Chapter 8: The Trials of Pregnancy
True to his word, Aras kept a close eye on his mate while he learned the ins and outs of his new home town. He would bring Ulysses his lunch, mildly urge him to take a nap before heading out to see some new sight.
Feral felt like he was wearing a tracking device by the easy way Aras seemed to know exactly where he was at all times. He actually searched his clothes and himself for such a device because he just couldn't see how Aras knew he was at city hall or at his desk or in his car.
He'd be really pissed if he learned he was indeed wearing a tracker in an inconspicuous place on his body. Aras knew his mate couldn't be trusted to stay in his office or to eat and rest regularly every day.
It wasn't that Uly was careless or didn't care, it was simply because he was male and the Chief Enforcer. He just got too busy to pay attention to his personal needs all the time and possessed a male's ego that ignored any bodily discomfort. So Aras appointed himself, his mate's watchdog.
He hadn't told Ulysses, but he was looking for a house for them. Feral's apartment was not big enough for a growing family. He'd spent the next couple of months looking at houses that were outside the city but not so far Ulysses couldn't get to work quickly.
While he was doing all this, he soon learned very quickly, why medical personnel hated having Feral as a patient. Aras was fast losing his famous composure with his mate. Ulysses ignored his many attempts to get him to relax and stay calm. The reason for his increased concern was his mate's pregnancy was not going well which made the dark tom's already famous temper, spike even more readily.
As his waistline expanded, Feral became more and more irritable. Despite the incredible sex, he was not happy being pregnant. The common symptoms of pregnancy were magnified in him.
Instead of occasional nausea, he was plagued by it every day and not just in the morning. Instead of being a little tired, he was so exhausted from just working a couple of hours, his sergeant would find him completely out of it, slumped asleep on his desk, papers everywhere. He was so irritable, his officers found novel ways to never be in his company for any reason except by direct command. Feral particularly hated getting blood transfusions but, fortunately, on his last visit, Dr. Langer told him his body had 'caught up' finally and was producing enough to halt the transfusions.
Being pulled from combat duty had made him more like a rapid wolf or a bear with a thorn in it's foot. He would prowl restlessly every floor of the building when he wasn't so exhausted he was forced to nap, which he hated since it put him further behind on his work. And the absolutely most embarrassing thing of all was the fainting.
No matter how much rest he got or how hard he tried to curb his temper, anything would set him off and that would send his blood pressure up then it would plunge alarmingly, resulting in fainting or when he would have to be more active to avoid danger thus forcing him to need more oxygen, fainting would occur due to the kitten pressing against his lungs.
He'd lost count of the number of times he'd either came close to fainting or completely collapsed to the horror and upset of his enforcers.
The worst culprits for causing his fainting fits were, of course, omegas and the SWAT Kats. His frustration in not being able to be at the front lines, made his temper more intense. Because of this, Sgt Fallon made sure he was never away from Feral's side. And, even though Feral made every effort to avoid trouble, the omegas always managed to find him.
Today was no exception. He sighed as he watched in disgust as the Metallikats trashed a weapons demonstration at Pumadyne. The Commander was there to observe the test firing of the weapon when the robotic pair descended on them in their repaired Metallikat Express.
"You haven't learned to drive any better since being put back together!" Molly snorted as their vehicle slammed through the guards at the gate.
"Shaddup! Where are we supposed to go?" Mac growled as he sped across the huge complex's parking lot.
"To your right and down to the last building back there. That's where the firing range is." His mate told him.
Enforcers on scene with Feral and the security for Pumadyne were firing everything they had at the racing Metallikat Express without making a dent in it.
"Molly, knock some of those fleas off my back." Mac shouted in annoyance.
"They're not doing us any harm, why waste ammunition?" Molly complained, but did fire some of their rather formidable armaments at their attackers.
She made some devastating holes in the defense forcing them to take cover. Mac finally reached the site of the demonstration and drove right up to the platform where the weapon was mounted.
Halting their car in a spray of gravel and leaving the engine running, Mac and Molly jumped out and ran up the steps to the platform.
"We'll just be taking that." Mac laughed evilly as he knocked the scientists off the platform to hit painfully on the ground. "Grab the thing and let's get out of here, Molly."
"Keep your tin shirt on." Molly growled as she carefully detached the weapon from its mount.
Mac provided cover for her as they ran back to their vehicle and took off again.
Feral had been forced to take cover when the pair had arrived much to his fury. He summoned back up and as he tensely waited for his jet squadron to arrive, the SWAT Kats got there first. Snarling helplessly to himself, he watched as the Metallikats and the vigilantes mixed it up.
Feral and everyone else on the ground was forced to take shelter behind the concrete barrier of the target range to keep out of the line of fire as missiles from the Turbokat mixed it up with the lasers and missiles of the Metallikat Express.
The Metallikats had torn out the security fence near the firing range and gotten only half a mile from Pumadyne before the SWAT Kats finally got the upper paw by using a boring missile to get through the car roof then tossing a specially hyped up electro grenade that scrambled the two robot's circuits.
