Page 46 of The Baby Contract

I was exhausted.

My body was tired and weak. I could barely open my eyes. I felt like I was in a coma.

The days carried on as I slept.

I heard my babies' cries multiple times a day. They were sweet, little, faint cries. It was soothing in a way to hear their voices.

Alpha Stormblade was close. In fact, he was close all of the time. One night, I heard him weeping by my bedside. It surprised me that he was so full of emotion. He had never cried before.

I heard him and Ember arguing often outside of my door. She had come many times in the last few days, but Alpha always turned her away, which led to a huge argument.

"Theo," Kate scolded in a whisper. "You need to calm your wolf. You are going to wake Millie up. You are being so loud."

Alpha's wolf was loud as he whimpered. As the days passed, he became more and more restless. "Will she ever wake up, Mom? It's almost been a week."

Kate sighed deeply before I felt her gentle hand stroke my hair. "Millie just gave birth to not only one but two babies. Let her rest."

Alpha picked up my limp hand, warming it in his large one. "She didn't want to hold the twins."

"I know that hurts, honey- "Kate sounded sad. "It hurts us all. But these things can take time. Millie just needs time. She will eventually bond with them. That is in our nature as wolves."

Alpha gripped my hand. "I love her, Mom. I can't-"

"Shh-"Kate hushed. "You cannot say those things with your mate listening. That is wrong, Theo. And you know it."

I heard Kate move to the other side of the bed closer to Alpha. "You and Millie will always have a special bond, sweetheart." She soothed. "She will always be a part of you, and you will always be a part of her. You both made two gorgeous little pups together."

Alpha's wolf whined louder at Kate's words, audibly becoming upset. "I just don't know what to do."

"Well, you can start by taking your wolf for a run before you wake up Millie and the babies- "Kate scolded. "And don't even try and fight with me. We both know he is restless to be let out. Why don't you go on a run?"

Alpha sighed defeatedly. "I don't want to leave her."

"Nothing is going to happen, sweetheart," Kate whispered. "Millie and the babies are both sound asleep. The twins just got their diapers changed. They will be fine for a while. They are content here with their mom."

Alpha let out a huge breath before I heard the chair as he got up. "Okay."

The door clicked closed a moment later. The room went quiet, for the first time in days.

My eyes felt like they had bricks on them. When I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry. I could barely make out the two little bassinets beside me. My ears pounded with the sound of my heart rate beeping on the monitor.

I sat up slowly, quickly finding cords all around me. I had an IV in my arm, plugging into what looked like a million tubes. One of them must have been feeding me. I wonder what other drugs I had been given.

I felt Doctor Rowan and the nurses playing with my IV often while I was sleeping.

I weakly reached up to rip the annoying tube from under my nose. I instantly regretted it, as I gasped for air, trying for the first time in days to breathe on my own.

My babies were here.

I blinked as I looked over at one of the bassinets. There was one of my babies, sleeping soundly with her eyes closed. The sight of her made my heart skip a beat.

She was tucked snuggly into a pink swaddle. Her little head was covered in a matching pink hat with a bow.

I reached to the other side of the bed to look at my other baby. He was identical to his sister, in a baby blue swaddle and matching hat. They both sucked eagerly on their pacifiers.

"My babies-" I cried softly, laying my shaking hand over my mouth. "My little blessings."

My head spun when I saw them. They smelt so sweet, the perfect combination of Alpha and I. They both struggled against their swaddles, wanting to kick their little feet in the air.

I laid back, feeling weak again. I thought about how Ember and Alpha sounded when they argued. Ember's voice was raspy and persistent, eager to start her new life with her mate.

Alpha held back. He would get angry, then when he realized he was waking me or the babies, he would calm down.

Would my babies ever know the truth that I am their mother and not Ember?

"Psst-"

What the hell?

"Millie!" a light, but persistent knock sounded. "Open the window!"

I blinked. Was my mind deceiving me? Am I hearing things? It was probably from all the drugs I was on.

"Hello-"the familiar voice sang. "Open the hell up!"

Was that who I thought it was?

No, it was impossible. There was no way-

That's when the window swung open, a small, thin creature squeezing through and thumping to the floor. "Ow!"

"Nova?" I breathed, my heart monitor beeping wildly. "Nova, what the hell are you doing here?"

Nova rubbed her head as she slowly stood up from the floor. "Goddess, you could have at least let me in, Mills."

"Nova-" I shivered at the sight of her. "How, what-"

Nova ran to the bed, engulfing me in her small, bony embrace. She squeezed me tightly as I soaked in her vanilla scent, the smell alone bringing me to tears.

"Oh my goddess, Millie," she wept. "I can't believe I found you, that we are together again."

Tears slipped off both of our cheeks as we locked eyes for the first time in nine months. "How the hell did you get in here? How did you find me? How did you escape-"

Nova silenced me with her finger. "My best friend is Millie Rose after all. She taught me everything I know."

Nova looked around the room. "Oh my goddess, are these both yours? My best friend had twins?"

