Wolf

The blissful feeling Andy experienced that day stuck with him for the days to come. He was practically glued to Ashley afterwards. Something inside of him just... craved Ashley at every hour of they day- and not in a sexual way, (well, most of the time. Andy had his moment). His heart had practically burst, filling every bone in his body with nothing but love and adoration for Ashley.
It was cheesy. It was cliche. But it was true.
Ashley felt the same, too. He was delighted that his mate was now proudly his, officially. He felt like they had finally overcome all of their issues concerning living in the human world; living apart from wolves. Or... so he thought.
The next two months passed by flawlessly, to both of their delights, and then Andy discovered he was pregnant. Was that bad? Of course not, both of them were overjoyed at the news.
There was just a slight disagreement down the road...
Ashley sat in his office, working on some paperwork for a deal he had coming up with a client. Andy shyly knocked and peeked in.
"Ashes?" He asked meekly, stepping in and closing the door behind him. Ashley looked up and smiled at his glowing love, setting his pen down and sitting up.
"Hey, sweetheart... How are the babies." He motioned for him to come over. Andy obliged and waddled over, smiling a bit. Ashley put his hands on both sides of his swollen stomach, kissing the top. "You're so gorgeous..." He breathed.
Andy blushed faintly, looking down at him. He was only 3 and a half months pregnant, but their species, if you will, carried a litter. Just because he was pregnant as a human made no difference; wolf was still in his DNA. Since he was carrying so many, he already looked around 7 months. Andy sat on the edge of his desk to relieve the stress on his ankles and sighed.
"I've always wanted pups..." He murmured, rubbing his stomach. Ashley raised an eyebrow.
"Well. You're having babies. Human kids are called babies." Ashley corrected. Andy bit his lip.
"I know that. That's why I came in here..." He looked away from him, not caring to see his critical gaze.
Ashley leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched his lover grow nervous and uncomfortable as the words tumbled from his mouth.
"I want to spend the last 4 months in the wild." He said messily, head down and hair over his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting with bated breath for the response he dreaded, yet knew full well he'd receive.
"Not now." Ashley finally said, scooting his chair up to his desk. "I'm busy."
"But-"
"I said not now." Ashley said tightly. "We will talk of this later. Understood?"
Andy's shoulders slumped. He said nothing and walked silently from the office, shutting the door with a limp arm. He upset him... He knew he'd upset him. He didn't want to upset him. Andy laid on the couch and buried his face in a pillow, crying weakly. He was going to give birth to 5 kids, 5 little angels and when Andy finally wants to talk about them, their children, work becomes the priority. Did Ashley even want kids?

Okay, he wanted babies. He wanted human kids, as he put it. Andy wanted pups. He wanted to see them explore the world with wagging tails and floppy ears that had yet to stiffen up; he wanted to see the amazement in their beautiful eyes as they took their first look at the sky and the trees and the grass- He wanted pups. Just like he was at one point in time; just like Ashley was.
Did Ashley not want his own children to carry on his family bloodline? It didn't seem like that. If Andy remained in human for the pregnancy, then the children would have not even a pinch of wolf in them. They'd be... normal. Andy would love them with all his heart despite, but it would also break his heart to not be able to share his family; his life with his own children.
---
Night came sooner than Andy had wanted. Night meant he had to struggle into his pajamas by himself. Night meant he had to lay in bed by himself until the most ungodly hours of the night Ashley decided to sneak in at. He had been so busy...
Night also meant, this time, he had to face Ashley. He sat up when Ashley got in bed at around 12, much, much earlier than he usually did, and bit his lip.
"So- babe." He started.
"Not this again..." Ashley groaned, laying down and rubbing his eyes. Andy frowned.
"Yes. This again. And don't shut me out again." He said sternly. "Don't give me that 'I have to get up in the morning' excuse because you don't get out of bed until 11. Don't give me anything. I want to make this whole being mates thing work for the both of us so neither of us have to be miserable, and right now that's not working, so shut up and listen."
Ashley stared at him, heaving a loud sigh. "Fine. Go ahead..."
Andy nodded and rubbed his stomach. "I want to go live with my parents for the last four months of the pregnancy because I want them to-"
"Be part wolf, yes, I got that." Ashley rolled his eyes. Andy frowned a little more.
"I don't understand why you don't, Ashley. They'd be carrying on your bloodline!"
"Tell me something I don't know, Andy." Ashley said, sounding very frustrated. Andy glared.
"In order for me to do that, you need to give approval, otherwise I'll be turned away." He continued as if Ashley hadn't interrupted rudely. "So, that's why I'm asking you to-"
"No. See? That was easy. Goodnight." Ashley said quickly, turning the lamp beside him off and immersing the room into darkness. Andy's jaw dropped.
"And why the hell not?"
"Oh my god, Andrew, because it's dangerous." Ashley groaned.
"Dangerous?" Andy scoffed.
"I don't want my children to be hunted like I was, Andy!" Ashley finally snapped, sitting up and staring at him with a cold expression.
"I don't want my children to grow up, stripped completely of the most crucial part of my life! Of our lives!"
"I don't want my children to be fucking mutant! We are living in this world as humans from now on, meaning my children have to be human. Not a hybrid. Got it?!" Ashley seethed through grit teeth.
Andy's jaw dropped. "They're my children too..." He said shakily.
"That may be so, but you don't und-"
"You called my babies mutants!" Andy threw a pillow at him to shut him up, getting out of the bed.
Ashley paled. "No, baby, I didn't-"
"What does that make us, Ashley? Huh?" He sniffled.
"Babe, I didn't mean it like that. You know I didn't!"
"No, I don't. I don't know what you mean anymore, you spend your day locked away in that damn office." He gathered a pillow and blanket, heading to the door.
"Where are you going?" Ashley frowned.
"Sleeping on the couch." He spat, going down the stairs and making a makeshift bed. To his surprise, Ashley left him alone, but he sure wasn't complaining. He was so fed up with that damn attitude of his.
Sleep didn't come to Andy like he had hoped it would, so he sat awake for another long hour, listening to the tick of the grandfather clock echoing throughout the house. He looked down at himself and rubbed his stomach slowly. "You're my children too." He whispered softly and stood, waddling to the kitchen. He took out a pen and a post-it note, scribbling a small message out and then leaving the house all together.
In the morning, Ashley came downstairs in hopes to surprise Andy with an 'I'm sorry' breakfast and hopefully make up, somewhat. He froze when he saw the couch was empty, aside from the neatly made blankets and pillows Andy had set up the night before. "Andy? Baby doll?" He called, looking in every room, checking the bathroom, the balcony, everywhere and he was nowhere to be found. When he came to the kitchen, he found the sloppy note and nearly fainted.
You'll probably come find me and drag me home like last time, but they're my kids too. I'm not coming home until they're born. I'm sorry. - Andy

Notes