Chapter 20
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Iwasn’t feeling good. It wasn’t just because I was two days overdue. I just felt…off. I knew to trust my instincts, and right now, they were telling me I needed my mate.
“Dante?” I called out. I was in the bedroom, and he was probably in the nursery.
“What’s wrong, baby? Is it time?” Dante asked as he came rushing into the bedroom.
I tried to smile, but I really didn’t feel like it. “Maybe? I’m not sure. I feel…wonky. Like, the room is kind of sideways?” Dante was instantly at my side and helped me over to the bed.
“Let me look at your omega line. Do you feel like you’re having contractions? I’m having light stomach pains, but I know that whatever I’m feeling is nothing compared to what you do.”
I sighed when Dante gently placed me on the bed. I had been trying to walk from the bedroom to the nursery, but my body had other plans. Dante carefully pulled down my pajama pants, and his face told me everything I needed to know.
“So my omega line is open, then,” I said.
Dante looked up at me. “Sort of. It’s opening. But it looks like it just started.” Dante held up his fingers about an inch apart, and I wanted to cry.
“Seriously? Only an inch of the entire line is open?”
“I’m sorry, baby. Yeah.”
I nodded and closed my eyes. “I know due dates are estimates, but I’m ready, Dante. I want our son to be here. I want to hold and cuddle him. And dammit, I want to be able to bend over and touch the ground.”
Dante cupped the side of my face. “I know, baby. I’d do anything to have him here with us. I’m not sure what we can do to speed up the labor, but hopefully, it doesn’t take too long.”
I sighed. I knew he was right, of course. It wasn’t Dante’s fault, and I needed to remember that he wasn’t the one holding up my ability to do those things. I looked down at my stomach, and although I wanted to glare, I couldn’t. I loved our son already. I just wished he were here with us.
“Could I have some water, please?” I asked Dante.
“I know I should probably get up and get it myself, but you’re already up, and I’m just not feeling good.
” Dante gave me a look that I’d seen before.
I was being ridiculous. He wasn’t wrong.
But walking probably would help move my labor along a little bit, but I just didn’t feel like getting up.
Dante held out a glass, but when I went to reach for it, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my stomach.
“Oh, oh…ouch,” I said as I grabbed my stomach instead.
“Contraction?”
I nodded. At least, I thought it was. It felt like everything that Todd had described to me. Cecil as well. I knew that Dr. King could do something to help with the pain, but there was always the possibility that it could slow labor down or even stop it. I was torn on what to do.
Once the contraction passed, I took the glass of water, and as the cool liquid slid down my throat, I sighed. It felt amazing.
“I’m going to message Dr. King. I’ll let him know that your omega line has started to open, but just barely.”
“Okay,” I said. I took another drink of water.
I held the glass out, and Dante took it before placing it on the nightstand.
I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I needed to relax so my labor could progress.
Right? I felt my pants being moved again, then carefully put back into place.
I didn’t bother opening my eyes because I knew it was Dante checking the omega line so he could give the most up-to-date progress to Dr. King.
I felt Dante run his fingers through my hair and then down the side of my cheek. I opened my eyes and realized we weren’t in the bedroom together. Behind Dante was Dr. King.
“Umm…it’s just started,” I said to Dr. King.
He chuckled. “Not exactly. You dozed off, from what I heard.”
I looked over at Dante, confused. “Did you do something?”
Dante shook his head. “No. You said you were dizzy. Then I gave you water, and you decided it was time to take a nap. That was when your omega line was open about an inch. It’s progressed quickly but is not fully open.”
That was surprising. “How long ago was that?”
“Around an hour,” Dr. King said. “It’s time to deliver your baby though. Are you ready?”
“Why don’t I hurt?” I asked. I should have kept my mouth shut, though, because a wave of pain slammed into me and washed through my body. I scowled and grabbed my stomach. “Ouch. Never mind.”
“It still amazes me that some omegas can sleep through what are obviously quite painful contractions,” Dr. King said. “But we’ll take care of the pain, and then we’ll get your little guy delivered. Does that sound good?”
“Yesss,” I said as another pain hit me almost immediately after the first. “How did I sleep through this?”
There were chuckles, but I was in too much pain to figure out who they came from. Maybe Dr. King?
