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! He

lean back on into the pillows, taking deep breaths. “I can’t believe you’re

–

((

I snap, determined. “And if I have to give birth in a war

phone and then he shifts. I

side of the bed, quickly taking the pillowcase

C

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

he murmurs, leaning down and wiping the sweat from my brow with the little square of pillowcase folded in his hand. “How are you, love? How do

yet. “I feel… determined,”

my chin between the fingers of his big hand and gazing at me. “So

–

willing myself to believe it too – that I’m strong even though I’m scared and in pain. I am strong. For

–

my eyes shut again, my hands moving low on my stomach. “Here comes another one.‘

to breathe in that special way

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,

like Rafe and

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 lay across my

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,

time has passed 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 water Sinclair just handed me all over myself as I give a little

she gasps, dashing over to me, almost bowling Sinclair over in her singular focus to be

Sinclair murmurs, a little frustrated, as he puts out a hand to balance

enture

murmurs, her eyes sweeping over me. “Tell