Chapter 4

" O kay, okay. Just breathe, Chastity," Snake says, helping me to get more comfortable. "It's okay."

He keeps saying it over and over, as if it'll make it true, but that isn't going to happen.

"You try having a watermelon wanting to explode from your vagina," I scream, gasping at the tearing sensation as I force myself to breathe.

My pregnancy with Eli was so easy, and the water birth was much more relaxing than being in this bare room with a crazy Society member.

"Too much information," he mumbles. "This wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"What wasn't? Kidnapping me?" I ask, panting as I force myself to stand. I'm in full blown labor, and I'm trying to ignore the pressure in my lower back.

In my subconscious, I know what it means, but I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that I'm going to have a baby now, instead of in a couple of weeks, the way I planned.

I bought candles, my favorite curtains, and I have affirmations hung up in my room with the guys, in anticipation for this. This isn't the way this is supposed to go. Pulling a breath deep into my lungs, I try to go to my happy place in birth, because mindset is everything.

That's what my damn classes have told me, anyway. I'm having trouble finding my zen, though.

"I just wanted to get to know you," Snake says, rubbing his neck. "I'm terrible at small talk, but when this was presented to me, I couldn't pass it up."

"Why?" I croak, leaning over to start to sway. My pants are soaked, and I'm uncomfortable. If I was home, I'd strip and labor this way, but everything is wrong about this birth.

I don't give a shit if I'm whiny, and there's tears pricking my eyes, I'm angry and worried about my baby. These contractions are coming really fast, and I can barely catch my breath. I just hope whatever Snake gave me isn't going to negatively affect the baby.

"Your mother was my Eve," he says, blackening my vision as I nearly fall over. Snake catches me with a grunt, moving me over to lean on the wall.

"The details surrounding Eve's and their Adams are typically kept under wraps, but when I saw you, and how much you remind me of Charity, I knew. Something drew me to you."

"How did you end up as her Adam?" I gasp, blinking as I force myself to relax. I'm wound too tightly, and the doctor at my last appointment told me to make sure that I stayed calm, so my blood pressure would remain even.

I don't think that kidnapping was on the agenda when she told me that.

"The Elders decide all of that, and I was a misfit that was going places," Snake says, eyeing me carefully as he pulls out his phone. Fingers flying over the keyboard, he sends a text.

"I was smart, but I tended to get into trouble. A lot like your boy, Ash. I wasn't like the way you see me now, though. I was clean cut, not quite as…"

"Unhinged?" I moan, my head dropping back onto the wall as I turn so that my spine is flush against the concrete.

"Well, that's one way to see it," he mutters. "I work undercover for The Society, and that means I have to do terrible things for the cause. I can turn off my emotions, and disassociate from any empathy I may have left. I become soulless, to do what no one else can."

"Why does The Society need that?" I ask, a deep groan releasing from the depths of my soul. I can feel the baby's head sitting on my cervix, but I don't know if that means it's time yet. I can't possibly be fully dilated yet, right?

"How long was I passed out for, Snake?"

His eyes close for a moment as he thinks. "Several hours, while I was transporting you. Why?"

"No reason," I speak, as he looks suspiciously at me. Fuck, I could totally be in active labor right now. Shit.

It's not real until I'm pushing. I'm fine, the baby is fine. It's not real. Not yet.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" I ask. I need to keep him talking, so he can distract me. Usually Bast would be doing this, while Levi reminds me to breathe. Once I was in the water, Jonas held me as I birthed. It helped to heal a lot of my trauma from my birth with Angel.

…But she's a hole in my heart still, with a lot of unknowns surrounding her.

"Have you ever wondered who your father actually is? Or did you really think it was Maxen Andrews? He always rubbed me the wrong way," Snake grumbles. "I can't believe he married that bitch, Isabella."

"You and me both," I wheeze, feeling another contraction start to grab hold. I don't think these are supposed to happen so quickly, but Snake isn't my ideal doula or midwife, so I'm not going to ask him.

"Who were my mom's Adams?"

