Way of the Wolf: Redemption

Chapter 29 ~ Unheard Prayers

TRIGGER WARNING
This one is going to be really rough. Feel free to skip it if you struggle.

Chapter 29: Unheard Prayers
~

Bjarke burst through the door to our den so hard it almost came flying off the hinges. Wood groaned in protest but he didn't seem to care as he carried me inside. I clung onto his shoulders with all my strength even as he attempted to lay me down on our furs.

"Lie down, love. It's okay. Everything will be okay," he promised, his tone low and soothing.

Nodding numbly, I uncurled myself from him, hating that my nails had left crescent marks on his skin. As soon as I was settled he quickly peeled my dress from me and tossed it towards the firepit. It was ruined. All it was good for now was to burning. Signy quickly set about lighting the fire but I still had to look away when she tossed the dress in. My first ever dress.

"Are you with me?"

Bjarke's voice drew my gaze back to him but his face was blurry. I wasn't sure if it was because of the tears that filled my eyes or because I'd lost too much blood. I nodded again anyway, searching his gaze.

"This is my fault," I breathed out, shaking my head and turning away from my mate even as pain grasped me tight, a band of fire wrapping around my belly. "I slipped and now I'm losing him."

"You're not losing him," Signy argued, coming back to my side to clasp my hand in hers. "He's just coming a little early."

"But the blood. . ." I looked down at my legs that were smeared with red.

My breathing became ragged, but no matter how I inhaled, my lungs refused to accept any air. The world kept spinning and dancing, bright sparks flashing in my vision. I tried to argue as hands pushed on my shoulders to get me to lie down. I didn't want to get any more blood on the furs but my tongue wouldn't work and a crushing stole my ability to so much as think.

Bjarke moved away and my hand flew out to grab him but I only caught air. Dropping my hand to my belly, I rubbed over it, screaming out words of frustration. There was a hardness to my belly that I knew meant Signy was right. My labour had started early. The pup was coming now. But I was right too; it was too soon for him to come out. How would he survive?

Gritting my teeth together, I felt oddly disconnected during the next contraction. With my mother knelt between my thighs, something Katrin told me came to my thought. Modesty had gone out the window indeed. But what God would be so cruel as to make me go through this now?

"Drink this, my female," my mate urged, reappearing beside me.

His hand cupped the back of my head to tilt it up. Whatever liquid sloshed out of the mug was warm but bitter and I choked as it burnt down my throat. I tried to turn my head away but Bjarke forced me to keep drinking until it was finished.

"She might not be able to keep it down," Signy warned. One of her hands was on my thigh, the other pressing low on my belly.

"She will," he answered sternly, his voice almost unintelligible through the growls that sounded from his chest. "Madden said if this happened, she had to. It could save their lives."

They knew this might happen? And they never told me. They had all lied and promised my pup wouldn't die, yet they'd had a plan in place all along.

A contraction that felt like a hot poker being dragged through my insides and I screamed, something instinctual making me bear down. My hand found Bjarke's and squeezed, everything in my body shuddering before I felt the dark close in and my head fell back with exhaustion. I'd never known pain like this. Something dark was eating away at my heart and a small part of me wanted to die alongside my pup.