Chapter 109
“Breathe Luna! Breathe. Deep breath.”
Phoebe struggled to breathe as Doctor Evans instructed. She gripped Jason’s hand like a vice. Normally, she would be worried she was hurting him but at the moment his discomfort was the furthest from her mind. Jason bore it without complaint. He stroked her hair, patting away sweat from her brow and encouraging her. If he could take away her pain he would in a heartbeat, but he could only offer her support.
“Okay, next contraction I want you to push,” Doctor Evans instructed.
Though humans often resorted to a c-section for multiple births, such a procedure was dangerous for werewolves whose healing ability would kick in immediately to seal the injury. The only way to prevent that from occurring was to use wolfsbane or silver blades which would naturally suppress their healing but that put the pups at risk. It would be better for Phoebe and her pups to be born naturally.
Phoebe sat up pushing with all her might.
“Push, push, push, okay breathe.”
Phoebe slumped back catching her breath as the doctor gently rotated the pup’s head.
“Okay, one more time.”
Phoebe groaned pushing until something seemed to snap and the pup’s shoulder appeared allowing the rest to slip out with relatively ease. “Okay, rest. Breathe.”
Phoebe welcomed the sense of relief that the first pup was now out. She struggled to catch her breath as Doctor Evans tied off the umbilical cord and a nurse who had a soft blanket ready took the pup to an area off to the side. There, the nurse gently cleaned the pup and cleared its airways while Jason anxiously looked on.
Was it normal for the pup to be so quiet?
Was something wrong?
Did they even know if it was all right?
Why wasn’t anyone saying anything?
“Wah!” the pup suddenly wailed coming to life with its first breath.
Jason let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. The pup was okay. Their pup was okay. But that was only half the battle as Phoebe groaned with another contraction.
One down. One to go.
“Okay, I know you are tired,” Doctor Evans gently intoned, “but we’re almost there.”
Phoebe nodded, breathing deep. She reached for her wolf hoping to gain some strength but Máni seemed distant almost
in a trance. This had been happening more recently lately. It was like her wolf was wandering. Phoebe hadn’t minded as it kept her wolf’s mood from affecting her own but right now she needed her wolf to focus. They had two pups to bring into the world.
‘Máni, I need you. Please, just one more pup.
… Yes, just one more.
Phoebe wondered about her wolf’s sudden mood but she felt her strength return as Máni channeled through her. They were in this together. They were going to bring their pups into the world, happy and healthy.
***
Jason’s head was swimming. He felt drunk. Just across the room two perfect little pups were whimpering as nurses cleaned them, weighed and took measurements. Phoebe lay exhausted but with a gentle, satisfied smile. Her eyes shimmered silver. It was done. Their pups were born, healthy and safely.
He was in awe of her.
Picking up her hand, he kissed it. He never let her hand go the entire time but now it suddenly felt cold and clammy. The tingles of the bond seemed duller than usual.
“Phoebe?” Jason looked at her caressing her cheeks. “Phoebe.”
She blinked weakly. Her gray eyes were dull and her complexion paler than usual.
“Phoebe?”
I’m sorry
“What? Phoebe!”
Jason’s shout drew the attention of the nurses as the machines monitoring Phoebe’s vitals suddenly flat-lined. “Phoebe!”
“Crash cart!” Doctor Evan yelled. “Adrenaline! Alpha, please move!”
“Beta! Gamma! You are needed!”
“Phoebe!” Jason was too in shock to fight as Doctor Evans pushed him to the side and began chest compressions.
Seeing the doctor seemingly attack his mate, his wolf pushed forward. He bared his teeth ready to retaliate when Luke and Ben rushed in and held him back, summoned by the doctor’s silent call.
“Jason! She’s trying to help!” Luke shouted as Jason fought them.
“Charging!” Bridget announced as she wheeled the defibrillator close. Doctor Evans placed the contact points before grabbing the paddles. “Clear!”
Fur bristled along Jason’s arms as Luke and Ben struggled to hold him back. Some part of him must have known they were trying to help because he didn’t throw them off. He reached for her through their bond but the tethers holding them suddenly seemed fragile and frayed.
NO! It couldn’t be!
Phoebe’s body jerked but the machine continued to screech.
“Continuing CPR,” Doctor Evans declared as they waited for the machine to build its charge again.
“Phoebe!” Jason shouted in anguish as their bond unraveled.
“Jason!”
“Clear!”
