Insight

“It’s a girl.” Elkin wrapped the baby in one of the t-shirts.

The baby was screaming from the cold and the commotion. Eve was covered in sweat, her entire body felt like it could give way and become nothing but pain. She was leaning on Flint’s chest, listening to his heart beating as his electricity flowed freely through her veins.

“Clean her.” The doctor handed the baby to Ellie, who was sitting on the end of the truck’s bed.

The young woman gingerly began wiping the baby clean. Flint felt like his heart was swelling, threatening to burst. Eve was in pain. It was radiating off of her. Still, his wide eyes were trained on the pup in Ellie’s hands. Flint felt like he was witnessing an unfathomable miracle.

“One more to go, Luna.” Elkin threw the towel under her outside in a ball. He replaced it with a damp sweat shirt.

“I... Can’t...” Eve panted.

She was staring at her newborn from under half-closed lids. She couldn’t lift a finger to take her, no matter how much she wanted to hold her. Flint hugged Eve tightly, snapping back to reality.

“Our son is still in there, baby.” He whispered in her ear.

“When the contraction comes, you need to push.” Elkin stated.

“Flint...” She felt hot tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re doing great, Eve. You haven’t done anything to be sorry.” Flint leaned forward to see her pale, exhausted face.

“I can’t do it.” Her voice broke painfully.

“Yes, you can.” He answered quickly. “Yes you can, Eve. You have to.”

“I-” She winced as pain once again tensed her entire abdomen.

“Eve, push. Push, baby.” Flint rubbed his hands down her arms to sooth her. The coldness of her skin was alarming to his senses.

Eve tried to push with her stomach. She tried to tighten even a single muscle, but she couldn’t. It felt like she could barely breathe as the waves of pain stole the air from her lungs.

The contraction passed agonizingly. Eve was unable to even fully open her eyes. Flint’s forehead fell onto her shoulder. He was distraught and out of options. His mate could feel it.

“Eve, please. Don’t give up, baby. You can do this. I know you can.” He murmured.

“I’m sorry.” Eve breathed heavily, unable to stop crying. “I think I’m going to die, Flint.”

“No. Eve, no! Just... Just try, baby. Come on. You have to try.” He shook his head and held her closer to him.

“You can’t wait out the next one, Luna. You’re fully dilatated. You have to push, or the pup may be in danger.” Elkin informed her as he massaged her sore stomach.

“Flint, I’m so tired.” She whispered weakly.

“I know. I know. Just- just stay awake. You have to push again soon.” Flint felt tears in his eyes.

His emotions were all in the air around them. He couldn’t control them, or distinguish them apart. He was at the mercy of fate, which he hated.

“I like that song.” She breathed raggedly.

“What song?!” Flint asked frantically.

Her wolf felt far away from his. Further even than after she’d been taken and fed monkshood. Something was obviously wrong.

“She’s losing more blood than I’d like.” Elkin informed him.

“Eve, baby. Please...” He felt like he was choking.

“Play it again.” Eve smiled weakly.

Flint inhaled deeply. He couldn’t think of what to do, how to help, or even what his role was now. All he could do, was listen to the song in his mind. The one Flint knew she was talking about.

“I tasted, tasted love so sweet, and all of it was lost on me. Bought and sold like property, sugar on my tongue. I kept falling over. I kept looking backwards. I went broke believing, that the simple should be hard. All we are we are, all we are we are. And every day is a start of something beautiful...”

His voice was deep and hoarse. It sounded strained, like there was no air in his lungs. Eve smiled peacefully, ignoring the wave of numbing pain crashing through her.

“I wasted, wasted love for you, traded out for something new. Well, it’s hard to change the way you lose, if you think you never won. All we are we are, all we are we are. And every day is a start of something beautiful...”

His voice cracked, stealing what little breath he’d found. Elkin was pushing on Eve’s stomach roughly with one hand while the other was hidden by her leg. He seemed to be feeling for something specific, but Flint had lost the words to ask what was happening.

