Prologue
ADELAIDE
“That’s it, baby. Just breathe through it.” John squeezed my hand. “You’re doing an amazing job.”
“You’re a goddess.” Jesse squeezed my hand from the other side of the bed and brushed my hair back gently.
I smiled weakly, appreciating their encouraging words. However, it was probably more a gritting of teeth than a smile. I definitely didn’t feel like a goddess. Sweat was trickling down my face, and my hair was in a messy bun that had slid to the side of my head above my left ear.
“Deep breath in…that’s good, Adelaide. Now let it out slowly.” Shannon, my doula, said in a soothing voice.
I’d gone to the nearest Aurathion town and interviewed several birthing experts. When I met Shannon, I knew she was the right fit immediately. She had such a calming presence about her, and I knew I would need that. My men were wonderful, but I couldn’t count on them to hold their shit together while I was in labor.
“How much longer?” I gritted out.
“You’re dilated to an eight. Things will move much quicker now.” Shannon rose from her position at the end of the bed.“I’m going to get you a cup of crushed ice and give you three a moment alone.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to leave.” John frowned, clearly not a fan of the idea.
“My brother’s right, what if the baby comes while you’re downstairs?” Jesse had a look of complete panic on his face.
Shannon smiled, “Then you yell for me to come back up or send one of your critters to get me.”
There were at least five animals in my room right now. They were all sensing John’s distress and wanted to be close. When my labor first began, Moxie had used her little paws to rub my hair, trying to soothe me. She was a raccoon that had shown up not long after we moved in and hadn’t left since.
“It’s only the fucking kitchen, Jesse, not Aurathia.” I gritted out as I felt another contraction coming on.
John winced at my language but knew better than to say anything in this moment.
I squeezed both of their hands tightly and tried to breathe through the pain like Shannon had taught me. The contractions were coming so quickly now that one was rolling into another with hardly any break in between.
Shannon used the distraction to leave the room quietly. She knew our story and all the sacrifices we’d made to be here. The last eight months had been horrible, and without this precious life I was bringing into the world, I don’t know if I would’ve made it.
John kissed my hand, then hurried into our bathroom. He came back shortly and wiped the sweat from my forehead. The cool, damp rag felt wonderful on my heated skin.
I breathed through the last of the contraction, and tears came to my eyes. “I wish Sly and Rue were here.”
I’d tried to stay strong and not mention them. I didn’t want to upset John and Jesse, but I was in so much pain that it wasimpossible to shield my emotions. I longed so badly for them to be here to witness the birth of our child.
Jesse’s eyes grew sad. “They would’ve given anything to be here with us, you know that.”
“Please don’t cry, baby girl,” John leaned down and kissed me gently. “This baby is a little piece of each of us, and they would’ve sacrificed their life ten times over to make sure our child is safe.”
“I know you’re right, but I want themhere!” I began to cry, stopping abruptly as the next contraction stole my breath.
The pain was excruciating. My stomach started to burn from the inside. I felt my Nexus mark begin to tingle. Then my face heated so quickly that the tears dried on my cheeks.
Something wasn’t right.
“Get Shannon!” I screamed as another wave of intense pain hit me. Now the burning had consumed my entire body.
“I knew she shouldn’t have left!” Jesse ran out of the room in panic, screaming Shannon’s name.
John didn’t leave my side, flinging the rag on the nightstand, the heat from my face rendering it useless.
“Baby, what’s happening?” He sat down on the bed beside me, “Please Adelaide, tell me what to do.”
My heart broke from the look of helplessness on his face; John was the one who usually had all the answers, so I knew this was killing him. I wanted to reassure him, but the pain was so intense that I wasn’t able to speak.
