Page 31 of A Single Thread Of Hope

She pushed, and his head popped out. I hissed out my first relieved breath, though I doubted I’d feel anything close to relief for another eighteen minutes… or eighteen years.

“I see his head, and he has your beautiful dark hair. Okay, we need a couple more big pushes to get his shoulders out, then the rest will slip right out.”

She bore down once more, like the goddess she was, and then with little help, baby boy number one was in my arms.

Cutting the cord, I passed him to Asclepius, who suctioned his airways, then he let out a long, beautiful wail. It was the most awe-inspiring sound in the world, and Wren burst into fresh tears. Asclepius brought him over, placing the baby on her chest. I looked up, unable to drag my eyes away from the wonder of life happening in front of me. A tear fell from Demke’s cheek onto the baby’s head, though I didn’t think my oldest friend even knew he was crying.

But there was another impatient baby waiting to be born, already crowning. “Wren, Baby Two obviously inherited your impatience, because he’s ready. Are you ready? Hand the baby back to Clee so he can get him all wrapped up and warm.” Asclepius lifted the baby gently from Wren’s chest, and we went back to work. “Okay, Baby One busted down the doors, and this one is ready to enter the party. Ready? Push, sweetheart. Push!”

She screamed as she pushed, and out came a second tiny miracle. He didn’t even wait for Asclepius to clean out his airways—he came out wailing, and it was the best sound I’d ever heard. I’d worried their lungs wouldn’t be developed enough, but they were proving me wrong. This one went straight onto her chest.

Two out of three. We were over halfway there.

I rolled my tense shoulders and watched a crying, panting Wren clutch the baby on her chest. Despite the odds, despite the dangers, we were almost there. I sent up a small prayer to both my long-gone Goddess and to my own ancestors.

Baby Three seemed to want to give his mom a break, but I knew she was tiring fast. He wasn’t yet in the position neededfor her to push, so we waited. Asclepius took the second baby, wrapping him and making him warm, and putting him in the crib beside his brother.

Demke was holding Wren’s hand tightly, and I smiled up at her reassuringly. I could feel Griff sending all sorts of feel-good vibes down their link, but he stayed blessedly silent. “We are almost there. Baby Three is just taking his time moving down, but he’ll be here soon enough. You are doing so well.”

Forty-five excruciating minutes later, Wren was exhausted. As Demke whispered something sweetly in her ear, I could feel his magic in the air. Taste it on the back of my tongue.

Her blood pressure was getting high, and if she didn’t deliver soon, I was going to have to resort to a C-section. But finally, the baby moved down enough that I could feel the top of his head.

“We are almost done, Wren. So, so close. I need a few more big pushes from you, okay?” She didn’t even nod anymore, just breathed and cried. This was so hard, now that she was mine.

A contraction, a push, and then he was crowning. Another push, and his face was out. One more, and he slipped into my hands. He was still, and I quickly cut the cord, passing him off to Asclepius.

Still nothing.

The world seemed to hold its breath as we waited. A soft cry echoed around the room, and I realized I was crying too. He was placed on the chest of his mother, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Baby Three. He’s beautiful,” I whispered, my voice thick.

We weren’t done, and Wren was still in danger. Third stage was coming up, and I knew it was dangerous, especially with multiples. I prayed that I was enough. But when her blood pressure dropped, setting off the alarms, a panic I’d never felt before consumed me.

“She’s hemorrhaging,” Asclepius said softly beside me. “Deliver the placentasnow.”

Fuck. Fuck.Panic zinged along my nervous system, lighting it up, making my brain foggy. I froze, wasting precious seconds.

Our mate is dying. Get your shit together. You know what you need to make her healthy and whole. Move it.The snap of the Gryphon shook me from my stunned stupor, and I went to work. I remembered the medical journals I’d read, the textbooks, hell, even the anecdotes. I knew what to do.

The next twenty minutes were officially the scariest of my life. And without Asclepius there, I wasn’t sure she would have survived.

When I finally looked up after she was stable, I wasn’t surprised to find my brothers all gathered around the edges of the room, pale and shaky. It was a battle none of them could fight, and they all looked as helpless as I’d felt. The steady beep of her monitors was the only thing soothing the anxiety inside me.

She was alive. The babies were alive. We’d all survived. Four hours she’d labored for. Four hours I hadn’t taken a deep breath. But now she would heal, and we could progress to the next part of our lives, with her and the babies.

I rocked back on my heels, slumping onto the floor. Asclepius squatted beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder. “I must go. I’ve used my powers too much, and I don’t want to bring the wrath of Zeus down on your head.” I shuddered at the very thought. “You are a brilliant mind in the medical field, Teron. Trust your instincts. Call me if you need me, and we will come.”

Standing, he looked at the guys. “Congratulations on the birth of your infants and the strength of your lover. They are both untold treasures.” He stroked the sleeping faces of the babies, bowing his head. “By thy guidance, I surrender mine fate,” he murmured, and it was a pledge. An old one, but still one that had power.

Hades and Persephone stood back by the door. They both bowed their heads respectfully. Then they were gone, and I dragged myself to my feet. I would rest later, when I was sure Wren and the babies were safe and well.

Because if anything happened to them, I knew I would never rest again.

Chapter 17

WREN

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