Chapter 163
Kennedy
When I walk back into the room, I begin asking Lillian questions about how long she’s been in labor, if she’s had any pre- natal care, and if she’s lost any pups during pregnancy or delivery before.
“This is our first pup, Luna. If you can’t save them both, please save my mate. I’ll give her another pup, but I don’t want to lose her, Terrance says.
“My goal is to save them both,” I say, as I put the IV in Lillian’s arm and get the drip started before turning to set up the ultrasound machine.
“Alright, let’s see what we’ve got. Lillian, I know you’re in a lot of pain, but I need to try and see what’s going on.” Terrance holds her hand while she grits her teeth through the pain.
As soon as I begin running the wand over her stomach, I know what the problem is.
“Your baby is breech. You’ll never be able to deliver him in this position,” I say, running the wand around her stomach to make sure that he hasn’t ruptured the uterus. Everything looks to be intact, he’s just not in the right position to give birth.
“Him? Did you say we’re having a boy?” she asks me.
“Yes, you’re going to have a boy. So, right now, I need you to sit up for me, Lillian. Terrance, you’ll help hold her steady. I’m going to give you an epidural. It’s going to numb you from the waist down and then I’m going to deliver your son.”
I’ve inserted epidurals before, but never without my mother or Noelle watching to make sure I did it right.
“Terrance, pull my phone out of my back pocket,” I say, turning enough for him to pull it out for me. He lays it on the bed.
“Siri, call Mom,” I say, and look at Lillian. “Deep breath, Lillian. Take a real deep breath for me. I’m going to numb the area and then I’m going to insert the needle for the epidural.” I hear her hiss as I numb the area.
“Okay, I need you to take another deep breath for me and this time, I’m going to insert the catheter when you exhale, and then we can start the epidural. It will take fifteen to thirty minutes to take effect, but you should start feeling the effects in a few minutes. Okay. Deep breath,” I say.
While she breathes in, I look at the phone. It went to voicemail.
As she exhales, I slide the needle into her spinal column, before putting the catheter in, then I tape it to her body before helping Terrance to get her to lie down. Then, I turn on the anesthetic and pull off my gloves, calling my mother again.
“I’ll be right back. Try to relax while this takes effect. You should start getting some relief from the pain soon,” I say.
It goes to voicemail again. I look at the time. It’s still early in the morning. She could be sleeping, but more likely, my father skipped warrior training and is keeping my mother busy. I dial her number again, stepping out of the room.
She answers right before it goes to voicemail. She’s panting and brushing her sweaty hair out of her face.
“Kennedy, is everything alright?”
“No Mom, I need your help. Tell Dad I’m sorry, but I need you.”
“Kennedy, what’s wrong?” I hear my father’s deep voice in the background and I know I was right about interrupting them.
“It’s mom I need,” I say. She begins moving quickly, I’m assuming out of bed.
“Tell me what it is,” she says.
Chapter 163
I tell her about Lillian and her breech baby.
“Epidural?” she asks, quickly getting dressed,
“It’s in,” I say, looking at the clock on the wall. “It’s been nearly fifteen minutes.”
+13)
“Okay, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to put me on speakerphone and video. I want to see her ultrasound and I need to see her”
“Okay,” I say, feeling relived that my mom is here to help me. I walk back inside and look at Lillian.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her.
“Better, but not completely numb yet.”
“That’s normal. I have my mom on the phone. I’m going to put her on speakerphone and video so she can walk me through how to help you. You know my mother is a world–class doctor, right?”
“We’ve heard,” Terrance says.
I turn back to my phone and turn on the video and speaker. I introduce my mother to Terrance and Lillian and she let’s them know that they are going to be just fine.
“Did my daughter tell you that we have a rule in our hospitals?” she asks and I smile, even with my nervousness.
“No,” Lillian says, looking at me.
“No one dies in our hospital. It’s kind of a thing with us,” I tell her.
“That’s a good thing,” Lillian says.
I turn and begin telling my mother everything I know about Lillian’s labor, showing her the ultrasound images and how the baby is seated in the uterus.
“Okay, let’s test the feeling in her stomach and legs,” my mother says.
