Chapter 122

Chapter 122
It was too much for him, and his hands left the wall. He turned and slammed the bedroom door behind him. I even heard the front door slam so hard that it shook the walls. My hand came up and covered my mouth as I sobbed. Noah reached out and took my other hand.

“He’ll forgive you. You’re just doing what he needs.”

I nodded and tried to gulp down the sobs. “Can you turn off the lights?”

He nodded and got up. The lights turned off, but there was a soft glow from the candles. Tears slipped down the sides of my face as I laid my head back.

“What else do you need?”

“I need you to be strong. This is probably going to be the worst pain I’ve ever been through. I’m going to scream and cry, and I need you to hold it together. I need you…” I inhaled sharply as I felt another contraction. This one was big enough that I hissed as it made me curl up a bit, shifting my side. “…I need you to focus. Doc will not make it on time. You’re going to have to help me.”

His eyes widened. “Nate, I’ve never…”

I chuckled. “Oh, I know. But it will be good practice…” I coughed and my toes curled up as another one hit. “…for yours. Shit. They are getting close together.”

“How…w-what do I need? What do I do?”

I pointed to the cabinet door. Noah opened it and saw the box marked “3”. He took it out and opened it. He set out each of the items. Three towels, three washcloths, three onesies, three wraps, three hats, three pacifiers, three little cloth diapers. Everything that we needed in order to get them cleaned and dressed.

“You already know the process with Leah and Hailey of dressing. Basically, what’s going to happen is you’re going to be reaching in, grabbing a pup, using one clip to make sure it’s tied off, and then cutting the cord. After that, use the washcloth, clean anything birth-related still left, towel dry, diaper, onesie, wrap, hat, pacifier, then into the bassinet. Repeat two more times.”

He nodded, setting up a little station on the rug on the floor. I worked through the increase in pain and frequency of the contractions as he grabbed a clean bowl of warm water, laying the washcloths on the corner.

“You don’t want to hold them?”

I let out a breath. “I would hurt too much with my ribs at this point. Plus, I’m going to be lucky if I end up being conscious at the end of this.” Flashing him a smile, he reached out and squeezed my hand.

My head fell back, and I closed my eyes, trying to focus on my breathing techniques I knew worked, but it was nearly impossible with my ribs.

“I’m so glad you’re here. Doing it alone last time was so scary.” I squeezed his hand. “I’d like Finn here too, but not while he’s pregnant and about to give birth in two months. But…is it sad I wish Silas was here too?”

Noah looked down at our hands. “I don’t think it’s sad to want to have your mate by your side while you crush his hand into a million pieces as you give birth to his pups.”

I nodded, forcing myself not to chuckle. The contractions were minutes apart now, and my toes were constantly curled as I braced myself not to move in the tub. It wasn’t easy, especially with trying not to tighten my muscles around my ribs.

“He mind-linked me a week ago. I wasn’t wearing the necklace because I hate wearing it at night. He slipped in.”

Noah growled low. “Fuck. You okay?”

“He didn’t say anything. Well, not to me directly. I felt him brush my cheek, so I shoved him back and then put on the necklace. But I could hear him beating against the barrier. He sounded so broken and upset…”

I swallowed, remembering his words. Noah was watching me for a long time before he leaned forward and took the necklace off. My eyes widened as I looked at him.

“If you want him here, pull him. You won’t be able to crush his hand, but at the very least he can stand and watch his pups being born.”

“Noah…”

He sighed, setting the necklace aside. “From what Lor told me, he didn’t just lock the bond or his emotions, he magically sealed his entire soul away. When she released it, all it was supposed to do was get him to wake up. We wanted him to feel the same pain knowing he would never be by your side after all he had done.”

I was so focused on his words, I barely registered the next contraction.

“But Lor said there was another entity, another soul in him. She said she barely got a glimpse before the door shut, but she said it was Solaris. She put a piece of her soul, some of her own fated thread, into your golden one. Which you know, but she bound Silas to his mind for hours. It forced him to relive every moment from when he locked the bond, now having access to all those emotions.”

Tears streamed down my face. Imagining having to watch himself, after having his feelings back with the bond, and watching everything he said to me over again. That was a torture even I would have said crossed the line. Aelia was always tough on the two of us when we disappointed her. So, I wouldn’t put it past her to do something like that.

“He broke, Nate. He broke, and even though he’s been better, he’s hollow. Sam says that he stopped drinking and that he’s more attentive. The flip side is that he doesn’t react to things anymore; a shell of what he was. They pulled him from training because he doesn’t eat much or sleep much, and it’s weakened him. But the other night, Silas told Sam that sometimes he pulls on the bond to feel your emotions. Checking if you’re okay. That’s probably how he accidentally slipped through and made a full link.”

I nodded, tears falling. “I need…I need to make sure he isn’t driving or anything. Can you hold me against the tub?”

Noah came up and held both of my arms tight. Closing my eyes, I slipped into the bond, not fully linking. Silas was sitting in the kitchen, talking to a very pregnant Sam. I smiled and pulled back. Taking a shallow breath, I yanked the bond towards me, hard.

I opened my eyes and nodded to Noah, who let go of my arms.

“Not driving, I’m assuming.”