“Jason, not here!” Ben desperately cried as his wolf surged forward desperate to make it to its mate.
They couldn’t let an enraged wolf loose in the hospital. His claws dug into the linoleum floor and he gnashed at them with
his teeth. They could sense him losing control and they would not be able to restrain him much longer.
Phoebe’s link with the pack suddenly snapped and a tremor shook them to their core. The entire pack felt it and all activity came to a sudden halt. A void opened up, leaving them incomplete.
were in this together. They were going to bring their pups into the world, happy and healthy.
***
Jason’s head was swimming. He felt drunk. Just across the room two perfect little pups were whimpering as nurses cleaned them, weighed and took measurements. Phoebe lay exhausted but with a gentle, satisfied smile. Her eyes shimmered silver. It was done. Their pups were born, healthy and safely.
He was in awe of her.
Picking up her hand, he kissed it. He never let her hand go the entire time but now it suddenly felt cold and clammy. The tingles of the bond seemed duller than usual.
“Phoebe?” Jason looked at her caressing her cheeks. “Phoebe.”
She blinked weakly. Her gray eyes were dull and her complexion paler than usual.
“Phoebe?”
I’m sorry
“What? Phoebe!”
Jason’s shout drew the attention of the nurses as the machines monitoring Phoebe’s vitals suddenly flat-lined. “Phoebe!”
“Crash cart!” Doctor Evan yelled. “Adrenaline! Alpha, please move!”
“Beta! Gamma! You are needed!”
“Phoebe!” Jason was too in shock to fight as Doctor Evans pushed him to the side and began chest compressions.
Seeing the doctor seemingly attack his mate, his wolf pushed forward. He bared his teeth ready to retaliate when Luke and Ben rushed in and held him back, summoned by the doctor’s silent call.
“Jason! She’s trying to help!” Luke shouted as Jason fought them.
“Charging!” Bridget announced as she wheeled the defibrillator close. Doctor Evans placed the contact points before grabbing the paddles. “Clear!”
Fur bristled along Jason’s arms as Luke and Ben struggled to hold him back. Some part of him must have known they were trying to help because he didn’t throw them off. He reached for her through their bond but the tethers holding them suddenly seemed fragile and frayed.
NO! It couldn’t be!
Phoebe’s body jerked but the machine continued to screech.
“Continuing CPR,” Doctor Evans declared as they waited for the machine to build its charge again.
“Phoebe!” Jason shouted in anguish as their bond unraveled.
“Jason!”
“Clear!”
“Jason, not here!” Ben desperately cried as his wolf surged forward desperate to make it to its mate.
They couldn’t let an enraged wolf loose in the hospital. His claws dug into the linoleum floor and he gnashed at them with
his teeth. They could sense him losing control and they would not be able to restrain him much longer.
Phoebe’s link with the pack suddenly snapped and a tremor shook them to their core. The entire pack felt it and all activity came to a sudden halt. A void opened up, leaving them incomplete.
No. It wasn’t possible. She couldn’t…
“What is going on?” Norah suddenly pushed her way in into the room as Phoebe’s link snapped and her body shuddered.
She gasped at the void that suddenly settled in her heart and in the hearts of all pack members. Their Luna was gone. Disorientated, Norah looked to see Jason partially shift trying to claw his way back to his mate, but it was already too late. Without a word, she stumbled toward the table where the newborn pups whimpered. Their bond with their mother would be strongest and they writhed with the sudden loss of her presence. Sobbing, Norah scooped up her grandson, clutching him close before shuffling toward Jason still struggling in Luke and Ben’s arms.
“J-Jason,” Norah finally reached him, forcing him to look at her. “She’s gone. She’s gone.”
Tears blurred his vision. His wolf seemed frozen, mid-shift. They desperately reached for their bond and found…nothing.
It couldn’t be true.
He wouldn’t believe it.
He couldn’t.
“She’s gone,” Norah repeated softly, pressing the pup into his arms.
He clutched it as its sweet-peppery scent reached him and stirred something in his mind. His son. Phoebe’s son.
His fur subsided. His claws and teeth retracted allowing Luke and Ben to breathe a relieved sigh.
Jason desperately looked toward the bed. Doctor Evans and the nurses had stopped working. Moments ago the room had been filled with joy and excitement, now it was deathly quiet as they stood with their heads bowed. Phoebe’s form lay quiet and lifeless.
No.
No!
“Phoebe!” Jason reeled back his head and howled in rage and pain the likes of which he had never known before.