Chapter 217

CALLISTA The pain piercing my stomach left me gasping for breath. I gripped Alex's hand so tightly that my nails dug into his skin. “Callista, breathe,” Alex's panicked voice rang in my ears. “Remember what Dr. Amelia taught you—take a deep breath, then exhale slowly.” I tried to follow his instructions, but the next contraction came faster and stronger. We had arrived at Greenfield Pack Medical Center just fifteen minutes ago, after my water broke in the middle of our victory celebration over Viktor. “Where's Dr. Amelia?!” Alex yelled at the nurses rushing around us. “Alpha Alex, Dr. Amelia is on her way from Nightveil Pack,” replied a young nurse named Clara calmly. “But Dr. Helena is ready in the delivery room. She's very experienced.” I moaned as another contraction hit. This was much more painful than I had imagined. All the parenting books I had read with Seraphina hadn't prepared me for the actual pain. “Alex...” I whispered, my voice weak. “I'm scared.” Alex's eyes, usually sha