Alpha Ajax

“Push!” the midwife hissed.

Alexandra fisted the white sheets and bit her tongue so she wouldn’t scream. She willed all her muscles to release the baby quickly. Her heart thundered with a thousand fears. Her friend and confidant sat beside her and ran a damp cloth on her forehead.

“I see the head,” the midwife said.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” her friend told her but Alexandra didn’t believe her.

She’d done everything wrong and she believed she was going to pay for it.

“Almost there,” the midwife urged.

If she should pay for her misdeeds, then fine but let her baby be spared. Alexandra couldn’t hold her cries anymore with a final push she bellowed and the baby came into the world.

The baby put her new lungs to the test and cried out.

“It’s a girl,” the midwife declared.

Alexandra exchanged a glance with her friend. She hoped if it was a boy maybe he would spare the baby if he ever found out. Now she was determined to escape her fate.

“She has to be quiet,” Alexandra said.

“Relax, no one knows where we are. I made sure of it.”

“We could have been followed, Penny.”

The midwife wrapped the infant in towels and placed her in her Mother’s arms. Alexandra welcomed her with tears in her eyes.

“She’s got his eyes,” Alexandra said.

“What are you going to do now? I can lose my head because of you!” the midwife snapped.

“Hey! We didn’t force you to help us,” Penny barked.

“I want my money.”

“You’ll get your cut. If anyone ever finds out about this, I’ll know it’s you.”

The midwife lifted her chin and sealed her lips. Penny went to the small bag she snatched when she fled home grabbed the bundle of money she saved and gave it to the midwife.

“I should have charged more.”

“Too bad, now go, hurry.”

Alexandra cradled the baby to her chest. Penny guided the midwife to the door. The door swung open on a staggering man with golden bronze eyes, a wrinkled frown and dark greying hair. Behind him stood a small army of seven shifters. Penny gasped when his intense eyes locked on her. They hadn’t run far enough.

“Max,” Penny said.

“You slut.”

“You don’t understand.”

Max stepped inside. Penny backed up, her heart racing for the baby and her friend oblivious to Max’s presence in the bedroom. The midwife tried to escape but Max raised his fist to alert his shifters.

“Stop her,” Max ordered.

“I had nothing to do with this!” She cried.

“Where is she?” Max demanded.

Penny sealed her lips. Max growled and yanked her off the ground by her shirt.

“Where the hell is that slut?!”

Penny flinched and she wouldn’t talk.

“I’ll rip your tongue off, you worthless—“

“Max!” Alexandra cried.

She stood in the doorway with the slumbering baby in her arms. She felt like she’d run a marathon then slept on a bed of bricks but she drew ounces of strength to face the giant before her.

“Enough, please, enough,” she whispered.

Max flung Penny to the ground.

“I thought it was a lie. There’s no way my wife would cheat on me and worse bear a child that isn’t mine. You’re going to pay for this you worthless bitch.”

Alexandra lifted her chin. “Call me what you like, let her go, let everyone go. Your issue is with me.”

Max stomped forward. He bore down on Alexandra mercilessly. He stared at the baby in her arms and sneered.

“My issues are with everyone who helped you. I swear you’ll pay for this.”

Tears stung her eyes. “Leave the baby alone.”

“Hansel!” Max yelled. “Now!”

Hansel marched into the living room. He stared at Penny on the ground and Alexandra and then the baby before turning to his commander.

“Take the child,” Max ordered.

“No!” Alexandra killed.

“Get rid of her.” Max snatched the baby from his wife’s grasp.

“She hasn’t done anything wrong. I cheated on you.”

“I know and I’m punishing you by taking her away. Forever.”

“What do you want me to do with her?” Hansel asked, staring at the baby in his arms.

“Kill her. Get rid of her.”

“Sir?” Hansel couldn’t believe his ears.

“You heard me! Now go!”

“Please, don’t! She’s innocent,” Alexandra cried but it was useless.

Hansel tore his gaze from Alexandra and the commander but his heart betrayed him the second he walked out of the sole house in the middle of the woods. The other shifters surrounded the house, waiting for Max’s next order. What would he do to Alexandra?

She never wanted to marry Max. He was older, far more experienced and didn’t harbour a single loving bone in his body. She fell in love for real and was punished for it.

“Hansel, you can’t,” Penny grabbed his shoulder and threw him off balance.

“Stop that,” he spat.

“She’s a baby.” Penny escaped when Max was too busy with Alexandra to notice she was there. “You can’t kill her.”

Hansel placed the baby in the backseat and closed the door.

“I know that but what can I do.”

Penny thought for a second. “Her great-grandmother. Alexandra’s grandmother lives in the next pack. Her name is Delaney and she’s a well-known woman. Take her there, Max will never know the baby survived. Make up a story if you have to but don’t evoke the Moon goddess’ wrath.”

Penny was right. It wasn’t worth evoking the Moon goddess’ wrath. He drove two hours to the Black Vapour Pack. The relations between the Mystic Pack were bad so Hansel didn’t think Max would ever know about her existence. The baby doesn’t even have a name for him to look for.

He asked around for the old woman’s house until he came to a small cottage near a river. It was a home with a welcoming feel. He felt good leaving her here. She would have a home and importantly she would live.

He knocked on the wooden door that read welcome all. Minutes later a woman with a shawl around her shoulders and round glasses answered the door.

“May I help you, young man?” She asked.

“Ms Delaney, I have your great-granddaughter. She must live with you. No one can know I brought her here.”

The old woman frowned sorrowfully. “I’m sorry. You have the wrong person. Delaney passed away several months ago. I was her best friend. I stay here to keep the place maintained until a relative comes.”

Hansel felt defeated. Now what would he do? He couldn’t keep her!

“Thank you,” he said gently and turned away.

“Wait!” The woman called as he neared the car.

“What’s the girl’s name?”

She didn’t have one or he wasn’t told. She was barely a few hours old and had already been ripped from her Mother’s arms. No one knew her Father or else Hansel would have another place to go. Now it was up to him to name her and save her.

“Delanie. Her name is Delanie.”

The old woman smiled at the baby snuggled up in towels.

“I can take her in. This is her house more than mine.”

Hansel sighed in relief. “Remember no one must know how she got here. Make up a story about her parents but keep the truth to yourself for as long as you live.”