Alpha Maximus：The last lycan novel Chapter 23

　　Alex runs into our room, frantic.

　　‘Bella! Bella; she’s in labour. She’s on her way here with Sally and a few others,’ Alex pants, and we sit up.

　　‘Congratulations! You're going to be a dad!’ Hope yells, excited.

　　‘How long until she gets here?’ I ask.

　　‘A couple of hours. I'll get the doctor ready,’ Nathan says, leaving our room. Pulling Hope into my arms, I caress her face.

　　‘Welcome home, Luna,’ I say, with a smile, and Hope smiles.

　　‘I can't believe I'm here with you. We can finally be together without being hunted,’ she cries, happily.

　　Spinning her around, I scoop her up, and my lips smash against hers in a fiery kiss.

　　‘I love you, Hope,’ I say, sincere. Hope kisses me back.

　　‘I love you too, Maximus,’ she says, sweetly.

　　We get dressed, and there’s a lot of excitement downstairs as everyone waits for Bella and the new baby.

　　The doctor is in the sitting room with everything he needs. Beth serves us all tea and apple pie while we sit around waiting.

　　‘How exciting!’ She declares. ‘It will be so nice to have a little baby running around the house. Hopefully it isn’t long before Alpha and Luna add one to the mix,’ she laughs.

　　Everyone smiles and looks at Hope, who is a little embarrassed. She sinks into her chair a little, and I chuckle.

　　‘All in good time, Beth. We’ll have babies when we’re ready,’ I laugh, giving Hope a reassuring smile. Alex paces the floor back and forth, fretting.

　　‘She should be here by now,’ he says, worried.

　　‘I'm sure Bella is fine,’ I say, calmly reassuring him.

　　Alex's phone rings.

　　‘What do you mean? No, don't say that! I'm coming to you now!’ He says, ending the call. His breathing becomes heavy and he grips his hair in his hands.

　　‘What's wrong? What has happened?’ I ask.

　　‘The baby hasn't come yet. She is bleeding badly,’ he says, and I run to the doctor to tell him to follow us.

　　‘Where are they?’ I ask.

　　‘They’re just outside our territory,’ he says.

　　‘I'm coming with you,’ Hope states, and I nod.

　　We shift and follow Alex through the fields and the trees until we see a car parked on the side of the road.

　　Bella is screaming in the back, in pain. The doctor approaches the backseat where Sally is holding her hand, reassuring her.

　　‘She needs to push. The baby needs to come out now,’ the doctor says.

　　We encourage Bella to push and keep pushing. After her fourth push, the baby is delivered, and the doctor wraps the crying baby up, and hands it to Alex. Hope and I approach him.

　　‘Congratulations, Alex,’ we say. He is in awe of the sweet little bundle.

　　‘Is it a boy or a girl?’ Hope asks.

　　‘I actually don't know,’ he says, opening the blanket to check.

　　‘It's a boy! It's a boy!’ He shouts, happily.

　　We’re so happy for him; we’re all cheering and smiling. The doctor walks over to us.

　　‘I'm so sorry, Alex...’ he whispers.

　　‘What do you mean?’ Alex says, confused.

　　‘Bella... Bella is gone. I'm sorry. She didn't survive the birth,’ he says, saddened. We freeze and our faces pale.

　　‘No! No!’ He shouts, handing the baby to me and rushing to the car. Hope and Sally are crying.