She clutched her belly as another contraction over took her. She waited, riding the wave of pain patiently. She hoped this was just Braxton hicks but it didn't feel like it. It felt too strong, and they were too consistent.

She'd been keeping up with how far apart they were. The pain finally passed, and she uncurled herself and started walking towards the house again. Fifteen minutes, she had fifteen minutes before another wave would overtake her.

She'd been out walking in the beautiful gardens enjoying the new spring flowers when the first contraction hit her. She'd been trying to reach the house ever since. She'd gone out farther than she'd ment to.

She'd wanted to see the gorgeous pink blossoms of the cherry trees. It hadn't crossed her mind that this might happen. It was too early. She should've had another month, at least. That's why she prayed with every clench of pain that it was Braxton hicks.

A howl split the air as another wave had her doubling over. The sound calmed her greatly. It meant help was coming, but just then, something burst inside her, and warm liquid went rushing down her legs.

"No!" she cried in terror.

The sound of pounding feet caught her attention as the pain subsided again. She lifted her dress and touched her thigh. Her fingers came back bloody.

"No!" she cried again.

She continued forward as fast as she could manage in her current condition. A large dark grey wolf stepped onto the path. He paused and smelled the air, and then he softly padded over to her whining and smelled her all over as she sobbed into his fur.

The wolf transformed into a tall man with brown hair and green eyes. She clutched at his bare shoulders with desperation. He reached down, scooped her up into his arms as though she weighed nothing, and started walking as fast as he could without running towards the house.

When he reached it, he took her straight to their bedroom and laid her gently down on the bed. He started towards the door.

"No! Don't! Please stay!" she begged.

"Allana, I have to go for the doctor," he explained.

"I know, but I fear it's too late."

"Well, let's hope it's not. I'll be right back, I promise."

Another contraction overtook her, and she curled into herself again with a soft whimper. He quickly exited the room and grabbed the first person he saw.

"Run and get the doctor! Now! Your Luna is in desperate need of her," he barked, authority seeping out of him with every word. The weight of it made the girls knees weak and her head bowed.

"Yes, Alpha," the girl responded immediately and ran towards the doctors quarters.

He returned to Allana then and sat on the bed beside her. He'd only been there for a moment with the door burst open, and two giggling boys entered the room identical in every way. They saw the serious expression on their dad's face, smelled the blood in the air, and quit their faces becoming somber.

"Out, your mother isn't well. I'll fetch you when she's better," he told the boys, rushing them out the door.

"What's wrong with her? Is our sister coming?" Emmett asked, fear making his voice tremble slightly.

"I'm not sure. Someone's gone for the doctor. I'll let you know when I know. Go now, " he gave them a hug and closed the door.

His wife let out a loud groan then, and he rushed back to her side. His eyes roamed her beautiful face and stopped on the small black cresent moon under her left eye. He rubbed it softly just once with his rough thumb. She looked so pale now. He watched her with concern as she traced the large black cresent moon that was their mate's mark on his left bicep.

True mates were a very rare thing now days, not many found them. He'd been very grateful he'd found his, but then he refused to settle for less. He'd searched as many of the other packs as it took until he'd found her scent, and he'd never regretted it.

Being true mates also ment they shared a mental connection, which made sure he felt all of the pain, fear, and panic that she did. After ten years of being mated, though, he'd learned not to let what he felt from her show, but the weakening he felt starting to grow in their connection scared him shitless.

The doctor entered the room hastily with a large duffle bag full of supplies. She immediately came to examine Allana. He stepped aside to let her do her work.

"What happened, Stephon? When did this start?" the doctor barked, her eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"She was out walking in the garden, and she started having contractions. I was in a meeting, but I felt them through the link. After about an hour and half of feeling them, I became worried they might be more than Braxton hicks. So I left the meeting to check on her. When I reached her, she was having another one, and blood was running down her legs. Is she going to be okay? Did she lose the baby?"

"I'm not sure yet, " the doctor said, raising Allana's dress.

She put a stethoscope to Allana's belly and listened for a fetal heartbeat. It was there, but it was feint.

"I'm not sure why this has happened, but there's no stopping it. This baby is well on its way. As far as whether or not they'll live, I don't know, the baby is early, and she's lost a lot of blood. I'll do everything I can for them. Right now, I need you to leave the room so I can work."

"I don't want to leave her!" he said, shaking his head.

