Chapter 8- Welcome to the Cold, Hard World

Elias' POV:

The jet was going as fast as it can but it felt like I was riding a mule. We're landing now and my heart is racing, I can't calm my breathing. Lua is out there being hunted while not only shot, drugged, starved, and in pain but also in labor. I hate to say it but I don't care about the baby right now. I just want her to be safe. I can't replace my mate. We xould have another child but there is only one mate. I feel disgusted at this thought of mine but it's how I feel. I just want to wrap my arms around her and get her fixed up. I want her safe by my side. I want to take all her pain away. We finally land on the highway Before the doors even open I shift and tear the door all the way open the second it cracked ajar. Kai and the rest of my security is right behind me. Shit! Her aura and scent have been hidden. We can't track her. I've been trying to mind link her but got no response. She must be too weak to respond.

"She couldn't have gone far. She was right here at the phone an hour ago. We have to find a cave or something She could hide in. I'm getting no response for the mindlink. If you encounter any other wolves, detain them. Her kidnapper is still looking for her!"

The 30 of us all run in different directions. I search for any signs of her. A broken twig, disturbed bushes, anything! But find nothing. God I wish she wasn't so well trained. Are we going to find her in time? Where could she be!

Lua's POV:

I wake upin agony with the urge to push.. I try to listen to my body but I have no strength to push. If I don't push the baby is going to die. I try to muster up energy from anywhere but I have nothing left. I can't even cry as no tears are coming out. My mouth is so dry it hurts to even breathe. I'm about to pass out again though I'm giving it my all to stay awake. Then, I hear running in the woods. It's getting closer. I try to focus on the shape barreling towards me but I can't, it's all a blur. I close my eyes and accept my death. At least my final weeks on this planet have been the best of my life. I'll have my baby in my arms and watch over Elias from above. My heart aches at the thought of never being with him again. I feel a hot breath over my face and get ready for my throat to be ripped out, but instead I feel my pain start to subside as Elias wraps his arms around me. He pulls me into his lap and strongly hugs me, taking my pain away. Every second that passes I get stronger and stronger. I finally can open my eyes. I see my pain being absorbed into him. Black veins running from my body to his. I can finally breathe normally and my mouth starts to salivate.

"Elias you're taking too much too fast, you're going to hurt yourself"

"Shhh. I can take it. You've endured this for hours. It's my turn. You're safe now. I've got you."

The black veins disappear. Elias has taken all my pain away and he is still conscious. I was about to grab him and soak in his scent, but the strongest urge to push washes over me and I grab his hand.

"Elias baby is coming! Take my pants off!"

Elias'POV:

I take Lua's pants off and I see the head. Baby is crowning. The ambulance should be here by now! I listen to Lua's instructions. Kai takes off his shirt and hands it to me. One of the security guys hand me his furry sweater. Lua screams a blood curdling scream and the baby plops into the shirt. They don't move or cry. Lua sits up in an instance and takes the baby from me. I stare at her in shock at what just happened. My body is pulsating from the pain I took from her. My head spinning. I just caught my lifeless child. Tears roll down my face as I watch her rub the baby and stick her fingers in their mouth. A Pinetop could be heard it was so quiet. The silence breaks with a strong cry. The baby wails and stretches its body. Lua holds them against her chest and I see her tense body relax. I place the sweater over the baby. I feel something warm against my leg and look down. A pool of blood has started to soak my leg. I look up and see Lua is gushing blood out of where she just delivered our baby.

"Lua, are you alright? You're bleeding a lot what do I do?"

She looks up at me and I can see the life draining from her eyes. Her skin is turning white and she is freezing to the touch. I pick her up while she still cradles the baby. I try taking away her pain but it isn't working.

"Where's the goddamn ambulance! She's dying! I start running towards the road making sure she and the baby is safely secured in my grip. I hear the sirens and make a beeline to the ambulance. It screeches to a stop and the back doors fly open. The paramedics take her from me. I don't want to let her go but Kai makes me lay her on the gurney. One of the paramedics takes the baby, who apparently started nursing from Lua, off of her nipple and wraps them in a blanket. She cuts the cord and starts examine examine baby while the other two already started an IV for Lua. The 4th paramedic already started towards the hospital. I watch every move the paramedics make, switching my focus from Lua to our baby over and over again. The heart monitor beeps loudly. I jump up and Kai quickly makes me sit. The paramedics look at me and tell me to calm down as they shock Lua back to life. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until the paramedics said they got her back. Please moon Goddess let her live....

