“What?” How does he know all of this? Maybe I wasn’t the only one who had read up on pregnancy and kids.
“You should get dressed.” He said before he darted into the closet and came out with a knee length yellow sundress.
I took it and wore it without any protests. “Nikolai,” I gritted, “answer me. What the hell is going on? Was this all a lie? A trap, just so you could collar me and make me do your bidding?” I accused.
He gently cupped my face with both of his hands and looked straight into my eyes, “I need you to trust me, Avalyn. I want you to know that everything that I am doing is for us. For you. You might even hate me for it, but just try to remember that you love me.” He half smiled before turning serious again, “and no. It wasn’t a trap. I’d never take advantage of you like that.”
His words calmed me down. But I needed more assurance. “Promise me that you will not do or make me do anything that will harm my children.”
His jaw clenched. “Our children, Avalyn. And yes, I promise you that our children will not be harmed.”
His thumb gently caressed my cheek, “once all of this is over, just try to understand where I’m coming from. I’m just looking out for us and trying to do what is best for our family.”
I released a breath. That was all I wanted. I didn’t care what else he made me do. I definitely would have done it without being under the influence of the collar as well. In the short amount of time we had spent together, I had mostly used my powers to hurt him, to hurt those I cared about. To know that I spent my last moments using them in a way that helped Nik… it would make me very happy.
I raised my hand to cup his cheek and for some reason, my eyes welled up with tears, “I don’t think I’ll have the time to do that. I love you, Nikolai. Always.” I trusted him. I knew that every thought he had was with me in his mind and every decision of his was taken after considering my wishes.
He blinked back tears before giving me a small smile. “It’s time to go, Love.”
Another shot of pain struck me before I felt my uterus contracting and expanding again. It hurt so much.
“Breathe, love, like I told you,” Nik showed me and I followed him, powering through the contractions. After a few minutes, they went away.
Once he was sure I was okay, he picked me up and walked out of the bedroom. Eliyah was standing right by the door, looking at both of us with a thoughtful expression. He began following us to the basement.
I couldn’t stop staring at Nik. It felt like we were so close, yet oceans apart. Our hearts were tied together, but for some reason, I felt like we were barely hanging on to each other.
Nikolai seemed to realise I was going through a turmoil. He gave me small smile, “I love you.” He pressed a kissed on my forehead and then whispered, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, don’t worry.”
And just like that, all my scattered thoughts, the tightness I was feeling in my chest went away.
I believed him. Maybe that’s the reason he looked so determined. Maybe he had found a cure. That’s why he seemed so calm. It just might be difficult to execute which was why he made me wear the collar. If I was in active labour, it would be difficult for me to focus on anything. The collar would take care of it.
But I wondered what he wanted me to do.
“What is your plan?” I inquired.
“I have a cure- it is a definite way to make sure you live.” Nik explained.
My eyes blurred with tears at the news.
My entire life-full of possibilities flashed in front of my eyes.
I’ll be able to live with Nikolai. Grow old with him. I’ll be able to see what my children look like, I’ll be able to see them grow up and know who they are as people.
“Really? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I was so worried earlier!
“Yes, really.” He placed me inside the car and buckled me up. “So that you’d forgive me quicker.” If I had known I had a lifetime, I definitely would have made him work for it.
I wanted to scream at him a little but another set of contractions hit me.
Shit. It hurt so much.
These ones were more intense and painful. And lasted longer than the previous ones. I cupped my belly, wishing for the pain to ease up.
Nik didn’t waste a second to speed out of the garage.
“Are you okay?” I realised Eliyah was in the car with us too when he asked me that.
“Yes,” I breathed when the contractions finally ended.
I took a deep breath and just hoped we would get to the hospital quickly. I could feel that the babies weren’t going to stay in there for very long. They wanted to come out. Now.
I tried to identify where we were but failed. That’s when I realised that the sky looked like a storm was brewing, which was unusual because it was usually spring in Soare-Luna.
I looked at Nik. For some reason, the sky reflected his mood. If it was anyone else, they would think he looked normal. But his impassive expression didn’t fool me. He was going through a whirlwind of emotions.
Maybe the curing process really wasn’t that easy.
But I couldn’t even worry if I wanted to. Nik said it was fine, he told me to trust him and I did. That, and the collar was doing it’s job.
I placed my hand over his and caressed it with my thumb in an attempt to calm him. He released the steering wheel with one hand and captured mine in his own. He squeezed it before kissing the back of my hand.
“Are you okay, Mi Amor?” I asked gently.
He let out a shuddering breath. “I am.” He lied.
Nikolai lied to me.
Something wasn’t right. I just wasn’t worried because the collar was doing its magic. But I still couldn’t ignore the gnawing feeling in my gut.
The road we were taking didn’t lead to the hospital, I should have noticed this earlier. In fact, it led to the outskirts of Imporia. “Where are we going?”
“To make everything right.” He replied without looking at me.
I didn’t have a built-in lie detector like Nik but I knew when my mate wasn’t being a hundred percent honest with me.
“Ni-” another wave of contractions just hit me and I cupped my belly and bent forward. I couldn’t control the whimpers that escaped my mouth as my uterus painfully expanded and contracted.
“Avalyn.” Nikolai sounded worried. He sped up the car and rubbed my back at the same time. “Breathe, love.”
I looked at him through blurry eyes once they ended, “we need to go to the hospital.”
“You’re not giving birth at the hospital.” He murmured. “Spread your legs, please.”
“I’m not?” My legs instinctively parted.
He extended his arms and reached inside my dress. He parted my folds and before feeling my vagina.
“About eight centimetres. Fuck.” He muttered before he began racing down the road.
“Since when did you become a doctor?” I muttered.
“It’s basic biology.” He replied, glancing at me before focusing on the road again. “How do you feel?”
“I’m fin-” before I could complete my sentence, another wave of contractions started and I couldn’t help but cry out in pain.
Do all women go through this? And they have multiple kids?
This contraction lasted longer and was more intense. I gripped the sides of the seat and my head fell back on the headrest as I tried to power through them.
“Hospital,” I cried. “I can’t Nik, I can’t.”
They would give me the epidural and I would be fine after that. I needed something for the pain.
“You can and you will, Avalyn. You will pull through this,” Nikolai’s tone was hard and demanding when he said that. And a newfound strength took over my body.
I could do this.