When the contraction ended, I said, “Do you feel him? He’s almost here.”
Dale squeezed my hand. “I do. I feel your pain, too.”
“Oh no.”
“It’s distant so don’t worry. But I’m here with you all the way.”
“I know you are.”
The doctor came in. A gray-haired omega with a cheery disposition.
“Hi. I’m Dr. Tavoli. How are you doing?”
“Great,” I said. “The contractions are coming faster.”
“We’ll give you something for the pain in a minute. Okay if I examine you?”
I nodded.
He pulled the covers down and the nurse brough special pillows to put under my knees and one behind my back to lift me up. I felt as exposed as I’d ever been, spread to the room and these people.
His gloved hands were cool as he poked around my private area.
“You’re fully dilated.” He smiled. “You’re going to have a baby.”
The nurse had me turn on my side to administer the pain block. After that, everything was easier. Even Dale looked more relaxed. I could still feel the contractions, but they weren’t disabling.
Soon, the doctor instructed me to push. They had never covered me back up, so I knew things were happening fast.
As I rose in the bed to push, Dale sat behind me to support my back. When I rested, it was against his chest, my head lolling on his shoulder when I thought I had no more energy.
That scene repeated itself more times than I could count.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I mumbled, trying to catch my breath.
“You can do it. You’re my strong omega.”
Energy crashed into me from the bond. I looked up. “How’d you do that?”
“I don’t know.”
I sat up again and pushed as another contraction overwhelmed me. Dale’s energy was like a burst throughout my body. A second wind I had not been expecting.
We were in this together. I already knew that. But this cemented that as fact, everything about us merging to have this baby.
“I see the head. Push, Aspen,” Dr. Tavoli ordered.
I lifted myself with Dale’s help and cried out as I used my tired, sore muscles to push with all my might. I collapsed back onto Dale, panting.
“One more,” Tavoli instructed.
“No more. Please. Isn’t he here yet?”
“You got this. I got your back,” Dale said. “Come on. One more.”
I wanted to cry. To give up. But then I remembered all that had brought us to this moment. All the chaos of the lodge before we met, our love blooming as my heat finally arrived, and the deeper bondmate love that quickly surrounded us like a magic sparkling cloud, joining us body and mind. This was the most pivotal day in our lives. Our son’s birthday.
“One more,” Dale whispered. His breath warm by my ear. “One more.”
