Ryleigh was clearly shaken. All the theories they had been pushing around for months seemed to be coming true. Ryleigh’s pregnancy presented a danger to the Team and to herself. The possibility she and Jacks could have a Shifter child was scary, but they knew the risks and what to expect. Emma didn’t have a clue of the dangers yet to come for her and her child. Damn, Emma could be the first successful breeder. Although that news wasn’t good and the things that had been done to her were deplorable, this child represented hope to the Shifter race. They couldn’t let anyone else know, and in the long run, she couldn’t help but question if that made them just as bad as all the other entities.
Emma’s child would be the Holy Grail, if you will, the only one of her kind. And as a result, creating dangers, not only from humans, but also Shifters, who would want to possess her. Therefore, they needed to keep this secret till their dying days. Ryleigh didn’t want to think about the implications keeping this child’s existence unknown presented. She only knew that the child’s welfare needed to come first.
“They need our protection until we get some answers. I think we need to let Emma know exactly what she’s in for. She was kidnapped, held captive, impregnated, and abused. She has no idea that her nightmare was only starting. She and her baby will be hunted all their lives. Even with the possibilities of others being able to have Shifter children, Emma and her child are the first. At least that we know of,” Ryleigh said rubbing her stomach. “Are we agreed?”
Both men nodded but Cash still had something to say.
“Listen, I want you both to understand that we still need to watch her. The circumstances she came from and brought her here don’t matter. I want to believe her. I can see the damage these people have caused, but people do a lot of things for money. Her story sounds good, but it could all be a front. We also have no definitive proof that child isn’t anything but human.” Cash hated playing devil’s advocate, but he didn’t have a choice; his team was his first priority.
“We don’t know this woman, but I agree we need to help her, regardless. However, we also need to protect ourselves. Ryleigh, you’re mated and claimed by a Shifter, the first woman in over a hundred years to do that. And now with you being pregnant, how do we know Pandora or Davis doesn’t know exactly what is going on? We don’t know. That puts you in as much danger as Emma and her baby.”
Dalton and Ryleigh nodded their agreement. Ryleigh placed the smelling salts under Emma’s nose and she startled awake. Dalton held her lightly, trying to assure her that everything was okay, but Emma was freaked. She struggled to get away from him and he wanted to kill Cash for scaring her so badly. Thankfully, in her condition, she couldn’t get very far. Her belly prevented her from moving away from his touch. He wanted to calm her and offer comfort. He also wanted to kick Cash’s ass. They could’ve proved that Shifters existed without scaring her.
Chapter 17
Coming to, all Emma wanted was to get out of there. She was questioning herself. Had she genuinely seen Cash’s face change or did they drug her or something? The other people had why should she think these people were any different? She didn’t know them, maybe they were only nice to her to lull her into a false sense of security. She didn’t feel drugged. Maybe it was only her imagination because she was sleep deprived along with everything else. It had to be that, didn’t it?
“Emma, you are in pretty bad shape, and I wish I could tell you what you saw was a figment of your imagination or a cause of something we gave you, but it wasn’t,” Ryleigh admitted. “Shifters do exist and people with animal DNA also exist. Cash, Dalton, and the guys on NAC’s teams are Shifters. We found out about Dr. Franklin recently, that he did create children with animal DNA. We’re still trying to go through all the data, but if you can give me your birth date, we might be able to give you more answers. Right now, though, I think we need to complete your exam and see how your baby is doing.”
“Honey,” Dalton spoke up, “I’m sorry if my being a Shifter freaks you out, but I promise, I’ll never hurt you. My bear is a part of me; it’s the way I am, not something I chose or can change. Can you please let us help you?”
