Chapter 160

Rachel POV

"The baby is coming!" I cried

How was my baby coming?

I'd had pain in my back, but I was used to that by now. I spent all day in the bed. My stomach was so swollen I couldn't see my feet and the extra weight put pressure on my spine.

I had not had the first cramp! Where were my contractions? Where was the agonizing pain women all talked about?

"Relax," a nurse said as she bustled into the room behind my mother who'd bolted for the hall as soon as I'd first called out.

The nurse looked gloriously professional and capable. I wanted her help more than I wanted my next breath of air. I sighed audibly in relief.

"It's not really my water breaking? Was it just some kind of---accident?" I asked, blushing as I looked at the tablet where the Alpha Council was still hanging on the line on their side.

All the male Councilmen looked terribly uncomfortable while the two females both looked amused. I was mortified this had happened in the middle of our meeting. Tyler had a panicked expression of his own which was a little comforting---at least he was with me in front of the Council when it happened.

The nurse shook her head, "No, it's definitely amniotic fluid. You're going into labor. You're just going to have more time than you think with a first baby."

I'd always thought everything progressed quite fast after the big splash portion.

"What do you mean more time than I think?" I asked.

The old Alpha King coughed and said, "I think we'll leave you to it. Justice, please take Alpha Wright to his mate."

My tablet went dark as the call disconnected.

For a moment, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. It was just so funny! I had been trapped on bedrest for what felt like forever while the one time Tyler consented to go take care of business I went into labor!

Pain wracked my body suddenly with a force I hadn't anticipated.

I screamed out loud. My mother held my hand with both of hers. She looked concerned as she studied my face.

Trying to get myself under control, I gasped, "Why is it suddenly so painful? I thought this part only lasted a few minutes? I thought there'd be more lead-up."

"Quick for me," Mama said, "Very quick."

Art crouched at my side, giving my mother a strained look before turning his gaze back to me. He seemed upset. I wondered why since he had been through this before. He'd surely been there for his own childrens' birth.

"This isn't as bad as you might think. The good news is you're going to have a baby. The bad news is this part is going to get worse," Art said.

I could tell he was trying to be comforting. I just didn't know how he thought this was helping when he was literally telling me the worst was yet to come.

Tyler rushed through the door to my room with Justice hard on his heels. He didn't stop until he was beside my mother and able to touch me himself. I reached for him as my mother released my hand.

I cried out, "Tyler!"

"I'm here," he said, "I'm right here."

"Well, we're going to the delivery room. You can't deliver in here. We have suites to accomodate a birthing mother while this room isn't sterile enough," the nurse explained, unlocking the wheels on my bed.

"Can Mama come with me? Please?" I asked, trying not to lose sight of my mother while holding Tyler's hand with a death grip.

"Your mother's bloodwork came back clear. We actually want to borrow her to get her to give a transfusion for your brother. Ethan's condition may be stable, but we would all prefer him awake to sleeping, wouldn't we?" asked my doctor who smiled as she met my surprised glance.

"Oh! Yes, please. I understand. I just---can she come back after she's done giving blood?" I asked.

I hated sounding weak. I hated feeling weak. I just felt so scared. I'd not expected to be scared by delivery. Women had been having babies since the dawn of time. What was there to be afraid of?

Swallowing my fear, I let myself give in to the pain as my body had another contraction.

I was moved from my familiar room to what they considered a delivery suite. I was changed from one set of monitors to another.

I tried to distract myself by asking Art, "Why do you keep looking at my mother that way?"

"What way?" Art asked, trying and failing to sound casual.

Grimacing, I rode out another contraction before saying, "No. You looked at her like she was a foreign invader or an alien. What aren't you telling me? I'm in pain. I'm in labor. Tell me the truth because you feel bad for me."

I wasn't above using my condition to get a distraction out of Art.

"She's my mate," Art said, his lips compressing into a thin line as he looked away from me before offering, "Now I'm going to go walk her to get her transfusion, make sure Ethan gets the blood as soon as possible, and try not to involve her in any other insanity along the way. You just have your baby in peace, okay?"

My mouth was hanging open as Art left.

First I'd heard the old Alpha King say Art Windsor was his son -didn't that make Art the future Alpha King?- and now he was mated to my mother?

I couldn't process it, but thankfully I didn't have to because my body contorted from the force of my contractions.

The nurse had thought I would be dealing with a long ordeal, but my body had other plans. Things were progressing so fast. I was terrified as I clasped Tyler's hand and squeezed as hard as I could.

We both screamed a few times as my body fought against the labor. The staff helped ease my pain as much as possible, but I was right about how fast I was progressing: it was too fast for any kind of epidural or pain reliever even via IV.

I didn't know how long it took in the end, but when my daughter finally emerged into the world, I was wrung out with exhaustion to the point I collapsed back on the bed without even reaching for her. I couldn't even think about how Bella and Jack hadn't been able to get to the hospital in time or whether or not anyone had told Lindy.

All I could think about was my baby.

She was in good hands though. The staff took her to clean her and get her measurements. They performed her initial exam quickly, saying aloud her weight, length, and responsivity.

"Your daughter is perfect," the doctor declared from across the room after finishing her examination, "She's small, but strong. A genuinely perfect little Alpha."

Tyler and I both gasped as we got our first good look at our perfect little Alpha daughter. She had my eyes, but her expression was all Tyler. I thought she looked annoyed about all the fuss.

"She looks like you," I said, feeling so happy my heart was sure to bust in my chest.

Tyler replied, "I think she looks like you. Stubborn. They're right though: she is perfect. What shall we call our perfect daughter?"

I didn't hesitate as the name came to me immediately and without any degree of doubt. I had spent so much time thinking about what pack should have her allegiance, what House she should join, but very little thinking of her name.

I was glad I had waited until I saw her because the name in my mind was just right for her.

"Joy," I said, "Her name is Joy."

Tyler reached over to touch one of her tiny hands, her fingers curling around one of his as he whispered, "Hello, Joy. I'm your Daddy. Me and your mama love you very, very much. It's so nice to finally meet you."

In that moment? Everything felt right in my world. I had my Alpha mate, my perfect Alpha daughter, and my family was all together.

My mother was beaming at me as she was let in to see the baby; she looked healthier than ever. I knew Art was still with Ethan which meant my brother was safe. All of us were going to be okay here at Our Blessed Goddess.

While I was rejoicing in my baby, my mate, and my family's reunion, two floors above in the ICU, after a clean transfusion of his Alpha mother's blood---Ethan Flores woke up.

A new Alpha was ready to rise.

--THE END--

My dear readers, thank you so much for reading and loving my story.

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Much love from

Caroline