By some miracle, Bay and Savannah evade the hunters. For weeks, groups of wolves comb the entire territory without picking up even a trace of their scent; they must have found a way to mask it. With every passing day, my breathing becomes a little easier. I hope that things are working out for them wherever they are.

July comes and goes and at some point, the troops stop looking for them.

"They probably slipped away from the territory on the night of the Summer Solstice when we only had a few wolves guarding the border," I overhear the Alpha tell Harla one morning.

"How is Marco taking it?"

"He's mad as hell, and he hasn't given up searching for them. A few times, I caught him and Dante roaming the woods instead of resting. It will get ugly if he finds them."

"You'll need to keep an eye on those two, Nigel. I wouldn't put it past them to sneak across the border to search for them, and if the Canadian pack catches them, they will kill them."

"I agree. And if Cedar Raynes learns that Dante is my son, he'll take it as a declaration of war. It's the last thing we need."

When the doorknob hits the wall, both turn their heads to the porch. Hailey is panting from running.

"Mom, the first females went into labor. We need you at the birthing cabin."

"How many?"

"So far, three."

"Send words to their mates." Harla waves at me to follow her. "Raelyn, I need you to give me a hand."

My eyes go wide. "But I have no training."

"Millie left with Lance and won't be back for a few days. The other healer in training is pregnant herself. No, it has to be you."

Still not sure how I can be of help, I follow her with slumped shoulders. We walk quickly up the path that leads to the healing cabin. This I didn't sign up for. Once, after my first heat, when curiosity was eating at me for the entire summer, I snuck up on our healer and witnessed a birth through a window. The whole experience was kind of gross and the screaming of the mother as she pushed out the pup upset me. I've stayed far away from the birthing cabin since, secretly terrified that I would have to go through the process one day myself.

Screaming and whining can already be heard halfway through the woods. By the time we arrive at the birthing cabin, I'm sick to my stomach. The wooden planks of the cabin are soaked with what I suspect is amniotic fluid and the three females are crouched in various positions on the ground. The snaps of breaking bones crack hollow in my ears.

"Try not to shift," the Luna warns. She kneels down next to the first female. "Get into the birthing chair so I can examine you."

As she helps the female climb into one of the angled chairs, I just stare, my feet bolted in place. Another female screams out in terrifying agony; her anguish presses heavy on my chest.

Harla's snapping fingers tear me out of my daze. "Raelyn, come over here and open my bag. I need my stethoscope."

As the latches snap up, a sudden calmness settles in. What am I afraid of? I'm a future Luna and as such, I need to be able to help my pack. And what better way to do that than bring future pack members into this world.

The next hours turn into hard work. I rush from female to female to hold hands during those strong contractions and feed them ice chips in between. Since there are only two birthing chairs, they take turns to be examined. A couple of elders bring tea that soothes the pain naturally. The scent alone calms my nerves. Though the sun is beating down on the small cabin, converting it into a sweltering oven, I barely notice the heat.

And then the first female is tied down to the chair to start pushing out her pup. Fine silver strands woven into the leather straps prevent her from following her natural instinct to shift. Though it would be easier to give birth in her wolf form, the pup's need to stretch into their skins right after birth can prove too much for their small bodies. It's much safer if the mother gives birth to a skinned pup from the start.

When the head crowns, I hold my breath. One more push and the pup is out. A loud cry shakes the cabin as the little squirming thing takes its first breath. It's a healthy male. I get to clean him and weigh him, recording everything in a chart. Swaddling the newborn into a blanket, I hand him to the beaming mother. The second my hand leaves her arm, the next female starts to push.

By the time the last of the three females births her pup, my clothes are soaked and stick to my body like a second skin. The sweat burns on my forehead and I wipe the sticky strands of hair from my cheek. Just as I drown a bottle of water in one go, the door to the cabin opens. Another female limps in, supported by her mate. On cue, amniotic fluid releases onto the floor. This will turn into a very long day.

Light gives way to the long shadows of the night, just to be replaced by the morning sun again as another cry fills the cabin. Two more females have arrived in between. I work side by side with Harla without a complaint, even if my back is killing me and my arms hurt like hell. At some point, I lose track of time, surprised when Millie appears by my side. Fully expecting to be sent away, the Luna stops me when I steer toward the door.

"No, Raelyn, stay. You've been doing an exceptional job. These females need you."

I help nine little pups into the world before it's finally over. Exhausted from the lack of sleep and food, my knees are about to give in, though my mind runs on overload. Cleaning the last female newborn, I hand her to her mother.

"Would you mind if I called her Raelyn, after you?" Her smile warms my heart.

"It would be an honor."

Her gaze lingers on her daughter's face. The little pup wrinkles her nose before opening her toothless mouth for a drawn-out yawn.

I laugh. "Someone is tired."

"Isn't she beautiful?"

"She is." I squeeze the mother's arm. "Take good care of her and congratulations."

Harla signals me to follow her. We stroll down the path toward the packhouse. A light rain has started to fall and cools my heated skin, the scent of moss and wet earth tickling in my nose.

"It's the first year in a very long time that we didn't lose one single pup," Harla says. "I contribute that partially to you. You're a natural when it comes to calming down those mothers."

"Thank you, Luna."

She smiles. "My mate will be pleased to learn that you lost yourself so much in your task. Over the next few weeks, there'll be a lot more follow-up work. We'll need to check on those pups daily and make sure their weight and development are on track."

"I would love to help."

"Then it's settled."

Something to look forward to before getting back into my old routine. Hopefully, Dante will continue to patrol the border, so I don't have to deal with him.

When I open the backdoor to the packhouse, my stomach rumbles at the scent of fresh kill. All the males including Dante and Jos are back and are gathered around the big table. I'm surprised to find Lara's sister Phoebe sitting at the end next to Millie and Lance.

I have no choice but to take the seat by my mate's side. "How long are you back for?"

"Only for a few days."

When we both try to grab the platter with the fresh kill, our hands collide. I expect a scolding look for being greedy, but he smiles instead.

"Let me get that for you." He places a big piece of meat on my plate before helping himself to a smaller one. "And maybe after lunch, I could take you for a run around the lake."

"I'd like that." My stomach rumbles again and I tear into the meat. Closing my eyes, I chew. I don't remember ever being more famished. The taste of warm blood on my tongue is divine.

When the backdoor opens without warning, everyone turns their heads. The female appearing on the threshold is tall and muscular; her dark skin shines under a thin layer of rainfall sticking to her bare shoulders. Tight braids are tucked close to her scalp and the red warrior stripes of a fighter wolf decorate her high cheekbones. Chin held up in utter confidence, she's nothing short of intimidating. When she steps inside the packhouse, a small pup who couldn't be older than a few days squirms in her arms. Her gaze doesn't waver once from the Alpha's face as she makes her way through the kitchen.

Dropping down on one knee, she holds up the pup. "Alpha of this pack, forgive my intrusion. My name is Cassum Raynes. And this male is Alexander, your first-born grandson."

~~~~

© Sally Mason 2018

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