Page 75 of Rescued By Four Alphas
She places our daughter in the clear plastic chamber, hooks up the monitors, and adjusts the temperature. Almost immediately, the baby's coloring improves, and her breathing becomes more regular.
"Her vitals are stabilizing," Marianna breathes in relief.
But I don't have time to feel relieved because another contraction hits, stronger than any before. I cry out, my back arching off the examination table where Evan placed me.
"The next one's coming," I gasp.
"I can see the head," Marianna confirms, moving between my legs. "This one's positioned better. Are you ready to push?"
The first boy comes out blue and still, and for thirty terrifying seconds, Marianna works to get him breathing. When his cry finally fills the room, Evan sobs with relief.
"That's our fighter," I whisper as Marianna places him in an incubator next to his sister.
Another explosion rocks the building, closer this time, and the lights flicker ominously.
"How much longer?" Evan demands, his eyes darting between me and the door.
"I can see the head," Marianna says. "Dahlia, you need to push through this contraction."
The pain builds like a tsunami, and I bear down with everything I have. Gunfire erupts directly overhead, and the rapid staccato makes dust rain from the ceiling.
"That's it!" Marianna exclaims. "Here he comes!"
The second boy is much larger than his sister and immediately angry about his early arrival. His cries are more assertive, more demanding, and he kicks his tiny legs in protest when the cool air hits his skin.
"He's got your temper," Evan says with a shaky laugh, but his words are cut off by the sound of heavy boots thundering down the corridor.
The door bursts open, and Leo appears, his vest splattered with blood, and his weapon raised. His eyes sweep the room for threats before landing on the incubators.
"Jesus Christ," he breathes, lowering his gun. "Are those...?"
"Your children," I gasp between contractions. "Three down, one to go."
Leo crosses the room in three quick strides, and he stares at the tiny forms in the incubators. "They're so small."
"They will be fine, “Marianna says.
Another contraction slams into me, this one is different, more urgent. "The last one's coming now!"
Leo immediately moves to Evan's side, both flanking me as Marianna positions herself. "You've got this, baby," Leo murmurs, his hand finding mine. "We're here for you."
The building shudders from another explosion, sparking a shower of sparks from an overhead light fixture.
"Jesus, how close are they?" Evan shouts.
"Close enough," Axl's voice comes from the doorway. He appears like a warrior from hell, his clothes torn, and there's a cut bleeding above his left eye. But when he sees the scene before him, he stops dead in his tracks.
"Holy shit," he whispers. "Are we... did I miss it?"
"You're just in time," I manage before I feel an intense cramp. "Ahhhh...!!"
"Push, Dahlia!" Marianna commands. "Don't get weak now."
I push until stars explode behind my eyelids, and I crush Leo's fingers as my grip tightens around his hands. Axl moves to my other side and holds my shoulders.
"Come on, little man," Axl murmurs. "Your brothers and sister are waiting for you."
The final boy emerges in a rush, but the silence that follows freezes my blood. He doesn't cry or move.
