“Can’twe give her anything? Vicodin? A martini?” I asked.
Emmalaughed but it turned into a scream with the next contraction.
Igrabbed Emma’s left leg as Diya grabbed her right.
“Push!”Diya screamed.
Emmaflexed her belly and pushed, screaming.
Afterabout thirty seconds she lay back panting, exhausted. Sweat beaded on her faceand her chest was heaving with great effort.
Diyachecked things out between Emma’s legs and then silently pulled a tray out fromunder the bed. On it were a bunch of surgical tools. My eyes widened.
Diyaput out her hands to reassure me and glanced at the contraction monitor.“Another contraction is coming, Emma.”
“I’mtoo tired. I can’t do this,” she said.
Inoticed her color was paler, her eyelids were closing so I gently grabbed herface. “Look at me,” I commanded.
Hergreen eyes popped open and held my gaze longer than ever before. Devon’s deathhad changed something within her, within her wolf. I had a strong suspicion shewasn’t a submissive anymore. “You can do this. You’re the strongest woman Iknow. You have been through a lot and it’s made you stronger. You got this,Emma.”
Shelost her mate, carried their unborn child. She was the strongest damn person inmy life right now. Determination settled into her features as she held my gazefor longer than a submissive should be able to and I knew she could do this.
“Okay,Emma, push!” Diya yelled.
Emmapushed, her face turning red, a werewolf growl ripping from her throat. Then, allof a sudden, a tiny pink baby flew out into Diya outstretched arms.
Ohmy God! I laughed and cried at the same time. It was incredible! Even thoughyou expect a baby to come out, it’s different when it actually happens. It’s reallya shock. It was amazing. A strong cry came from the baby’s mouth.
“It’sa girl,” Diya said.
Emmaburst into tears. Her tears turned to laughter as she reached out and held herdaughter. Leaning over Emma’s chest, I stroked the baby’s head. She was sosmall, so perfect. Oh, my God. I wanted one. Like now.
Imet Kai’s eyes from across the room.‘I want a baby,’I told him with onehundred percent certainty.
Shockregistered on his face, then he grinned.
“Shit!”Diya screamed and blood poured out from between Emma’s legs and dripped to thefloor. Emma’s eyes fluttered as she fainted and I quickly reached out to grabthe baby as Emma’s arms went slack. Kai took the baby from me as I stood therein shock.
“Theplacenta detached and ripped her uterus with it. No, no, no!” Diya screamed, tryingto shove gauze between Emma’s legs.
Iwas warned about the dangers of werewolf birth. It was like a human deliveringa baby in the 1700s. The surgical interventions around today for humans didn’twork on the fast healing werewolf. I began to panic.
Diya’sfrantic eyes met mine. “I can’t fix this. Aurora, I can’t fix this!”
Mistleaked from my pores, saturating the room as the baby began to cry. “Kai, getthe baby out of here,” I roared in a voice that scared me. It was only halfhuman and it oozed with dominance. Kai looked frightened but listened and leftthe room. Emma was a limp figure draped over the bed. My best friend. No!
Iheld my hands in front of me and sifted through every healing lesson Gretchenhad ever taught me. Hovering my hands over Emma’s belly, I whispered, “Heal.” Iimagined a tear inside of her body. I had been studying the anatomy bookGretchen had given me and I imagined the uterus stitching itself together. Thepink tissue fusing together. I refused to look at the massive amount of bloodon the floor.
Diyagasped in shock. “The bleeding stopped.”
Icontinued to hold my hands out, breathing deeply, imagining all of the femaleorgans in Emma’s body as healed. Sending mist to aid in fast healing. I openedmy eyes. Emma was limp on the bed, skin white as the sheet that she rested on.
Diyaput two fingers to Emma’s neck and whimpered. “Too much blood lost. Oh God. I’mso sorry.”
“No!”I roared and the window next to the bed shattered spraying glass all over thefloor.
Thewitches told me that because I had two affinities it marked me a Devi. That oneaffinity was mine and one was the Devi. I had a hunch that I was the seer andthe Devi was the healer.
