Chapter 99 Chapter~99~Rude awakening.

Chapter 99 Chapter~99~Rude awakening.
Nick~

Somewhere around daybreak......' Nick! Wake up!' Zeek's voice clawed at the back of my skull, sharp and frantic.

'What the hell, Z?' I groaned internally, my mind still thick with honeyed sleep.

'Blood. Harley's.'

My heart didn't just pound; it thrashed against my ribs like a trapped bird as I surged upright. The sheets were a grisly, sodden mess, the copper tang of iron filling the air.

With shaking hands, I patted down her limbs, searching for a jagged cut or a wound. Nothing. Her skin was pale and cool, her eyes locked in a deep, unresponsive heaviness.

'The bleeding is internal, Nick. Wake her up. Now.'

'Ok, I choked out, sliding my arms under her and pulling her limp weight into my lap. The source became apparent as fresh blood spread over us from between her thighs. "Harley? Harley, baby, look at me."

Panic was a cold pressure in my throat. This shouldn't be happening; pregnant women do not bleed, certainly not with this much volume.

Her eyelids fluttered, then cracked open. "Nick? What's…?" Her voice trailed off as her brow furrowed. She reached down, her hand disappearing into the wetness of the sheets. The moment she felt it, she jolted, trying to push herself up against my chest.

"Stay still," I urged, my voice cracking.

She brought her hand up. In the dim morning light, her fingers were coated in a thick, dark crimson that looked almost black. A jagged, broken gasp escaped her throat, and then the trembling started. This turned into a violent shudder that took over her entire body.

"Lie back," I say as I rise from the bed, go to the bathroom, and grab a couple of towels. "Are you hurting?" Her legs spread out before me, and I wiped the blood from her enough to see that the bleeding had stopped.

"No, we need to get to a hospital." Harley's voice is a breathless, high-pitched cry.

'She's right, Nick, but not the one two hours away in the opposite direction. Call Rich!'

"Deep breaths, Harley. I'm going to take care of you both," I slide another towel under her and go for my cell in the dresser drawer.

It's 4 am on Saturday, and after the fifth ring, my lifeline is fading. I'm about to give up when the ringing stops. "Alpha?"

"Rich, I'm sorry to wake you up, but we have a situation."

"What's wrong, Nick?"

"It's Harley, she's bleeding."

"Where are you?"

"The White Lake house, we're on the way."

"No, don't cause her body any more stress. I'm on the way. Put her in a bath of cool water and try to keep her calm." The line went silent.

"Ponzie is on his way. He wants you to get cleaned up," I removed the towels and set her up on the edge of the bed.

"I'm scared, Nick," her bottom lip quivered, "we've come so far."

"No," I squatted between her legs, "we aren't going there. What does Rea sense?" The smell of blood gets stronger from this position.

Harley buries her face in my chest. "She can't or won't tell anything other than Etta's heart is still beating."

"Come on," I kissed her forehead before getting her to her feet and into the bathroom. She settles on the toilet after I flip on the light. "It's going to be ok," I remove her wet t-shirt and panties, then my own soiled undergarments.

After throwing them in the trash, I turned and started the shower. The water hit the black tile at first with a pitter-patter, then picked up to a steady stream.

Temperature set, I lift Harley from the toilet and position her feet on the tub floor in front of me. Grabbing the wand, I moved the water spray over Harley. "That has to be a good sign."

She ignored my statement and averted her eyes. "How long before the doctor gets here?"

"My Pack isn't far," after we're washed and rinsed, I switched the control of the water, and the tub started to fill. "Can you sit down if I get out?"

"I'll try," I step out, and she does. Once she's steady, I pour some of her lavender oil in the water and hand her a washcloth. "I need to change the sheets before the doctor gets here."

"Don't go far."

"Never, Amante," I wrap a towel around my waist, exit the bathroom, dry off, and slip on some sweats.

The bed proves more difficult than expected. The mattress is also wet; we will have to change rooms. So much for my family not knowing we were here. Ok, that's a later problem.

For now, I remove the sheets, roll them up in the blanket, and put the wad in the hamper. Then I layer the mattress with a thick towel and get her another one of my t-shirts from my bag.

Back in the bathroom, the lavender had the desired effect, and Harley dozed off in the water. With a smile, I shook her arm until she opened her eyes. "Are you ready to get out?"

She nods; I lift her out of the water, set her feet on the rug, and wrap a towel around her shoulders. We both can't fit through the door, so I let her go first.

Her cheeks heated when she sat on the towel and saw the stained mattress. "I'm sorry, Nick."

With a shrug and a frown, I remove the towel and dry her off. "It isn't your fault. Hold your arms up," I slide the t-shirt over her head and pull out her hair.

'Ponzie is here, Nick.'

"Ok, let's go next door," I put her slippers in front of her and stood her up. We cross the room, and I open the door as Ponzie comes through the front one. "In here, Rich."

My mother's guest room is a flora wonderland. Its bright and cheerful vibe is a contrast to the turmoil inside me. For once, I'm glad Harley has blocked me out. She settles onto the light pink-and-green rose-print comforter and death grips my hand.

Rich is a burly man, often referred to in the Pack as the gentle giant. He had to turn sideways to get inside with his bag and equipment. He has been my father's CMO for as long as I can remember.

The good doctor surely put me back together more than a couple of times. His eyes locked on Harley, and for a moment, he froze as he looked between us.

I'm still trying to figure out what she sees in me, too. "Rich, this is mate Harley. Harley, this is my doctor."

He comes to the bed, sets down his load, and extends his hand to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Harley."

Harley accepts his hand, but only nods. Rich opens his bag, takes out a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff, and takes her vitals. "Are you experiencing any cramping?"

"No," Harley is squeezing my hand so hard her nails dig into my skin.

Ponzie removes the stethoscope from his ears. "Your vitals are stable; that's what we want." He pulls up an armchair, sits, and pops the box's latches. The ultrasound machine lights up and emits a sound as it comes to life. "Would you like to know the gender of the baby?"

"We already do," I take a deep breath, "it's a girl."

"Ok," Rich lifts the t-shirt, applies gel to Harley's stomach, and then moves the sensor through it. Perhaps because the screen is smaller, the peanut appears bigger. "There she is."

Tears fill Harley's eyes as we see Etta, "Is she ok?"

"I'd say yes, there doesn't appear to be any tears in your placenta." Ponzie moved the monitor down and under. "We'll need to do a pelvic exam."

"Why did this happen, Doctor?"

"There are many reasons," he wiped Harley's belly, then the monitor before powering off the machine. "Sometimes it's as simple as cervical changes." Ponzie positions Harley's feet on the bed and puts on a glove.