"The Society paired her with David Madden, Maxen, and me. Your mother was sweet, but had a way about getting us to do what we were supposed to," he says with a small smile. "She was our reward for the long hours of training and work. The Society dangled her over our heads."

Knowing that the reward was sex with my mom, I push those thoughts out of my head as I grit my teeth against the pain. We wanted to wait to find out the sex of the baby—though we suspect it's a little girl—so I speak to her or him the best way I can.

Give mommy a break, little one. You're scrambling my insides. Let me catch my breath.

There's not a lot of room in my stomach now that she or he is crammed inside, but I swear, I get punched for my efforts. Oh well. If they're a fighter, then I can channel that too.

Yeah, I hear you, kiddo. I'll suck it up.

"Uh hum," I say, singing in my head. God, this pain just won't slow down.

Dropping to my knees, I lay my head on my arms. I don't care what he thinks, I can be the crazy girl.

"What are you doing?" he asks, moving over to crouch down by my head.

"These contractions are really close together. I can't…" It's a testament to my high pain tolerance that I can say anything at all, but the building contractions steal my words as I scream.

Sometimes, the only way to release the pain is vocally. I hope he doesn't have any neighbors, or the cops may think I'm being killed. I certainly feel as if I'm being torn apart right now.

Panting, I moan as I rock my hips from side to side.

Two hands press on either side of my hips, compressing hard, and I find it helps the pain.

"This isn't my first labor and delivery experience, Chastity," he says with a sigh. "I just didn't think I'd be doing this with my daughter."

"Your what?!" I ask, before I whimper, because fuck me, here comes another contraction.

God, why is this happening? I swear, I'm a good person.

"How… Fuck, please don't stop whatever that is. Are you serious right now?" I ask, panting.

"Yeah. These contractions are really damn close. Do you feel like you have to push?" he asks, going into professional mode.

"No, not yet. It's just a lot of pressure and pain," I gasp out. I'm starting to sweat, and I feel really hot.

"The Society rarely tells us when there are children born from the Adam and Eve unions," he says. "Eves are typically women who have more experience, but Charity wasn't like that. She was more giving with her smiles and her words, but she wasn't the whore that Mother Cross pretended she was. Your mother married Maxen shortly after our initiation, and while I was disappointed, I moved on. I lost touch with the school and everyone during my duties for The Society, though I did hear about your mother's death. I mourned her."

I can't see him because my head is buried in my forearms but I nod. The squeezing pressure he's doing on my hips is helping my contractions, but the baby is also starting to drop. I have a feeling, I'm going to feel like pushing very soon.

Staying quiet, I wait for him to continue. "I lost myself to my assignments even further, the last of my humanity possibly dying with her. Charity was such a bright light. It was like she took the last of the goodness that was inside of me, and I couldn't find my way back," he explains.

"I leaned into the insanity and the darkness, but seeing you made my demons perk up. The Society was an excuse to take you, because you're my daughter, and the last of what's left of Charity."

I thought I was coping pretty well, but the next contraction has me losing the thread of the conversation as I scream. There's a burning sensation along my cervix, and I can feel intense pressure.

"Oh, fuck," I cry out, gasping. "I have to push. It's too early; this can't be happening."

Tears flow down my face as I see that Snake has moved, and he's calling someone on the phone. There's worry and concern on his face as he talks.

I feel like I'm falling down a tunnel of darkness, and I rid myself of my bottoms. He can't see anything from where he's standing, and if he's going to deliver my baby, it won't matter anyway.

As I scream through the first push, I vaguely hear Snake say, "All I wanted was to keep you safe from Isabella. I'm so sorry."

ASH

After leaving the tunnels, and having a quick chat with The Dragon, I make my way to the courtyard and sit on the bench once more. Jonas got me good, and I can feel the ache in my ribs. I know he wanted a fight, but I just couldn't hit him back.

I deserve all of his wrath and pain, and if I'm sore as shit tomorrow, and can't see out of one of my eyes, so be it. I know what I did was the right thing, and one day, he will see that, but until then, I will keep apologizing and groveling.

Same when Chas returns. I will get on my knees and worship at her altar. I don't know what is next for me, since we kinda just got up and left the compound this morning. I don't know if mine and Snake's cover has been blown.

