Chapter 121

ISABELLA

By the time we arrived at the hospital, I felt like I was living in a blur of excitement and nerves. My water hadn’t fully broken, just a small crack, but that was enough to set everything in motion. The nurse had taken my discharge papers and led me to a room where I now sat, surrounded by my three mates, who looked way more stressed out than I felt.

Jax hadn’t stopped pacing since we got here. Knox was seated beside me, trying to stay calm but fiddling with the hem of his shirt, and Asher, of course, was his usual collected self, but I could feel the tension radiating off him too.

The nurse smiled reassuringly as she finished taking my vitals and scribbled some notes. "Well, it looks like everything's moving along smoothly, but I’ll let the doctor explain more in a moment."

I nodded, grateful that everything seemed to be under control. But still, there was that knot of uncertainty in my chest. I couldn’t help but glance at the guys and wonder if they were handling it better than me or just hiding it better.

A few minutes later, the doctor walked in, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a clipboard tucked under her arm. “Isabella, I’ve had a look at your results,” she started, offering me a smile. "Now, here’s what’s happening."

The boys all leaned in closer, their attention locked on the doctor like she was delivering the news of a lifetime.

"Your water hasn’t completely broken," the doctor explained, “just a small crack in the sac. This means your labor hasn’t fully started yet, and the baby isn’t in the right position for delivery.”

I breathed a tiny sigh of relief. So, we weren’t in the heat of the moment just yet.

"However," the doctor continued, "since there’s a risk of infection now that the sac has been compromised, we’ll need to keep you in the hospital for monitoring. We’ll wait until the baby naturally moves into the right position or until you go into full labor. If things don’t progress as expected, we may have to intervene, but for now, we’ll keep an eye on you and the baby."

I nodded, letting the information sink in. I wasn’t going into labor right now, but it was happening soon. I could see Jax’s shoulders tense even more, his face going pale, and Knox letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Asher was calm as ever, though I caught him rubbing the back of his neck—a sign that even he was feeling the pressure.

“How long do you think it’ll be?” I asked the doctor, trying to sound as casual as possible, even though my heart was pounding in my chest.

“It could be hours or days,” she said gently. “We’ll just have to wait and see. But don't worry. You and the baby are in good hands.”

I smiled, thanking her as she left the room, but I could feel the weight of the situation hanging in the air. It was happening. The baby was coming, maybe not today, but soon. Really soon.

I looked over at the boys, and for the first time, I noticed they were all looking at me like I was the only thing grounding them right now. Knox squeezed my hand and grinned. “Well, looks like we’re in for a bit of a wait, huh?”

“Yeah, but we’ll be right here,” Jax added, though he was still pacing a little.

Asher, ever the voice of reason, leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Whatever happens, we’re with you.”

I smiled, my heart swelling with love for all of them. No matter how long this took, I knew I had them by my side. And that was all the reassurance I needed.

The next day, I shuffled slowly down the hospital hallway, gripping my IV stand as I counted my steps in my head. Each one felt like progress, even though I was only walking at a snail's pace. One... two... three... I was determined to make it to one hundred. The doctor had told me it was important to keep moving, even though I felt like a waddling penguin.

Knox, who insisted on walking beside me, was teasing me the whole way, though his arm was always hovering, ready to catch me if I wobbled. “You know, Isa, at this pace, we’ll get to a hundred in time for the baby’s first birthday.”

I glared at him playfully, “Keep it up, and you’ll be the one pushing this IV pole.”

He laughed, his teasing making the whole situation feel lighter. I was grateful for that. As much as I was nervous, I knew the baby would come when they were ready. But keeping myself occupied with small goals like walking was the best distraction.

By the time I reached my hundredth step, my legs felt like jelly, and I was eager to sit down. Asher and Jax joined us just as I made it back to my room, the both of them eyeing Knox like they were ready to swap places with him.

“Is this your way of getting some alone time with our mate?” Jax teased, his eyes gleaming with humor.

Asher shook his head, “We turn our backs for five minutes, and suddenly Knox is the supportive one.”

I rolled my eyes, “You all have your turns. Believe me, I’ll be walking these halls again tomorrow.”

Just as I settled back onto the bed, my gynecologist came in, clipboard in hand. “I see you’ve been taking my advice,” she said, smiling as she looked over the monitors and my chart. “Walking is good for you, Isabella. It helps get everything moving, and it’s also great for keeping your circulation going.”

I nodded, catching my breath. “I’ll keep at it, don’t worry.”

“Good. But don’t push yourself too hard,” she added, giving a kind but firm look at the boys, who suddenly looked like they were taking mental notes. “It’s important to walk, but it’s also important to rest. We’ll keep monitoring you and the baby’s progress.”

After a few more check-ins and instructions, the doctor left, and I found myself surrounded once again by my three devoted mates, who were clearly still on high alert.

“We’ve got this,” Knox said, his usual cocky grin in place. “And hey, if you want, I’ll even carry you down the hall next time.”

I laughed, shaking my head, “I think I’ll stick to walking. But thanks for the offer.”

As I settled back in, I felt an odd mixture of impatience and calm. The baby would come when it was time. Until then, I had to keep moving, both literally and figuratively. And with these three by my side, I knew I’d be ready when the moment arrived.