Page 164 of Power Shift

BRIAR

“You’re here!”Alicia shouts behind the front desk.

Similar to me, she’s dressed unlike how she normally would at work. In cases like this, that’s the only acceptable uniform. In every other case, we’re working within normal hours and fully prepared for deliveries. Today is the exception.

“I’m here. Did Clover tell you what I needed?”

She pushes a bag toward the edge of the desk and nods. “It’s all in there. Are you sure you can do this, though?”

“Thank you. Is Clover in the delivery room?”

The beta doesn’t mention my lack of answer to her question when she responds to mine.

“Room three. I think Sadie’s been trying to delay the delivery until you got here.”

“Crap. Can you let Clo know I’m just getting changed? I’ll be there in a minute.”

“You got it.”

She scampers off down the hall to the delivery room while I go to the bathroom and strip out of the thick jersey and soiled underwear. A pair of Clover’s pink scrubs are in the bag, and Ialready know they’ll fit like a glove. The extra-thick panties she added have me breathing a sigh of relief.

My reflection in the mirror is scary. It’s not often that I’ll be up for the task of staring at myself during one of my heats, and maybe that’s a good thing.

The woman looking back at me right now isn’t who I usually am. This one has red cheeks and ears, dilated pupils, and baby hairs sticking to the sweat on my forehead and throat. I’m a mess. And it’s only going to get worse.

I run the tap with ice-cold water and splash it on my face. My chest seizes at the temperature as I gasp and squeeze my eyes shut. The pulse between my legs ramps up. My hands are slippery around the basin of the sink, but I only hold it tighter, rubbing my thighs together. The scrubs Clover grabbed me are a light, soft material. They don’t scratch at my sensitive skin yet.

My pack’s scents are fading from my nose and hair. I ache so deep in my chest I fear it will always be this way. That’s my emotions running rampant, damaging every pillar of confidence I’ve built with them so far.

Everything will be better when we’re together again.

I dry my face with a paper towel before leaving the bathroom. The bonds in my chest tug, attempting to pull me back through to the exit and to where my alphas and beta are waiting, ready to take me home. I can’t think of anything better, but it’s not time yet.

The moment I knock on the delivery room door and step inside, my heat is the last of my concerns.

Clover looks over at me from her place at the end of the bed, and her expression visibly relaxes a bit. “Finally. She’s almost ten centimetres dilated.”

“Already?”

I rush to Sadie’s side and immediately pull her hair back behind her shoulders. Every boundary and plan we’ve discussedbefore today comes barrelling into my mind. I push myself into motion.

She’s crying as she snatches my hand and uses a python grip to keep me at her side. There are no chemicals in the air here due to not wanting to block any sort of scent bond between mom and baby after delivery, so it only takes a second of me being here for her to smell the chance in my scent and snap a look up at me.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she snaps, pain thick in her voice. “Go home, you crazy woman!”

“I’m not going to do that. I’m okay. This is your day, Sadie.”

“Briar’s right. Focus on you and baby. She can handle herself,” Clover says, making sure I see the pride in her expression before she returns her focus to her work.

Tish, one of the two labour and delivery nurses we call on from the local hospital, stands beside Clover, waiting for direction.

Sadie hisses a breath and shifts on the bed, unable to get away with her legs spread so wide. “It hurts.”

“I know. Your contractions are about two minutes apart now. If you want to get into your birthing position, I’ll work around you,” Clover instructs, snapping off her gloves and moving with a calm knowledge that never fails to help calm a patient.

I pull my hand out of Sadie’s and help her flip on the bed. “Is this still how you want to push?”

“Yes. Just don’t let me collapse. My arms feel like noodles.”

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