I shed a tear as Nova rushed to them. As my scenes cleared, I noticed something different about Nova. She dressed differently. She wasn't in her dirty, patched-up maid uniform from Eclipse. She was dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and pants. They looked like a man's.

"Nova, how did you get those cloth-"

"Oh, Millie-"Nova bent over to pick up the boy. "A boy and a girl?" she jumped excitedly. "I can't believe it! They both have your nose and oh-" she beamed. "Such chubby cheeks!"

"What did you name them?"

What did I name them? Did Alpha Stormblade name them? I mean, it has been days since their birth.

"The girl-"I thought. "To her Mommy, she's Elora."

I smiled as Nova held her. "The boy he's- "I studied his tiny figure. "He's Elijah. At least to me. They will always be Elora and Elijah."

Nova cuddled the babies in her arms. "Elora and Elijah." She repeated. "They are perfect."

"Nova," I stressed. "You need to go." I pained. "If Orion or Grey find out that you left Eclipse, they will kill you without a second thought."

"And, it's been days since I gave birth," I recalled, painfully wracking my brain for information. "The Contract states I am only supposed to stay for three days post-birth. They will be here to get me soon and take me back to Eclipse."

"And, and-" I rambled. "You trespassed on Stormblade lands. You can't let them catch you, Nova. If they do, they will most definitely send you down to the dungeon to be sentenced for trespassing."

"Honestly, I'm surprised no one from Stormblade has found you yet." I closed my eyes painfully, continuing my rant. "They have border patrol surrounding their lands day and night."

Nova paled as she bit her lip nervously. "They are coming. Orion is coming to get you," Nova breathed heavily, sitting next to me on the bed. "That's why I came as soon as I could."

"You have to leave now," Nova shivered. "I knew I had to come when I heard- "

"When you heard what? What happened?" I pressed, grabbing her arm. "Nova, you have to tell me now."

Nova let out a shaky breath. "Orion he's-"she stumbled. "He's planning something really bad. He's, he's going to "

"Say it."

"Kill you," she painfully closed her eyes. "The moment you return to Eclipse. He's been talking about it for months. He's been threatening to kill anyone who dares get in his way."

Nova shook. "He killed Kaya, Millie." She cried, looking at the floor. "He killed Kaya."

He killed Kaya as a warning. To assert his dominance. Kaya was a young girl, no older than fourteen. She tried to stop Grey from beating me when I passed out on the floor. That day he came to punish me, she stood up for me, trying to convince him to leave me alone.

Now, she was dead.

It made me sick. She was innocent. She was full of life. But to them, she was just a maid who had defied them.

"They've been beating me every day since you left," Nova admitted, playing with her sleeve. "They knew if you weren't around, there was no one to protect me."

I immediately grabbed Nova's sleeve, pulling it up. I was stunned by what I saw. Nova's arm was all bone, bruised from her hand to her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry- "

"No," Nova hushed me, pulling her sleeve down. "This is not your fault. I will not let you feel bad about it. You have always protected us, Millie, and what Orion, Grey, and your so-called mate did to you is unspeakable."

"In our hearts," Nova smiled, pointing to my chest. "We know what you really are to us. We know all of those fights you endured were not just for fun and games. You were our provider. The only reason we all ate at night."

"That's why- "she stood looking at the door. "We came to get you."

Nova walked over to the window, motioning me over. "Come look."

I stood shakily, adjusting my hospital gown. I was sore from the days before.

That's when I saw it. Dad's bright red Camaro.

"All of the maids saved their paychecks for months to buy it from the junkyard. Not only was it your dad's-"Nova laughed. "It was also the only car we could afford."

Two warriors popped out of the back, waving up at us. I looked at Nova with disbelief. "I brought some help. They were more than happy to invade the Stormblade lands to come get you."

I backed up, feeling the cords of my IV holding me back. "Nova, I-"I stumbled in disbelief. "I-I can't go. I can't leave my babies. I can't-"

Nova stroked my cheek gently, seeming to think about this. "Then let's take them."

"What?"

"Fuck it!" Nova shook her head. "Let's take them."

"No, what?" I gasped. "No, we can't. Alpha Stormblade would find them. He would hunt us down for his pups."

"We can raise them," Nova nodded eagerly. "We can be one of those best friends turned lesbian couples that raise babies together! You know, like one of those TV shows!"

I touched Elijah and Elora's bassinets. "They belong to him, Nova. It's all in The Contract. Plus, I can't take them where we are going. It won't be safe."

"Millie?" Kate's sweet voice sounded worried. "Are you awake, honey? I thought I may have heard something."

"Shit." Nova and I both looked at each other in panic. Nova ran over to the door locked it and threw a chair in front under the knob.

Kate's knocking persisted. "Fuck, we have to go. Now."

Nova grabbed my hand, ripping out the tape on my IV. "What-"

"Doesn't take a genius to rip out an IV," Nova said, doing as she said, leaving my hand sore. When it came out, the machine flatlined, causing the machine to emit a loud, piercing noise. "Come on!"

Nova grabbed my hand, throwing me a pair of pants and a long-sleeved shirt. "Put this on, quick!"

