Night came around and Nico still waited in the hall with the book in hand. His father was nowhere to be seen. He even searched the basement again for assurance.
Sighing, he peered at the crackling fire.
The clock struck eight.
He stood up. "This is it." he placed the book down and left the house.
Rue's place was quite far from his house. It was about twenty minutes drive and an hour by foot.
He took his father's car keys and drove over to her place. Their secret meeting spot was right behind the packhouse. There was a huge tree house there that none of the pack members use.
Rue and he used to hang out there when they were bored.
He climbed the creaking wooden steps. "Rue..." he whispered ever so softly.
"shh.." Rue pulled him up. "Today we are going to sneak into my house,"'
"um... aren't we going to talk about the big secrets today,"
"Yes, we are. That's why we need to get into my house."
She opened the tree house's window. a huge branch connected the tree house to the pack house's window. "we are going to do some Tarzan shit you ready?"
Nico doubtfully glanced at the pack house. Alpha Lowe and Rue were the only people who lived there but Rue had never invited him in.
He was hesitant whether to go in or not.
Rue had already crawled all the way over to the window and had opened it for him.
"Nico hurry," she ushered him.
Taking a deep breath, Nico crawled over to her. "Remind me why we are doing this again?"
"Secret. I am going to expose the secret we have kept from you." she climbed in and helped him into the room as well. "Come on,'
She led them down to a stairwell towards the basement.
Nico frowned even more. "Why are we?"
"Just follow me Nico. Quickly, it's happening,"
Just as she opened the door Nico heard a lady scream loudly. he gripped the doorway. "is this is a torture room? Rue?"
"oh for heavens' sake. It's not. She's giving birth!" she dragged him into the hallway of the basement over to the small room. It looked like a supply closet.
"Um I'm asking again just to be sure. Why are we here?"
"sh....." Rue opened up a small mail box sized slot and gestured for him to look in.
This supply closet was connected to the delivery room. Doubtfully, he looked at it.
A young blond-haired woman was sobbing loudly, holding onto Alpha Lowe's hand tightly. There were only two of them. No one else.
"it hurts.. it hurts..." she cried.
Nico anxiously touched the wooden wall. Somehow his heart was pounding nervously. The back of his neck was itching very much.
"shh, it's okay. It's all going to be okay..." Alpha Lowe whispered, kissing her sweaty forehead. "just another push, dear. I see his head..."
"ahhhhhhh!!!"
She screamed.
Suddenly, Alpha Lowe's expression changed. "Why are you bleeding so much.... I don't know why..." he mumbled in panic.
Nico could not watch it anymore. He ran to the room and pushed the ignorant man away. "She needs blood and get a sterile knife. The baby's head is too big. She's tearing and the blood loss is too much," Alpha Lowe just blankly looked at his mate.
"Alpha!"
"I'll go," Rue patted his back. She came back with the things he needs.
Nico examined Luna's body again. The baby was crowning and because the pack luna was so petite the head could not fit through her vagina. The child was literally breaking her hip bone, ripping her vagina to come out.
It did not look good at all. Especially since they were in a remote area with very less medical service.
"Rue, call my dad. He's a doctor he can help."
"no!" Alpha Lowe shouted. "No vampires!"
"hey, she needs him! She's going to die! And so is your child!"
Aloha Lowe looked stunned... "if... if that is so... so be it."
"w-what... you fucker..... Rue come here we need to deliver the baby ourselves, and fucking send your father out!" he shouted.
Rue escorted her dad out of the room and locked it. "I have your warm towels."
Nico glanced up. The mother had already lost consciousness.
Her situation was getting worse. He could hear her heart rate slowing down drastically...
With the surgical knife, he cut a vertical line down to facilitate the child to come out easily.
Blood gushed all over his body. He gritted his teeth and tried to take the baby out.
"Have you done this before?" Rue whispered slightly jittery by this situation.
"Well, I have seen my father do this. I've never once gone near a vagina if you are asking me,"
They did not have the appropriate tools for childbirth. That tongs-like thing could have easily pulled the baby's head out.
Instead, he had no option but to insert his hand in and guide the baby's head out.
With one simple pull, he dragged the baby out.
"waaaa!!!" the baby wailed loudly, kicking his long legs.
Sighing, he glanced up... only one life survived childbirth..... Rue's mother did not make it.
The baby had a head full of blond hair just like his mother. His legs were long and he was kicking his chest as he held him.
"It's a healthy boy...."
Nico gently cleaned out his nose and his airway with his finger.
The wailing baby opened his stunning ocean blue eyes.
Something in his body stirred. The itchiness on his neck stopped and in its place, a weird heat arose.
"Finally.. Finally you are mated," Rue said in relief.
"Huh, what now?"
With the child still in hand, Nico glanced at her. "It's no time for joke..."
"I'm not joking, Nico... I wish I was... but I'm not... you are mated...."
Nico, once again looked at the kid. he had stopped crying and was smiling up at him.
"oh fuck my life. What kind of fuckery is this?"'
Rue closed his mouth. "No profanity in front of a baby,"
"He's a baby! he can't understand."
Rue hurriedly took the child off his hand and wrapped him up in a towel. "Nico, quickly complete the bond from your side."
Nico stood there hesitantly. "He's a baby.... I can't and won't be bonded to a baby,"
"Nico!"
"I won't Rue... it's not right. we can wait a bit.. After eighteen years when he is an adult, I can complete the bond. Not now. I can't bond a child to me. It has too many complications."
"Nicolai! You have to do this now! or else.... you won't have the chance to.. Please complete the bond."
Rue placed the child on the bed and grabbed his hand. "If you won't, I will make you," she stabbed his hand.
"Rue!" he pushed her away. "I won't be forced to bond. He is beloved and I will do what is right by him! No one interferes!"
"waaaawaaaaa!" the child started wailing once again... this time his voice was so loud that the ground started to tremble.
"Earthquake… Rue! Under the bed!"
"No….fuck Nico they are here. You have to leave." She dragged him out.
Alpha Lowe stood out the door like a statue. He looked like he had lost his soul.
Losing a mate can do this... the surviving one will become crazy depressed that they take their own life.
Nico took one last glance at the baby that was crying so pitifully.
His heart ached so much. He wanted to run back and comfort him. he wanted to hold him in his arms again..
"Nico!" Rue shouted.
Nico glanced ahead.
Three wolves were standing there with guns.
"You are done for vampire. How dare you infiltrate our pack?"
"Nico, run!"