Page 89 of Ready or Not
We pull back, and Garza moves in from the other side of the bed.
“Once your swelling goes down, we’ll get it adjusted so it fits.” He quickly kisses her and moves to mark both of her cheeks with his pheromones.
“Then you’re never taking it off.” Holt shoulders me out of the way to lean over and kiss her.
Bishop grabs the box, handing it back to me. He waits for Holt to release her and moves in for a quick kiss as Garza steps back to make room for him. She follows his mouth as he stands back up.
“Whoa. Where do you think you’re going?” Vale grabs his shirt, pulling him closer. “Your smell is…” Her forehead wrinkles. “I need it. I need to smell you. Sit down.”
Bishop grins, nodding for her to move over a bit. “You’ve got it, gorgeous. You’re a bossy little thing, but I love the hell out of you.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Cooper
For having a huge affinity for my scent the last couple of weeks, she only seems to want Bishop right now. And I’m not letting it get to me. If that’s what she needs, then that’s what she’ll have. Giving birth is a long process, and the burden is completely on Vale, at this point. It kills me because I want to help. I just don’t know how. The epidural helped for a while, but it has grown less effective as the hours passed.
“I hate you,” Vale growls. It’s a seriously impressive growl, considering she’s not an alpha. “I hate your stupid sperm, anyway. They had no business being anywhere near my egg.”
“That kinda hurt my feelings,” I whisper to Holt out of the side of my mouth.
“Fine, I’m sorry.” Vale waves a hand, gesturing me to come closer. “Let me squeeze your balls, so you can feel how my uterus feels at the current moment, and I’ll take it back.”
Holt gives me a shove in her direction.
I squeak, slapping his hands away. “Fuck you. She’s violent right now.” And I’m her primary target.
Bishop sighs, shaking his head. “You’re doing great, gorgeous. Just a few more solid pushes, and she’ll be out.”
The hard part is, I know she’s suffering. I can feel it in the bond. We all get a tiny taste of it, but I wish we were the ones feeling the brunt of it, and all she had to do was push. I feel more incompetent than I’ve felt in my entire life.
I glance around, sighing heavily, but do a double take when I spot Mercy.
He stands behind the doctor with a flummoxed look on his face. “Is that the baby’s head?”
“It is.” The doctor nods. “She’s got a full head of blonde hair, just like Mom.”
Like me, too.
God, I can’t wait to hold her in my arms.
“I feel strangely compelled to take a picture,” Mercy says, obviously missing the murderous look on Vale’s face.
They did offer Vale a mirror at the end of the bed, which she declined. I’m guessing she doesn’t want to see this side of things.
“Come on, you two,” the nurse says. “You can take over holding her legs. We’re going to have a baby soon.”
Holt and I walk over to the bed. Another contraction rips through the bond. I grit my teeth, breathing in and out as deeply as possible. It doesn’t help, and it makes me feel even guiltier because I know this is only a fraction of what Vale is feeling.
I take over holding her right leg while Holt moves to the left.
The nurses immediately leave and start bringing over a bunch of different things.
“God, that hurts,” Vale grunts.
“You’re doing incredible,” I whisper, finally taking a peek. I’m pretty sure I can see the back of the baby’s head, and I barely keep my mouth shut, because now I want a picture too.
“Push, push, push,” Dr. Sanderson chants. “You’re doing great.”