Emma could see the sincerity in his eyes and was going to say yes. His touch had calmed her, but she didn’t want to examine those thoughts at the moment. Everything was hitting her at once and she craved the peace only Dalton’s touch seemed to provide. She was about to answer his question, but was hit with the worst pain in her stomach she’d ever felt. She felt like her belly would split in two. Curling inward, Emma tried to pant through the pain, not caring that the robe she’d been wearing had fallen completely open, exposing her to everyone in the room. The pain was so bad that Emma didn’t give a crap. After Cash’s revelation about Shifters, all she could imagine was the scene from “Alien” when that chick’s stomach split open and the monster appeared. Dalton was rubbing her shoulder, and Ryleigh came over to feel her belly. The look she saw on Ryleigh’s face would’ve been comical if it wasn’t for the pain Emma was in. Dalton screaming, “fuck,” didn’t help the situation either.
Dalton wanted to puke. Shifters were unique, and Shifter pregnancies followed that rule as well. Their gestations were between five-and-half and six months, not nine like human babies. All Shifters knew this, it was common knowledge, but the look on Ryleigh face said no one had let her in on that knowledge.
“Ryleigh, if she’s around six months pregnant, you’d better get ready,” Cash warned. “All Shifter babies are born between five-and-a- half and six months.”
“Fuck!” Emma swore for the first-time
Cash turned white and Ryleigh stood there shaking her head, rubbing her own belly.
“Okay Cash,” Ryleigh ordered, snapping out of her shock, “get the delivery kit from the cabinet. Dalton, I need you to get an isolette out of the medical storage unit. We also have blankets, diapers, and other baby stuff in there, bring as much as you can. Cash, get the newborn kit as well. Emma, I need to do an exam to see how far you’re dilated and effaced. First babies always take time, so I’m hoping we have enough time to either get you down to the clinic or get one of the doctors up here. I know you don’t want this, but like I said before, I won’t risk you or your baby, okay?”
“It’s okay, do what you have to. Please Ryleigh, make this stop,” Emma whimpered as another, stronger contraction hit her.
Ryleigh started getting ready for the exam while the guys took off to do their assigned tasks.
“Emma, I’m going to put your legs in the stirrups, okay?” Ryleigh told her, not waiting for Emma to answer while she did the task. “Okay, Emma, you're going to feel some pressure.”
Emma didn’t feel pressure, she felt a huge gush and then heard it hit the floor. The pain that followed was worse than before. Emma was sure if she looked at her stomach, it would look like a scene from the movie she thought about earlier. She felt like she was being ripped apart. Emma started to panic and by the look on her face, Ryleigh wasn’t doing much better, which only cause Emma to panic more.
“Okay, no big deal, Emma. It was only your water breaking, we can deal with that in a minute. Let’s see how far into labor you are. You said that you had been experiencing some cramping. Can you tell me how long that has been going on?”
Emma went to answer, but the door burst open. She wanted to scream. What was it with these people that they thought it was okay to burst into rooms without knocking? Screw that thought. Who were the people at the door, anyway? A huge man Emma had never seen before started talking.
“Way to guard the base, assholes.”
If Emma weren't in so much pain, she would’ve run. The man was beyond scary; she almost laughed thinking that Cash was the most terrifying man she’d ever seen. This guy had a presence which would make anyone want to pee in their pants. All Emma knew was that she wanted him out of the room and away from her.
“Somebody better start explaining what the fuck is going on! Right fucking now.” the hostile man continued to bark
.
Emma looked to Ryleigh who was staring at the man in the doorway, kind of dumbfounded. Emma had also noticed that several other people were standing behind him. Looking down she saw how exposed she was to these people and tried to cover up with the robe as best she could, wishing Dalton was in the room. he’d become her anchor and right about now, she needed him more than she’d ever needed another person. She was scared, in pain, and freaking out. A small whimper escaped her mouth. Another contraction hit, and Emma screamed. The pain was so bad at that point that Emma didn’t care if the entire Lions Football Team walked through the door. Her modesty was the least of her concerns.
Ryleigh, taken out of her stupor, concentrated on her patient once again.
“Okay Emma, looks like you are a hundred percent effaced and about nine centimeters dilated. It looks like the little one is ready to meet her mom.”
Ryleigh was trying to stay calm, but she was sweating bullets. She’d done a rotation in OB, but that had been years ago. No way was she ready for what was in store for Emma. She definitely didn’t have time to appease her pissed off husband or even introduce Jacks to her new patient.
