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.

I smack his shoulder, frowning at him. “He’s the child’s uncle! And his godfather! He should be here!

the pillows, taking deep breaths. “I can’t believe you’re thinking about propriety while you’re giving birth with insurgents

–

((

to give birth in a war zone with no epidural, then Roger can damn well get out of bed and come over here to

on his phone and then he shifts. I watch him stand, leaning over me. Frowning, he

of the bed, quickly taking

C

know you don’t need to do the linens thing and boil water that’s just in the movies. I’m sure Cora will bring something else to sterilize

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

as much as I can against the pillows, the next contraction not starting yet. “I feel… determined,” I say, gazing up at him. “Rafe

my girl,” Sinclair says softly, taking my chin between the fingers of his

–

– that I’m strong even though I’m scared and in pain. I am strong. For

–

hands moving low on

and tense. Then, as I start to breathe in that

closer and closer together. I’m moving through this birth process fast, and

Rafe and my body have other

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

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

shoulder. I almost spill the

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

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

enture

she murmurs, her eyes sweeping over me. “Tell me