Page 14 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
Soon as the offer left her mouth, she regretted it. Why should she get involved? It meant getting closer to a people she had no intention of seeing after her time here hadended.
“Yes. I could use your help. This is Selina’s sixth pregnancy, and it’s been a difficult one. We’ll takethe golfcart.”
As they ran outside and climbed into the cart, waiting on the driveway, unease filled Darcy. “Doesn’t she have a midwife? Or someone else to deliver thebaby?”
“Yes. That is not why I amneeded.”
They drove down the street to a smaller, two-story house tucked in a cul-de-sac. Adrian slid out, walked around and offered hishand.
Ever the gentleman wolf.Even when sweaty and obviously distressed, though trying like hell to controlit.
They racedinside.
In the living room, a group of four anxious women waited, along with five children, ranging in ages from two to twelve years. Immediately she could hear horrible sounds of rage and pain coming from the second floor. Everyone looked scared. Soon as they saw Adrian, sighs of reliefechoed through theroom.
Adrian went straight to the older Lupine with gray hair bound in a tight bun. “Report, Olivia. How long has it been likethis?”
“Thank the goddess you’re here.” The woman cast her gaze upward, where snarling and banging ensued. “He’s been out of control since the contractions started every four minutes. Her blood pressure is high, and so is the baby’s. Ican’t get in there, Adrian, and neither can my team. We could lose themboth!”
“Where?”
“First door on theleft.”
“Stay here.” His gaze swept over the crowd. “Darcy, withme.”
Normally she’d protest his authoritarian attitude, but the sense of urgency overrode all else. Darcy scurried after him up thestairs.
Adrian paused at the first door. His dark gaze lockedto hers. “Go after me, do not say anything and most of all, do not engage him. If he attempts to chase or attack you, back away and leave, closing the door behindyou.”
Worry riddled her. “What aboutyou?”
Adrian touched her cheek. “I am alpha. I will be fine.Ready?”
Taking a deep breath, shenodded.
Adrian opened thedoor.
Shock filled her, though she triedto conceal it. On the big king-sized bed in the room’s middle lay a female Lupine with gray streaks of hair, a thin sheet modestly draped over the middle of her naked body. She sobbed and writhed, in obvious pain. Around the bed’s edge paced the largest gray wolf Darcy had everseen.
It had to weigh at least two hundred pounds. Snarling each time the woman screamed in pain, it seemed oblivioustoeverything.
And then it saw Adrian and growled, baring its teeth. Darcy’s heart skipped a beat. The wolf could easily tear him apart or shred him likepaper.
But Adrian stood straight and tall, without fear. “Bryon, stop it.Now.”
Firm, quiet and lethal. Adrian went to the huge gray wolf as if it were a puppy and stared him down. When the wolf growled at him, he wrappeda hand around itsmuzzle.
And snarledback.
The wolf quieted, his gaze filled with fear, and backed away. Adrian released Bryon’s muzzle and spoke in a firm, commandingtone.
“I know you are afraid and seeing your mate in pain crazes you, but you will shift back into your human skin. You are not helping her, and with your behavior, you risk losing your beloved and your unbornchild. The midwives cannot attend to her while you are in thisform.”
The wolf backed away and sat, watchingAdrian.
“Olivia,” Adrian called out. “Comehere.”
Olivia rushed into the room and moved over to the pregnant woman’s side with a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. Worry shadowed her features as she listened to the woman’sbelly.
