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Pain ripped through my body, a searing agony that stole my breath.

I gripped the sheets, my knuckles white, a strangled cry tearing from my throat.

“You’re close,” Tess informed me, one hand on my abdomen, the other moving between my legs.

Briggs's voice cut through the haze, his hand clutching mine. "You can do this, baby. You're so strong."

I tried to focus on his words, on the cool cloth he pressed to my brow, but another contraction seized me.

" Fuuuuck! " I threw my head back, panting. The pressure was unbearable, overwhelming. I needed to push.

Briggs turned to the midwife, his blue eyes wild with panic. "She’s cursing! She rarely curses! Can't you give her something? Boil some herbs, chant a spell, anything!"

Tess shook her head patiently. "Nature must take its course, Alpha."

He turned his attention to the other female in the room. “Grace? You’re a healer for fuck’s sake. Do something!”

“There’s nothing to heal yet. Plus she’s doing beautifully. Everything is going to plan, Alpha. It’s textbook, really. We’ve done all we can do to make her comfortable, short of knocking her out.”

Briggs cocked his head, then glanced at me. “Is that an option?”

“No!” both females answered immediately.

The powerful Alpha wolf had been reduced to a frantic mess. I understood why he was acting this way but I really needed him to stop talking.

I just had no idea how damn hard having your first baby actually was. I felt like crying.

Why is it so fucking hard? It’s stupid hard.

Another contraction hit and I cried out, my body tensing. "It hurts,” I whined. “And I’m so tired."

“You can do this.”

“Briggs.” If he told me that I can do this one more time I might castrate him.

"You can ." He leaned close, his forehead pressing to mine. "You are Ivy Bardot McClellan, Luna of Darkwood. You're a survivor. A fighter. You can do anything."

“ Briggs. ”

“You’re so beautiful. And smart. And brave. And you can do this.”

I snapped.

“Shut up!”

“Ivy—”