After the Christmas holidays, Winter seems to pass by like a slug. The snow is no longer beautiful, turned into brown sludge that soaks through your clothes if you are out in it for too long.

By the time Spring finally gets here, everyone lets out a collective sigh of relief. Finally, people start to leave the community, scouting the outside world. The humans had left us alone throughout the entirety of Winter, probably barely managing to survive themselves. Everyone is getting anxious, though, wanting to know what the humans are up too. They are dangerous when they are not being monitored closely.

Rowan and his mates had all gone on the last trip out there, coming back tonight. They have been gone for a while now, the longest trip ever. Three weeks without my boyfriend has been hard, especially since our baby could come any minutes now. Yesterday marked my thirty-fifth week, and men don't tend to go as long in their pregnancy. Taylor and Mom had both never made it past thirty-seven weeks with their children. No one quite knows why this is, but it makes this wait even more nerve-wracking.

Add in the fact that I have been having cramps since early this morning, and I am barely keeping myself from panicking. I don't want to have this baby myself, without Rowan here, especially if he is with his mates. Every time I remember that he is with them, away from me, my heart starts galloping again.

I trust him completely, but I don't trust him. I have known Henry and Rosalie for their entire lives, being close friends with both of them. They would never do anything that should have me worried, but I know they are not handling their wolves well.

About a month ago, Henry had practically snarled at me when I walked past him, eyes fixed on my stomach. Suffice to say, I have never waddled faster.

But now, as I stand pacing around my tent, I desperately wish that Rowan would get home already. The cramps are no longer just cramps. There is no way I can continue to ignore what is happening.

The baby is coming, and she doesn't want to waist any longer.

A low moan falls out of my mouth as another contraction comes over me, worse than all the other ones before it. They are getting too close together. I won't be able to wait much longer before baby tries to come out on her own.

"Matty?" a familiar voice says from the doorway of my tent.

Noah ducks inside, his baby swaddled to his chest. The baby girl had just been born two days ago. Aria Janette had come into the world screaming her head off, a dark swath of hair on her head. Despite still being pretty scrunched, she is a beautiful girl.

"What has you groaning over here?" he asks, coming to stand in front of me. Aria snuffles against him, and he starts patting her back, soothing her back to sleep. "You've been making those noises for hours now, and you're worrying me."

"I- I"

Something that I can only describe as a pop comes inside me, before water starts to leak down my legs. No matter how hard I try, I can't get it to stop. In a matter of seconds, the front of my pants are completely soaked, making them so much more uncomfortable.

"Oh wow," Noah says, eyes wide as he looks up at me, from where he was watching the growing wet spot. "Your water just broke." He pauses for a second. "Wait, you've been having contractions all day, haven't you? That's why you've been over here moaning and groaning."

"Maybe," I say, words coming out harsher than I intended, but another contraction is just starting.

"God, Matty," Noah says, shaking his head. "You know you can't let the labor get this far. Come on, we're going over to see Taylor."

"I can't," I say, trying to pull away from him, but he just holds me tighter. "I'm having his daughter's mate's baby. Even if he has apologized for the way he treated me, I know he still blames me for what is happening to Rosalie."

"Even if he is, you can't do this on your own. He'll help you."

Shaking my head, I small sob slips free, no matter how hard I try to hold it back. "He won't. And I can't do this without Rowan."

Noah doesn't say anything for a second, just pulling me into a tight hug, his baby not even bothered as she is squished between us. "I know you're scared" he whispers, running his hand through my hair. "But you can't just ignore what's happening." He gives me a squeeze. "We are going over to Taylor's tent and you are giving birth to that baby before the both of you end up hurt."

He pulls away from me, brushing a few curls away from my face. "I'll be right with you, every step of the way."

It isn't until another contraction is upon me that I give a shaky nod of my head. Noah quickly runs around the room, grabbing my robe, as well as the blanket that Avery had made for the baby.

There are not too many people milling around outside, probably because it is pouring down rain. By the time we make it to the other side of the camp where Taylor's tent is located, both me and Noah are completely soaked.

Noah rings the little bell that hands on the outside of the tent. Shuffling comes from inside before Tate ducks his head out. His eyes zero in on me immediately, but instead of the contempt that I was expecting, he just looks worried.

"Matty?" he asks, brow scrunched together. "What's wrong?"

"The baby is coming," Noah says, "Like, right now."

Tate's eyes widen significantly, and he quickly steps aside allowing us into the tent.

