Page 26 of Knot Your Baby

“Oh, I know that.” Her eyes meet mine, something passing between us.

Her hand reaches up, fingers brushing the scarred skin on my neck. I flinch involuntarily, nearly missing a step.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, pulling her hand back.

Before I can respond, her face contorts with pain, and she curls into my chest.

“Argh! Another contraction! Ow!”

“Breathe through it,” I instruct, quickening my pace toward the emergency entrance. I spot a wheelchair just inside the doors and carefully lower her into it. “Nice and slow. In through your nose, out through your mouth. I’ll let the desk know you need a room.”

She grabs me by the wrist. “I don’t have a room booked. I told you I was doing this at home. I don’t have an alpha.”

I squeeze her hand, my heart racing at the fear in her eyes. “I’ll sort everything out. Trust me.”

“But what if they take my baby?” Her voice cracks. “I have to have an alpha present at the birth. I have—”

“Hey.” I crouch down beside her wheelchair, bringing myself to her eye level. The hospital’s harsh lights catch the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

My protective instincts surge. No one’s taking her baby. Not on my watch.

I lean in close, my lips brushing her ear. “I’m your alpha.”

She pulls back. Her eyes are wide with hope. “Really? We can do that. We can really do this together?” Her words tumble out in an excited rush. “Thank you so much! How can I ever repay you? My friend Harlow pretended she was in a pack when—”

I press my finger gently against her soft lips, silencing her rambling. “Please hush. Just for one minute.”

Her nose twitches as she inhales my fingertip before she nods against my finger. The gesture is so endearing, so innocent. My chest aches. Despite her being outgoing and chatty, I have a feeling it’s all bravado.

“What’s your full name?” I keep my voice gentle.

“Freya Rose.” She grips the wheelchair’s armrests, knuckles turning white.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight, just turned.” Another contraction hits, and she bites her lip to keep from crying out.

Seven years older than me.

“And who is your alpha?” I ask, needing to establish this clearly before we proceed.

A ripple runs down her throat as she swallows, and her eyes go big. “You?” There is definitely a question in that one word.

“That’s right.Me. Now let me deal with everything from now on.”

She nods, relief washing over her.

As I wheel Freya toward the reception desk, her scent makes my inner alpha pace and my heart thunders against my ribs.

I approach the desk.

The beta night shift nurse eyes my uniform, then glances at Freya’s swollen belly.

“My omega needs a delivery room,” I state. “We don’t have one booked.”

The nurse’s fingers fly across her keyboard. “Of course. I can do that for you. Right this way. Let me check on her first.”

She leads us to a side room where she checks Freya’s vitals. I hover nearby, fighting the urge to growl when Freya winces during the various checks.

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