“Your waters broke a few moments before you woke up. That can be when contractions become quite painful as there is no longer the fluid to moderate the pain. Your body is now contracting around something more solid. Your child.”
I looked up at Dr. King when the contraction finally let go. That made sense, but really, I didn’t feel like talking. I just wanted the pain to stop or at least go back to what it was earlier. I noticed Dr. King’s hand start glowing and then sighed.
“Oh. Yeah, that’s what Todd and Cecil were talking about.”
Dr. King chuckled. “Yes. It’s a sort of magical epidural. No side or aftereffects though. Are you ready to push?”
I looked up at Dante with wide eyes. “Already?”
Dante smiled down at me before he ran his fingers through my hair. “You’ve been waiting for our son for some time now. Aren’t you ready?” I sent Dante what I hoped was a calm look, but I could tell I’d failed. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Honestly, I’m a little scared, and I don’t know why.”
“Anxiety right before childbirth is perfectly normal,” Dr. King said. “Dante, help him sit up just a bit, and he can push,” Dr. King told us.
Dante slid his arm under me and helped me half sit up. I guess we were doing this. I pushed like I’d read. Basically, like I really needed to go to the bathroom and couldn’t.
“Push…hold the push.” I kept pushing, but I was quickly running out of energy. “All right, relax.”
I collapsed onto Dante’s arm, and he let me lie back on the bed. I looked at my mate, worried now. “Did anything happen, at least?”
Dante glanced down my body, and when he smiled, I felt a bit of relief. Something had to have happened, right?
“Well, we already knew our son would have dark hair since we both do. He has a head full of it.”
I smiled.
“Next contraction. Push again,” Dr. King said. “Dante, help him up.”
It happened in a blink. Dante helped me sit up, and I pushed again. This time, I actually felt movement, and then there was a loud cry. I gasped and blinked to focus on the baby that Dr. King was holding.
“Dante, did you want to cut the cord?”
Dante helped me lie back, and when he moved to cut the cord, I started crying.
I wasn’t upset in any way. Our son’s cries were the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.
Two years ago, I was in a cage, wishing for death, and now I was here in a beautiful house with a loving and protective mate, and he’d given me the most beautiful gift. Our son, Blaze.
Dante came back, and in his arms was a crying baby who was wrapped in a tiny monster blanket. I laughed through my tears and looked up at my massive mate holding such a tiny baby.
“His lungs definitely work,” Dante said. “He’s beautiful, Banner. And I think he looks just like you.”
I continued to laugh, and after a minute, I wiped at my eyes and tried to get a good look at our son.
He had calmed considerably and was only fussing now to make noise, I thought.
Granted, it had to be a bit of a traumatic thing to suddenly get pushed out of the warm and cozy place you’d been in for months.
I reached out and touched the tiny face.
“Oh, wow,” I said. I looked up at Dante.
“I think you’re right.” He did look a whole lot like me.
Well, at least as much as a minutes-old baby could.
He also looked a bit squished, but he definitely seemed to have my nose, and when he moved his mouth, it looked like he had my dimples.
“Banner,” Dr. King said, pulling my attention away from my mate and son. “I need you to sit up just a bit and give me one more push. I need you to deliver the placenta, and then your omega line will start to close.”
I nodded. I was surprised when Dante slid his right arm under me and helped me sit up. Blaze was right there, and I couldn’t help but look at our son with him so close. I just wanted to cuddle him in the worst way.
“Just a gentle push,” Dr. King said. I tried to focus on pushing, but our son was a serious distraction. I seemed to manage it though. “There we go,” Dr. King said. “You can relax and enjoy your son now.”
Dante helped me lie back onto the bed and completely surprised me when he carefully put Blaze on my chest. My arms immediately went up and around the baby so he wouldn’t fall off my chest. “Hello, little Blaze. I’m so happy to finally be holding you,” I said quietly.
I felt myself being moved, but I was too focused on the baby to realize that magic was being used to prop me somewhat up in the bed on pillows.
I heard Dr. King and Dante talking, but I was too focused on my son to pay attention. Instantly in love, I never wanted to let him go. I would, of course, but not just yet. He was mine, and I’d earned the right to hold and dote on my baby.
I felt the bed move beside me, and I finally looked up from the baby, who had fallen asleep. Dante was on the bed beside us, and we were alone in the room.
“Where’s Dr. King?” I asked.