He looked over his shoulder. “Yes, but we don’t have an experienced midwife yet, so we’re buying a little time.” Then he helped me put my feet up. “Nap now while you can. It might be a long night.”
“Isn’t it too soon for her to be in labor?” Mercy worried her lip.
“It’s a little early, but she’s had an unusual pregnancy.” Salem rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s possible the gestation period accelerated at some point. Now that her water broke, we can’t stop it.”
Hope herded everyone out of the room, including the wolves. After Salem checked my blood pressure and asked me a few questions, he left me alone to rest.
Thirty minutes later, the relentless pawing and whining at the door grew more insistent. When I heard Robyn scolding Catcher, I called out, “Let him in.”
The door cracked open, and Catcher flew into the room like a tornado. He sniffed my hand at the edge of the bed but didn’t get in with me. Instead, he walked the perimeter of the room before settling down next to the bed.
As anxious as I was, I somehow fell asleep for a short period, but another contraction woke me, and I turned onto my side. At least I was home again, and my anxiety dissipated knowing that my pack was just steps away. If we had never joined Tak’s group, I’d probably be delivering in a motel room.
“Hope?”
The door abruptly swung open, and Hope peered in at me. “You called?”
I sat up. “That was fast.”
She finished securing her hair, which she had tied up in a bun. “My chair’s right outside the door. What do you need?”
I swept back my messy hair. “Has anyone heard from Atticus or Krys? I’m so worried that I can’t sleep.”
Her pant legs swished when she crossed the room to sit in the rocking chair beside me. “Not yet. They’re supposed to call us when they’re safe. We can’t risk calling them if they’re in the middle of a job. Tak said if he doesn’t hear from them in an hour,he’s sending a text message.” Somehow Hope managed to keep her voice calm. “Do you need anything? Since you’re in early labor, you can eat something light. What about a fruit bowl?”
When Catcher poked his head up, I stroked his ear.
“What if you can’t find a midwife?”
“You’re in a safe place, Joy. You’re home.” She rocked a little and smiled. “Our job is to take all your worries from you. This is the most natural thing in the world. All you have to do is relax and get ready to bring your beautiful baby into this world. We’ll take care of everything. Thefateswill take care of everything.”
“Could you bring me a few things from my room? There’s a box underneath my bed. Also, the hat on the bedside table.”
She stood and gently rubbed my back. “Is there anything else I can do?”
“Have this baby for me?”
She chuckled softly. “My time is coming soon enough. I’ll be right back.” She booped Catcher’s nose. “Be good. No stressing out the pregnant lady.”
After she left, Montana and Lakota—both in wolf form—crawled into the room and hung out by the door. Though both men had already blinked out, their wolves seemed to know they were ordered to stay away.
“Come on in,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “But when I change my mind, you’ll need to leave. Got it?”
Their tails wagged as they rolled around on the floor in front of Catcher and played. Watching them relaxed me.
“How are you doing in there?” I asked while massaging my belly. “Everything’s going to be fine, little baby. I won’t let anything happen to you. We’ve got a nice room, and you can sleep with me until I find a crib. You should see how excited everyone is to meet you.”
Atticus wanted me to talk to the baby more. He was right about it forming a connection.
“You okay?” Tak leaned against the doorjamb but stayed in the doorway. He crossed his arms, and his burnt-orange shirt was so tight that it looked painted on.
“I’m not sure if I can lie here all night. It’s not easy to sleep.”
“Maybe we can bring in a small table. You can play cards or talk. There was a woman in my father’s tribe who harvested tomatoes when she was in labor.”
Tak was joking, but I found it hard to get my mind off Atticus and Krys.
He sighed. “Hope says you worry.”
