Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
He gets me right where I need to be, my hands going to his forearms for something to hold onto as tension coils in me. It rises and rises until I’m pleading with Bothaki to give me something else to give me release.
“I’ll get you there,” he promises.
He drives into me and my eyes roll up. I’m. Right. There. My eyes on the clouds, I feel his tongue lick a circle around my nipple. Then, there’s only the sun shining through closed lids as I come. His groans and my moan fill the space around us as he lets my thighs go so they can clench to his sides as he slides in and out of me. His pace turns into short, deep thrusts and I open my eyes in time to see his close, right before his head falls back and he lets out a roar as he comes.
When his head drops forward open, I smile at him and he chuckles.
“You look so smug,” he says through panted breaths.
“When my mate roars like that when he’s inside of me, I think I have a right to.”
He leans over to kiss me. “You have every right to.”
He slides out of me and lays beside me, pulling me in close to him. I don’t bother to fix my smock or worry about Bothaki being naked. I simply lay with my mate, basking in the sun, but even more so in the love of the one whose arms are wrapped around me. My eyes begin to drift closed, and I don’t fight them in the least.
It’s not my mate that wakes me, though, but rather a cramping in my middle. Except the cramping doesn’t stop there, it spreads around to my back, increasing in pain. A pain unlike any other.
I try to move, but the pain doesn’t allow it, so I just squeeze Bothaki’s hand over my stomach. He moves in an instant, separating from me so he’s hovering over me.
“What is it, Selina?” he urgently asks, eye looking me over for where I’m hurt.
This pain just isn’t visible. It finally begins to ease, or at least, enough for me to release a relieved breath. I know another is coming, though.
“Zawla?” Bothaki pleads. “Tell me what it is and I will fix it.”
I give a breathy laugh. “The only thing fixing this is delivering our child.”
His brows furrow for a moment, but then his eye widens with understanding. He whistles and the Kahlas come galloping over as he begins to help me up.
“We have to get to the Minas,” he says, but I shake my head.
“I want to go home,” I tell him. “I want to have our baby at home.”
He doesn’t question it, only nods as he places me side saddle on the Kahla and takes the reins used to guide his and mine in his own hand while he climbs onto his. I think the Kahlas can sense my pain and tries to walk faster, but Bothaki won’t allow it. Every contraction, he glances over at me with concern written across his face. When we reach the palace wall, he tells one of the Hallans at its doors to get word that I’m in labor to Jozay and Vabila, and then we’re one step closer to home.
We’re one step closer to having our child in our arms.
*
I was so excited at the thought of my child coming into this world that I hadn’t given much thought to all the pain my mate would be in while she tries to bring him forth. Even though I’ve been nervous over the past while over having everything ready, nothing could have prepared me for watching Selina struggle. To want to do something, anything, for her, and knowing nothing I do can help. Letting her squeeze my hand to the point of my bones feeling like they’ll break doesn’t seem like a fair exchange for the hurt I’m watching her endure and have watched her endure for hours now.
“You’re doing wonderfully,” my mother encourages her. “Almost there.”
“That is not how it feels,” Selina grits out.
“The worse it gets, the closer the end is,” Vabila says.
I look at her like she’s lost her mind telling a mother in pain that, but Selina nods, I guess taking some comfort from my sister’s words.
“A few more pushes and your baby will be here,” my mother assures her. Both of us, really.
Selina’s hand begins to tighten on mine again and I know another contraction is coming. I brace her up the way my mother’s told me to, into a semi reclining position, and watch her take what is clearly a fortifying breath.
“Bear down,” Vabila all but demands, “and push hard, Selina.”
Selina barely grunts as she pushes with all she has. Her hand trembles on mine.
“Stop for just a moment,” my mother orders. “I see the hair, my dear daughter. One more time now, push.”