I looked up at the cabinet, a ghost image of Silas standing, his eyes wide as he took in his surroundings. “No, not driving, but you didn’t tell me Sam was pregnant.”

Noah laughed. “Sorry. It slipped my mind between trying to get shit in order, cooking meals for two pregnant wolves, and fretting over one who continuously likes to make things difficult.”

Smiling, I nodded and braced harder against the tub. The contraction was painful enough to cause me to curl up. I let out a cry, feeling my ribs shift.

“Shit. I’ve got you.” Noah was rubbing my arm.

‘Nate…what…’

“Honestly, Silas…now is not a good time to ask questions.”

Noah snickered. “He’s here?”

I nodded but kept my eyes shut tight.

“Those Alpha kids of yours broke Nate’s ribs. To add insult to injury, after the painkillers kicked in, his water broke. Doc is still a good twenty minutes away if he hitched a ride on a motorcycle.”

I tried not to laugh, but the image of Jake riding on the back of a road bike was too funny. 

Coughing through the laugh, Noah shook his head. “Sorry. I try to calm myself with humor. Usually, it’s helpful.”

Shaking my head, I was getting the full feeling of needing to push. Needing to get these pups out. My body was telling me it was time. I didn’t really want to, but it wasn’t going to get any easier.

‘Why…why did you…?’

I peeled my eyes open. He was squatting down next to the tub, running his hand over my head, his other hand holding my arm.

“Asking…why…” I tried to tell Noah, but he got the gist since he rolled his eyes.

“Fucking…are you still an idiot, Silas? These are your pups. You are here to watch the birth of your pups. Honestly, it’s because Nate is too damn kind and loving and wanted you to be here for it. So shut up and let him work on staying conscious through the ridiculous amount of pain.”

Wetting my lips, I readjusted myself and braced my legs on the edges of the tub. Noah realized I shifted, and he moved to the other end of the tub, scissors and a clamp within arm’s reach. I could almost feel Silas’ grip on my arm tighten. As soon as the next contraction hit, I screamed as I tightened my muscles and tried to ignore my rib absolutely tearing into something.

“Good Nate, again, just like that. I can see the head.”

I nodded and looked at Silas. Motioning for him to move down, he nodded and moved closer to Noah. Another contraction tore through me, and I pushed, feeling a momentary relief as I felt the first of my three pups slip out.

It was short-lived as my body uncurled, and the pain was so severe that black dots filled my vision. Noah expertly pulled the pup from the water. He clamped the cord, cut it, and turned them over, patting them softly until there was a cry. All three of us smiled at the sound.

‘It’s a girl.’

Quickly, Noah wiped her down, dressed, swaddled and got up, taking my baby girl to the bassinet. He came back, kissing my head and wiping my forehead.

“Two more, Nate.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to make it through all three, Noah.”

Noah growled. “You have to.”

“Noah, the pups are priority, do you understand me? Get them taken care of first.”

“Nate!”

I growled. “Promise me.”

He nodded solemnly, cleaning up his little station before he reached and rubbed my leg. Silas was shaking though. His freaking out made me smile despite the pain.

‘Silas, it’s okay. Relax.’

‘How…how do I do that?’

‘It helps to breathe.’

I watched as he finally inhaled and exhaled a few times. My mouth opened to say something, but a contraction tore through me that was as strong as the last, and I was not expecting it. My foot slipped, and I felt it hit the stopper at the bottom, cutting into it. The worst was that my whole body seized up, and I screamed, my ribs stabbing into my body or pieces of them.

Noah freaked out for a second, and I heard Silas yell my name, but I had to focus. Within seconds, I braced my foot again, and I pushed through the second contraction. It was so excruciating that I barely felt the pup slip from me. My vision went black, and I gripped the side of the tub for dear life, trying to hold on to consciousness.

‘Nate…you’ve got this. You’re okay. You’re okay.’

I realized I had been whimpering, and I took a labored breath to calm myself. Listening to Noah moving, going through his station for a second time, helped ground me a little. Sounds, smells, and feelings continued to help keep me present.

‘Another girl. Do you have three girls in there?’

I tried to pull my mouth into a smile, but I couldn’t.

“Nate, talk to me. How are you doing?” Noah came back in, kissing my forehead.

“I’m blind, Noah. I can’t see anything. I almost lost consciousness that time.”

“Fuck. What do I do? Nate, how do I help?”

I reached out, and he put his hand in mine. “The same thing. This little boy needs to be taken care of first. You’re going to focus. Pup, clip, cut, wash, dry, dress, wrap, pacifier, bassinet. Then you’re going to come back and pull me out of the water so I don’t drown.”

“I…wait, what…?”

“Do as I say, Noah! You have to let me slip under. I’ll be okay for a bit. Get him taken care of first. Do you understand?”

Noah squeezed my hand. “Yes, Alpha.”

‘Alpha? Nate…what…?’

I prepared myself for the contraction this time. I was ready to push after bracing myself. I wouldn’t get a second push, so I had to make this one count. From the start of it to the very end, I pushed as hard as I could. My arms and legs got heavy, and the pain was too much. I thought I felt him leave. I hoped I’d done enough. My arms fell off the sides of the tub, and I felt my head submerge under water as I lost consciousness.