Page 15 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
Another contraction seizedSelina, and she screamed. The wolf howled, but Adrian gave him a stern look. “Quiet, Bryon,” heordered.
Olivia shook her head. “Adrian, the fetal heartrate is much too fast. We need to calm them bothdown.”
She couldn’t help deliver a baby or calm a raging mad wolf. But she couldassist.
Darcy shifted into a wolf, sprang up onto the bed and lay next to the moaning woman.Selina gripped her fur, yanking it. Damn it hurt, but she’d been wounded by pros. Darcy reached up and licked the woman’s face, tasting the salt of hertears.
Then she rested her head on the woman’s huge belly, feeling the baby move beneath her. Hearing the too-rapidheartbeat.
Adrian looked at her. “Darcy, the baby needs to hear your wolf voice. Bryon used to sing to the baby eachnight in wolf form. Sing, sweetheart. Sing, and it will calm thebaby.”
Instinct drove her. Darcy began to howl deeply. She kept it up, her mind chanting over and over again, please beokay.
Gradually the baby’s heartbeat sloweddown.
The midwife and her team prepared to deliver the baby. Darcy lifted her head from the woman’s belly as the midwife urged Selina topush.
A gush of blood and water, and the baby slid into the midwife’s waitinghands.
Wonder mingled with relief as the squalling newborn was washed off and dried. She had helped. Maybe not deliver the child, but she hadhelped.
Darcy leapt off the bed and shifted back, conjuring the clothing she’d worn when first entering the room. Surprise filled her as Olivia handed over the newbornto Adrian instead of themother.
Olivia lowered her voice. “It is a mark of respect and high honor for a newborn to receive the alpha’s blessing soon as she comes into thelight.”
Adrian cradled the baby, kissing her forehead. “Welcome to the world, little one,” hewhispered.
Then he held the baby up to show to the wolf who’d finally transformed into a giant of a man, clothedin ordinary jeans, a polo shirt, sweat streaming down his forehead. “A girl?” heasked.
“Congratulations, you have a daughter.” Adrian carefully handed over the baby, who began to cryagain.
Bryon sat on the bed with the baby, giving her over to the eager Selina. Adrian nodded atDarcy.
When they were downstairs, Adrian sent the children upstairs to see their new sister. “Tellyour father I want to see himimmediately.”
As they waited, Adrian paced the living room. Suddenly he turned and lightly gripped hershoulders.
“Thank you,” Adrian said quietly, his gaze filled with sincerity. “You helped to save her. You helped to calm her with your wolfsong.”
Pride filled her at his words. Darcy concealed her feelings with a mild shrug. “I only did whatanyonewould.”
“Anyone? Doubtful. Most Lupines would be too fearful of Bryon. Ah, here heis.”
As the Lupine came forward, Darcy gulped. In wolf form he was intimidating, but as a Skin he was awe-inspiring. Almost seven feet tall, big and bulky with muscle, he stood taller thanAdrian.
Adrian held all the power though. It showed in his carriage and his quietvoice.
He turned to Bryon. “You have your daughter. No more young. That’s an order. The next time your mate gets pregnant, I’m kicking you out. Not your mate or your young. Only you. You will not endanger her life any more. Do youunderstand?”
Bryon dropped his head. “Yes, myalpha.”
Wow. Ordering a Lupine not to breed? It was like commanding a bird not to fly. As they left the house andheaded to the golf car, Darcy whistled. “Talk about controlling. How can you ask him to not have sex with his mate? It’s their life, theirfamily.”
Adrian stopped in midstride. “I did not ask them to stop having sex. That would be cruel. I ordered him to stop having children. Selina is in delicate health. The Lupine physician said another child could kill her. This was a pregnancy thatshe was not happy about. But Bryon wanted to try for agirl.”
Darcy lifted her chin. “And that gives you the right to interfere? What about ’Selina’schoice?”
“Her choice was to cease bearing young, but she wished to please her mate. This is why I had to step in now. When it comes to keeping my people safe and healthy as possible, I will do anything. Including ordering a stubborn,sometimes selfish male to stopbreeding.”