Lua's POV:

I awake with pain from head to toe. it's not excruciating pain but that annoying dull pain. It takes me a second to realize I'm in the hospital and my memories hit me like a wave.

"Hello? Hello? Is my baby alright?!?!?"

I hit the call button repeatedly and the heart monitor starts beeping frantically as I start to panic. The last thing I remember was Elias putting the baby on my chest then everything went blank. The nurses rush in and try to calm me down. Elias arrives soon after. The second he grabs my hand the monitor goes back to a steady rhythm and I just feel relief. He sits next to me and pulls me into a tight hug.

"Elias the baby?!?!?"

"They're bringing him in now. He's a fighter like his mother. Even though he was born pretty early, he's breathing and eating on his own. Oh Lua he's so handsome. Wait until you see him!"

A nurse walks in cradling him and I sit up and prepare to take him. I have butterflies in my stomach and I just want him with me. She carefully hands him over and I stare at his little face. I memorize all his details and am in awe at what a beautiful little boy we made.

"5lbs 3oz, 18 inches. On the small side but he passed all tests with flying colors. And he's such a sweetheart, rarely cries! He's also very smart. He's already following people with his eyes and even trying to lift his head!"

I just nod and smile as I stare at my son. He stretches his tiny arms and moves his fingers a bit. Then he opens his eyes. Those blue eyes! Just like my mother's. I can't help but tear up as I see her in his eyes.

"Isn't he perfect baby? I haven't filled out the birth certificate yet. I wasn't sure if you wanted to change the name we originally chose?"

"He has my mother's eyes. And my dad's light freckles. That's definitely my nose but he's got your mouth and chin. He's so perfect. And to think Nothings wrong after the traumatic birth. He's a miracle. I think the name we chose is perfect."

The doctor rushes in and closes the door. He is visibly distraught and Elias stands alert right away. I instinctively hold my son closer.

"Alpha, Luna. We had a breach in security. Your guys are handling it now but I just wanted to make sure the baby was here with you and that you three were alright. "

"A breach in security! What's going on?"

"Three armed men came in and tried to get access to the nursery. Since we're such a small nursery and your baby is the only one here right now it's safe to say they are after the baby. 2 of the men have been captured already but one is at large."

I looked around the room and make an escape plan already. Cradling my son in one arm I take out all the wires sticking out of my arm and turn off the annoying heart monitor. I start to get out of bed but the doctor rushes over.

"Please Luna, you're still weak from everything you've been through. It hasn't even been a full 24 hours since you gave birth. You're in no state to travel."

Elias is standing by the door ready for anything to happen. I can see from the bed he's all tenses and mind linking our guys.

"Docotr I'm a white wolf and heal much faster than any patient you ever had. My son is in trouble. I need to be ready for the worse and I can't do that like this! Now please hold him"

I hand him my baby and head over to my hospital bag. Thank God I packed it early and Elias had enough thought to have it sent over or brought it with him. I quickly get changed into my favorite sweatpants and sweatshirt. I slip on my most comfy shoes. I throw my hair into a bun and take my son back, quickly dressing him into his first outfit. It's huge on him but it'll do for now. If I have to flee, he'll be warm enough. My adrenaline and mama wolf instincts running high, I don't feel any pain anymore.

"They got him. It's ok Lua. They got them all. We're fine."

Tears start flowing and I just shake my head.

"I want to go home. It's not safe anywhere! Not at a party with all the Alphas and Betas, not at a hospital! He's only a day old and our son could have died twice already! We're failing him and we've barely started!"

I cant stop myself from hyperventilating and the doctor takes my son from me. Elias rushes over and tries to comfort me. Through my tears, I see the doctor starting to leave. I leap up and run towards him, but he then starts running too.

