''I have just administered an injection called Tocolytics to try and slow Sara's labor down. My first intention was to try and stop the labour altogether, but after seeing the other baby on the scan, I decided to slow, not stop her contractions.'' She looked at Greg sympathetically, ''It's the best thing to do now. Most if not all multiple pregnancy's deliver a few weeks early. As the mom's body struggles to hold both babies in, so the body goes into prem labour''.
As the doctor explained the situation to Greg and myself, I felt my anxiety kick up a notch. Greg must be worried sick. He looked awfully pale himself now.
''Will the babies be okay if they are born early?'' Greg's head nodded frantically as it seemed I had asked the question he couldnot form into words. Greg's eyes darted between the Dr. and myself.
''Beta Greg, this happens all the time in the human world, your babies will be fine. They may have to stay in the NICU for a few hours, but I'm sure they will be fine, okay?'' The doctor patted Greg on his arm, then turned to leave. I followed her out of the room and asked if we could go to her office. Dr. Julia agreed straight away and led me to her corner room.
''Quit the bullshit Doc'' I said to her, a sting in my tone. I could see the other woman flinch.
Dr. Julia looked down at her shoes before taking a deep breath. Then she squared her shoulders and told me what was going on
''Grand Luna, Sara's heart rate, and in turn the baby's heart rate dips every time she gets a contraction. This has me worried. If Sara has too much strain on her heart, she will be in serious danger trying to birth the twins. If I can slow her labour, giving her a few more days, it would help. I just don't know if the injection will work on her the same as a human woman''.
Dr. Julia stopped talking so abruptly it took me by surprise ''what aren't you telling me? Julia? What else is wrong?
I eyed her suspiciously as I waited for the final show to drop. Her shoulders sagged as she slowly lifted her head to okay at me and very softly said 'I don't know at this moment which ones will survive the birth. If Sara births tonight, I'm 99% sure she will go into heart failure, as the stress on her body will be too great for her to handle. ''You've got to understand, Grand Luna. I have been caring for Sara as a single pregnancy. If I had known there was another babe to care for, I would have made sure Sara got the correct care.
I could hear the plea in her voice, asking me to understand why she was saying these things to me. Why I was the one that needed to know. ''You have to tell Greg everything you have just told me. It's unfair to him, not knowing that his mate is truly in danger''.
The Dr. nodded, then left the room. While I was not in the room, Molly and Peter had arrived. I could see from the tense look in my Beta's eyes, she knew exactly what was happening to her daughter. Peter, on the other hand, was staring daggers at Greg, who had his head down, in a submissive stance. Dr. Julia began to tell them what she had told me. Silent tears ran from Molly's eye's as mine misted.
Peter was shaking with a pent up rage, and Greg had collapsed onto the seat he had recently vacated.
The atmosphere in the room was so tense, you could almost feel it clawing at your skin. As acting Alpha of the pack, I felt I had to do something to dispel this negative eagerly.
'OK, guys, please! Look at me please''? I tried to soften my voice, so as not to make it a command, but this proved useless when the tension was climbing instead of ebating. Taking in a deep breath, I held up my hand, and everyone's eyes became trained on me. Silence fell, as I knew it would.
I looked at each person in turn before I started speaking ''This, whatever THIS is, is not good for Sara or the Babies, so you all need to calm down and listen to me for a moment, please.'' I added the please, to again seem like I was suggesting and not commanding.
''Greg, you need a break from this room, you're going stir crazy, and Sapphire has just informed me that Seb is in a bad way and needs a run. I think this will be good for you. You too Peter, go with Greg and have a run. It doesn't have to be a long run, but you both need a distraction. Molly and myself will stay on Sara's side until you return Greg, and I will, of course, inform you via the link if anything changes'.
It was like I had held my breath for a while when I gave a huge sigh at the men's agreement. As they left the room, Molly linked with Peter, but I heard it anyway 'Do not touch a hair on that boy's body, Peter. He is in as much pain as we are. Probably more''.
I looked at her under my lashes and tried to hide the smile on my face, but I couldn't. It wasn't right to eavesdrop on people's private conversation, and I loathed to do it, but I couldn't argue it did come. In handy every now and then.
Molly took up Greg's position next to the bed as I reclaimed my usual seat. Neither of us spoke, there was no need. Even Sapphire remains calm, not wanting to add another layer to my stress.
This pattern continued for the next few days. Sara was under constant watch, with nurses coming in every 30 minutes to do OB's on her. Greg looked worse as each day passed. Peter was mostly silent with his words, but I could see by the intense look on his face as he conversed with his mate via a link. I choose to block it out. It was their business after all. I took a few hours each day to spend with Jonas. I was afraid the pack business would fall behind until my father stepped up and told me he would over see this until I was ready to return to it.
I was so thankful that he and Lucas had become part of the pack. His assistance was invaluable, even Martha had halted the wedding plans. Stating it was far more important to support the pack.
On the fifth day, it all came to a head when Sara officially went into labour. The Dr. and nurses were running around like headless chickens. Sara had slowly been brought out of the sedated sleep the doc had given her, so Sara was now fully alert and freaking out. She was yelling at Greg for getting her into this situation. Molly was trying to calm her down. Greg looked terrified of his Mate, and Peter just clapped him on the back and told him Molly had called him much worse when she was in labour with Sara.
It was manic, until Dr. Julia ordered everyone out!!
It was time for Sara to try pushing. We all hustled out, but a small voice stopped me asking me to stay. I turned around to see Sara sitting up in the bed, looking at me expectantly.
''Are you sure you don't want your Mum by your side?'' I questioned. Molly, on the other hand, gave me a gentle push back into the room and informed us that she needed to take care of Peter, who had gone into some type of shock.
I rushed back to Sara's side. She gripped my hand as another contraction tore through her body. Greg was amazing with here. Telling her to breathe through them, and the such.
My mind wandered a little as I remembered what my mother had told me. I knew I would never go through this. I could get pregnant, thanks to the limitations of the magic used to bind the goddess's power and create me. With a little sadness in my heart for my lost children, I pulled my attention back to Sara.
The nurses were starting to put her legs into the stirrups, in preparation of the birth.
Sara was amazing, she powered through each contraction that carried her closer and closer to her children.
Until,,,,,,,,,, 3:30am. The cry of the first born baby rang through the air as a baby boy was placed on Sara's chest. I was sobbing so much I could hardly see him properly. Wiping the tears from my face, I pulled out my phone and started snapping photos of the baby and the precious little family created.
Sara only had a moment's respite as the next lot of contractions hit. 3:33am. A little girl was placed onto Sara's chest. Greg, who was holding the baby boy, looked stunned for a moment, then bent down and kissed Sara.
The nurse came on and took the baby girl from Sara once the cord had been cut, to clean her up. Once both babies were cleaned and snuggled into swathing, the rest of the family poured in. Molly burst into tears, and because she couldn't grab Sara, she grabbed me instead. Which made me laugh. Hugs were shared, as were the Babies. Until a nurse came in and threw all of us out. Including me, which was funny to see, as the young nurse had no idea her Grand Luna, Beta and Gamma were all in the same room she was trying to clear. Not wanting to give her a hard time, I bent to hug Sara, kissed her check, and told her how proud I was of her. I hugged Greg, then left.
I went straight to Jonas. I told him about Sara, about Greg's fears and of the babies. I gushed about the sweet babies. telling him the boy was dark like his father, and how the baby girl was almost white, her hair so light a Shade blonde. When I ran out of steam, the momentous occasions seemed to strike me in the heart. And the tears for our lost children finally fell.