The pair screamed in pain then shut down. The Metallikat Express continued on its course driverless until Razor managed to hitch a ride and bring it to a halt. The weapon, unfortunately, had been fried by the grenade as well.
Razor quickly repelled back up to the jet and the pair shot away across the sky. Feral's enforcer squadron had just arrived...too late.
Of course, the end result had caused Feral to become totally incensed, the worst thing he could allow himself to be and paid for it by fainting dead away in Sgt Fallon's arms. The Sergeant sighed in resignation as he signaled other enforcers nearby to give him a paw.
When the Commander woke up some fifteen minutes later, he was aboard an ambulance. He frowned in annoyance and tried to sit up.
"No sir. Stay down!" A firm voice told him, pressing his shoulder down.
Feral turned his head and glared at the medic.
"Sorry, Commander. You were out too long this time and the docs back at the hospital want you checked out, so please don't give us a hard time about it." The medic said flatly, all too familiar with Feral's dislike of being at the mercy of medical orders.
Feral growled in his throat and laid back down. He hated this but he had to admit he really didn't feel that good. He soon had to endure tests, needles, and a few hours stay in the hospital until he was more stable.
This was where Aras found him. He came into his mate's room and sighed.
"Ulysses. I hear you had a rather traumatic day." He said quietly, coming to his mate's side.
Feral growled at Aras in annoyance. "I hate fainting. This time I didn't wake up for fifteen minutes so they felt I needed to be hospitalized. You are the reason I'm in here."
Aras sighed again. "Uly I am sorry you are having a terrible time with this but you did decide to continue this despite the risks. Believe me! Your fragile health while you carry our kitten scares me. You must try to take it easy. It's not forever." He pleaded quietly.
The dark tom turned away from Aras and stared at the ceiling. Yeah, he'd made the decision but it was the only one he could make. But it was so very hard to deal with all that entailed. He truly hated being so 'fragile' as Aras put it. Pregnancy was supposed to be just another stage of life but in his case it was more like life and death.
Aras leaned over him so that he had to look at his face. The golden tom was very concerned and it showed in his eyes.
"My love. I am truly worried for you."
"I know, I worry too." Feral said heavily, raising a paw to touch Aras' cheek. "I just hate being this weak. I'm too used to being strong and doing what I need to. This just scares me."
"I know love, I'm sorry. I will never allow this to happen again, I couldn't bear it. But for right now, please, you must take more care. You have no choice." Aras murmured gently, leaning down and kisses his mate.
Feral let out a drawn out sigh. "Aras, I don't go looking for trouble, it finds me."
Aras dropped his head and sighed as well. He lifted his head and looked out the window for a long moment in thought. Uly had a point. Trouble was always finding him so really the only option was to take him away for now. He sighed mentally, 'Oh yeah, this will go over well.'
He looked back at his mate. "I know you're going to hate this but it's the only option to see you through the last three months safely." He said carefully.
Feral eyes narrowed. He had a suspicion what Aras was about to suggest and his mate would be right on how he'd react to that. "Let me save you the trouble. NO!"
Aras stared at him, tight-lipped. "I'm willing to listen to an alternative that will allow you to keep this kitten."
Feral started to open his mouth then shut it again in angry frustration. He really didn't have another avenue. Even if he tried to remain in his office all the time, trouble still managed to find him. He felt trapped and he really hated that feeling. He couldn't blame Aras because he had made the decision to keep the kitten so it was up to him to ensure its safe arrival.
"Fine. What did you have in mind." He ground out.
"It gives me no pleasure to take you from your important work. If it will make you feel easier about this, I have a few favors I can call in to insure your city stays safe during your absence." Aras suggested softly.
Feral grimaced. "I don't want any spy shenanigans here."
"No, nothing like that but they would insure your second doesn't end up losing you your command and your city." Aras reassured him.
It was his mate's turn to stare out the window, teeth grinding in aggravation at the way his life had been taken from his paws. Steele was the worst at command, he'd seen in a while but there was no way to replace him at this time. He flicked his gaze back at Aras.
"How do you intend to do that?"
Aras shrugged casually. "I can get someone who is very good at fluffing someone's ego while ensuring certain 'suggestions' are followed to keep the enforcers going with a minimum of interference from Steele's ineptitude."
"That would be a miracle." Feral muttered in disbelief then sighed. "I still don't like it but I don't see a choice."
"I'll take care of arranging things. As soon as I firm up where we are going, then I'll speak with Dr. Langer about a referral for a specialist in our temporary residence. When that is set up only then should you speak with the Mayor about a leave of absence. I'll be sure you have a strongly worded advisement from Dr. Langer that this is required to ensure the safe delivery of your kitten." Aras said briskly.
Feral shoved his head back against his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. "My life stopped being my own when you touched me that last night at the academy." He mused heavily.
Aras' mouth twitched with a small smile at that admission. His face was serious though, when leaned over his mate and kissed him tenderly.
"I'll be by to pick you up when you're released, my love. Just rest."
Feral just sighed and made no comment as his mate straightened then left the room quietly.