“Emma, pretty soon you are going to have the urge to push, and I need you not to do that, okay? Your baby is trying to come out feet first, and we need to do something about that first.”
Jacks was in a state of shock. He was the fucking Alpha, and he had no idea what the hell was going on in his own base
“Okay people, someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on, right fucking now. Why is a beat up and pregnant woman about to give birth at our base and why the fuck is my wife alone with an unknown?” he asked Cash, the only person currently standing in the exam room with the woman and his mate.
Cash looked frazzled, but Jacks didn’t care. He wanted to know what the fuck was going on. If the woman on the table represented a threat to his mate, he would take care of it. He didn’t care that she was a pregnant woman and in pain. Ryleigh came first.
“Listen man,” Cash tried to calm Jacks down, “I’ll explain, but Ryleigh needs help to deliver this baby. Dalton went to the medical storage to get some stuff and will be right back. We need to get one of the doctors up here from town, like ASAP.”
Jacks’ eyes were bright and he was pumped up with anger. Cash knew he needed to defuse the situation, so he got in his Alpha’s face.
“Fuck man, give me some credit,” Cash demanded. “Ryleigh hasn’t been alone with Emma since she got here. Right now, we have bigger problems. And this…” he indicated with a wave of his hands, “isn’t even half of it.”
Just then Ryleigh noticed her saving grace. The woman peaking her head out from behind her grumpy husband was her best friend, Mia. Better yet, she was one of the best doctors Ryleigh knew
“Need some help?” Mia simply said and walked forward.
When Mia got within touching distance, Ryleigh grabbed her and pulled her to the side. still watching her patient; she needed to clue Mia in to what was going on.
“Oh, thank God, Mia, get in here. The baby is a breach and she’s almost fully dilated. I pushed its foot back up. Emma is in no shape for a C-section, and I think it's too late to consider one, anyway. Her physical condition is dire. I don’t believe she’s going to have the strength needed to push out the baby. We only have a basic delivery kit, Mia. I freaked the hell out.”
Jacks had moved from his post at the door going over to his mate and Mia. but before he got to close, Mia stopped him in his tracks.
“Move, beast man,” Mia snapped. “unless you think you can deliver this baby. Ryleigh told me you’re a Jack-of-all-trades, but this is one case that might be out of your league. You might want to leave this one to me,” Mia laughed.
“Fuck no!” Jacks shouted. “But one of my guys needs to stay in this room at all times. I don’t know this woman or where she came from. I’m not putting my wife and child at risk for an unknown!”
Mia laughed again, “What do you think she’s going to do Jacks? Shoot acid out of her hoo-hah? Get real, she’s in hard labor. I don’t think even the best-trained spy would be able to do anything in her condition.”
Jacks looked down at Emma’s girl parts like there was a possibility of that actually happening.
“I’ll stay,” Dalton stated as he came back into the room, “I’m the one that brought Emma here. Cash already said she’s my responsibility.”
“Fine. Cash, get your ass out here and tell me what the hell is going on.”
Jacks started to leave with Cash following behind, but stopped right when he got to the door.
“Lady,” Jacks said, looking over his shoulder, “I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but you better be on the up and up because I’ll be right out in the hall. You sure as shit better not have anything up there that isn’t a baby, got me?”
Chapter 18
Emma was scared to death. Not only was she sitting virtually naked in a room full of strangers, but also the big monster of a man’s comments cut her to the core. What the hell! She was about to give birth. What did he honestly think she would do? The next contraction hit and the pain was actually a godsend because while she was dealing with the pain, none of the other stuff seemed to matter. She would store her mortification of being practically naked, sprawled out on an exam table with her girly bits exposed to a bunch of strange scary men, until a later date. When Dalton came up, she was grateful for the calm he seemed to bring to her.
“It’s going to be okay, honey,” Dalton guaranteed her. “Ryleigh, Mia, and I will help. You’re not alone and regardless of what Jacks said, you are safe.”
