Page 52 of Roman
Chapter 20
Beau
Iwas done. Over it. Miserable. I was all the things. But mostly, I was finished with being pregnant. My waist was long gone, as was anything below my stomach. My body and it’s needs and desires were no longer my own, and one minute I was starving, and the next, I didn’t want to look at food. The only thing that didn’t irritate me was my mate. Roman had been the most amazing during all of this, but I was honestly going to be surprised if he wanted to go through it with me again. I knew I hadn’t been the easiest to deal with, despite my trying my best to be as easygoing as possible.
I had indeed been put on bed rest a week ago, and I was certain that added to my irritation. Roman had managed to talk his way into not having to go into work this week, and we were not sure how things were going to play out if I didn’t have the baby soon. He had to go in next week for office hours, but he was hovering and was adamant that he stay home until I had our son.
With the dull ache I felt in my back, I was beginning to think it wouldn’t be too much of an issue. “Roman?” I called out when the ache in my back suddenly intensified. He had run downstairs to check on something, but he was a shifter, and I knew he could hear me from anywhere in the house. The pain in my backmoved to my side and intensified even more, and I was almost positive that labor was starting.“Roman?”I reached out through our bond.
“I’m on my way. I felt whatever that was and just messaged Dr. King.”
I heard pounding footsteps coming up the stairs. Roman rushed into our bedroom, pure panic on his face. I tried to smile at my mate, but I was certain it was more of a grimace than anything.
“I don’t think you need to worry that much,” I told him. “I think I’m in labor, but probably not active to where it’s time to push.”
“Can I check your omega line? Dr. King wants me to look at it.”
I nodded and pulled my shirt up. Actually, it was Roman’s shirt because none of mine fit any longer. I could put them on, but they wouldn’t pull down over my stomach. That was an issue, but not so much so when I wore one of Roman’s. And the looks my mate had given me when he saw me in one of his shirts…if I hadn’t already been pregnant, it was possible that would have happened. My mate was incredibly possessive and quite handsy when he saw me wearing his clothing.
Roman’s face morphed from concern to what I’d call panic. He immediately pulled out his phone, but just as he did, there was a familiar voice from the stairwell.
“Hello? Might I come up and check on Beau?” Dr. King called out.
“Dr. King, there’s a head here, and it’s not Beau’s!” Roman shouted.
Seconds later, Dr. King came rushing into the bedroom. Immediately, I felt a calmness wash over the room. I wasn’t sure if it was simply because the doctor had arrived or if it was because he’d used some sort of magic to relax my panickingalpha. I didn’t feel the presence of magic, so it was most likely that it was simply that the doctor was here.
“I decided to simply come and check on Beau with him being so close to his due date and with how large the baby is.” Dr. King looked down at my stomach and nodded slowly. “It seems as if it was a good call on my part. Shall we get the baby delivered?”
“Yes, please,” I said. Dr. King smiled at me before he turned toward Roman. He stared at my mate for a moment before his smile grew, and he shook his head. There was suddenly a chair beside the bed, and then Dr. King was moving Roman toward it. After Roman sat and looked at me, I couldn’t help but chuckle despite the situation we were in. “Are you all right?” I asked my mate as I reached out and gently touched his arm.
Roman looked at me, somewhat in a daze. “There was a head there.”
I smiled. “Well, it happens, you know. That’s how babies are born. They have to come out somehow, and it’s easier when the head comes out first.”
“When did your waters break?” Dr. King asked, pulling my attention toward the doctor. “And are you having any sort of contractions?”
“Umm…I’m not sure they did?” I told him. “I mean, I really had to go to the bathroom this morning, and when I sat down, it seemed like there was a whole lot, but I thought that for some reason my bladder somehow was extra full? I haven’t had any contractions, really, just an ache in my back. It’s moved to my sides just recently though, and it became more than an ache.”
Dr. King sighed and shook his head. “That was back labor. The extra from this morning was most likely your waters breaking since it would have been very obvious otherwise. You happened to get lucky that it happened on the toilet instead of when you were lying in bed. Although, if it had happened when itwas more obvious, then you wouldn’t have had to labor without assistance.”
I thought about that a moment before I shrugged. “It hasn’t been difficult.” I side-eyed Roman before quickly looking back up at Dr. King. “I’m more worried about my mate, I think.”
Dr. King looked at Roman before he chuckled. “He’ll be all right. Some alphas experience that initial shock, and then they seem to simply snap out of it. But I’m wanting to focus on you. How about we get your little guy delivered?”
“Yes. I think that might help Roman?”
“It will certainly help you and most likely won’t hurt your alpha.”
I looked over at Roman while Dr. King moved closer to the side of the bed. I felt the ache and then didn’t. But there was magic, and when I looked at the doctor, his hand was glowing. “Is that the floating feeling that takes away pain?”
“Yes, but you don’t seem to be experiencing pain, so I’m not using quite as much up front. I’ll increase the magic if you feel a great deal of discomfort once you start pushing.”
“How will I know when to push? I don’t feel any contractions.”
“Can you just deliver the baby?” Roman asked, suddenly pulling from the shock he seemed to be experiencing.
Dr. King looked first at Roman and then at me. “I can, if that is what Beau wishes. I can deliver the baby much like I would for a warlock or vampire.”
