Page 4 of The Dark War

Holyfuck,howisshe standing this?Another pain ripped through my own stomach. I had felt different kinds of pain throughout my training, but this was something unworldly. The tightness in your stomach leaves you breathless, and then the sudden urge to push the most giant shit out of your body left me weak in the knees.

“Hurts like fuck, doesn’t it?”my father’s mocking voice came through the link. I growled, only making Clara jump with surprise while she rested between contractions. The nurses had left the room. I had barked at anyone that dared to enter. An alpha with his luna giving birth to a pup is a dangerous thing. Our wolves are protective of not just their mate but their family.

Another pain had me gripping the bed. Knowing that the pain was only a quarter of what my mate felt broke my heart for her. Clara’s hand gripped mine as I tried to calm her, my hand sitting on top of her swollen belly to give some comfort through our bond. Breathing out heavily, her tired eyes looked up at me, only to smile.

“It will be worth it.” She sighed. My nose went to her neck, kissing my mark. The taste of salt on her neck made me frown. Even for werewolves, there was no escaping the pains of childbirth.

“Of course, but I don’t like you in this much pain. Torin has been whimpering for ages.” The hours had ticked by. Being the first pup to grace her womb, it could take many more, but it wasn’t until her sharp cry that put me at attention.

“Doctor Talbert!” I roared loud enough to be heard throughout the pack house. A frantic doctor came rushing in, his hair disheveled, his heart racing from the alpha command I had been sending him every five minutes to check on my mate.

“I… I think it’s coming.” Clara groaned, rolling to her side while she gripped the bed. The side rails cracked, her wails now dull whimpers. Her mother’s head peaked through the door, frowning as her only daughter winced. Her eyes met mine, only nodding to leave the room.

It was a tradition that werewolves only gave birth in the presence of a physician, nurse, and their mate. Being surrounded by too many wolves could put the father and mother’s animals on edge. Hell, Torin didn’t like the doctor checking on her now, and I cursed the day I told him he could deliver my pup.

Dr. Talbert’s hands shook as he spoke. “Alpha, I need to check…” His shaky hand pointed to the sheet near Clara’s feet. Torin snarled, pushing forward. The nurse that had accompanied him whimpered, scurrying out of the room.

“Baby, it’s all right.” Clara’s hand reached for mine. I laced them with hers. “He’s a doctor. He’ll know what to do.” Torin held back, settling back in my mind, but I kept my eyes on Dr. Talbert.

“Luna, I’ll need you to lie on your back.” Clara groaned, rolling over and spreading her legs under the sheet. Torin did not like that one damn bit. I didn’t care if our pup came out of her and needed help. Someone was looking at what was mine. My mate!

Torin ripped through me, pushing the wolf to the ground with a crash. All of his instruments fell to the floor, cursing, while he crawled out of the room.

“Kane!” Clara whined. “Get someone, or you are catching this pup!” Clara’s yell was laced with her luna and royal aura and even had me cowering. “Shiiiitaki…” Her head flew back into the pillow, causing me to run up to her. Sweat poured from her face until, finally, Raine bolted into the room.

“I’m here! I’m here!” Raine came to the bed. “Kane, you are in some deep shit,” she muttered as she looked under the sheet. My wolf, still pacing, held onto Clara. Running my hands through my fucked up hair.Somehow, I make everything worse.

I couldn’t help it. My mate was hurting, and some other damn wolf was going to touch her.I don’t let anyone touch her but me.

Clara pulled my hand and laid it on her stomach. “It’s all right, Alpha.” She panted. “I’m scared too.” Fuck, I didn’t want to damn cry, but I was close. I didn’t enjoy seeing her like this, not on a bed with pain racking through her body and nothing I could do. Beating the shit out of something wouldn’t help me with this situation. I had to be soft, and it was so damn hard.

“Breathe, baby, just breathe.” My voice was much softer now that I could feel her relaxing into me. Her breath was now slow and steady. Raine coached her to push. Leia stood at the door with blankets, keeping her distance since we didn’t share a close bond like Raine and me.

Thank goddess she was my sister. “Tell Torin he owes me big time.” Raine winked. “You’re lucky I read all those baby books to Clara when she was puking in the toilet,” she said, chuckling. “Now, Clara, the little pup is right there. I need one big push.” Clara nodded her sweaty face.

“You are doing so good,” I cooed in her ear. “It’s almost over, and you never have to do this again.” Clara let out one more push as cries entered the room. Leia ran over with a towel, rubbing the debris away. Clara and I both let out a sob, Raine handing us a swaddled baby into my mate’s arms. A fucking baby. We made a fucking baby, and my mate glowed brightly at me like I gave her the world.

“Boy or girl?” Clara sniffed as she pulled back the towels. “Thought you might want to figure that out.” Raine winked, pulling Leia away. “We will send some female nurses in to help clean up.” Raine twirled her finger around the bed. Clara and I didn’t watch her leave. I climbed into the bed, holding my mate and the beautiful pup we now had.

“We’re parents,” Clara cried again, wiping away the pup’s wet hair. “Can you believe that?” My lips kissed Clara’s forehead, who was still pulling the wrappings away.

“A girl.” She laughed. “Queens all over the place, huh?” I hugged her tightly, finally putting my large hand over our new little girl’s head. She was so small compared to me. I could hold her in the palm of my hand.

“Queens are stronger,” I muttered. “They don’t rule with a beastly wolf and desire for blood. They rule with their heart, just like you will.” Clara’s lip wobbled, trying to hold back her tears. There weren’t many times I had seen my mate cry, but when she did, it was with her entire heart.

“I’m so proud of you, My Luna.” Her green eyes watered as she looked up at me until her forehead was buried into my chest. “Thank you for a wonderful gift, Alpha.”

“I love you,”I mind-linked, keeping our precious moment to ourselves as nurses came in to help.

“And I love you.”

Once Clara was cleaned, both sets of parents came into the room to greet our new little girl. Gifts were being piled up in the next room from our pack and the surrounding ones. The next generation of royalty had been born, and it was spreading like wildfire.

“I can’t believe you kicked out the doctor,” my mother scolded. “Even your father held it together. Why can’t you?” I rolled my eyes, sitting back down in the bed with Clara. My father didn’t have Torin, his wolf was strong, sure, but Torin I swore had a demon inside him. We were like a damn wolf demon human sandwich. Mom continued to glare at me, but I paid no mind. Torin and I were enjoying our new pup.

Clara was peacefully sleeping, curled up with the baby in her arms in the bed, just like an actual wolf would curl around their own pups. She unconsciously rubbed her thumb along the baby’s back, which nuzzled toward Clara’s neck.

“Have you named her?” my father asked, sitting on the far side of the room. “People are asking so they can make special blankets and wreaths for the new little royal.” Clara’s father was proud. Not only did he get his daughter back just six months ago, but he now gained a granddaughter and a new pup of his own on the way.

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