Alpha Dom and His Human Surrogate

Chapter 290 – Contractions

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.

And his godfather!

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

–

((

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

tapping on his phone and then

side of the bed, quickly taking the pillowcase between his two hands and ripping

C

water that’s just in the movies. I’m sure Cora will bring something

sweat from my brow with the little square of pillowcase folded in his hand. “How are you, love? How do

as much as I can against the pillows, the next contraction not starting yet. “I feel… determined,” I

the fingers of his big hand

–

though I’m scared and in pain. I am strong. For him, and for

–

hands moving low on my stomach. “Here comes

again, steady and tense. Then, as I start to breathe in that special way Cora made me practice, he breathes along with me.

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

no, it seems like Rafe and my body have

talks softly to me throughout the process, helping me get ready in the moments 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 water, one for drinking, the other for dipping more strips of pillowcase in to

can see on his face the worry and guilt that he’s done 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 be all right. We’re going to

bursts open. Cora flies into the room, panting, a medical bag slung over her shoulder. I almost

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

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

enture

she murmurs, her eyes sweeping