Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 641

CHAPTER 141 : OF ALL THE NIGHTS TO BE BORN

*Xander*

Rowan was pacing back and forth across the length of the library, a glass of scotch clutched so tightly in his hand that I thought it was going to crack. Troy and Ethan were quietly chatting as they sat opposite of each other in two high-backed armchairs. They seemed calm, practically jovial.

Rowan, on the other hand, looked like he was going to murder someone.

Lena had kicked me out of the bedroom she was laboring in. I didn’t protest, not at the time. I was planning on going back up there to relieve Maeve of her “support person” duties once I finished the light dinner a maid had brought up for us in the library.

I was also waiting for news about the ship carrying Adrian and Abigail to the port of Findali, which was late because of the thunderstorm that was brewing over Mirage. Rain was starting to patter against the windows, but I found the sound comforting. I hoped Lena would, too.

“Can I get you another drink?” I asked Rowan, who was either ignoring me or didn’t hear me, whichever one. I let out my breath in a long, drawn-out sigh. I hated that Lena was suffering. Knowing that she was in pain was ripping me to shreds. But her agony was coming out sideways, and she was lashing out at everyone and everything. I couldn’t comfort her right now, and it was killing me.

I didn’t let it show. I walked back over to the long table in the center of the library and forked another bite of roast beef into my mouth, washing it down with tepid coffee. It was going to be a long night. Lena wasn’t progressing as fast as we originally thought.

The library door swung open and Maeve walked inside, red in the face and her hair tied in a messy, somewhat sweaty bun on the top of her head.

Everyone in the room turned to her, and for a moment my heart dropped into my stomach thinking I’d missed the birth, but Maeve caught my gaze and shook her head.

“She’s fine–pissed, but just fine. She said she was going to try to sleep for a while,” Maeve breathed, glancing toward the food on the table.

I motioned for her to eat as I walked toward the door leading out of the hallway and into the first-floor corridor. I didn’t look back as muted conversation about Lena and the baby rippled through the air. Maeve would fill them in, I was sure, and I’d find out for myself what kind of shape Lena was in now.

I walked up the grand stone staircase to the third floor. It was quiet up here, and down one darkened corridor I could see our bedroom door was slightly ajar, but darkened. I let out the breath I was holding, thankful she was able to get some rest.

But then I heard whispering coming from the sitting room just across the hall from our bedroom.

I stepped inside the sitting room to find Hanna with her arms crossed over her chest, her cheeks pink with emotion while the midwife, a portly older woman who I found out had a mean streak, packed up her things.

“What’s going on?” I said in a hiss as I stepped into the room.

Hanna’s eyes flicked up to mine before she ran her hands over her face, her shoulders slumping in resignation.

“The labor has stalled. That baby isn’t coming ’til tomorrow, I guarantee it–”

gathered up her bag.

birth. I’ll be back in the morning,” she replied casually, pushing past

and that she was staying,

turned to face her, my face twisted in confusion.

contractions slowed, and she hasn’t made any progress since

midwife

who is progressing quicker,

I could say anything else,

room, red in the

growled, shutting the door behind him. I exhaled, crossing my arms over my chest as Rowan and I turned to Hanna, who paled under our shared

can do about it!” she argued. “Lena is fine, anyway. She’s

around. We’re taking her to the hospital,”

and I felt the electricity between the two mates

back. If her labor has truly stalled, then there’s nothing a hospital could do for her, either.” I turned to Hanna, looking deep into her pale brown eyes for understanding. “Is she

“They’re fine.”

wait

call down to her practice and see if

anyway. Lena doesn’t like her, and I don’t either,” I declared,

and gave them a nod in farewell as I stepped out of the room and walked across the hallway, sliding into our bedroom and shutting the door behind me. Lena was asleep

full view of her face as she laid on her side. Rain was streaming down the windows now, and outside, the wind was starting to pick up. I’d been warned about the thunderstorms in this part of the realm; they

to be born,” I whispered to my unborn daughter, “you

***

out a howl that made a shiver run down my spine. Her fingernails were ripping through my skin as she stood in front of me, bent at the waist, her head pressing into my stomach. I was breathing hard, watching as Maeve and Hanna hurried around the room with two maids

3:00 in the morning. The sky outside was black as death, and thunder made the glass panes in the windows tremble violently as the room was lit up by a flash of blue lightning. Lena screamed, and not from

the midwives,” a third maid cried as she rushed into the room with a basket full of supplies. Gauze and antiseptic jostled in her basket as she hurried to the bed,

Now, I was holding onto her for dear life while she

into her expression, a righteous fury behind her eyes that immediately sent a rush of calm through my

I asked, and she

and tore my gaze from hers to look at Maeve and Hanna, who were standing side by side as

Lena with a soft smile on her face as Elaine and Clare lingered

be okay. All I could do now was

to the castle is washed out. I don’t know about the

of my T-shirt. I closed my eyes, letting

to be?” I asked in a whisper. “Do you want