Alpha Max

Chapter 22

Avery's POV

Its been two months. Two months of hell. We barely get fed. Once every few days. Bella gives most of her food to Shelby and I, to help us stay healthy enough to keep our babies alive.

But something doesn't feel right. I don't feel right. Its been days since my twins have moved. I fear the worse. I'm too scared to ask Bella what it felt like when her baby died.

The men don't seem as rough on Shelby and I when they go to question us. I think it is because they still have respect for us being pregnant. I'm not so sure though. Bella on the other hand...she's so bruised and beaten that I don't know if she will ever recover mentally from it all.

Breathing heavily, I glanced across the dark room we are being held in. Bella was resting in a corner. I swear sometimes I can't tell if she is breathing. Shelby and I take turns with checking on her and keeping some of her cuts clean.

But lately I just haven't had the energy to move. My body feels weak. Any movement I get tired easily. If we aren't found soon, I fear I will loose my babies, then Bella. I wish I told Max I loved him before I left. I wish I had a way to talk to him to tell him that I am ok. That he will be ok.

I glanced towards the door hearing a loud commotion from behind it.

"What is that?" Shelby asked waking from her nap.

Bella jumped awake as well and looked at her then up at the door.

"I don't know. I can't make out the noise." I coughed and sat up some pushing my weight off the wall.

My body is so weak, I can barely hold myself up to try and stand.

"I hear voices." Shelby said standing and going to the bottom of the stairs.

"Hello?!" She called.

Screeching came from the door making her jump and back up to the wall.

Outlines of men stood in the doorway. My heart started to race seeing the shadows. But, then I caught the scent.

"M...Max?" I called out weakly.

"Avery!" I heard my mate scream as he ran down the stairs and over to me falling onto his knees in front of me. He cupped my cheeks tears rolling down his cheeks. "I thought I lost you." he sobbed.

I let out a strangled sob. "M...Max, I haven't felt our babies move in days." I choked out grabbing onto his forearms weakly. I wasn't even aware of the others coming down the stairs. Of Bella embracing her mate, or Shelby with Mason.

"Collins!" Max cried out and wrapped an arm around my back draping my right arm over his shoulders to help me stand.

Collins rushed over to us from Shelby and Mason and helped Max with me standing. He swallowed hard and grabbed his stethoscope and pressed it to my stomach. The whole room went quiet as they watched Collins.

He looked up at us. "We need to get her home now." He said and gathered his things. "You need to carry her." he said and rushed up the stairs.

Max lifted me up and followed him. I covered my eyes with my hand. My eyes sensitive to the light from being in a dark room for so long.

I was scared. Who wouldn't be? I can tell Max is scared with how tense he is. I mean, Collins didn't even say what was wrong. Just that we needed to get home.

Max set me in the back of a vehicle and climbed in next to me holding my hand tightly. I could tell by the scents that Collins was driving.

"Collins what the hell is wrong?!" Max growled laying a hand over my stomach carefully.

"I only heard one heart beat. Barely. The other, I'm afraid is gone Max. But if we hurry. I can save the other child. We need to get her to the hospital and preform a c-section." He said frantically. I peaked out from my hand to see him grab his phone. He must be calling ahead.

My heart dropped when he said he only heard one heart beat. That was barely there. I knew something was wrong. I knew by the feeling. My worst fear has come true.

Max turned my head and looked down at me. He kissed my forehead a tear sliding down his cheek. "It will be ok." he whispered and held me close.

We arrived within fifteen minutes to the hospital. People were waiting outside already with a gurney to take me inside.

Fear overwhelmed my body. I froze on the seat. What if we are too late? What if the other baby is gone? What if I can't have any more children now? What if I die also? I can't leave Max. He wouldn't survive without me.

I didn't even feel Max lift me. I didn't even register that we were inside until Max and another nurse started to change me into a gown.

I looked at Max tears blurring my vision. He stopped and looked up at me. "I know my love, I am scared too. But be strong, everything will turn out." he whispered and kissed me softly and quickly before helping me back onto the bed.

Nurses rushed around us as they prepped the room for the c-section. One hooked me to an IV and started me on a drip along with adding some other liquid.

"It is a numbing agent so you don't feel any pain." She whispered and looked towards the door seeing Collins walk in wearing blue scrubs and a mask.

"We must hurry." Collins said and motioned for some nurses to pull up a curtain so I didn't have to see him cut into my stomach.

Max took both my hands and whispered into my ear. "I am right here. I will always be here." He whispered softly and kissed my temple.

I could feel something cool being applied to my stomach. But after that, I don't know what I felt.

Max never stood up to watch Collins remove his children from me. But I know the first baby wasn't alive. No sound came from the baby.

"Alright. This one is a fighter." Collins said as he lifted the second baby from me. A loud, scared, cry filled the room making Max lift his head some upon hearing his child cry out. If I wasn't so weak and filled with pain killer, I too would be reacting the way he is.

A nurse left the room quickly. I don't know if it was with my baby who is alive or the one who is dead.

"I am going to stitch you up real quick. A nurse took your baby to do a check up to make sure we can have it out of the incubator alright?" he said softly before grabbing some tools from a trey and continuing his work on me.

I can feel a tightness now in my stomach as he started to stitch it back together. The medicine must be burning off from my wolf. I groaned and looked up at Max. He kissed my forehead before glancing over. I looked over to see a nurse placing our dead child in a casket like box. I whimpered watching her.

I didn't even know the curtain was removed and a heavy blanket was put over me until Collins blocked my view.

I looked up at him squeezing Max's hand hard.

"I have good news, and bad news..." Collins said taking his mask off and looking at us with sadness filling his eyes.