Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
“What’s happening?” I ask Lizzie, but she only peers up at me and tells me that everything is all right. “Don’t be scared,” she tells me, as if it’s that easy. My mate… I can’t help my mate and I don’t have control.
Grace tilts the cup to Lena’s lips and lets her take a few crushed cubes into her mouth. She hesitantly pulls the cup back and asks, “More?” Lena shakes her head and whispers a thank you as the door to my bedroom opens again.
“Oh good. It looks like I got here just in time.” A little, red-headed witch walks into the room interrupting my thoughts. Her thin lips smile, making even more lines appear around her green eyes that are emphasized by a small pair of glasses. She radiates a calmness that puts me slightly at ease.
“Thank fuck you’re here.” As I sit back on my heels only now realizing the trembling of my hands, Lena yells into the mattress and I instantly pop back up to put pressure on her hips again. How long does this go on for?
“I’m here to help you, Lena,” the witch says and brushes by me with a hint of a smile.
“Should we go?” Grace quietly asks Lizzie, but before Lizzie responds, Lena reaches out with a death grip and squeezes Lizzie’s arm.
“Please don’t leave me.” Her strangled words might as well have been screamed.
“Okay Lena. We won’t. I promise we won’t.” Lizzie gently pats Lena’s hand through her contraction and Grace settles in her seat.
“A heating pad and labor oil will help.” The little witch opens a huge black bag on the foot of the bed and digs through it for a box of gloves. “I’m going to have a look-see little wolf. Just stay right where you are.” She pulls the gloves down her hands and releases them with a snap. The sound makes me flinch. I scoot to the side as the witch comes up from behind. “This may sting a bit.” She drawls out the statement while moving her hands in between Lena’s thighs.
I’m not fucking looking. Instead I stare at the ceiling and hold my breath.
For a moment, I consider leaving now that the healer’s here, but I feel rooted to the bed. Lena moans in discomfort and I sit there helplessly although I try to ease her pain. I awkwardly push my palms against her hips as the doctor slowly moves away. I glance down and see blood on the healer’s glove. Fuck, no. I can’t fucking do this. As a lightheadedness washes over me, I hear a pop and a gush of liquid splashes across my thighs soaking my jeans. My brows shoot up and I simply stare down at my pants and then at Lena.
“Oh fuck.” I groan without thinking. I hold my breath and say a silent prayer that this is over soon as another contraction distracts my mate.
“You’re doing so good Lena.” My mate shakes her head at Grace’s words.
After a moment, she spits out “I can’t” before moaning into the sheets. I take my cue and push against her hips, praying like fuck that I’m not making things worse.
“You can, dear, and you will soon. You’re in transition.” The witch’s voice seems to calm my mate as her shoulders relax. “You’ll get to hold your baby soon.”
“Soon…like how soon?” I can’t help but to ask. I really want this to be over with.
“However long it takes.” The healer’s answer is real fucking helpful.
* * *
IT FEELS LIKE HOURS GO BY, but every time I look at the clock it’s only been about fifteen minutes. My poor mate is in so much pain. She’s sweating, and after every contraction her head collapses back onto the mattress in exhaustion. Every contraction, every push, seems to be worse than the last. I feel like a little bitch because my hands and arms are fucking killing me from putting counter pressure on her hips, but she keeps begging me to push harder.
All the while, all I can think is that had I been sent any other day, what would have happened to her? All the ifs and worries race through my mind. Not a damn one is helping.
“One more push.” The healer’s words barely register with me as I watch Lena scrunch her face up as her body bears down. Lena falls against the mattress, and I see the healer lift her hands up from the corner of my eye. I turn to see Lena’s baby in the healer’s hands.
He’s blue.
He can’t be okay. Fuck, no. My body chills at the sight of him. My heart stops in my chest as I look at the tiny creature. His little body jiggles in an inhuman way as the healer unwraps the cord from his neck. Fuck. Fuck. My body goes numb. He’s so blue. The healer reaches into his little mouth and then pats the baby on his butt.