"I understand that, but right now, it's what's best for her," the doctor said somberly.

"Fine, I'll be right outside the door then," his shoulders ragged a little as he left the room.

He sat on the floor right outside the door, his head resting on the cool white wall. He winced in pain and whimpered with every scream he heard from the other side of the door. He told him self though that as long as she was still screaming, she was alive.

The news of the Luna's condition spread through the pack house, and after three hours of screaming, when the doctor finally opened the door, the foyer was packed to overflowing with wolves.

"She needs you now, " the doctor said to Stephon.

He tried to read her face, but it was blank. He nodded and followed her into the room. His mate was even paler than before. He could feel the bond flickering between them, but it was weak. He all but fell to his knees beside her. There was a small pink bundle in her arms.

"Emily isn't sure if she's going to live or not. She said her lungs might not be strong enough," Allana told him, a tear running down her cheek. "Her name is Ashta."

"I'm sure she's a fighter, just like you," he said, putting on a brave face.

"I'm sure she -"

Allana went limp. He caught the baby as it started to fall from her arms.

"Emily! Emily!" He screamed, with desperation.

His sons burst into the room with the doctor right behind them. She quickly moved around them to make it to the bed. Stephon sat staring blankly at his mate as the doctor felt for a pulse. The twins went to him excited to see their new sister, not realizing what was going on with their mother.

Stephon was glued in place. On the outside, he was just frozen. On the inside, he was grasping for the bond. He couldn't find it. It was gone. No, there it was he felt a small flicker, and then it was gone behind a door he couldn't seem to follow her through.

Emily took the baby out of Stephon's arms and turned to the two brown haired, blue-eyed little boys. She wasn't sure which one, but she gently put the baby into one of their arms.

She'd delivered them five years ago, but she'd never been able to tell them apart. However, right now, it didn't matter. What mattered was getting them out of the room and trying to save Stephon.

He pounded on the door with all his might. He'd rip it to shreds with his bare hands if he had to. His fingers clawed at the door until he ripped a nail from its bed.

"You need me to do what now?"

"I need you to attack him. Don't hurt him any more than you have to. It's the only way to save him. He's trying to follow her to follow the bond. If he does, he'll die. I've seen it happen. The best way to stop him is to make him snap out of it. The best way to do that is if he has no choice, he'll have to come back to defend himself. You might have to cause him some pain to get his attention, though, and when he snaps out of it, he's going to be so full of rage. All he's going to see is red. He's going to try to kill you."

"And how do we stop the rage? How do we keep him from killing me?" he asked, with a cocked eyebrow.

"We'll figure that out when we get there. We don't have time to keep discussing it. Come on, your first beta, you're the only one that can do this! Don't tell me you're going to chicken out!"

"Hell no, challenge accepted," he said, with a chuckle as he entered the room.

When the sound of breaking furniture and growling stopped, Emily entered the room. The beta was sitting in a corner licking a wound on his front leg, and part of his face was sliced open. The alpha was lying in the opposite corner, watching the doctor with calm, pain filled eyes.

"I need you both back to humans so I can assess the damage," she demanded calmly.

The beta transformed first and walked over to her. He watched Stephon out of the corner of his eyes the whole time. She got her bag and checked the gash on his arm.

"This will need stitches," she said.

She looked up at his face, where he'd obviously been caught by a claw. Part of his face dangled loosely where it'd been ripped open.

"That is a total mess and will also need stitches," she said with disgust.

The alpha continued to lay in the corner and stare at her and the beta as she stitched him up. Every now and then, a low whimper left him, and he would tremble.

"Go get cleaned up, I'll deal with him," Emily told the beta.

"You sure? Is he okay now?"

"No, he'll never be okay again, but he'll live."

When the doctor had stitched him up, she left him in the room full of destruction to grieve.

"He's not to be disturbed," she told the second beta, closing the door behind her.

"Yes ma'am," he answered with a nod.

Emily glanced over to the twin boys. She needed to figure out who should take care of the children until Stephon was able to do it. As she started towards them, she noticed the blank looks and the tears streaming down their faces. She rushed forward. The baby was pale, and her lips were blue. She quickly checked for a pulse. There wasn't one.

"Oh boys, I am so sorry. It appears your mother decided to take your sister with her. You have lost so much today. My heart breaks for you," she said, a tear running down her cheek.