Chapter 149 LABOR
Chapter 149 LABOR
The cold winter months finally arrived in our green valley, and a soft layer of white snow covered the wooden roof of our warm cabin. I slept deeply under a pile of thick wool blankets, but a sudden sharp pain woke me up in the middle of the dark night.
The pain started low in my back, and it quickly wrapped around my stomach with a very tight grip. I gasped loud, and my hands instinctively grabbed my large round belly to soothe the unexpected ache.
The intense pressure faded after a few short seconds, and a sudden rush of warm fluid soaked the soft cotton sheets beneath my legs. I knew the long wait was finally over, and the twins were ready to join our safe family today.
I reached my hand out in the darkness, and I shook Vladislav's broad shoulder to wake him from his peaceful rest. "Vladislav, you need to wake up right now," I whispered with an urgent tone, and I squeezed his arm tight.
He opened his bright blue eyes instantly, and his ancient vampire senses immediately noticed the damp smell in the quiet room. He sat up in the bed with lightning speed, and a look of genuine terror washed over his handsome face.
"Is it time for the babies to come?" he asked in a very rushed voice, and his large hands trembled slightly. "My water just broke, and the first contraction hurt a lot," I confirmed the scary reality for him.
Vladislav threw the heavy blankets off our bed, and he scooped my heavy body up into his strong arms without any hesitation. He carried me out of the bedroom with extreme care, and he walked straight into the warm nursery he built for our children.
He set me down gently on the soft padded chair resting near the window, and he grabbed a dry blanket to wrap around my cold shoulders. "I am going to run to the village square, and I will bring the pack mothers back to help you," he promised me.
"Do not worry about the snow, just run fast and bring the head healer to our cabin," I instructed him through another wave of dull pain. He did not waste another second, and he rushed out the front door with his incredible vampire speed.
I sat alone in the quiet nursery, and I practiced taking deep breaths just like the older women taught me during the summer. I looked at the two empty wooden cribs waiting in the corner, and the sight gave me a lot of brave hope.
The pain grew much stronger very fast, and I gripped the wooden armrests of the chair to steady my shaking body. The front door banged wide open a few minutes later, and the cold winter wind rushed into our warm living room.
Vladislav ran back inside the house, and three older pack mothers followed right behind him with large woven baskets. The head healer dropped her heavy basket onto the floor, and she immediately started issuing strict orders to prepare the birth room.
"We need a large pot of boiling water, and we need clean towels right now!" the head healer commanded the other women. She walked into the nursery, and she helped me stand up so we could walk back into the main bedroom together.
The women placed clean cotton sheets over the mattress, and they helped me lie back against the soft pillows. Vladislav stood near the bedroom door, and he looked absolutely paralyzed by the chaotic movement happening inside his quiet home.
"You need to wait in the living room, Vladislav, because the birth process is very messy," the head healer told him firmly. "I am not leaving this room, and I am going to stay right beside my mate," he refused her order with a stubborn growl.
He walked straight to the side of the bed, and he ignored the busy women rushing around him with hot water and clean rags. He sat down on the edge of the mattress, and he grabbed my sweaty hand to hold my fingers in a very tight grip.
Another sharp contraction ripped through my stomach, and I squeezed his large hand back with all of my raw Alpha strength. I let out a loud groan of pain, and Vladislav flinched as if the invisible knife stabbed him instead of me.
"She is in a lot of pain, so you need to give her a magical medicine to stop the hurting!" Vladislav yelled at the head healer. "There is no magic medicine for this, vampire, because mortal birth is a natural process," the older woman snapped back at him.
He looked back down at my face, and pure panic filled his bright blue eyes. "I do not like seeing you hurt, and I feel useless sitting here," he confessed to me, and he wiped the sweat from my forehead with his free hand.
"You are not useless, because having you here makes me feel very safe," I reassured him between my heavy breaths. "Just keep holding my hand, and do not let go until the babies are crying," I instructed him, and he nodded his head fast.
The labor continued for several long hours, and the dark night outside slowly turned into a very cold morning. The snow continued to fall softly outside the window, but the inside of our bedroom felt very hot and tense.
The contractions came much closer together, and the intense pressure inside my body made me scream out loud. The pack mothers worked with incredible skill, and they wiped my hot face with damp cloths to keep my fever down.
Vladislav kept his promise, and he never let go of my hand through the endless waves of terrible pain. He spoke to me in a very soft voice, and he reminded me of the beautiful life waiting for us after this day.
"We will take them to the blue river when the summer returns, and we will teach them how to swim," he promised me. "I want to teach them how to hear the forest spirits in the wind," I managed to answer between my heavy gasps for air.
"They will learn everything from you, because you are the smartest wolf in the valley," he said, and he kissed my sweaty knuckles. A new contraction hit me hard, and I squeezed his fingers so tight that my own knuckles turned a bright white color.
"You are doing so well, Bellatrix, and the worst part is almost over," he whispered to me with a very gentle voice. "I feel like my body is breaking apart, and I am so tired," I cried out, and a hot tear slipped down my cheek.
"You are the strongest warrior in the world, and you can definitely do this," Vladislav told me, and he kissed my wet cheek. "I will give you my strength, and we will meet our children very soon," he promised me with absolute conviction.
His deep voice gave me a fresh burst of energy, and I gathered all of my remaining courage for the final effort. "I need you to start pushing on the next wave of pain," the head healer encouraged me, and she stood at the end of the bed.
The next sharp contraction hit my stomach, and I pushed down with every single ounce of strength left in my tired muscles. I crushed Vladislav's hand in my grip, and the ancient vampire did not complain about the crushing pressure on his bones.
I pushed until I could not breathe anymore, and then I collapsed back against the soft pillows to catch a quick breath. "Keep going, my Queen, because you are making excellent progress," the head healer urged me with a very excited tone.
I waited for the next terrible wave of pain, and I pushed again while Vladislav whispered words of pure love into my ear. The process felt like an endless battle, but I knew the beautiful reward was waiting for me at the very end.
The other pack mothers held my legs steady, and they spoke gentle words of encouragement to keep my spirit strong. I looked at Vladislav, and his bright blue eyes never left my face during the entire difficult struggle.
"One more big push, Bellatrix, and you will see your son," the head healer told me, and she prepared the clean towels. I strained my muscles one more time, and I let out a loud scream that echoed off the wooden walls of the cabin.
The head healer suddenly smiled very wide, and she reached her hands out to catch the new life. She looked up at my terrified mate sitting on the edge of the bed, and she gave him a very reassuring nod.
"Get ready, vampire. Your first baby is about to take his first breath," the head healer announced.