Page 70 of Marked By the Alphas

“I loved it,” I replied. Kai chuckled, pressing a kiss to my head.

“Sleep, baby. You look like you can barely keep your eyes open,” Rhys said from behind me, and I giggled, burying my face into Kai’s chest and allowing the thrumming of his heartbeat to lull me to sleep.

***

“Do you want to come watch us train, baby?” Kai offered, and I agreed, pushing myself out of bed so I could follow them to the training ground.

I could no longer take part in training due to my pregnancy, so it had become a habit for me to accompany them while they trained.

The evening sun was setting now, and I munched on a slice of sweet watermelon as I watched Rowan and Rhys locked in a fierce sparring match. A small smile played on my lips as I watched the spectacle of both men. I leaned against Kai, hiswarmth comforting as his fingers stroked my hair in a gentle rhythm that was soothing. I shifted on the chair, groaning, when it felt like the weight of the world was resting on my hips.

It had been five months now, and I was inching closer to my due date as the days passed by. It felt like a lifetime ago that I couldn’t even see my bump. Now, it was a tangible, aching reality in front of me. My babies were growing at an alarming rate, transforming my body as they formed, yet despite the discomfort, there was an undeniable magic to this final stage of pregnancy.

There were days when it was hard and Anyah had to insist that I remained in bed, but my mates always found ways to make things easier for me.

A sudden jolt of electricity shot through me, and it made me gasp. I clutched at my belly, putting the plate of watermelon aside. I was used to the Braxton Hicks contractions now, but as the day of my delivery drew closer, it seemed to be happening more frequently now. The knowledge didn’t make it easier to deal with.

“Are you okay, darling?” Kai asked from beside me, and I nodded.

“I’m okay. It’s just a cramp,” I responded.

But another wave of pain hit me, and my eyes widened in alarm. Kai's hand tightened around mine, and he looked at me with concern.

“Are you sure you’re okay, babe?” His voice was filled with a protective intensity.

Rowan and Rhys stopped sparring, and they moved over, their faces etched with worry.

I nodded, trying to breathe through the pain. It was different, sharper than the usual Braxton Hicks contractions. A wave of nausea washed over me. Before I could respond, a gush of warm liquid ran down my legs. I gasped, my face flushing with embarrassment.

Kai’s eyes widened. “What?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I think...I think my water broke,” I managed to whisper, my voice trembling slightly. Kai’s face paled, his hand gripping mine harder.

“We need to get you inside,” Rhys spoke.

He tried to pull me to my feet with Kai supporting him, but another contraction hit me, stronger this time, and I swayed, my vision blurring. They both wrapped their arms around me protectively while I could hear Rowan to the side calling Anyah.

“It's okay, baby, we’ve got you,” he murmured, his voice filled with reassurance.

Kai, Rhys, and Rowan remained by my side through the hours, their presence a constant source of comfort.

Anyah guided me through the contractions. The pain was coming in waves now, each one more intense than the last. I gripped Kai's arm as he was the closest to me, my nails digging into his skin.

“You're doing amazing, Elara. It’s time,” Anyah said finally, her voice filled with encouragement.

“Deep breaths, Elara. I can feel the head. When you feel the next contraction, push as hard as you can,” she instructed

I closed my eyes, and when the next wave of pain came, I pushed with all my strength, crying out when it felt like I was being ripped from the inside out. Anyah encouraged me to push again, and I did, not stopping until a loud cry filled the room.

“One more time Elara, I know you can do this! Give me your hardest push on your next contraction.”

I shook my head as I bit down on my dry lip, fighting to catch my breath. The next contraction hit me with so much force that I pushed hard, not stopping even when I felt an overwhelming need to.

My second child came out, and this time, I let out a scream as I felt my heart clench. The tub was red with blood, making it almost impossible to see anything else in the depths of the water, but then Anyah pulled out my child, placing her gently in my arms.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was so tiny and perfect.

“You did it, babe,” Rhys whispered at my side, and I turned to look at all of them that had huddled up by me. The other twin was in Rhys’ arms.

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