"Millie!" Kate's knock became more like a pound. She tried the doorknob, struggling with it. "Millie, let me in!" she frantically shook it. "Theo! Cassian!"

I stripped out of my hospital gown quickly, stumbling over the pants as I pulled them on. As the machine continued beeping and the door continued to be pounded on, the babies both started crying.

Nova slipped out of the small window, her tiny size making it easy for her. She looked back at me, offering her hand.

"Wait," I ran towards the bassinet to find my fussy babies. "I have to say goodbye."

I reached my hands down into Elijah and Elora's crib, stroking their cheeks. "Mommy loves you. She will always love you."

"Come on, Millie!" Nova waved frantically. "We have to run if we are going to make it!"

The glass on the door broke as someone punched it, causing it to shatter. I looked back at Elijah and Elora one more time before taking Nova's hand and sliding out the window.

We both slid down the roof, holding onto each other for stability as we tried to use our feet to stop ourselves from falling to our immediate deaths.

We both hit the ground hard. Two sets of hands grabbed us, helping us up from the ground and into Dad's Camaro.

The warriors sat in the front. It was Michael and June. Michael was a warrior who worked closely with my Dad patrolling the borders. He was like family to us for so many years.

June was one of my Mom's trainees. She was one of her best. She was banished from her warrior duties when Orion became Alpha. I believe it was because they were jealous of the warrior my Mother had trained.

Orion and Grey could never train a wolf like her.

It felt great to be back in their presence. Eclipse, as horrible of a state it was in, was home. And, Micheal, June, Nova, and the others were my pack. My family. They were where I belonged.

The Camaro revved, pushing us both back into the leather seats as Michael stepped on the gas. "Damn it!" June looked over her shoulder. "They're on to us!"

Nova looked back as the trees flew by, her face pale as she looked out the window. "Not just the warriors," June gripped the seat. "Beta Darkmoon is right on our trail!"

Nova played with her fingers nervously. She tore her eyes away from Boris, who was now chasing us in wolf form.

"He's fast!" June yelled, looking back in a panic. "He's going to catch us! Oh goddess, we are all fucked! Step on it!"

Micheal looked back in the rearview mirror at the angry, black wolf. "I'm trying!"

Nova shrunk in the seat, hiding from the window. I had never seen Boris as angry as he was right now. His wolf was ravenous, his canines out as he growled loudly at his new prey. Boris was always gentle and caring. He wasn't a wolf who killed for no reason.

His large paw slowed the Camaro down as he struck it in the back, taking out the taillight. "Oh no- "Nova put her hands over her face. "Please no."

"What the hell?" I inspected Nova's state. "What's going on? Why is his wolf like that?"

Michael, June, and I looked back at Nova, who was now laughing nervously. "I may have forgotten to mention a little detail."

"That's why you smell different," I grabbed Nova by the shoulders. "And, how you got these clothes!"

"I'm not a slut!" Nova shouted, the car now shaking again. "You know me, Millie! I'm not like that! I don't sleep around."

"But-"she breathed nervously, all of our eyes on her. "I may have slept with the Beta."

"That's how you got into the borders!" I blinked in disbelief. "No way."

I reached to grab the collar of her shirt, pulling it down. It revealed a set of red, swollen canine marks. It was Boris' mating mark.

Nova caught my hand. "I know what you're thinking, and no." she pulled her shirt back up, covering his mark. "I'm not leaving you."

"Nova, listen to me," I grabbed her face, staring deep into her sad, desperate eyes. "This is everything. Everything. You have ever wanted."

"No- "

"Yes." I shook my head, stopping her. "He is your prince charming. The one you have always dreamed of. He will save you. He will protect you. He will ensure your happiness and safety."

"I won't leave you again!" Nova shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks. "In my dreams, we were meant to be together. My dreams will never come true if I can't stay with you. I've already lost you once, and now, I can't lose you again."

"You have to go." I put my foot down. "You can't give up your mateship for me. I'm a reject, Nova. I don't have a mate."

"But, there is a future for you-"I wiped away her tears with my thumbs. "You will be an excellent beta-female. I mean, you just invaded the Stormblade house and started this rebellion. That is not something just any wolf could do."

"But-"

"You have done enough," I caressed her sad cheek. "It's time for you to rest."

"No-"

"Yes." I looked back at Boris' wolf, still on our trail. "Take care of my babies and be the best auntie ever." I laughed slightly. "Now go, Nova. Go to your mate."

Before she could say another word, I pushed Nova out of the car, straight into the hands of her mate, and her new life as the Beta Female of the Stormblade pack.

I cried as Nova became distant. Nova cried out loud as she fell to the ground in Boris' arms. I could hear her screaming my name as she pounded her fist in the grass. Boris was now in human form, desperately trying to comfort her.

Micheal and June looked back at me. "We made it off Stormblade lands."

I tore my head away from Nova's fading figure to see the colors of the trees changing colors, signaling the change of territory.

"Look under the seats," Micheal said, pointing to a black duffel bag. "Nova got that from Stormblade."

It was full of cash and guns.

"Welcome back Luna Mille Rose."

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