Chapter 201

Michael POV

I raced down the mountains out of Tennessee. I knew I shouldn't have come with Shawna this close to delivering. My father had said that I needed to go; he'd promised the Alpha I would help. Two days, he'd said. I would be back in plenty of time. Only now Shawna was in labor, early. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," I screamed as the rain hit my windshield, forcing me to slow down. I wouldn't do her any good if I wrecked my truck on the way there. It was six hours if I had good weather the entire way, and now it was raining. I didn't know how long it would be; it wasn't like we had pups before this one. My mother was calm on the other end of the line. "Michael, be careful," she'd said. "Plenty of time. I was in labor with your brother for eighteen hours, and you for fifteen. This is her first baby, so just breathe and please be careful. Shawna needs you." I just hoped my mother wasn't underestimating the timeline.

Once I was about four hours away, I called my mother again. "How is she?" I growled out. I was antsy, my wolf pissed at me for being far from our mate.

"She's good," she said. "I'm just making her some tea. The doctor is here now.

"What do you mean? Aren't you at the hospital?" I asked, suddenly panicking.

"No, she didn't want to chance it. Shawna said she felt like she was to weak to walk. Your father offered to step out of his meeting and drive her, but I insisted a home birth was fine. Doctor Constance agrees. Shawna is fine with it." I heard Shawna let out a scream in the background, and my heart clenched.

"What the fuck was that?" I asked.

"She is having a contraction," my mother said. "Very normal, son. Now be careful driving," she said. "Oh, how far are you?"

"Four hours," I said. "Tell her I'm coming and I love her," I told my mother, and we hung up. I accelerated, my speedometer hitting ninety miles per hour. The rain had stopped but the road was still wet, so I slowed for the corners.

The entire drive was uneventful, as I skirted through small towns and stopped for gas. At the last gas station, I had gone inside, used the bathroom, grabbed a coffee, and one of those nasty gas station hot dogs. "I can't believe I 'm eating this shit," I had mumbled to myself. My wolf had snarked in my head that he'd rather I go off in the woods and catch a rabbit. I reminded him that it would take time, and we needed to get back to Shawna. He'd chewed me out for leaving to begin with, and then went quiet in my head for the remainder of the drive.

When I finally pulled up to the gate to the packland, I let out a huge breath. The guards came out, saw it was me and motioned me through without even a word. "You better hurry," one of them had said as I flew through the gate. "Word is she's close."

I hit the gas, rocks flying under my tires. I flew up the dirt road and into the area where everyone lived, and homes were scattered up the hillside. I noticed as I flew past Clint and Lynn's house that Clint's truck was in the driveway and his horse was tethered to the hitching post by the barn. I'd imagine he was frequently coming to the house to check on Lynn and Ella. This gave me a smile, knowing that soon, Ella's younger cousin would be here too. I threw my truck in park as I rolled into our driveway. My father was sitting in the rocking chair on the porch with a glass of scotch. "He's not here yet, right?" I asked.

"Nope," he smiled. "But your mother just came out and said the contractions are a minute apart and Shawna is pushing, so I suggest you get inside." I ran into the house and up the stairs to the master bedroom, just in time to hear Shawna let out a scream that pierced my heart. The bedroom door stood open, and I stopped in the doorway just long enough to take in the scene.

Shawna was propped up with stacks of pillows behind her, her knees pulled up to her stomach, my mother holding one leg and a nurse the other. Constance knelt in front of Shawna, her back to me. Shawna opened her eyes and stared at me. She immediately started crying, "Michael, thank God," she said. I rushed to her side, climbing on the bed next to her.

"Get behind her," Doctor Constance instructed. "Hold her from behind, it will help." I did as I was told, kicking off my boots and simultaneously pushing back Shawna's blond hair from her forehead. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun on top of her head, but strands had escaped and stuck to her forehead, which was damp with sweat. I kissed her neck and her shoulder.

"I love you, baby," I said. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner."

"You're here now," she said. "You made it in time," she gasped as another contraction hit her and she bore down, pushing on Constance's command.

"He's crowning," she said. "I can see his hair, and wow, he has a lot of it," she laughed. Another contraction came immediately and Constance yelled for Shawna to push again.

"I'm so tired," she wept, but she pushed all the same.

"You can do this, you are the strongest woman I know," I told her. Her fingers squeezed my hands tight, our hands resting on top of her protruding abdomen. I could feel the waves of tension cross her abdomen with each contraction. I was mesmerized by this and petrified at the same time. My mate was incredible and she was delivering our baby, at home. "Is she getting any drugs?" I asked, suddenly realizing I didn't see an IV in her anywhere.

"No fucking drugs," Shawna breathed out as another contraction seized her.

"One last push," Doctor Constance said. Shawna bore down, nearly breaking my fingers as she did. I winced but didn't say anything; I just let her do what she needed. I was there to be her strength, to be her support. Her squeezing my fingers was nothing compared to what she was enduring to bring our son into the world. I watched as our son emerged from between Shawna's legs. He was covered in some white goop that the nurse hurriedly wiped from his face. Doctor Constance swept a finger into his mouth and then turned him over onto his belly on her arm, rubbing his back. A moment later, he let out an angry cry.

Shawna visibly relaxed. "Thank the Goddess," she breathed out, leaning back into me.

"Come here, Alpha," Constance motioned to me. I slipped from behind Shawna, my hand still resting on her hand as I fluffed her pillows. "Cut the cord," Constance said, handing me some surgical scissors. I did as instructed, then she clamped his umbilical cord with a tiny plastic clip, wrapped him in a thin baby blanket, and handed him to me. "Your son." I stared at him in awe. "We aren't done, Shawna. You have to deliver the placenta." Shawna just nodded, her eyes still closed and then another contraction hit her and she pushed again. The doctor reached in and assisted the placenta in exiting Shawna's vaginal canal. I looked away at the bloody mess and turned my gaze to Shawna.

"You're amazing, Shawna, "I whispered, kissing her forehead. "Hold your son," I told her, placing his little body on her chest. She opened her eyes and looked down at him in awe. "Did you decide on a name?" I asked her. We had been going back and forth about names for months, and before I left, she had it whittled down to two that we both liked. She nodded.

"Axel," she said. "He brings me peace," she said. "Just like his father," she smiled up at me, and I knew without a doubt, I had everything I could ever want right here in this room.