Twenty minutes later, we’re on our way to the hospital with my mates grimacing with each contraction. The boys are in another SUV since there isn’t room for all of us. In fact, just me, my pack, and my kids are split between three vehicles since Lucas refuses to let us drive ourselves.
I let all of that go, focusing on finding my happy place as I wait for my baby to make his arrival.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Alexei
Irun my hand over my face, trying to keep my cool—which is a lot harder than I’d like to admit.
“Lexi?” Jasper tugs on my hand. He’s been struggling to pronounce both mine and my brother’s names, so he’s given us nicknames. I don’t even mind it, and it’s so much fun to see him call my brother Nik.
Nikolai has never liked it when others shortened his name, but he almost melted the first time Jasper called him Nik.
“Yes, Jasper?”
“How much longer? I’m sleepy.” Jasper rubs his eyes.
I run a hand through his hair as I glance at the clock. It was just after midnight when Emilia told us it was time to go to the hospital.
We debated on whether to bring the boys or not, but I know I’d want to be here if I were them. Both of them have been dozing off over the last five hours, but they haven’t really been able to sleep. None of us have been able to.
We’re at the Palm Springs Medical Center, as it’s the closest hospital to the compound, and their delivery rooms are set up for pack deliveries. Unfortunately, there’s only enough room for four members of the pack while the others can watch from the attached viewing room. Emilia informed us that none of us would watch from the viewing room. She didn’t want any of us traumatized by watching her push out a baby—especially not Hawk and Jasper.
When we argued that the four in the room would get to watch, she put her foot down and told them they had to stay above her waist. None of us really wanted to argue with her. We just wanted to be there for the birth of the baby.
Her only request was that Camden join her, leaving us to decide on who else would be in the room.
I was a little worried that a fight would break out between the alphas with all the posturing they were doing. Ian, Gavin, and I took ourselves out of the running immediately. Again, it’s not because we don’t want to be there, but a beta’s instincts are completely different from an alpha’s.
In the end, we decided that Nikolai, Dylan, and Maverick would also join her and Camden. Nikolai, because we were all pretty sure he’d rip apart the hospital to get to Emilia if we denied him access to her. Dylan and Maverick were chosen because they’re calmer and more laid back. We thought their presence would help soothe Nikolai’s rougher edges.
Gavin and I have been sitting with Hawk and Jasper while Ian tries to keep the alphas of our pack calm. Bree, Sophia, Evangeline, and Remington have been helping him since they arrived about an hour after us.
About once an hour, Maverick or Dylan will come out to update us since neither Camden nor Nikolai will leave her side.
But it’s been nearly two hours since we’ve been updated, and I’m getting worried.
“I do not know, Jasper. Babies come when they come. Hard to predict.”
He nods solemnly as Hawk sighs. “Come curl up with me, Jas. You can take a nap, and I’ll wake you when the baby comes.”
Jasper jumps out of his seat beside me and climbs into his brother’s. He’s out as soon as his head is on Hawk’s shoulders.
Standing, I stretch to get the kinks out of my body. I’m used to sitting for hours, but in a much better chair than this one.
I drop into the chair on the other side of Hawk and Jasper.
“Thank you,” Hawk says quietly.
I frown. “For what?”
“For helping take care of Jasper. For loving my mom.” He shakes his head. “I’m glad my mom found you and the others.”
“You and me both,synok,” I tell him, my eyes finding the clock once more.
Hawk’s eyes narrow as I wonder why there have been no updates.
“What does that mean?”