"What's going on?" Taylor asks, walking out of the back room. No one else seems to be in the tent besides them. Their other children must be over at someone else's.

"Matty's in labor," Noah said, "And he needs your help." His words leave no room for argument, harsh compared to his usually soft tones.

Taylor cocks his head to the side, eyes flicking between my face and my stomach. "How far away are the contraction?"

"A few minutes," I mumble, grinding my teeth as my torso clenches once again.

Noah scoffs, "If that."

Taylor's eyebrows raise significantly. "That isn't good." He motions for us to follow him, and we go into a separate room. "Go ahead and strip, then lie back on the bed."

Noah helps me since my hands are trembling too much for me to even try to unbutton my pants. Once I am laying back, body completely bare, I grab Noah's hand.

"Noah, can- can you get my Mom, please? I need him here."

Noah looks torn, but before he has to make a decision, Taylor answers me. "Noah, you stay here. I'll send Tate to get Liam." He ducks out of the room, coming back in just a few seconds. "No need for you to ever be alone in this."

"Thank you," I murmur, meeting the omega's eyes for a second, before dropping his gaze.

Aria starts to squirm against Noah, little huffs telling us that she is seconds from crying. Sure enough, she is full on sobbing. No matter what Noah tries, he can't get her to calm down, the baby just as stubborn as he parents at only a few days old.

"There's a rocker over there," Taylor says, gesturing to the corner behind him. "You can swaddle her and put her in there."

"I think she's hungry," Noah murmurs, unwrapping the still crying baby from where she is held tight against his chest. "She hasn't eaten in a few hours."

Sure enough, as soon as Noah shrugs off a corner of his shirt and holds Aria close, she immediately latches onto him. Her heavy gulps are the only sound in the room, the sudden absence of her cries making the rain outside sound thunderous.

Taylor comes over to me, a damp cloth in his hand. "I'm going to wipe you down and then sterilize where I will make the cut. Tell me if you need me to stop or anything." His words are softer than before, and his movements are gentle as he uses the warm cloth to wipe down my body.

The whole thing goes by quicker than I thought, before another contraction is hitting me. Noah reaches over with his free hand, grabbing one of mine. He doesn't make a peep as I squeeze his hand, bones grinding against each other from how harsh I am grasping onto him. He must understand what I am going through since he just went through the same thing a few days ago.

Footsteps approach the tent before a familiar voice becomes audible. "Where is he?"

"Mom," I call out, voice choked from the pain.

Mom is in the room quicker than I thought possible, rushing over to my side. He kneels next to the bed I am laying on, wiping my sweat-slicked hair from my face. "Oh, love." He leans down to press a kiss on my forehead. "Everything is going to be alright. As soon as Tate told us, Papa went to wait by the entrance of the caves for Rowan. They are expected back sometime tonight."

"He can't wait any longer," Taylor says from behind Mom. "He let the labor progress too much already, and if he moves into the next stage of labor, he'll start getting the urge to push." He looks down at me, eyes full of sympathy. "We have to get your baby out now, Matty. I'm sorry."

Nodding my head, I bite back the sob that is threatening to come out of me. Mom murmurs soft words to me, brushing back my hair as Taylor moves to the other side of me. By now, Noah is done nursing Aria, the baby swaddled and placed in the crib.

"Alright, Matty, I am going to make the cut. Remember to try and stay as still as possible."

The sob I had been trying to hold back finally comes out, and I give a shaky nod of my head. Mom has an arm across my chest, while Noah comes to stand by my shoulders, both hands holding me down.

The first cut is agonizing, like someone is holding fire to my skin. No matter how hard I try, I find myself squirming to get away from the pain. Thank god Noah and Mom are holding me down, keeping me from moving at all.

Taylor is quick and efficient, easily making the cut before he is reaching inside me. The pain is intense, and it seems as if I blank out for a moment. Because one second all I hear is my screams, and the next, a newborn cry is filling the air.

"Congratulations," Taylor says, placing the baby on my chest. "You have a beautiful baby boy.

"A boy?" I whisper, holding onto to the squirming body.

Blinking my eyes, I try to focus on my baby, watching as his face scrunches up from his crying. No matter how many times I blink, though, I can't get rid of the fuzziness around my eyes.

"Matty," a voice says, sounding like it is coming from underwater. The weight on my chest is suddenly gone, and I feel myself falling, the black on the edge of my vision growing until I cannot see.

No sound, no sight.

Just darkness.