Dragon-shifters couldn't handle human anesthesia. Adults might survive a small dose, but it would kill a child. And after all the bloody morning sickness and feeling fat, Faye wasn't going to allow that to happen.
Which meant Faye would either have to be awake for the procedure or risk using a milder sedative for Layla to cut her open and hope it didn't adversely affect her or her bairn.
Every second that passed only convinced Faye she wasn't going to be around much longer. "If it comes to me or the bairn, save my babe, Layla."
Layla looked right into her face and stated, "You're not going to die, Faye. Aye, C-sections are rare for dragon-shifters, but you're young and stubborn. As long as we do it within the next half hour, you should be fine."
"Should," she murmured and closed her eyes.
Grant took her face in his hands. "Look at me, Faye."
She obeyed and drew in a breath at the fierceness she saw. Her mate threaded every bit of dominance into his voice as he said, "I will be there the whole time. And you're not going to die, Faye. I won't allow it."
Under normal circumstances, she'd tease him about not being able to control everything around him.
However, in that moment, it was exactly what she needed to hear.
She nodded. A beat later, Holly and Chase rushed into the room, followed by a pair of nurses with a stretcher.
Her unflappable sister-in-law didn't even blink an eye at the situation, and as soon as Holly was close, she smiled. "Your bairn is a wee bit early like mine were. I think you did it to get one up on your brother."
Faye smiled weakly. "Aye, well, they'll be closer in age now. It'll be easier for my child to corrupt your daughters."
Holly snorted and moved so that the other nurses could move Faye onto the stretcher.
The entire time, Grant never let go of her hand.
And as they moved her ou
t of the Protectors' main building on a stretcher, she silently hoped all would be well. She'd been somewhat reluctant to be a mother, but now that her bairn was on the way, she wanted the chance to see them, hold them, and spoil them on occasion.
And, of course, teach him or her how to fight and win against their cousins.
She just needed to stay alive to do all of it.
With that thought, Faye slipped into darkness.
Chase sat next to his mother on the smaller of two sofas inside the private waiting room. Across from him sat Lorna MacKenzie, surrounded on both sides by her ginger-haired twin sons.
Lorna looked unusually pale, and he'd never seen the female so quiet. Even Fraser, the more mischievous twin, sat silent, merely holding his mother's hand.
While Chase knew Layla would be doing everything she could—probably even with Dr. Sid's help—he kept looking at the door, willing her to appear to give an update.
Because with each minute that ticked by, the tenser everyone became in the room. Even his mother was sitting stiller than he'd seen before. Faye may not be her daughter by blood, but he knew she loved her as if she were.
His dragon spoke up. Layla will come when she's ready. Give her time to work.
I know, but can you blame me for wanting to ease everyone's nerves?
And while he was willing above all else for Faye to make it through the procedure, the entire experience only reminded him of how he could lose Layla, too, in childbirth. Faye was younger than Layla and having complications. Would it be worse for his future mate?
Before his dragon could say anything, the door opened, revealing Holly dressed in her nurse scrubs. Even though her gaze zeroed in on her mate, Fraser, she said, "Both mother and bairn are fine." She looked at Lorna and then Chase's mum, smiling as she stated, "You have a granddaughter."
The atmosphere in the room changed instantaneously. Both of the twins stood and lifted their mother, engulfing her in a hug. His own mother touched his arm and he smiled at her. "I told you they'd be fine," he murmured. "And you finally have a wee lassie in the family to love and spoil."
Fraser rushed to Holly and gave her a long, lingering kiss, no doubt reveling in the fact he still had his mate despite her giving birth to twins not long ago.
Only once he pulled away could Chase ask Holly, "Can we see them yet?"