Page 53 of Corbin
It came down to either him or her playing midwife. Pixie had nailed it. Eirene had no choice. “If you deliver this baby breathing and the mother alive, I’ll listen to everything you have to say and answer all your questions. I swear to you I do not know of any time I mistreated you, but we’ll talk. I need your help. My wolf and I have never turned our backs on any child, but I don’t have the expertise for this.”
He put his hand over hers and squeezed. “My wolf and I have never turned our backs on a female or child either. I’ll do all within my power to save them.”
She gave him a short nod of acceptance, hugged Sully, and said, “I’d let him birth my baby right now, given no other person with experience.”
Kesa started shouting, “Someone help me. Help my baby!Pleeeease!”
Corbin began giving gentle but firm orders, sending Eirene for a bucket of hot water, towels, and to bring her backpack up. When Eirene returned, Sully had directed him to a basin for washing his hands.
He finished and knelt beside Kesa, brushing his hand over her forehead and talking to her gently but quickly. “Hi, Kesa. I know you’re scared, but I’ve done this before. I’m going to turn your baby, and then we’ll be able to time your labor pains.”
She stopped flopping her head back and forth. Her wild eyes focused on him. “A healer. She brought me a healer. Thank you.” Tears ran freely.
Eirene would not correct Kesa because she had no idea where he’d gained experience in helping a woman give birth, but he never said he was a healer. Please don’t let the first time she’d trusted a man in many years be misplaced.
The man they all pinned their hopes on was drenched in sweat by the first half hour, but he continued talking to Kesa in a soothing voice even when she wailed out of her mind. He told her when he’d turned the baby and began counting her labor pains.
The following two hours felt like a lifetime, but the moment Eirene heard Kesa’s baby cry, it seemed as if those hours had flown by.
With the intuitive ability of a person who had done this many times, he handled everything, never flinching at any of it. He turned to Eirene with the bloody newborn in his hands and said, “You should clean up the baby. Sully can’t manage.”
Stunned, she couldn’t move.
“Eirene?” he nudged. “You okay?”
That had been the first time he’d said her name, but it sounded familiar coming off his tongue. Enough that it shook her out of shock.
She took the baby to the second bucket she’d brought, recently filled with slightly warm water. Using a soft cloth from her backpack, she cleaned the baby, and then she started crying. Kesa had lived, and this baby girl had made it into the world.
Sully kneeled beside her with an arm hooked around Eirene’s shoulder. “Thank you for saving my family.”
Eirene cried harder.
Sully hugged her. Somehow, Eirene managed to finish cleaning up the tiny infant. Kesa’s first pup. Eirene diapered andwrapped the child in the pretty baby blanket she’d brought, then took her to Kesa, who had both pillows propped up beneath her shoulders. Once Sully got behind her sister and helped Kesa sit up more until she could lean back against Sully, Eirene handed the baby to her mother.
A masculine hand offered Eirene two bottles of water. “Thanks.” She opened one for each of the sisters, placing the water on the floor. She tried to stand.
The same powerful hand cupped her elbow, bringing her to her feet.
Kesa had cried for hours. She looked up at Eirene with a red face and swollen eyes. “Bless you for being our lifeline.” Then she looked past Eirene and said, “You are a wonderful healer. I don’t think this miracle would have happened without you. I wish I had a way to pay you back.”
“Just stay safe and healthy,” he said.
Eirene was determined to find out what injustice he believed she had done to him. The mere thought of that was breaking her heart after what she’d witnessed. She would never have hurt the young boy who had been the only person to make her happy by seeing him in two classes at school and from afar at the lockers.
She remembered every moment of every day around him.
How could he say he’d screwed her over?
Mentally and emotionally spent after not sleeping enough, her body felt like an abused stress ball.
Now that the baby was alive and breathing, her brain came back online. Corbin suspected her of something shady going on here, then threatened to call in law enforcement.
Then he jumped in to save a baby and a mother. None of that added up.
Thoughts raced around in her head, hitting walls, then backed up like a panicked rabbit lost in a maze.
She could make sense of only one thing. Every time she drew a deep breath while struggling to remain calm amidst all the pungent smells of the delivery, she could always find his scent.
