Haley woke from a sound sleep with a hard cramp in her stomach. It felt like a firm kick to her insides. It had been persistent. She didn’t know what was happening to her but it was serious. Then she glanced down and watched the bottom half of her body lay in a pool of water. She called out to Brian.
The lion shifter rushed into the room. “What is it?” His eyes filled with sleep. He tied the belts on his robe. Brian had just laid down to read and go over a list of his companies’ inventory when he heard Haley scream. He dropped what he was doing and gathered up his house coat and opened the door to Haley’s room. He had placed her in the room next to his to keep an eye on her and to thwart any attacks by his young lions who may have been stupid enough to be devoted to their mothers and come between him and a female.
Brian stood gazing down at Haley with her hands wrapped around her mid-section. She was rocking and her face tight from the obvious pain.
“I think I’m having contractions and they’re hard. She held her belly, opened her mouth and screamed. He stood and paced around the room. “Help me,” she yelled. He stood in the same spot confused. He had never been confused before. He had always been calm when one of his mates had given birth. He had never been a part of that. He would go fishing or hunting until everything was over.
“I don’t know what to do, Haley,” he said standing nervously over her not wanting to touch her thinking he could hurt her with his heavy hands.
“You have all those cubs you must have been around them when they were born,” Haley said glancing up at him. There was an expression she recognized on his face. “You mean you left your females to do this all alone?”
“That’s our way. You get them pregnant and the burden is on them. We provide for them and protect them. I’m a shifter. And a lion shifter. Being there to deliver a cub is not expected of me.” When it was convenient to be a shifter Brian took that position and embraced it whole-heartily.
“I thought you were also and first a man?” A loud moan came from Haley and she began rocking and holding her stomach. “Can you at least find a doctor for me?”
“There are no doctors here for miles, and I can’t leave you alone.”
“Then you have to help me.” For the first time Haley saw a frightened look on Brian’s face. He would have to help deliver werewolf babies. “You will need something sharp. A knife or scissors.” Brian raced to get a pair of scissors.
He rushed back. “No. Those are for cooking. They have to be very sharp. Find a knife.”
The lion shifter couldn’t imagine what she would do with the sharp instruments but she was adamant about it. She must have known what she was doing because he hadn’t a clue. He would have to take his instructions from Haley.
When Brian returned with the largest knife, Haley was lying in a pool of blood and between her legs were four small male pups. “Haley you’re bleeding. No one can lose that much blood and live. They’ve killed you.” He raised the knife.
“No. What’s wrong with you, Brian? This is what happens when a female gives birth.”
After Brian had calmed and followed Haley’s instructions, each pup was wrapped separately in a blanket. They were all born pale and pink with fine light blond hair covering their bodies. They looked human but they were werewolves. There was no doubt about it. Three had blue eyes and one had green eyes with a hint of blue.
“Can you get me some help?” Haley said. “Only for a few days.”
“I can get one of my mates to help you.”
“No. I don’t trust them especially since they vowed to kill me and my pups.”
“I’ll go out to the Indian reservation and hire someone. I can help you until then.”
“Are you up for this?” She smiled and Brian sat in the chair next to her.
“It will be something new but I think I can handle it.”
“You need to get that pump you picked up for me. You asked me what it was for, now you will know. I don’t have but two nipples but I have four babies. Do you get the picture? You will have to feed two and I will feed two.” Brian looked confused.
“Not you feed them like that,” she let out a small smile. That’s what the bottles are for. I pump my milk and place it in the bottles and you can hold my pups and feed them. I didn’t know they would come this soon. I never had babies before. I never got a chance to find out from anyone. My mother died shortly after I was adopted.”
“What do I do now?” The reluctant shifter questioned.
Haley handed him one of the pups to hold. “Don’t worry. Your big paws won’t crush him. Just try to be gentle and don’t drop them.”
“What do you mean them? I can’t do this.”
“You have to. Remember you said you would help me and not harm my pups and when they are old enough we would take them to the Samsas and leave them there, and I would go with you. You have to help me keep them healthy until then.” Haley closed her eyes and when Brian called out her name she didn’t wake. He touched her to see if she was alive and she was.
She must have fainted from the exhaustion he thought. He glanced at the pups and followed Haley’s instructions, and when they were cleaned and wrapped in blankets and crying for their first meal, Haley opened her eyes to discover that she was cleaned as well. Brian stood over Haley with the widest smile.
He had never experienced the bringing forth of a life only the taking of one.