Dalton’s words meant so much to Emma. She was scared, but when he caressed her cheek and looked directly into her eyes, everything else seemed to melt away. Emma couldn’t believe the comfort she took from his words. It wasn’t until the big man shut the door that Emma noticed that Ryleigh and the woman she assumed was Mia had been talking the entire time in the corner, out of the way. The woman who had come into the room with the guys stepped forward. She was small, like Ryleigh and herself, but she had an elf-like quality to her. Her features were tiny except for her eyes. They seemed huge, but not in a bad way. They were also a color Emma had never seen before, probably hazel but more on the blue-green scale, odd, but beautiful.
“Emma, my name is Mia James. I’m a medical doctor and have delivered hundreds of babies. I know you're in a lot of pain right now but it's imperative that you do not push. As Ryleigh told you, your child is in a breach position and we’re going to have to move him into a better position. I’m not going to lie, this is going to hurt. We need to check some things first. Do your best to hold on until we’re done. If you get the urge to push, let Dalton know, so he can help you through it. Okay? Ryleigh, get the Doppler and let's get a heart rate on the baby.”
Ryleigh squirted an obscene amount of gel on Emma's stomach. The cold, viscous stuff momentarily stunned Emma, and she almost forgot about the pain she was in. But when Ryleigh started moving the device around for what seemed like forever, Emma began to panic when Ryleigh wasn’t finding a heartbeat. Her baby might not be her blood, but she was her child. She loved her and wanted her with every fiber of her being. No one, not even God, was going to take her away. Emma knew that thought was irrational, but hey, she was entitled, wasn’t she?
Mia took the Doppler from Ryleigh and started to manipulate her belly. Moving the Doppler, Ryleigh was holding it to a new location on her abdomen, picking up the unmistakable thumps. That’s when Emma began to cry.
“There she is Emma, that’s your little girl,” Dalton whispered in her ear.
Emma noticed the awe in his voice and it brought tears to her eyes. This stranger was as awed by the sound of her baby’s heartbeat as she was. Looking into his eyes, she noticed the moisture pooling in the corners of those enchanting eyes. Dalton Hayes was truly a wonderful man.
Hearing that heartbeat triggered something in Dalton. he felt it in the very core of his
being, a deep contentment that had never been a part of his life before. That little thud was important to him. Emma was important to him. All of it was intertwined in his heart. His bear’s pleasure at hearing the little sound was glorifying; the beast had never felt so much pleasure. If the beast could purr, it would be doing that at this very moment.
Emma was confused by her own unprecedented feelings towards this stranger as well as Dalton’s actions. Why was this man, a person she’d met, acting so protective and caring toward her? It was both comforting and confusing. Even before being taken, she’d never known such kindness from a man, and she was soaking it in like a sponge. Right now, she needed it like her next breath. It felt right and opened up all kinds of thoughts; they were short lived when another contraction hit, harder than before.
“Okay Emma, your contractions are coming about every thirty seconds and your little one is more than ready to make an appearance, but now we need to get her headed the right way,” Mia stated. “Ryleigh and I are going to try to move the baby, now. Like I said before, it’s going to hurt. Scream, yell, or do anything you have to get through the pain. But do not push, okay?”
Mia and Ryleigh worked for about fifteen minutes and got the baby in the right position. Emma was in pain and exhausted. Mia wasn’t kidding when she said it would hurt. It was worse than the contractions and that was saying something. It felt like they were ripping her insides apart, and her uterus resembled something close to hamburger at this point.
Dalton never wanted to see something like that again. Mia and Ryleigh were causing Emma pain. Even though he knew they were doing it to help her and the baby, he wanted to kill something. No one should be causing Emma pain. It was like they were ripping her apart even though there was no blood or gore. What really surprised him, though, was Emma. She’d called out in pain only a couple of times, but during that last fifteen minutes she seemed to strengthen, enduring the pain in silence. He wasn’t sure if he liked that or not. Her skin was clammy and pale, and Dalton could see the bruises developing on her stomach from the rough treatment, but Emma just gritted her teeth and endured. The woman had so much strength, he was in awe.
NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team Page 38
