Chapter 163

SERAPHINA Nine months. I woke up in the middle of the night with a sensation different from the previous days. It wasn't the Braxton Hicks contractions I knew so well. This... was deeper. More intense. Like a wave that started from my lower back and spread forward, making my entire womb tighten. I lay still for a moment, counting the time. Five minutes. Then it came again. And again. “Kaelos,” I whispered, touching his shoulder gently. He woke up instantly—his ever-alert Alpha reflexes kicking in. “What's wrong? Are you okay?” His hand went straight to my stomach, his eyes searching for my face in the darkness. “I think... I think this is it.” I felt his body tense. “Contractions?” “Yes. Regular. Every five minutes since half an hour ago.” In an instant, Kaelos was out of bed, turning on the light. The light flooded the room, making me squint. He had already grabbed his phone, dialing Dr. Helena's number. “How long do the contractions last?” he asked while waiting for the connection. “