The Alpha's Daydream ✔️

Chapter 48

4632 words

I'm running out of time. I know that now.

I don't know how, but I do.

In the back of my mind, even as I'm focused on Aunt Chesca and her baby who is about to join us in this forest on such a terrible night, I think about Malachi. I think about how he's out there, somewhere, and I just revealed his possible whereabouts to a bunch of sinister rogues who have the intent to kill.

To save my own skin? Did I do it for self-preservation?

Never. I would never do something like that to save myself.

"Ari, he's coming! You'll need something to cut the cord. As much as I hate it, we need to break the connection as soon as possible," Chesca grinds out the words through clenched teeth.

I can see she is in pain, but she barely makes a sound. We are still in unmarked territory, hunted in this forest, and we have to keep our noise as limited as possible.

But the smell of Chesca's blood.... There is nothing we can do about it. She is bleeding, and I have to deliver this baby before she entirely bleeds out. I have no way of telling if there are internal injuries from her ordeal tonight, or if her body is just trying to purge itself of the metallic poison that taints her red blood with silver.

"I have a knife, but it's not clean..."

"It doesn't matter, you just need to sever the cord. A moment too long could make all the difference. You have to be ready, Ariella."

"I am. I'm ready." I pull the knife from my waistband, the one Luci used to kill the rogue before he hurt me, and I wipe the bloodied edge along the tree bark. The stain doesn't all come off, so I wipe it faster, as fast as I can, hoping the friction and heat will cleanse it from the horrible blood.

I watch as another contraction overcomes Aunt Chesca, and she breathes hard.

"That's it, take short breaths when you can. Just keep breathing and focus only on the baby. He's healthy, he's strong, and you're both going to be okay," I assure her, rubbing her back as I slip the knife back in my belt. I don't need it just yet. Chesca isn't fully dilated, so it could still be another hour before the baby comes.

I began counting the length of contractions and time between them since they started, and just this simple routine helps my own mind to stay focused. "That's it, you can relax now," I tell her as her muscles ease from the strain, and she rests her head on my shoulder. The night air is icy, but neither of us feel it. A thin layer of sweat glistens on Chesca's skin, and my own body is still pumping with adrenaline from our escape from the barn.

"What if he finds us again?" Chesca asks in a small voice.

"Who?"

"Caleb. Or his rogue buddies. What if he wants to take my baby? I couldn't even stop them from taking me—"

"Shh, Chesca, don't think about that now. I need you to focus on giving birth to your baby. I will protect you. No one will hurt you as long as I'm here." I promise, praying it may be so. As soon as I began monitoring Chesca and noting how wide her cervix was dilated, my mindset had completely changed.

Before, I was scared. Before, I still wanted to keep going until we found Alpha Kaiden or someone else to help us. But now— now I am the help. I am in charge of our fate. I will do everything in my power to help this mother bring her baby into the world. This is all that matters to me in this moment, this time and place, and neither of us can afford to think of anything else.

"Okay, the baby's head is crowning. I can see him!" Excitement fills my voice, but nerves of fear still manage to snake around my heart. What if he is entangled in the cord? What if he ingested the silver and has stopped breathing? What if—