Her Heart Stopped, Mine Too

Sebastian’s POV

“Alpha Ashworth, time is critical. We need your decision immediately,” the physician’s voice was urgent, almost pleading. I tried to speak, but my throat constricted like someone had wrapped their hands around it and squeezed. Not a single fucking word would come out. My wolf was howling in agony inside my head, the sound deafening me to everything else.

“Alpha?” The nurse’s voice was filled with tense expectation.

“The baby,” Iris suddenly spoke up, her voice soft but incredibly firm. “If it comes down to it, save the baby.”

The physicians and nurses nodded quickly, immediately turning to rush back into the treatment room. I spun toward Iris, a tidal wave of emotions crashing inside me—rage, terror, and a bone-deep helplessness I’d never experienced before. My expression must have revealed everything I was feeling because she met my gaze without flinching, her eyes clear and certain.

“Don’t look at me like that, Sebastian,” she said steadily. “We both know that’s exactly what Thea would choose.”

Roman took a step forward. “Iris is right. Thea would put her baby first without hesitation. If we chose differently, she’d hate us for the rest of her life when she woke up.”

He voiced the very thoughts that had been haunting the darkest corners of my mind, and I collapsed into a chair like all the strength had suddenly drained from my body. I couldn’t argue with them because they were right, but accepting that truth was more painful than taking a knife to the gut.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Of course, I didn’t want anything to happen to her baby. But the thought of a world without Thea in it was something I couldn’t even begin to process. All I could do was pray to the Moon Goddess that the physicians wouldn’t actually have to make that cruel choice. Let them both come back. Let Thea hold her newborn baby herself.

The waiting was fucking killing me. My mind raced through a thousand possibilities. Worry. Uncertainty. I just needed someone to tell me she’d be okay. To tell me that she and the baby were out of danger. To tell me they would both fucking make it.

“This is all my fault,” Iris’s sob broke the silence. “She tried to reach me, but I wasn’t available. When I saw the missed call, I told myself I’d call her back when I was done, but if I had just called her immediately…”

Roman pulled her into his arms, gently rubbing her back. “This isn’t your fault, Iris. No one could have seen this coming.”

“If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. She called me too, wanting us to go shopping together, but I was busy so I asked if we could postpone. If I’d gone with her then, maybe I could have done something to prevent her from getting hurt.” Sophia had arrived about half an hour ago. I knew she and Iris were now Thea’s two best friends. She joined the self-blame train, hugging herself like she was cold. Like Iris, she was crying.

Looking at them, I could see the love for their friend shining in their eyes. Though they hadn’t known each other long, the bond between them was undeniable.

“None of you could have possibly predicted this would happen, so don’t blame yourselves. The only ones who should be held responsible are the bastards who hurt her,” Margaret’s voice trembled as she spoke.

“Blaming each other won’t solve anything right now. We should pray for Thea and the baby, ask for the Moon Goddess’s blessing,” my father added.

I said nothing, just stared at the doors to the treatment room, waiting for someone to come out with any news. Each second felt like a fucking century. Why was my Alpha power so useless in this moment? I would sacrifice everything I had right now just to see her alive and scowling at me or rolling her eyes. If I could take her place, even if it meant my death, I would do it without a second thought.

“Remember that time at the mall?” Iris suddenly said, her eyes warm with memory. “Thea didn’t see that glass door and walked straight into it.”

Sophia let out a soft laugh. “Then she fell on her ass, her face all red, but she was still laughing.”

“She said it was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life,” Iris continued, “but she never let little things like that get to her.”

A few chuckles rippled through the room, but I felt a twinge of discomfort. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay silent.

“And that time when that hot waiter caught her talking about how cute he was. We were trying to signal to her that he was right behind her, but she didn’t get it until the guy cleared his throat,” Sophia said with a gentle smile.

“She was so mortified. She begged us to leave because she couldn’t face him again,” Iris added. “She refused to go back to that place after that.”

Then came a moment of silence. Everyone probably lost in memories. For the others, maybe not good ones. After all, they’d all treated Thea like shit, but Iris and Sophia had plenty of good memories.

I felt my patience rapidly slipping away. How could they sit here talking about Thea like they were telling stories around a fucking campfire? Like they were reminiscing about someone who was already gone?

“I have so many stories about her that I want to tell Leo and her new baby,” Iris’s voice was soft, “about how amazing their mother is, how special…”

“Enough!” I suddenly shot to my feet, feeling the rage boiling inside me.

“W-what?” she stammered.

“Don’t fucking talk about her like she’s already gone!” My voice carried the weight of my Alpha authority. “She’s still alive, she’ll be fine, she’s going to make it through this!”

The entire waiting area went dead silent. Iris looked at me in shock, while Sophia lowered her head.

“I didn’t mean—” Iris started, but was cut off by the sound of the treatment room doors opening. A different physician walked out, and we all immediately crowded around him.

“How is she?” I demanded, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest.

“The C-section went well for the baby,” the physician said, “The infant has been taken to the neonatal intensive care unit.”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, but I immediately noticed the physician hadn’t told us everything. When he said the C-section went well for the baby, what did that mean? What about Thea? Did that mean the opposite for her?

Before I could ask him, he spoke again.

“Congratulations, Alpha Ashworth, it’s a girl.”