"Hey! What are you doing? Where are you taking him? Stop! You're going to hurt him! Elias!"

The doctor makes a wrong turn and is now cornered. He grabs a scalpel from a tray and holds it close to my son's face.

"No moves or I'll kill him!"

Kai and the rest of the security is right behind us. The so called doctor has no where to go. Some other doctors and nurses have arrived to see what the commotion was,, and we quickly find out this is not one of their doctors.

"Hurt a hair on his head and I'll rip you to shreds right here! You will die in agony!"

I take a step forward, focusing solely on my son and the scalpel. Every possible outcome is running in my head.

"If you give me my baby, I promise I won't let him kill you. You'll be detained but if you cooperate I won't let them torture you. There's no escape. We are not letting you leave with my baby. Your only choice is to hand him over and give up. Otherwise I can't stop them from hurting you. "

The disguised doctor shifts his weight from foot to foot and looks at us all here. He looks at the baby and to us then takes a deep breath.

"I'm already a dead man"

The second he lifts his arm to kill my son, I push the cart into him and leap onto him, putting one arm under his and my son, and the other on the side of my son. I feel the scalpel stab my shoulder. Elias yanks the man away from us and I catch my son. His neck moved a little too fast. He started to cry and I cradle him checking him over. The nurses quickly rush over and I growl. They step back shocked. Elias is right next to me and helps me off the floor.

"Mam you have a stab wound in your shoulder and the baby was just shaken a bit we have to get you both checked out"

"A doctor just kidnapped and almost killed him! How do I know you're an actual nurse, or that you're an actual doctor!"

"Lua they're the ones who brought you back from the brink of death I know they're actual doctors. Please let them look after you both"

"Check him out first. We're all going to the exam room and will be watching your every move!"

The doctor and nurse leads us to the nursery. I lay him on the exam table. He's stopped crying now and is just looking around with his little bright eyes. The doctor checks him from head to toe and gives him the all clear. I take him back and hand him to Elias.

"Don't let him out of your sight. Not even for a second. "

The pain has really started throbbing a couple of minutes ago. The nurse sits me down and the doctor takes a look.

"It's pretty deep. We'll need an xray to see if it has hit any major arteries "

Fed up with this place, I rip it out of my shoulder and shift. Everyone is in shock as a stream of blood shoots up into the air but it quickly stopped. The wound starts to heal almost immediately.

"No xray needed. Elias we're going home. It's not safe here. The pack house is as safe as we'll get. I start walking back to my room to get our stuff and everyone is quickly following me. The doctor keeps trying to say I've been through a lot and can't travel. Elias is saying we have to just wait a minute. They're all talking at once. I can't take it anymore!

"I just saved my son from his 3rd brisk with death! In less than a day! I am fine. You just cleared him. I can't relax here. I need to go home! I am a fucking white wolf! From all I've been through my body is already halfway healed! I can sit on a godamn plane! Now get me the discharge paperwork and birth certificate please! Kai please get the car and plane ready. Elias, I'll be fine. We're not safe anywhere but home, I just want to go home!"

Everyone kept their mouths shut and did as I asked. Elias didn't say a word and just focused on the baby as I filled out the paperwork and grabbed our things. The nurse comes in with a wheelchair and I just glare at her. I don't care if I'm being a bitch right now. I just want to feel somewhat safe and that's definitely not here. I take the baby from Elias and we start walking to the back entrance to the car. I buckle him into the carseat and first check the car all over for anything out of place. After making sure nothing was out of the ordinary, I sit next to my son and Elias then sits beside me. We drive for a few minutes and the silence is finally broken.

"Lua, are you ok?"

"No Elias I'm not. I nearly died, our son nearly died. I didn't think it was going to be this bad!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. But we're going to figure it out I promise. It'll get better once we're home."

I lay my head on his shoulder and stare out the window. Is it going to get better? He's so tiny and helpless. I willingly handed him over to the man! I'm already failing as a mother. He was born early because I couldn't protect myself. He nearly died because I wasn't paying close enough attention. I love Elias but he even said it, he has never suffered a day in his life. How are we going to protect him?