Page 97 of Alpha Awakening
“Yes.”
“Makes sense.”
They fell silent while Natalie laid her hands on Niev’s stomach to feel the girls’ positions. She seemed pleased and nodded as she reached for the doppler and let Niev and Blake listen to their heartbeats.
“They are in a good position and their heartbeats are strong and regular.”
Before Niev could ask another question, her next contraction silenced her. It eased as fast as it had started and Niev shifted her weight so Natalie could examine her.
“Very well, everything looks good. Have you told everyone about your wishes concerning your dilation?”
Niev shook her head.
“Let me explain it to them and I’ll be sure not to tell them either.”
“Thank you.”
Natalie walked out again, giving Niev and Blake a moment to themselves.
“I feel so unprepared,” Niev admitted.
“We might not have a plan set in stone, but we have thought about the options you wanted to try. We’re anything but unprepared. How about you grab something to eat and hydrate? You’ll need all the strength you can get.”
Niev spent most of the early afternoon trying to find positions that were comfortable while her contractions slowly got stronger and narrowed closer together. She was still cautious, afraid this was all just a hoax but by late afternoon, Natalie reassured her this was it. Blake ran her a hot bath, like they’d planned on doing.
Kneeling in the bathtub, she held onto the rim and circled her hips trying to soothe the contraction that was tightening her stomach. Blake knelt on the other side, tying her hair into a messy bun.
“You’re doing so good,” he whispered while kissing her cheek.
She looked up at him, giving him a tired smile as the contraction slowly eased.
A knock on the door made them both look up. It was Natalie who came to check on them.
“I was just wanting to see how you four are doing.”
“Wishing I could just sleep through this.”
“It will feel like you have as soon as you hold your babies. How are the contractions?” Natalie asked.
“Getting closer together,” Blake answered her.
“I would like to time them if that is alright?”
Niev nodded just as another contraction stiffened her. Swaying in the water, Niev tried to breathe as Natalie had taught her, with Blake right by her side. After another contraction, Natalie nodded.
“We’re making progress.”
“My water broke hours ago. I thought they would be here by now.”
“Every child is different. I know you don’t want to hear this, but we just have to wait for them to be ready.”
Niev let out a frustrated groan and placed her head on the rim, waiting for the next contraction. It felt like a circle of hell and not even the thought of holding her girls in her arms helped her through the pain. Their arrival and all that would come after only scared her more. Tears started to roll down her cheeks and the contraction that followed didn’t help. Things would only get worse by the minute.
She couldn’t sit still any longer and abruptly stood up. Well, as abruptly as her body let it happen. Blake handed her a towel and helped her out. She knew he only wanted to help her but not even he could soothe her anymore. She gave herself a quick rub down before pulling her dress back over her head and stepping out into the hallway.
Unable to face the others, she turned to the bedroom, tear after tear running down her cheeks. She wanted the pain to stop, she wanted an epidural and sleep, and nothing but those things would help her. Only halfway to the bedroom another contraction forced her body to stop in her tracks. She let out a frustrated groan that only intensified when Blake laid his hand on her lower back.
She knew he only wanted to soothe her pain, but she was too irritated to let him do that, especially because she knew nothing would make it stop. Nothing would end it, not unless her body magically decided to place her babies into her arms and that would never happen. She likely still had hours to go and the already agonizing pain would only turn into hellfire with each minute that passed.