Page 18 of Bonding with the Beta (Fated Souls #2)

18

KAYLEIGH

“ W as last-minute shopping a good idea when you’re literally ready to pop?” I laugh hesitantly as I watch Ava clutch her belly as we walk around the shopping centre.

She waves a hand at me. “Jax was driving me crazy. I needed to get out of the house.”

“Define crazy…”

“Unbearably protective,” she mumbles.

I narrow my eyes at her. “You are carrying a baby.”

“I know, but still. I need some breathing space. He barely let me come out today. I had to give him your number in case,” she huffs.

“He loves you, Ava. Of course, he’s going to care and worry about you.”

“I know, Kayleigh.” She turns to me with a small smile. “I’m so excited to meet her, but I’m also very aware that things are going to change forever.”

I reach down to take her hand and give it a soft squeeze. “Yeah, your life will change forever, but it will be the best thing ever. A little baby that’s half you, half Jaxon. That’s so special.”

Ava beams at this. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m just nervous.”

“I’m sure all first-time mothers are nervous. It’s okay. You have the best support system around you possible,” I grin. “And I’m going to be the best fake auntie ever.”

She chuckles gently. “No doubt you’ll be getting her up to no good.”

I wink at her. “Always. When she’s older, of course.”

“Oh, goodness,” she murmurs. “It’s going to be chaos.”

“What did you need to get?”

“Nothing, really. I have everything I need. But I wanted to have a look at some extra bits,” she says as we enter a shop, and she touches a tiny yellow pinafore. “There is only so much TV I can watch before my eyes literally turn square.”

“I like that one.” I gesture towards the clothes between her fingers. “Perfect for summer.”

Ava nudges me. “Great minds think alike.”

“When’s your due date?”

“Two weeks today.”

My eyes widen a fraction. “And you’re sure you’re okay to be out?”

“I’m pregnant, Kay. Not bedridden. I’m fine.”

I nod as we explore the shop for the cutest baby clothes. Ava grabs a couple of bits that she says she didn’t even need but couldn’t leave without them. When we leave, she places a hand on her hip.

“Is it okay if we go sit down?” Ava asks. “I’m getting a bit exhausted.”

“Of course,” I say.

We slowly walk towards a bench in the walkway of the shopping centre. Ava bends over before we reach it, pressing a hand on her lower back and releasing a strained sound like she’s in pain.

“What’s wrong?” I grab her arm to stabilise her.

“Nothing,” she heaves. “Just a sharp pain.”

“You sure?” I ask wearily.

Ava nods, but her eyes glass over with discomfort. “Yeah, I think—” She pauses briefly. “Oh, no.”

“What?” I cry out, feeling completely useless.

She pulls up her dress slightly, and my eyes move down to her legs, now dripping with fluid. I gulp at the sight, frozen in place. Her worried eyes look up at me as she shakes my arm.

“D-did your water just break?” I ask breathlessly.

“Yeah,” she whimpers.

Then she clamps down onto my arm again and releases a low groan.

“What is happening?” I murmur pathetically. “Ava, I don–”

Is she going into labour now?

What does broken water mean?

Does she need to start pushing?

Hell, I know nothing about pregnancy.

“Oh my God,” I say, although I’m panicking.

“I need to go h-home,” she huffs.

“Oh my God,” I blubber again.

A group of people begin to crowd round and ask if everything is okay. We somehow move her to the bench as I stare between all of them with an open mouth.

“I got it,” a middle-aged woman tells me as she raises her phone to her ear. “Just be there for her.”

“No ambulance.” Ava waves a hand. “I-I need to go home.”

“You’re about to give birth. Of course you need an ambulance.”

“Oh my God,” I exhale for the third time.

“I’m the one having a baby, Kayleigh,” Ava says through gritted teeth. “Pull yourself together.”

I suck in a deep breath and nod. “Got it.”

Ava cries out again and squeezes my hand. “Ah, fuck,” she hisses.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” I whisper. “The ambulance will be here soon.”

My voice is shaky despite trying my hardest to keep calm, which I am not even a fraction of. My best friend is about to have a baby. Holy shit. This is happening.

“Do you feel like you need to push?” the same woman asks.

Ava shakes her head. “It hurts so much,” she strains.

“Ambulance said they would be here any second,” she says, trying to calm her but it’s no use.

“Th-at’s not s-soon enough,” she whimpers.

I stroke back her hair clinging to her forehead. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

She turns to me with tears stinging her eyes. “G-get Jax,” she murmurs. “Please. I need him.”

“Okay.” I nod and tug my phone from my pocket.

“Ambulance is here,” the woman says as I look up to find two paramedics running towards us.

“Get Jax,” she whimpers again. “He isn’t responding to me. Please.”

My brows furrow at her words, but before I have time to question her, the paramedics approach us and start talking to Ava. I move out of the way and stare down at my phone, flicking to find Kayden’s number.

My hands shake vigorously as I hold it to my ear, listening as the phone rings and rings. I step away from her and the paramedics before I start getting impatient. I lift my thumb to my mouth and begin to bite my nail.

“Fuck’s sake,” I curse. “Pick up, you idiot–”

“Kayleigh,” his voice is low and lazy. “Miss me already? I knew yo–”

“Shut up!”

He goes quiet instantly.

“It’s Ava, her water just broke. They’re taking her to the hospital. You need to tell Jaxon.” I sputter.

Kayden exhales a long breath. “Oh, shit. What hospital?”

“The closest one to the shopping centre, I guess.”

“Alright, we’re on our way.” Then the call is disconnected.

Ava is wheeled away to the car park where the ambulance is waiting. I climb into the back with her as they drive away. I find her terrified eyes, and I know exactly what she’s worried about—giving birth without Jaxon.

I latch onto her hand as she grips onto me so tightly that I think my fingers might fall off. Her strength is shocking. But it’s okay because she is going to be in a lot more pain than I am.

Tears stain her cheeks. “I’m so scared, Kayleigh,” she breathes heavily.

I try not to frown at her words and be strong for her. “You’ve got this, Ava. Jaxon is on the way to the hospital now. Okay? They were leaving before we even left the shopping centre.”

She nods at me but chokes out a sob at the same time.

“You’ve got this,” I remind her, forcing a confident smile. “You are strong, and you can do this.”

Ava shakes her head aggressively. “I need him here. I can’t do this alone,” she cries, her distress taking over. “We had it all planned out. This isn’t how it was meant to go.”

“You can do it.” I bring her hand up to my lips and kiss the skin softly. “He will be right there with you once we get to the hospital, okay? I promise you.”

I don’t know if I can keep that promise, but seeing her like this is shattering me to pieces. I know Jaxon will do everything in his power to ensure he is there for her.

Her worried eyes flick between mine before she sniffles. “Thank you for being here.”