"And in the end the words won’t matter. 'Cause in the end, nothing stays the same. And in the end dreams just scatter and fall like rain..." He glanced at the downpour outside. It made his heart sink. His voice gave way to a choked sob. "Eve, please. Just be okay. Okay?"

Flint felt like the strength was draining from him, like he was the one on the verge of death. He looked up at the crying baby in Ellie's arms.

Little thing. His wolf reached into Eve's mind, searching for her.

Love... She answered weakly from a distance.

You have to get up. Move. He stated pleadingly, reaching deeper.

It's too cold and heavy. We can't, love. We're sorry... The she-beast replied.

No! He growled loudly. Get up! Get up right now!

Eve's wolf shifted in her mind, trying to obey her mate. The animal's muscles were stiff and numb, even in the recesses of Eve's brain. He reached for her more, it felt like the electricity between them collided, creating a storm of cracking lightning. He tried to lift her, though he couldn't even make contact with her in the deep, dark space.

Little thing, Get up. Now! He growled, pushing all the power out of him, hoping to fuel her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flint's eyes were squeezed shut with effort. He gripped Eve in his arms, holding her tightly, as if he could physically keep her in together. Eve was barely breathing, as if she'd lost consciousness.

"What's happening?!" Ellie asked.

She was propped on the tailgate, just under the bed cover. She was desperately hugging the baby, trying to keep her tiny body warm.

"The head is out. Eve's still bleeding. I need to get his shoulders out. But if Mom doesn't push... I could break his clavicles doing it myself. Not to mention, Eve could suffer more internal damage." Elkin began searching his jacket pockets.

"What do we do?" Her voice became shrill and frantic.

"Just keep the pup warm." The doctor turned to Flint. "Alpha?"

Flint's eyes were still firmly closed. He couldn't hear Elkin, Ellie, or the newborn. Even the sound of the storm gave way to the crackling electricity flowing from his inner beast.

We need you, little thing! The white wolf tried to provide her with all of his strength. All the power he had to give her. You have to move! Now! Please!

Eve inhaled sharply. Her glowing sapphire eyes shot open suddenly. It felt like her wolf hadn't just moved, she'd begun running. Her heart was pounding furiously. Eve's body tensed as the lightening shooting through her quickly became what seemed like the world's most painful cramp. It seized her body, her mind, her very soul...

"Flint!" Eve yelped as the pain stole her breath.

"Eve..." Flint opened his eyes, relieved to see that she was awake.

"Push, Luna. Push now!" Elkin barked.

Eve grunted and focused all her newfound energy on her stomach muscles. She felt like she was using everything she had left. The excruciating pain was eventually echoed with the feeling of relief. The feeling of emptiness. Another cry rang out through the small space.

Elkin wrapped the second baby in a t-shirt. Ellie took it into her arm, shuffling his sister around to clean him off. Flint smiled at the sound and looked down at Eve. She was watching the scene with a tired smile on her face.

Flint noticed that her face was sickly pale. Her cyan blue eyes were fogged over with exhaustion. Her cheeks looked sunken, as if she had truly been sapped of her life force. The electricity coming from her was still present, but not as strongly as usual.

"Eve." He drew her sluggish gaze to his.

"Flint..." She murmured lowly.

"She's passing out." Flint looked at Elkin with panic in his gaze.

"She lost a lot of blood, but she's healing quickly. I'll be able to remove the clamp in a few minutes. She'll heal Alpha." The doctor stated.

"She's okay?" Flint's voice cracked as Eve's body went limp in his arms. She lost consciousness again.

"She will be." Elkin nodded. "We aren't out of the woods yet. But we will be within the hour."

Flint felt the tears streaming down his cheeks. He leaned back, leaning Eve's head back on his shoulder. He could feel her wolf going to sleep as well, being dragged down by exhaustion.

Rest now, little thing. You've earned some rest. We've got you, all three of you. The Alpha's voice crossed her mind, like the calling of an all too familiar wind.