Chapter 14 Clark
FOURTEEN
CLARK
The contractions started at three in the morning. I woke up to a tight, cramping sensation across my belly and I grabbed Flynn's arm.
“Do you need pickles?”
Another wave of pain rolled through me, stronger than before. "It’s time."
My mate sat up so fast he nearly fell out of bed. "Time? As in baby time?"
"Baby time." I breathed through the contraction, counting the seconds until it passed. "We should call Dr. Bauer.”
Flynn was already reaching for his phone, his hands shaking as he punched in the number. His wolf was in his voice when he spoke and it sounded like a protective growl underlying his words.
"Clark's in labor. He’s having contractions,” he babbled into the phone. My mate fired questions at me. “Yes, contractions started about ten minutes ago.” He took a breath. “About thirty seconds."
I listened to him relay information while focusing on my breathing. We'd practiced this in our birthing class, but the real thing was different. It was daunting and more intense, and I wasn’t sure I could bring our baby into the world.
"She wants us to come in.” Flynn hung up the phone. "She's meeting us at the hospital."
"Okay." I tossed the bedclothes off but doubled over as another contraction hit. "Oh, wow. These are getting stronger." That was an understatement.
My mate leaped to my side of the bed and placed his hands on my back. "Breathe through it. Just as we practiced."
I leaned into him, grateful for his strength. This wolf mate of mine I regarded with a mixture of affection and amazement. Nine months ago, I never could have imagined this moment, but now I couldn't picture going through this with anyone else.
The drive to the hospital was a blur of streetlights and increasingly painful contractions. Flynn drove with one hand on the wheel and the other reaching over to the back seat to hold mine whenever we stopped at a red light.
"You're doing great," he kept saying. "Just keep breathing."
"Easy for you to say." I gripped his hand as another wave hit. "You're not the one whose body is trying to turn itself inside out."
Dr. Bauer was waiting for us in the maternity ward.
Her calming presence reassured me she’d done this hundreds of times.
Or maybe not that many. I’d never asked.
Should I have? She was one of the few medical professionals who specialized in shifter pregnancies, and I trusted her so I guessed it didn’t matter.
She helped me onto the examination table. "How are you doing?"
"Tired of being pregnant," I managed between contractions. “And ready to meet this baby."
"Well, you're definitely in active labor. Let's see how far along you are."
The examination confirmed what my body already told me that our baby was ready to make their entrance into the world. Dr. Bauer explained that everything looked normal, though she warned us that shifter pregnancies often progressed faster than purely human ones.
"The good news is that your body is handling everything beautifully," she said. "The baby's heartbeat is strong so we should have your little one here in the next few hours."
Hours? I was hoping for minutes. Maybe ten or less.
My mate never left my side except to make a mad dash for ice chips. He held my hand through contractions and walked with me through the halls when I needed to move. He was my anchor when the pain threatened to overwhelm me.
"I can't do this," I gasped during one particularly strong contraction. "It's too much." A C-section sounded pretty good right now.
"Yes, you can." Flynn's fierce voice was a wake up call. "You can do anything and I know you can do this.”
I looked into his eyes and saw the faith he had in me and my ability to bring our child safely into the world. It gave me strength as though he’d shared some of his own.
When it was time to push, a surge of primal energy that came from somewhere deep inside me flooded my body. Flynn held my hand and put his other arm around me, and Dr. Bauer coached me through each push.
"I can see the head," she announced. "One more big push, Clark."
I bore down with everything I had, feeling like my body was splitting apart and coming together all at once. Then suddenly, there was a rush of relief and the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. Our baby cried, their first one ever.
"It's a girl," Dr. Bauer said, lifting a tiny, perfect baby into view. "A beautiful, healthy baby girl."
I burst into tears, overwhelmed by the sight of our daughter. She was small but she waved her little fists, maybe protesting the bright lights. Dr. Bauer didn’t bother cleaning her up but placed her on my chest because I needed to bond with my little girl.
"Hello, my love.” I studied her tiny face. "We've so glad you’re here.”
Flynn leaned over us both, his eyes bright with tears. "She's a little darling.”
Our daughter settled against my chest, her cries quieting as she listened to my voice. She was a perfect blend of both of us with Flynn's dark hair and what looked like my eyes. Ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes, and the most serious expression I'd seen on a newborn.
"What should we call her?" Flynn asked as he stroked one finger along her cheek.
We'd discussed names throughout the pregnancy but never settled on anything definitive. Looking at her now, though, one name felt absolutely right.
"I think she's a Naya."
Flynn grinned. “Naya Tolliver. I love it."
Dr. Bauer finished the post-delivery procedures while my mate held Naya, both of them looking completely enchanted with each other. Watching him bond with our daughter made my heart too big for my chest.
“There were no complications or tears, and Naya's vitals are all fine. You did beautifully, Clark."
“Her scent..." Flynn paused "There's something there that suggests she may carry the shifter gene."
I didn't care either way and neither did my mate. Shifter or human, we’d love and protect Naya no matter what.
When we were settled in our recovery room, and Naya was sleeping in the bassinet beside my bed, Flynn refused to move more than arm's reach away from either of us.
"I can't believe she's here.” I watched her tiny chest rise and fall.
"She's going to be loved by so many people." My mate adjusted her blanket. “Alpha and the pack, Mrs. Lewis and everyone from the store, your friend Miranda, Martin and everyone.”
"She's going to grow up thinking it's completely normal to have a shifter for a father and a children's book author for a papa." I smiled at the thought. "Our little family."
"The best kind."
Naya stirred in her sleep, making a small sound that had both Flynn and me alert. But she settled again with one tiny fist curled near her face.
She was going to have her alpha dad wrapped around her finger and I was fine with that.
My mate’s voice was filled with wonder. "I never imagined I could feel this… for our child. The love is overwhelming.”
"Wait until she starts walking and talking. She'll probably have strong opinions about how you organize the bookstore."
He laughed. "I can't wait."
As the sun rose outside our hospital window, I felt a deep sense of completion. Flynn and I had built a life together that was more magical than any story I'd ever written.
Naya opened her eyes, blinking up at us with that serious expression that seemed to be her default. Flynn immediately leaned closer, speaking to her in a soft voice.
"Hello, little wolf. Welcome to the world. Your papa and I have been waiting for you, and we're going to take such good care of you."
Whether she understood his words or just responded to his voice, Naya focused on Flynn's face. Already, there was a bond forming between them.
"I love you both so much. With my whole heart."
He took my hand and was careful not to jostle Naya. "I love you too. Both of you. Forever."
While the world woke up outside, inside our room, our family was complete. Naya, Flynn, and me. We were ready to write the next chapter of our story together.