That morning, Alpha Luis gathered all the messengers and broadcasters to spread the news about my pregnancy and the future of the Pack. He was so ecstatic that he held another celebration for it in the banquet hall.
All night, Alpha Luis wouldn't leave my side. He would hold my waist and walk beside me carefully. When he sensed I wanted something, he would ask me what it was and get it for me. And when he felt I was tired, he stopped the party to let me rest.
Throughout my pregnancy, he was so hands-on. That time when I had a weird craving for a milkshake made of mayonnaise, ketchup, and pumpkin, he made it for me even though he was disgusted by the combination. When I was awakened late at night because of discomfort, he would sleep on the couch to give me all the space in the bed.
In just a few months, my belly grew bigger and bigger, and Alpha Luis often took a day off to take care of me. It made me feel like I wasn't alone in this pregnancy.
One day, Alpha Luis went to work to make up for his absences when I felt a sharp pain in my belly. I thought it was fleeting, but it worsened. Minutes later, my water broke.
"Help!" I called. "I'm going into labor!"
The maids saw me clutching the edge of the bed so hard when they entered the bedroom. Without wasting any more time, they carried me outside where an automobile was waiting.
"Tell Luis! Tell Luis!" I screamed throughout the ride to the hospital.
I couldn't remember the moment I was carried into the delivery room, but I remember Alpha Luis barging in when I was in the middle of delivery. He held my hand so tightly. And although I was the one delivering the baby, he was the one covered in sweat.
"It's fine, darling. I'm here, don't worry."
Then I heard a baby cry for the first time. It felt so surreal, like my hearing was heightened only by my baby's sound. I couldn't help but cry, imagining a new addition to my life and my new role as a mother in addition to being a wife. I did it! We did it! We are now a complete family!
The midwife gave me my baby. It was wiped clean of blood and mucus, but it smelled just like me and Alpha Luis.
"It's a boy," the midwife said.
"Where is my mate?" I asked, looking around. Suddenly, he wasn't by my side.
"He's on the floor, madame, passed out. But he's okay. He'll come to his consciousness in no time."