Accidental Surrogate

Ella

Slowly, I breathe through my contractions, taking deep breaths in through my nose and huffing them out of my mouth. The pain is…well, I suppose I can’t say like anything I’ve felt before, can I? Not after all I’ve been through in the past five months. But it’s incredible, the way it radiates through my body, making me grit my teeth against it.

I can feel my body moving, changing along with the contractions. The pain in my pelvis, particularly, is insane, as the bones shift to make room for the baby to pass through. My eyes flash open during one particularly difficult contraction and I hear myself cry out against the pain. God, I would have thought that being a wolf made this easier – wolves seem to have a whole litter of pups without much trouble, by themselves out in the woods.

Passingly, I consider shifting into my wolf form to ease this

But then, suddenly, Sinclair bursts into my room, dashing for me.

“What,” he gasps, almost skidding to the side, looking me all over for what is wrong. “What is it, Ella – I heard you scream –”

“No,” I say, gasping a little as the contraction starts to come to its end. “No, it’s just the contraction – god, Dominic, these suck – ”

He shakes his head, still panicked, trying to put it all together as he kneels by the side of the bed and takes my hand. “Cora is coming, she’s close,” he murmurs. “She’ll be allowed in.”

“And Hank?” I ask, looking at my mate. “And Roger?”

“Roger?” Sinclair asks, confused.

“Yes, Dominic! Roger! I want him here as well!”

“Why?” Sinclair’s eyes are wide with wonder now.

“Because!” I smack his shoulder, frowning at him. “He’s the child’s uncle! And his godfather! He should be here! I can’t believe you didn’t call him!”

his back pocket as I lean back on into the pillows, taking deep breaths. “I can’t believe you’re thinking about propriety while you’re giving

is going to be as perfect as I can make it for Rafe!” I snap, determined. “And if I have to give birth in a war zone with no epidural, then Roger can damn well get out of bed and come over here to greet

any further questions. I hear him tapping on his phone and then he shifts. I watch him stand, leaning over me. Frowning, he leans over and grabs one of the pillows from the other side of the bed, quickly taking the pillowcase

you don’t need to do the linens thing and boil water that’s just in the movies.

my brow with the little square of pillowcase folded in his hand. “How are

next contraction not starting yet. “I feel… determined,” I say, gazing up at him. “Rafe is ready. He told me

girl,” Sinclair says softly, taking my chin between the fingers of his big hand and gazing at

strong even though I’m scared and in pain. I am strong. For him, and for Rafe, and yes – for

pressing my eyes shut again, my

gets on his knees by my side again, steady and tense. Then, as I start to breathe in that special way Cora made me practice, he breathes along with me. He’s there with me, every

way, with long stretches of pain followed up by a few minutes of respite. Unfortunately, those minutes are coming closer and closer together. I’m moving through this birth process fast, and I don’t have any control over it. If I could wait, just hold him in while we wait for

Rafe and my body

between contractions. He helps me change into a cotton nightgown instead of the travel clothes I was wearing on the way here. He brings me two cool cups of

something horrible in not getting me to the hospital. I hold his gaze steadily whenever I can, letting him know, silently, that we’re all going to

when the door bursts open. Cora flies into the room, panting, a medical bag slung over her shoulder. I almost spill the glass of tap

bowling Sinclair over in her singular focus to be at my side, to look

murmurs, a little frustrated, as he puts out a hand to balance himself so that he doesn’t go sprawling on

enture

her eyes sweeping over