Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder
Chapter 641

Chapter 141 : Of All the Nights to be Born

*Xander*

Rowan was pacing back and forth across the length of the library, a glass of scotch clutched sotightly in his hand that I thought it was going to crack. Troy and Ethan were quietly chatting as theysat opposite of each other in two high-backed armchairs. They seemed calm, practically jovial.Rowan, on the other hand, looked like he was going to murder someone.

Lena had kicked me out of the bedroom she was laboring in. I didn't protest, not at the time. I wasplanning on going back up there to relieve Maeve of her “support person” duties once I finished thelight dinner a maid had brought up for us in the library.

I was also waiting for news about the ship carrying Adrian and Abigail to the port of Findali, whichwas late because of the thunderstorm that was brewing over Mirage. Rain was starting to patteragainst the windows, but I found the sound comforting. I hoped Lena would, too.

“Can I get you another drink?" I asked Rowan, who was either ignoring me or didn't hear me,whichever one. I let out my breath in a long, drawn-out sigh. I hated that Lena was suffering.Knowing that she was in pain was ripping me to shreds. But her agony was coming out sideways,and she was lashing out at everyone and everything. I couldn't comfort her right now, and it waskilling me.

I didn't let it show. I walked back over to the long table in the center of the library and forkedanother bite of roast beef into my mouth, washing it down with tepid coffee. It was going to be along night. Lena wasn't progressing as fast as we originally thought.

The library door swung open and Maeve walked inside, red in the face and her hair tied in a messy,somewhat sweaty bun on the top of her head.

Everyone in the room turned to her, and for a moment my heart dropped into my stomach thinkingI'd missed the birth, but Maeve caught my gaze and shook her head.

“She's fine—pissed, but just fine. She said she was going to try to sleep for a while,” Maeve breathed,glancing toward the food on the table.

I motioned for her to eat as I walked toward the door leading out of the hallway and into the first-floor corridor. I didn't look back as muted conversation about Lena and the baby rippled throughthe air. Maeve would fill them in, I was sure, and I'd replace out for myself what kind of shape Lena wasin now.

I walked up the grand stone staircase to the third floor. It was quiet up here, and down onedarkened corridor I could see our bedroom door was slightly ajar, but darkened. I let out the breathI was holding, thankful she was able to get some rest.

But then I heard whispering coming from the sitting room just across the hall from our bedroom.

I stepped inside the sitting room to replace Hanna with her arms crossed over her chest, her cheekspink with emotion while the midwife, a portly older woman who I found out had a mean streak,packed up her things.

"What's going on?" I said in a hiss as I stepped into the room.

Hanna's eyes flicked up to mine before she ran her hands over her face, her shoulders slumping inresignation.

“The labor has stalled. That baby isn't coming til tomorrow, I guarantee it-"

"Where are you going?" I asked sharply as she gathered up her bag. She blinked up at me,shrugging her shoulders.

"Another birth. I'll be back in the morning,” she replied casually, pushing past me toward the door.I opened my mouth to tell her to stop, and that she was staying, but she was gone before I couldutter another word.

Hanna sucked in her breath behind me, hugging herself. I turned to face her, my face twisted inconfusion. “What the hell is going on?"

“Lena's contractions slowed, and she hasn't made any progress since this afternoon"

“So the midwife just left?"

“There's another mother who is progressing quicker, I guess.”

"Hanna," I protested. But before I could say anything else, I heard yelling in the hallway.

Rowan stormed into the room, red in the face.

"Where the hell does she think she's going?" Rowan growled, shutting the door behind him. Iexhaled, crossing my arms over my chest as Rowan and I turned to Hanna, who paled under ourshared gaze.

“There's nothing I can do about it!" she argued. “Lena is fine, anyway. She's asleep"

“I'll call the car around. We're taking her to the hospital,” Rowan said firmly, running his fingersthrough his hair.

“No, that's not what she wants!" Hanna protested, and I felt the electricity between the two matesfall over us like a wet blanket.

"We're going to let her sleep,” I said with conviction. “If things get worse, we'll have the midwifecome back. If her labor has truly stalled, then there's nothing a hospital could do for her, either.” Iturned to Hanna, looking deep into her pale brown eyes for understanding. “Is she alright-and thebaby?"

“They're fine."

“Then we wait it out.”

“There's another midwife nearby. I'll have someone call down to her practice and see if she cancome,” Rowan said, his voice leveling out as his initial anger subsided.

“I think it's best if the original midwife doesn't come back, anyway. Lena doesn't like her, and I don'teither,” I declared, which elicited a nod from Hanna.

I let my arms relax at my sides and gave them a nod in farewell as I stepped out of the room andwalked across the hallway, sliding into our bedroom and shutting the door behind me. Lena wasasleep in the bed with what looked like five bedrooms worth of pillows around her. Her hair wasdamp with sweat, and her face was twisted in a painful scowl, but she was asleep. She was fine.She'd be fine.

