Page 12 of Vow Of A Fox

I backed out of my parking space and headed toward Donna’s house. When we reached it, I cut the engine and grabbed my emergency bag from the back seat. My pulse was steady, but my mind was already running through every possible complication and how to handle it. Sienna followed me to the front door, her expression sharp and focused in a way that surprised me. She wasn’t just tagging along—she was ready to help.

The front door flew open before I even knocked. Donna stood there, her face etched with panic.

“Thank God you’re here, Dr. Andrews,” she said, her voice trembling. “She’s been straining for over an hour, and nothing’s happening.”

“Where is she?” I asked, my voice calm.

“In the laundry room,” Donna replied, leading us through the house. “I thought it’d be quiet enough for her there.”

As we stepped into the laundry room, Bella was lying on a blanket, her sides heaving as she panted hard. Her eyes flicked to me, glazed with exhaustion and pain, and my chest tightened.

“Good girl,” I whispered, dropping to my knees beside her. “You’re doing great, Bella. We’re here to help.”

Sienna crouched down on Bella’s other side, her movements calm and careful as she stroked her head gently.

“You’re okay, sweet girl. Just hang in there,” she said. I glanced at her, impressed by how composed she seemed despite the magnitude of the situation. My attention shifted back to Bella as I reached for my gloves and began examining her.

“Donna, can you tell me exactly when she started showing signs of labor?” I asked, keeping my voice calm and steady.

“About three hours ago,” Donna said, wringing her hands. “But she didn’t really start straining until an hour ago, and nothing’s happened since.”

“Okay,” I said, nodding. “From what I can feel, it seems like one of the puppies might be stuck. It’s not uncommon, but I’ll need to act quickly to make sure both Bella and the puppies stay safe.”

“She’s going to be fine,” Sienna said to Donna, and the confidence in her voice comforted even me. “Ben’s got this. And Bella’s a fighter, isn’t she?”

“She is,” Donna said.

“Exactly,” Sienna insisted.

This woman had a knack for grounding people in moments of chaos. It was impressive as hell.

I focused on Bella, working carefully to shift her puppy. After a few tense minutes, I finally felt the shift happen.

“All right, Bella, here we go,” I whispered. “Push for me, girl.”

“You’re so strong,” Sienna said, leaning closer to Bella’s head. “Just a little longer.”

With one final push, the first puppy slid free, tiny and squirming. I looked it over, making sure there was nothing wrong.

“Healthy and strong,” I said, meeting Donna’s eyes.

She let out a sob of relief. “Oh, thank goodness!”

Sienna reached for a towel, wrapping the puppy gently before handing it to Donna. “Here’s your first grand-pup,” she said, earning a shaky laugh from Donna.

Over the next hour, Bella delivered four more puppies, each one healthy. Sienna stayed right there, never faltering, keeping Bella calm and steady as I worked. When the last puppy arrived, Bella gave a low whine and settled back, exhausted while gently licking her new litter.

“That’s all of them,” I said, sitting back on my heels with a sigh. “Five healthy puppies, and Bella’s doing great.”

Donna knelt down beside her and stroked her head. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion as she met my stare. Her gaze drifted to Sienna. “Both of you.”

“I’m glad I could help and that everything went well,” I said, smiling as I took my gloves off and packed up my supplies. “Be sure you give Bella lots of water and rest over the next few days. Call me if you need anything.”

Sienna stood. “She’s a good mom,” she said, before glancing at me with a warmth that caught me off guard. “And you’re a good vet.”

For a moment, I was too taken aback by the sincerity in her tone to respond. Then I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re not so bad yourself. I think Bella might’ve liked you better than me.”

Sienna laughed, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I just follow orders.”

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