1.5

Solomon thought the words were sweet, but the reality is a reptile shifter could be deadly. Even if he didn’t think his son would be, others would. It’s uncommon for a baby to display their potential shifting features. He kept those thoughts to himself as Taerin cooed over Hiru. 

The sky brightened as the sun made its ascension across the sky. The primates were dealing with their own intense labors. Several of the women had gone into premature labor. One woman had been begging for a c-section but was denied. “Miss, you’re not in dire straits. The least you could do is push and we can go from there.” 

Lina knew they wouldn’t listen to her. The child in her belly was anything but normal. She could feel it. She believed it with her soul. Her child hardly ever moved. It was as if she was carrying around a stone inside her stomach. There were no tender flutters, or random kicks. Just a lump in her belly that siphoned nutrients from her. She couldn’t go to any of the other hospitals, they wouldn’t allow cross contamination. 

Lina tried to let them do their jobs, but the mounting frustrations she was feeling continued to nag at her. and nag at her until she exploded. The first person who came across her was startled by her screams. “I NEED A C-SECTION NOW! Pushing is not working.” 

The nurse looked at the doctor, who nodded his head. They wheeled her into an operating room. While those doctors worked on Lina, another woman had gone into labor. Only her midwife attended to her. “Marquelle, it’s time to push.” 

She nodded. While she pushed, she grunted and groaned, wiling the baby to come out. The midwife looked up from her unmentionables. “I can see the crown. Just one more big push, okay?” 

Marquelle groaned. “Okayyy!” her fingers gripped the railings of the bed. She gritted her teeth and pushed once more. The muscles in her stomach tensed as she continued to push. Her lower half opened wider, and she felt when the baby’s head passed through the opening. The midwife cradled the baby and then a soft smack was heard, followed by a cry. 

She grinned, with tears streaming down her face. Her grip relaxed against the railing. The midwife lifted her head and smiled. “She’s perfect!” 

Soon the baby was placed against her chest. Her daughter had hair blacker than black. So black it shimmered in the light. Marquelle looked over at her daughter and smiled. After a few seconds of staring at what looked like a blob on her daughter's rear end, the blob took shape. A circular section of the skin with lines running from it. Marquelle’s eyes widen. It couldn’t be. 

“Lisa?” 

The woman looked away from the baby to her charge’s face. “What is it? Is something wrong?” 

Marquelle gently tapped the area with the markings. “Is THIS what I think it is?” 

Lisa hadn’t had a chance to say anything when the piercing screams of another woman grabbed her attention. A nurse had run past the room, noticing her in there. “Lisa! You should help us. This woman is too much.” 

She looked at Marquelle and then at the nurse. “Sure, but have the doctors come look over this little bundle of cuteness?” 

The nurse nodded. Lisa followed her. The question from Marquelle was conveniently forgotten. Lina had gone from a tolerable annoyance to full-blown menace to the staff. Overwhelmed staff ran crying from the room. 

When Lisa entered the room, several frustrated nurses turned to face her. Taking in the scene, she spoke in a calm and neutral voice. “Put her under. She’s asked for a c-section and her stress levels will not be good for the baby.” 

The nurses scattered and ran for an anesthesiologist. Lisa was left with a glaring Lina. “You know who I am?” 

Lisa watched the mannerisms of the woman before her. Based on the way she acted and her tone of voice, she knew who it was. “You must be the primate queen. Congrats on your pending delivery.” 

She scowled. “You’re not a primate. Why are you here?” 

The words stuck in her throat. She wasn’t a primate, but a feline shifter, but Marquelle was someone important to her. “A friend went into labor.” Something in her had to lie. 

She turned away when a sharp pain radiated down her body. Lina gripped the railing on the bed and screamed. A nurse came with the anesthesiologist. She smiled at the two women. Her gentle demeanor only agitated Lina even more. “What do you have to smile about? Theres nothing funny.” 

Lisa held up her hand and spoke on her behalf. “Listen, Primate Queen, if you want to snip at everyone for coming into this room, do it in your head. You wouldn’t like it if she came in here with a frown, either. So, respectfully, knock it off.” 

Lina glared at her, but her heightened emotions leaked out. She spoke through gritted teeth. “I’ll talk to my people the way I want to. Why are you here?” 

Lisa rolled her eyes. And faced the tech. “Go ahead and give her the juice. She will need the general because of her heightened stress levels.” 

“Of course.” The tech gave her a friendly smile. “Lina, we’re going to put you under. When I placed this over your face, I want you to count backwards from ten.” 

“Marlo, shut up and give it to me.” 

The friendly smile thinned into a flat line. “Sure, Lina.” Marlo placed the cover over her face and turned it on. Lina refused to count. 

Lisa walked over to her and spoke harshly. “Count damn it, so they know it's working. Don’t be a stubborn ape.” 

Lisa glared again but counted backwards from ten. “Ten, nine, eight…” her voice drifted off. “S-seven.” 

Marlo removed the face mask. “She’s out. The doctors can come in and operate on her now.” 

Lisa nodded her head. “Get the doctors inside and make sure they do this quickly and effortlessly. She’s definitely going to be a mess when she comes out of it.” 

The nurse went to get the doctor. Marlo stepped out. Lisa scowled at the drugged woman. “You’re a piece of work, honestly. I hope your child is born with the sun birthmark.” 

She left the room. When she went back to Marquelle, the woman was holding her daughter in her arms. She knocked on the door. “Marquelle, sorry about that. The primate queen was in labor.” 

Marquelle nodded her head. “Yeah, Lina is a piece of work. I heard she’s having a baby girl, too.” 

Lisa nodded her head. “Yeah, well, that poor child.” 

Marquelle quietly agreed. “Auntie, what’s this on my baby’s bum?” 

Lisa looked her daughter over. Her eyes widen. It was the sun mark. “She’s the prophesied child.” 

Marquelle quietly sobbed. “She’ll be treated harshly. By everyone.” 

News of Lina’s birth came to Lisa. Unfortunately, her daughter didn’t make it. An idea came to her. Marquelle didn’t have the power to protect her child, but Lina’s rank could potentially help her child. The idea went unsaid to Marquelle. There was no sense in worrying her over what was to come to her nameless daughter.