I walked across the room and sat in the armchair near the window so I could have a full view of herface as she laid on her side. Rain was streaming down the windows now, and outside, the wind wasstarting to pick up. I'd been warned about the thunderstorms in this part of the realm; they werevicious and violent.

"Of all the nights to be born,” I whispered to my unborn daughter, “you chose this one?"

Lena let out a howl that made a shiver run down my spine. Her fingernails were ripping through myskin as she stood in front of me, bent at the waist, her head pressing into my stomach. I wasbreathing hard, watching as Maeve and Hanna hurried around the room with two maids as they laidout towels, linens, and supplies.

It was 3:00 in the morning. The sky outside was black as death, and thunder made the glass panes inthe windows tremble violently as the room was lit up by a flash of blue lightning. Lena screamed,and not from the storm. This baby was coming now, and fast.

“There's no word at all from the midwives," a third maid cried as she rushed into the room with abasket full of supplies. Gauze and antiseptic jostled in her basket as she hurried to the bed, whereMaeve was laying out several blankets and towels. There was an old infirmary downstairs that hadn'tbeen staffed in years, but it had everything we needed. At least, I hoped.

Two hours ago, Lena had woken up screaming for help. Now, I was holding onto her for dear lifewhile she brought our daughter into the world without any assistance from the midwives.

Lena stilled, looking up at me with tears in her eyes, but no fear. Determination was etched into herexpression, a righteous fury behind her eyes that immediately sent a rush of calm through my body."Are you ready?" I asked, and she nodded.

I sucked in my breath and tore my gaze from hers to look at Maeve and Hanna, who were standingside by side as the maids readied the room.

Rosalie walked through the door, glancing at me and Lena with a soft smile on her face as Elaineand Clare lingered in the doorway.

There were three White Queens in this room. We'd be okay. All I could do now was to continuetelling myself that Lena and Alexis would make it through this.

“The creek overflowed and the road to the castle is washed out. I don't know about the trail-"Rosalie began, but Lena's moan of pure agony cut her off.

I held her head against my chest, her cheek pressed against the sweat-soaked fabric of my T-shirt. Iclosed my eyes, letting that shadow of power embrace us, trying in vain to take the edge off someof her pain.

“Where do you want to be?" I asked in a whisper. “Do you want to lie down?"

“I don't think I can move," she breathed, her body beginning to tremble. I opened my eyes to replaceHanna, Maeve, and Elaine hurrying to gather the towels off the bed and lay them around Lena'sfeet. Clare stood next to Rosalie, her face pale and eyes wide.

I was holding Lena upright, and she was using me to bare down. But her knees began to give out,her body trying to slump to the floor.

“I need to lower you down-"

“It hurts so much,” she cried, looking up at me through eyes blurred with endless tears.

I felt the fear pass through her. She'd been laboring in absolute agony for hours now, thecontractions unceasing. She was exhausted, I could see it in her face as I bent my knees and gentlylowered her to the ground so she was lying on her back.

It dawned on me what was about to happen.

So it seemed like I was going to be the one to bring our daughter into the world. It was going to beme.

I'd never delivered a baby before. The only newborn experience I had was holding Flora and Avawith Ciana hovering over me like a hawk, making sure I was supporting their necks.

Lena was whimpering, her face reddened with pain and exertion. The pale gray dress she waswearing that fell just below her knees was soaked with sweat, clinging to her skin. I kept my eyes onher as I reached between her legs and felt... a foot.

I stifled my internal panic, but I flicked my eyes toward Hanna, who noticed the way my body wentrigid. She took a few slow, cautious steps toward me and knelt beside me, her hand on Lena's knee.She felt what I'd felt, and she met my eye.

What the f**k were we going to do?

I didn't notice Clare until she squatted at my side. She sucked in her breath, looking between meand Hanna as understanding passed through her eyes.

“You need to get her up, now. She needs to be standing—"

“What-" I choked, but Clare cut me off.

"She needs to be standing! Get her up!" Clare's voice was laced with urgency.

Lena was crying now, calling out for Hanna. My heart squeezed in my chest as I wrapped my armsaround Lena and tried to get her upright, her screams of pain and protest cutting through my soul.“The baby is breech," Clare said sharply toward Maeve, Rosalie, and the maids. Clare rolled up hersleeves and shoved past a maid toward the bathroom, and I heard water running. Lena was clawingme with her fingernails as I held her upright, her body shaking violently.

Clare came out of the bathroom smelling sharply of rubbing alcohol, but her eyes were blazing withdetermination. How did she know what to do?

She was kneeling at my feet in an instant, guiding our child into the world while I held onto mymate for dear life.

Clare grunted with frustration and Lena screamed loud enough to drown out another clap ofthunder.

Maeve rushed forward, her voice a soft lullaby as she matched Hanna's calm words ofencouragement in Lena's ears. Lena was beyond lucidity at this point, a contraction rolling throughher that nearly made her eyes roll back in her head.

“Push now, Lena!" Clare cried, and Lena did.