Page 61 of Sacrificed to the Dragon

She glanced at Tristan and took strength from the love shining in his eyes. She squeezed her mate’s hand and said, “This is just the beginning. You know they’re going to be little hellions, right?”

“As long as you’re there to help me, I don’t care how much trouble they are.”

She so very much wanted to be there, but if she couldn’t push out her daughter soon, she knew she may not make it.

Sid moved down between her legs again and said, “I’m going to help the baby along. What I’m about to do may be uncomfortable.”

Before she could reply, she felt something in her vagina and Mel clenched her teeth. She could swear it was the doctor’s hand.

Tristan murmured into her ear until the doctor said, “Okay, on this next contraction, we’re going to work together. Don’t push right away, but do it when I say push.”

She nodded and gripped Tristan’s hand even tighter. She breathed in and out, in and out. Then the contraction hit her and she screamed.

“Don’t push yet!”

She hurt so badly and every instinct in her body told her to push. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she was vaguely aware of Tristan caressing her cheek.

“Push!”

And Melanie let out a yell as she pushed as hard as she could. When she finally felt the baby slip out of her body and let out a cry, she glanced to Tristan before the world went black.

* * *

Tristan heardtheir daughter’s first cry and was about to kiss his mate when Melanie’s hand went slack.

Both the man and beast yelled, “No. No, no, no.”

He glanced to the monitor and saw a weak heart rate moments before it went flat.

He squeezed Melanie’s hand. “Love, wake up.” He looked to Dr. Sid. “Help her.”

Sid and the nurses were already in action. Sid came to his side of the bed and pushed him away. “Leave the room, Tristan.”

His inner dragon growled. “I won’t leave her.”

Sid gave him a commanding glare. “I don’t have time for your alpha protective bullshit. Get out or let Melanie die. Take your choice.”

His dragon was clawing to get free, but Tristan pushed him back knowing full well that if his beast took control, Melanie would die.

Through sheer force of will he released his mate’s hand and moved out of the way. He let a nurse guide him out of the room, never taking his eyes off his mate until they were out in the hall.

He stopped and clenched his fists. He wanted to do something to help her, but in this, he was useless. Especially as his dragon was threatening to come out and kill everyone in the delivery room. His beast snarled and said,They killed our mate. We must avenge her.

Shut it, he yelled at his dragon.They are trying to save her.

His dragon gave a grunt and went back to pacing.

The nurse touched his arm and he glanced over. “Do you want to see your children now?”

With his dragon pacing and growling inside his head, seeing his children would help to keep his human-half in control. Not only that, it would help distract his human-half as well. He had every confidence in Sid’s abilities. Between the skill of the doctor and his mate’s stubbornness, he was confident Melanie would come back to him.

She had to.

He nodded at the nurse and followed her down the hallway into the newborn room. Since dragon-shifter numbers were low, there weren’t any other children in the room.

As he approached the two little carts that held them, he could scent his son and daughter and his dragon relaxed a fraction.We must protect our young. We won’t let anyone harm them.

Tristan didn’t argue and reached a hand out to caress the cheek of his son and then his daughter. And for the first time in memory, he felt tears prick his eyes. He whispered to his children, “Don’t worry. Your mum will be a bit late, but she’ll be here. She loves you and would never abandon you.”

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