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Selena nods and tightens her grip on my hand. The next contraction begins building through our bond, and this time I know what's coming. So does my Lycan.

Again.

"Yeah."

I open the bond and pull some of Selena's pain into myself.

Fuck.

My entire body locks. I bite down on my bottom lip before I can yell again, sinking my teeth in so hard blood fills my mouth and drips down both sides of my chin.

Holy fucking shit. I grip the side of Selena's bed and force myself to stay on my feet.

Pain, my Lycan growls.

"No fucking kidding. Women have to go through this much fucking pain to have a baby?"

My Lycan goes quiet for a moment before answering. Shewolves strong.

I look at Selena. She's breathing through the same contraction I'm barely surviving, except I'm only carrying some of her pain.

"I have a whole new fucking respect for every pregnant shewolf in our pack."

Warriors.

"Yeah. They're the real fucking warriors." Another wave hits me, and my grip tightens on the bed. "We're upgrading everything."

Everything.

"Pregnancy facilities. Nesting rooms. Whatever they need before the pups come and whatever they need afterward. I don't fucking care what it costs."

Give mates better nests.

Despite the pain ripping through me, I almost laugh. "Yeah. Better fucking nests too."

“Push, Luna,” the doctor says.

Selena bears down with a cry, and the pain fucking doubles. My knees threaten to give out again as I grip the bed harder.

“Fuck.”

Selena's eyes snap toward me.

“I'm good.” I'm absolutely not fucking good. “Keep going.”

She pushes until the contraction finally releases us. Selena falls back against the bed, breathing hard while I suck in air and wipe the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand.

Her eyes widen. “You're bleeding.”

“I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”

I stare at my mate. She's lying in a hospital bed after being kidnapped, poisoned, trapped underground, and forced to escape while pregnant. She's in labor, and somehow she's asking if I'm okay.

“Baby, I am never questioning anything a pregnant shewolf asks me for again.”

A tired laugh slips out of her.