“Terrance, can you hold the phone while I do this?” I ask.
He comes over and takes the phone while I begin pressing a needle against Lillian’s skin. When she doesn’t respond, I know we’re ready.
“Lillian, are you familiar with a Cesarean section?” I ask her.
“You’re going to cut my stomach open, right?” she asks.
“Yes, and I’m going to get your son out that way.”
“Terrance,” she says, with fear in her voice.
“Uh…” he says, trying to figure out how to be there for his mate and hold the phone at the same time.
‘Quirin, I need you in the hospital right now, I say, opening the mind link and closing it again right away.
I grab a sheet, expecting it to take Quirin a few minutes to get here, but he must have been in the waiting room because he walks in before I can even get the sheet up to block Lillian’s view.
“What can I do?” he asks.
“Terrance, give Quirin the phone,” I say, placing the sheet in between me and Terrance and Lillian.
2/4
08:36 Fri, 7 Mar BB.
Chapter 163
* € 70%@
“Quirin, Mom is going to help me with this procedure. I need you to make sure the can see what I’m doing to the can guide me,” I say, barely looking at him. I squeeze my hands together, willing the shaking from earlier to stop, and I take a deep
breath.
“You’ve got this, Kennedy. You’ve done it before, first a few weeks ago with Anna. You can do it again. I have complete faith in you,” my mother says confidently.
I nod, my mother’s words grounding me as I open my eyes and grab the scalpel.
My mother guides me through the process of cutting into Lillian’s stomach. I use Quirin to help me with the retractor in open the skin and miscle around her abdomen and then I carefully slice into her uterus, following my mother’s calm directives.
When I pull the baby boy out of Lillian’s womb, I feel tears begin streaking down my cheeks.
“Kennedy, take the baby and begin the process of removing the fluid from his nose and throat. Quirin, show me the heart monitor so I can check on Lillian,” my mother says.
I take the baby and suck the mucus and fluid out of his nose and mouth and begin rubbing him roughly until he begins to cry angrily. Then I wash him off and wrap him up before taking him back to Lillian and Terrance.
“Congratulations. You have a baby boy.” I say.
I lay him in Lillian’s arms and return to her lower body so I can sew her back up. Again, my mother walks me through the process, making sure that I do it right and after I put in the last stitch and tape up the incision, I feel like I might collapse.
“Quirin, when is the last time my daughter ate?” she asks, apparently seeing me and realizing that my hands aren’t as steady as they should be.
“It’s been much too long, Luna,” he says, watching me.
“Let’s make sure mom and baby are doing well, then you need to take care of your mate, Alpha.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says.
I take the phone and he pulls the sheet away. Mom and I make sure that Lillian is able to nurse and Quirin finds a bassinet somewhere. Lillian is asleep before I leave the room and Quirin brings in a cot for Terrance to sleep on if he chooses to.
I walk out of the room, feeling like a zombie walking through a fog when Terrance rushes out of the room behind us. “Luna. Luna, I can’t thank you enough. I’m forever in your debt. Please, I know you’re angry at the pack and we deserve your anger, but many of us have seen the benefit that you bring to our pack. There are many of us who love and admire you, Luna. I just wanted you to know that.”
I nod. “Thanks, Terrance.”
I wait until he’s back in the room with Lillian and his son before I turn to walk out. I really need that shower now.
Before I realize what’s happening, Quirin scoops me into his arms.
“What are you doing?” I ask weakly, leaning my head against his chest, not having the strength to argue with him about carrying me.
“I’m following your mother’s orders. She’s right, you need to eat. I’ve never seen your hands shake before Kennedy and you’re dead on your feet. You’ve been going non–stop for two days. I know you’re still furious with me, but I’m not going to let you fall on your face because you don’t want me touching you. You can yell at me when you’re strong again.”
I nod. “I am still mad at you.”
3/4
Chapter 163
“I know, and you have every right to be angry with me. I was wrong and you were right. But I will love you and I’m going to take care of you. Get some sleep.”
I nod again and thankfully, I’m asleep before we get to the packhouse and the hideous scent of burning food
田
