Chapter 90

Almara

I wasn’t sure how she had done it, but the nurse had been able to mimic the sterile, antiseptic scent of a hospital room. The smell seemed to intensify as my contractions grew closer and closer together. The rhythmic tightening of my abdomen was a relentless reminder of the impending moment when life would irrevocably change.

The nurse's calm voice sliced through the tension, her words a mixture of reassurance and warning. Active labor loomed, a thundercloud on the horizon, ready to unleash its storm at any given moment.

Noah, his face a whirlwind of emotions, stood vigil by my side. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of joy, trepidation, and something much more sinister. He had told me what the vampire council had planned for my daughter, but he’d promised he’d never let that happen.

However, looking into his eyes now, I wasn’t so sure. When Noah said he would take back his throne, I hadn’t really thought about the how of it all. I had been hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

But the baby was coming, which meant I would only have about twenty-four hours after that before Noah made me a vampire. My time was running out and it didn’t look like anyone was coming to save me.

If Noah had my daughter, the only heir to Arthur’s pack, he would have no problem taking control of the pack. They would do anything to keep the heir safe, even fight for a vampire.

As the contractions gripped me with increasing intensity, I couldn't shake the yearning to be home, to feel the comforting presence of my husband by my side. This situation was never what I had envisioned, never a part of the plan.

In those quiet moments before the storm, I allowed myself to close my eyes and remember the times when life was simpler, when the path ahead was clear and shared.

Noah's enthusiasm, while undeniably genuine, sometimes felt like salt in an open wound. His palpable eagerness to embrace this new role clashed with the ache in my heart. A mixture of guilt, regret, and the cruel hand of circumstance weighed heavily on me.

I longed for my husband's touch, his voice to soothe away the pain, but he remained a world away, oblivious to the storm that raged within me.

As the minutes stretched into hours, the cellar became a sea of emotions. The gray stone walls seemed to close in, a silent witness to the unraveling of my carefully constructed facade. In a moment of vulnerability, I broke down before Noah, tears streaming down my face, a river of pent-up frustration, fear, and sorrow.

“Sweetness, what’s the matter? Are you in pain? Nurse, give her something!” Noah shouted and I flinched. I hadn’t meant to cry. I still needed him to think that this is what I wanted.

The nurse studied my face and I could see the war going on behind her eyes. She knew that it wasn’t pain that had me crying like this. But she was having trouble deciding whether to keep my secret or not.

I could see the exact moment her need for money won over my need for survival. Teras came out harder as she turned to Noah. “She’s not in any pain, Mr. Cunningham. I believe it is this whole situation.”

Noah's initial worry gave way to a surge of frustration. “What do you mean, Nurse? Speak plainly!”

The nurse breathed out slowly. “I think you know what I mean, Mr. Cunningham.” And she waved her arm in the air to indicate the room and me. Noah’s brow furrowed. He truly saw nothing wrong with it.

“Sweetness, have I not given you everything you’ve ever wanted?” Noah asked, turning his rapidly changing eyes onto me. The violet was swallowed within seconds. His voice held a note of warning.

I took in as deep a breath as I could and gave him my best smile. “Of course, you have, my love. You have given me everything and more. It’s just that I’m about to meet my baby. These are happy tears.”

Noah’s eyes narrowed and my smile froze. Did I say something wrong? Could he smell the lie?

“You mean our baby,” he growled and the sound sent shivers down my spine. He had never once spoken to me like that, even after he had become this stranger. I was afraid that if I did anything to burst his fantasy now, he would hurt me.

“Yes, of course. Our baby,” I muttered quickly and Noah smiled brightly at me. He came to stand beside me and took my hand, squeezing it tightly. Almost too tightly. I got the message loud and clear.

“Do you have an estimate about when the baby will be here?” Noah asked, turning his attention back to the nurse.

She shook her head slowly. There was fear in her eyes. It wasn’t just the money that had made her tongue loose. She was scared of Noah, too. A swell of pity came over me. If Noah talked to me that way, there was no telling what he would do to her if she disappointed him.

“Babies come on their own time. I could give her something to speed up her contractions, though, if you want,” she answered and Noah seemed to contemplate it. I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t dare speak up now.

“No, that’s okay. Let the baby come when she wants to come. I’ve learned that it’s best not to rush women,” Noah replied, laughing at his own joke. The laugh borderlined on hysteria. I wasn’t sure if he could hold onto what little sanity he had left for much longer.

The nurse nodded and went back to monitoring whatever it was she was monitoring. But that meant that Noah’s attention was fixed on me once again. I stared up into his red eyes and saw no sign of the man I once knew.

“Oh, Sweetness, you’ve never looked more beautiful than you do now,” Noah whispered and leaned down, brushing his lips against mine. I kept perfectly still and swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat.

“I cannot wait to taste you, truly,” Noah breathed out on a sigh and I knew that he was not talking about my blood. Heat rushed into my cheeks. I glanced over at the nurse but she was studiously ignoring us.

His lips came crashing down on mine, bruising in their intensity. His tongue forced its way into my mouth and I briefly thought about biting down on it. But I let the thought drift away as I half-heartedly kissed him back.

Noah pulled back, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. “You’re going to be the most delicious of meals, my pet.”

I smiled at him, but it turned into a grimace as a rather nasty contraction hit me. I squeezed his hand hard, my fingernails drawing blood. When the pain faded away, I tore my hand away from his and hastily gave him an apology.

Noah brought his hand to his mouth and licked away the blood, never taking his eyes off of me. It was meant to be sensual, but the sight just made me sick to my stomach. I just wanted to go home.