Fuck, I wish I could run right now. Can Merick sense I need him. There are people everywhere and their thoughts bombard me.
“He’s only with her because she’s pregnant. He’s an honorable man.”
“I still don’t understand what Merick sees in her.”
I spot Marissa’s store and I move to cross the street quickly. When I reach the door another cramp hits me hard. I lean against the door, breathing through the pain. Once I open the door and step inside some of the fear leaves me.
“Taryn?” Marissa comes out from the back. “Come here child.” She takes me by the arm and leads me to a chair. “What has you spooked?”
I tell her about thoughts I heard at the store and then the person in the black hoodie. I moan as another pain hits me. “I-I’m having the baby.”
The door opens and it’s the girls. They all come rushing toward me. “What’s going on?” Lily gets down next to me, holding my hand in hers.
“I need Merick, I have to get out of here.” I push up from the chair and water gushes out of me, leaving a puddle at my feet. “Oh my god. This can’t be happening right now.”
Amelia takes charge. “Rowan call Merick and guard the door. Lily, help me get her into the back.”
They help me into the back and Marissa makes a pallet of blankets. Another cramp hits and I double over. There’s pressure between my legs making it hard to move. “Come on sweetheart. Just a little bit farther and we’ll lay you down.” Amelia says as I try to breathe through the pain.
Once I’m on my back they shove a bunch of pillows for me to lean on.
Rowan shows up in the doorway. “Taryn honey, Merick’s on his way.” She gives me a smile and then heads back out front.
Amelia gets down on her knees by my feet. “Honey, I need to take your bottoms off. Someone grab my bag, it’s in Rowan’s car.”
Lily runs out front and returns a few minutes later with her bag. In the meantime, Amelia got my bottoms off.
The witch dons her gloves. “Okay, let's bend your legs and see if we can feel what baby Olivia is doing.”
Lily gets down by my head and grabs my hand. Amelia checks me then shares a look with Marissa and Lily.
“Oh god, what’s wrong?” I cry out.
“Don’t panic, but sweetie, the baby’s coming now. I can feel her head.” Amelia takes off her gloves, grabs stuff out of her bag, and smiles at me. “This little angel wants to meet her mommy.”
Marissa gets down on the floor next to me. She places her hands on my belly and warmth spreads through my body.
“Merick needs to get here or he’s going to miss the birth of his child,” Amelia says, in her mind.
Pain ripples across my belly and the desire to push is overwhelming. “She’s coming out. I can feel it.”
“Taryn!” I hear roaring and then Merick is running into the room with Jonathon on his tail. “Fuck, baby.” He gets down on the floor next to me.
Lily grabs me behind the knee and pulls it back. Merick does the same, everyone else is going to wait in the other room. I watch everyone walk through the doorway, leaving me with my mate and my bestie. “Okay Taryn, I want you to push during your next contraction okay?”
I nod, and then look up at Merick. “I’m so glad you made it.”
He leans down and kisses my lips and I focus on his beautiful face. “I’m scared.” I whisper.
“It’s going to be okay, baby.”
A contraction hits and Amelia instructs me to push. I bear down, pushing with all my might. I feel like I do this for a while before an intense burning sensation hits me. I cry out as pain and fear runs through me.
Merick brushes my hair back from my face. “You’re doing so great baby. I love you so much.”
“Taryn I can see her head, give me one more big push.” She looks to Lily and Merick, “pull her legs back.”
“Come on Taryn, you can do this.” Lily smiles at me.
The pain flares again and this time I push as hard as I can. A scream rips from my lips as the burning becomes too much.
“Okay, sweetheart the heads out.”
That’s when I hear the most beautiful sound in the whole wide world. My daughter’s cries echo through the room.
“She’s almost out baby. Fuck, I can see she’s already beautiful like her momma.”
I push and feel her shoulders slip out of me and then the rest of her body. Amelia picks her up. “Guys, let's get her sweater off so they can do skin to skin.”
Lily and Merick quickly peel it off of me and then Amelia is laying my daughter on my chest. Tears roll down my cheeks as I hold her to my chest. Her dark hair is covered in goo, but I can tell she’s got a lot of it.
“I’m going to call and see if I can get a medical transport to get them back to your place. I have a friend who can help us on the down low.” Amelia tells Merick. “Let me clean the baby up and then you can hold her while I tend to Taryn.”
My mate simply nods as he looks down at our daughter. I can see he’s in love with her already. I feel Lily kiss my forehead.
I smile down at my baby, but then my eyes start fluttering. “S-Something’s wrong,” I whisper to Merick.
He looked down at me and his face turned ashen. “Taryn?” My vision turns black, I feel someone take my daughter from my arms, and I hear Merick shout. “Taryn!” Then … nothing.
Merick
“What's happening?” My heart is racing as I hold Taryn in my arms. Her body is limp, dead weight. “Amelia,” my booming voice echoes through the small space and everyone stands around staring at the woman I
