Page 68 of Lycan King's Claim
Only sleep doesn't last when the pain returns but with a vengeance. Like something is trying to claw its way out of me.
It has to stop. I can't do this, not like this. The agony blossoms again, and a whimper escapes me, another of those audible noises I never hear outside my head. Xandros stirs, brows drawing together. Wake up, wake up, something is wrong, something is wrong. Please wake up.
He doesn't. Shadows play across his face, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. And I'm alone in this darkness, alone with this child I'm terrified I cannot protect.
Another contraction hits and I arch off the bed with a choked cry. Something's coming, something inevitable. And when it arrives, I know it will shatter us both.
36
I jolt awake to the sound of Sienna gasping. Sitting up, I peer down to find her eyes wide open, tears glistening in the moonlight that streams in through the gap in the curtains.
My heart seizes. “Sienna?” I whisper. I never wake to her eyes open, I usually have to command her. Instinctively, I rub her stomach and feel it hard as stone beneath my palm, my brows furrow in confusion, her belly isn't usually that hard. I rip back the blankets. Her side of the bed is soaked through. Her water had broken, and my eyes widened in horror.
Panic surges through me and I suddenly find myself at a loss of what to do. So, I scream for help.
“Javier! Mom!” I scream, rushing toward the door. I rip it open, finding a maid half asleep down the hall waiting to be called on. “Get my mother!” I snap at her, and she jolts from her reclined position, she looks around. “My mother, get her! Get help!” she lurches to her feet and takes off, while I quickly move back to the room and Sienna's side.
Minutes pass when I finally hear footsteps pound down the hall. My mother and Javier burst into the room.
“The baby-” I choke out while praying the baby will be okay.
Javier bolts from the room to find a doctor. Mother grabs towels and presses them between Sienna's legs.
Sienna stares blankly at the ceiling where I move her onto her back, yet by the glistening in her eyes I know she is in pain, but she does not make a sound. It tears me apart to see her suffering in silence. I stroke her hair and murmur words of comfort, wishing I could take this burden from her.
At last the doctor arrives. "Is there something you can give her for the pain?" I ask the doctor, who looks at me as though I had lost my mind suggesting such a thing. He shakes away his confusion at my question. "Xandros, she won't feel pain," he tells me.
"She is just an... she's a," I glare at him. "She is in there and I am telling you she is in pain, look!" I snarl, pointing to her tear streaked cheeks. Dr. Rami turns her face from side to side and grabs a torch, checking her pupils like he always does. "Xandros, I see no change, the chances of her feeling anything are."
"Give her something, it wasn't a choice," I growl in warning, I know my mate and she doesn't cry even in this state but she clearly is. Dr. Rami looks at my mother.
"He's right, I've never seen tears come from her," my mother sides with me and he sighs heavily, wandering toward his bag.
I point to the tears streaking Sienna's cheeks. “She feels it. I know she does.”
The doctor moves forward reluctantly, an injection in hand to alleviate her pain. As we wait anxiously for him to finish his examination, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. He looks up with a grave expression on his face. “We must get her to a hospital right away. This is too much for me to handle, I cannot perform a cesarean here.”
My rage boils over like lava and erupts out of me as a snarl of fury. I will not let them take her from me, no matter the cost. “You don't need to cut her open,” I seethe through gritted teeth. “Just tell me when she needs to push. I'll make sure she does it.” The doctor shrinks away from the heat of my anger, but cautiously checks Sienna again, pressing firmly on her stomach until he gives me a curt nod.
It turns into a waiting game, Dr. Rami checks her until he declares she is dilated enough, but once again he tries to convince me to take her to the hospital. However, I refuse not trusting the Council or any staff at the hospital. I know they think I am crazy, but I know she is in there.
Dr. Rami pinches between his brow. “Adina, grab her leg, Xandros grab her other,” he tells me and we both sit on the sides of the bed holding her legs.
“Push them toward her chest.” he tells us, and we do as he tells us. Dr. Rami looks like he is about to have a heart attack at the thought of delivering a baby to what he believes is an empty vessel.
“Xandros… we…”
“Tell me when!” I snap, not leaving room for further argument. He nods.
I grip Sienna's hand tightly in mine while holding her leg while the doctor's hand sits on her stomach waiting for another contraction. “Now!” and I order her to push.
Sienna's face twists with exertion, and it's so weird to see, but she does not make a sound, doing as she is ordered and pushing.
“Push!” I command. Sienna bears down.
I see our child crowning. “Again! Push harder!” Sienna pushes with all her might.
A sudden release, a gush of fluids. Then silence. My heart seizes once more.
