 

She soon found that this nipple too was empty and let go and started crying. She then felt bigger arms take her and a familiar scent, this she understood was another parent. A moment later a different nipple was produced to her. She didn’t want it, it didn’t smell like the other one, nore did it smell like this parent. She squirmed and fussed.

“Let me try something.” Ethan said, taking the bottle. He gently rubbed the bottle nipple against his skin getting his scent on it as he did and then he handed it back. She sniffed at it and a moment later latched on happily drinking away. “Oh good I thought that might work.” 

“Her nose must be sensitive, I get the blame for that one.” He said watching her happily feed. She drank down nearly the entire thing, he pulled it away and then put her gently onto his shoulder and patted her back burping her and then he cleaned the bit of spit up. She squirmed in his arms trying to get comfy but his scent was too much and he was all muscle, she wanted the other one, the milk giver.

“Let me hold her?” He asked. Leon carefully handed her over and he cradled him in his arms and hummed softly to her. This was the parent she wanted, this was the scent she was used to, this was the voice she’d heard her whole existence. She soon fell asleep happily in his arms. Ethan smiled knowing none of this but feeling like a proud parent, he wondered deep down if his mother would be proud of him right now.

“Ethan what's wrong sweetie?” He asked, seeing the tears in his eyes..

“I was just thinking about my own mother.” He said softly.

“I see, I’m sure she’s very proud of you right now.” He said, stroking his head and wiping the tears away. “Just like I am.” He said, rubbing his face, enjoying as Ethan fluffed his ear feathers at him. It always amazed him how much personality he showed through his feathers. He yawned and looked to his once again asleep daughter nestled in his mate's arms and felt that sense of pride.

The night wasn’t as smooth as they hoped it would be, between changes and feedings Ethan found himself feeling more exhausted, but Leon was there with him. They called his family as they were given the OK to leave starting with Leon’s mothers.

“Mom, we wanted to let you know we’re on our way home from the hospital. Natalya Threse Peterson was born at 11:08 last night.” He announced once they both were there as he waited for Ethan to get changed.

“What?! Our grandbaby is here? Why didn’t you call us last night? Me and your mother were still awake.” Naomie said fake annoyed.

“It’s a girl! I was right, you owe me.” Lorain said happily, hugging her wife.

“It was late and it was exhausting, we’re leaving now to go home, you can come meet her this afternoon. It’s been a rough first night.” He told her. She huffed a little, but he knew she wasn’t honestly that mad.

“Well, expect us over after lunch then.” She told him. “At least you told us first. Your sister is here and is dead asleep. I'll go tell her the news. I'm sure she’ll be over with us.” He heard her walking through the hall and then opening a door. “Hey! Wake up you lazy bum I have your brother on the phone.” He heard what sounded like kicking and then a thud and then his sister complaining about being woken violently. “Hey, your niece was born last night.” Leon was thankful she hadn’t handed her the phone as the squeal of joy was ear piercing. He looked to Natalya who for the moment was sound asleep in the baby carrier all swaddled in soft orange. 

“Why didn’t you call me you Jerk!” Felicia yelled into the phone.

“It was late and we wanted some alone time. You can come meet her today as we’re going home.” He told her.

“Ugg I wanted to make her go home outfit and put her into it, Leon you are spoiling my dreams!” She said annoyed.

“Find your own mate and get married and do it for your own kids.” He said annoyed. “Ethan already picked out three go home outfits just in case one or two got dirty.” He informed her. She was currently in the tiger sleeper with its hood that covered her tiny ears. “I’m sending pictures when I hang up.” He told her.

“Ugg that sounds like too much work.” She groaned. Leon felt bad for Mark who liked kids, he’d been almost as excited for Natalya’s arrival as Ethan and Leon had been. 

“You better change your mind young lady! I want more grand babies and not just from Ethan.” His mother said as she snatched her phone back. “And send me the photos so I can share them with your mother.” She said sweetly to Leon.

“Alright love you guys.” He said and hung up. He took a picture of his little angel in her carrier and then sent the several photo’s he’d already taken to both his mom’s phones as well as to his grandmother and both his siblings. Ethan walked out of the bathroom still in maternity clothes. “Are you ready to go home?” He asked.

“Yes, how did they take it?” He asked as he sat down in the wheelchair. He looked at his little angel fast asleep. “She looks nothing like me.” He fretted.

“She does, she has your fairer skin, and well it’s probably still too early to tell much.” He said leaning down and kissing his forehead. 

He put the carrier gently into his lap and wheeled him out, several nurses wished them good luck and waved them off. Outside Mark waited with the car, the baby seat properly secured and waiting for the carrier to be snapped into place. Ethan sat in the back watching over her as they drove home. It was a thankful quick ride home, as soon as they stopped she started to stir and shortly after was crying. Ethan took her out of the carrier and carried her inside, he had the aching feeling in his chest that she was hungry. They had purely bottle fed her the last time and now he was feeling oddly full.

“Could you start a bottle for her as well, nothing big I hope.” he told Leon as they went up the elevator to the apartment. 

“As you wish,” he said playfully. He carried the overnight bag in one hand and the carrier in the other.

“Then I’d also like a second breakfast, that just wasn’t filling.” Ethan told him. Two eggs and toast had been their morning meal at the hospital, it wasn’t nearly enough. 

“Alright, whatever my wife wishes.” He told him as he went and opened the door. Natalya was becoming more fussy, Ethan just cooed at her and went upstairs to her bedroom, rather than finding a different top he got a burp cloth and pulled off the shirt he was wearing. He sat in the rocker and then fed her starting with his left and then once she was done with that side to his right. It was a relief as she did, he was getting used to the weird feelings of his chest being full and empty and Natalya’s suckling.

“Are you cold?” Leon asked, seeing him.

“No, I'm fine.” He told him as he fluffed his shoulder feathers. He was too mesmerized by the little girl in his arms to be honest. He hummed a lullaby. Leon put the bottle down and went into the adjoining room and fetched him a nursing shirt. 

Mark brought up juice and pancakes a while later, Nataya had by then been fully fed, burped, and had a diaper change by then and was being cradled in Ethan’s arms. Leon was unpacking more of the clothes and toys that he’d hid away. Ones that would have given away that it was a baby girl they were having. Ethan didn’t want to put her down. This was his darling baby, she was beautiful and precious, but he was also hungry himself. Leon saw the conflict and gently scooped her up into his own arms.

“Eat, she’ll be fine,” he told him. Ethan happily let him, that was his mate, her father he trusted him, even though this was their first. 

After eating Ethan fell asleep, Leon himself was tired but he let him sleep while he could. Only Ethan could get her to eat and she was up almost like clockwork every two to three hours for a diaper change and food. He put the crib next to the bed and let the both of them sleep, he must have dozed off as he woke to what he was beginning to think was hungry baby sounds. Ethan woke instantly and took care of her, he took her downstairs to get her a bottle, the Nurses told him he should rotate between the two during feedings as he didn’t make much, being a male.

Leon’s mother’s and sister arrived with balloons and gifts a few hours later and were more than happy to meet her. Ethan fretted a bit in the beginning, but seeing how she was more than okay being held by them, though she didn’t like her aunt as much. She was also more than happy to come back to him, after all he had the best smell. Later her Great-Grandparents showed up with more gifts. They all stayed for dinner and then left letting them get some more rest when they could.