Free Ben by Toni Griffin

menacing growl filled the air.
    This time Tommy spoke up, although due to his lack of energy he knew he didn't sound very authoritative. "Stop it. If you can't behave you can leave."
    Ben leant down and placed a kiss on his lips.
    "Sorry, pup. It would seem I'm a tad bit possessive when it comes to you and our cub. I don't want anyone else touching you."
    "Thank you, that's kind of sweet, but also incredibly stupid."
    "Excuse me?" Tommy could feel the hint of amusement lacing Ben's words.
    "Ben, people are going to touch me. Declan touches me every time he comes over, Liam does the same. If I want to hug my brother, I bloody well will, whether you like it or not. So stop acting like a caveman and let the doctor look at me because I feel like shit and I'm worried I'm hurting our cub." Tommy could once again feel tears gathering in his eyes by the time he had finished his silent rant to his mate.
    "Oh, pup. I'm sorry." Ben carded his fingers through Tommy's hair in an effort to soothe him. Ben knew how much Tommy loved having his hair stroked, but Ben's grip on his hand never lightened. "Go ahead, Phil."
    Not another sound crossed Ben's lips as Doc Carter started his exam. His temperature was taken and his blood pressure, iron levels, and blood sugar were all checked. Tommy was hooked up to a drip and stabbed with a needle for the first time in his life so they could get some fluid into him since he was badly dehydrated.
    Two bags of liquid later and Tommy was feeling a little better. The doc pulled out some anti-nausea medicine that he assured Tommy and Ben would not harm their cub in any way, shape, or form and informed Tommy he had to take the medicine twice as often as the instructions prescribed due to the fact that they metabolised things so much faster than a regular human.
    Tommy didn't care how often he had to take the damn pills just so long as he stopped feeling like this. The doc also asked Ben to get him a set of scales, and once back, Ben helped Tommy to stand and the doc recorded his weight. Tommy lay back down on the couch at the doc's instructions and flinched when he put his hands on Tommy's stomach and pressed down gently.
    Ben growled, the doc snatched his hands back, and then looked worriedly at Tommy. "Did what I just do hurt?" he asked.
    "No, but your fingers are bloody cold." Ben's breath expelling from behind him had Tommy smiling while the doc chuckled lightly from where he crouched beside him.
    "Sorry." Tommy watched as the man rubbed his hands together in an effort to warm them then placed them back on Tommy's stomach. "Better?" he asked as he pressed down with the pads of his fingers and felt around before moving a little way and repeating over again.
    "Yes, thank you."
    "Just out of curiosity have you confirmed the pregnancy with a test?" the doc asked not once looking away from what he was doing.
    "Yes, I ran out and got a couple of home pregnancy tests four days ago when the morning sickness started. They all tested positive." Ben said.
    "How many is 'all'?" Doc Carter asked, looking interested in the answer.
    "Twelve." Tommy watched as the man threw his head back and laughed.
    "Bloody men are always the same," he muttered before going back to what he was doing. The last thing he did was bring out a measuring tape and measure Tommy's stomach from his bellybutton to the edge of his pubic bone. Tommy squeezed Ben's hand tightly as the man bared his teeth and growled at the doctor.
    "Stop it, Ben."
    "He's a little too close for my liking," Ben grumbled.
    "He's doing his job."
    Before Ben could answer, he was interrupted by the doc. "It's a little too early for us to be able to hear a heartbeat yet. We'll give it a couple more weeks. Now, were you interested in finding out the sex of the cub? Not that we can at this early stage, but it's something for you to think about anyway. I've made a note of all of my findings and you have your medication. I will want to see you again every two weeks until you