Speaking of, I need to check in with that psycho bastard. I still can't believe he just kidnapped Chastity.

Even if it was a Society order, he should have told me, or hell, taken me with them. Reaching into my pocket, I grab my phone. "Oh, fuck. Oh, shit," I shout, jumping to my feet as I read the messages.

I have three missed texts from him and two calls. I can't believe I didn't feel the vibrations.

Snake: Where the fuck are you, Spider?

Snake: Your girl's water just broke.

Snake: Come alone! 4276 Anders Rd.

Snake: We have a problem. Meet us at Regional General Hospital. Bring the husband.

I try to call him back, but it goes straight to voicemail. "Goddammit!" I roar to the sky, cursing whoever is up there.

I don't have a damn car, since I rode in with Snake, and I live at the compound. No need for a vehicle when I'm as much a prisoner as the others.

I'm going to have to find the guys and hope they listen to me long enough to tell them about Chastity.

With every step back into the academy, I'm filled with dread. I hope Chas and the baby are okay.

Walking down the cobblestone hallways, I wince. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to get myself checked at the hospital. It's not like Chas is going to want to see me yet.

"Why are you still here, Ash?" Tempest asks as I climb the steps to Levi's old place. It looks like she was about to knock on their door.

I should just tell her the news and have her speak to the guys. I'll take a cab, or Uber, or something to the hospital.

"Chastity is in labor. I don't know how long it's been, but there was an issue, so she's at the hospital."

"What? Why are you just taking a leisurely stroll, asshole?" She berates me while banging on the door, and when I turn to leave, she reaches out, grabbing me by the neck of my T-shirt.

"Don't you even think about disappearing again!" she snaps, and I sigh, nodding. I keep my gaze on the floor as the door swings open, and the guys start to panic as she begins to explain everything.

"Let's go. I'll drive," Levi says, then turns to Tempest. "Where are the kids?"

"With Grandma Cross. She has the Pack N Plays set up in Chastity's old room."

"Okay, good. Text Jacob and Otto. They should be at the hospital. I'm too fucking pissed to hear his voice right now," Levi grumbles, then pushes me out of the way as he, Jonas, and Bast rush down the stairs.

"The door is locked," I call out, reminding them. Bast chuckles, shaking his head.

"We have keys now, idiot. We aren't students anymore."

"Right," I mumble, and continue to follow them. I'm expecting to be told no, as we reach a large SUV, but Tempest pushes me into the third row, then climbs in after me.

"We don't have time for all of your bullshit," she snaps when I look at her.

Sighing, I ignore the tension in the car and shut my eyes for a few minutes. If I say a small prayer that things will get better, they don't need to know.

CHASTITY

If I thought Angel's birth was traumatic, it has nothing on this one. The pain is indescribable, and I feel so weak.

"It's okay, my Little Warrior. I'm going to get you to a hospital. Just hold on, Chastity," Snake shouts as my eyelids get heavier.

He's driving like a bat out of hell, and I should be screaming at him to slow the fuck down, but I don't even have the energy to lift my head. I'm losing a lot of blood, which is why Snake decided to move me. It's more than is normal, and the pain from contractions is a permanent fixture. They're crashing on top of each other, but I'm too weak to do more than whimper.

Lights flash in my eyes from the other vehicle's headlights against the night sky.

I look up at the stars, and pray that for once in my life, something goes right. That my baby is okay.

"Almost there. You've got this, little girl. You're so strong, just like your mama. I am so sorry. So so sorry. I just wanted to keep my little one safe."

Snake is babbling, and I know we still need to discuss the elephant in the room—err, car—but it's going to have to wait.

I need time to come to terms with the fact that the man who raised and abused me my whole life wasn't even my father.

But right now, I need to hold on for my babies. I refuse to leave this little one, Eli, and Angel without a mother.

I know how hard it is to not have one, even if I did have eight amazing years with mine.

Though I know Tempest would step in and help to raise my babies, I'm not ready to give up.

"Hurry," I whisper, and Snake sniffles. Is he crying?

"God, fuck, I haven't prayed in a lifetime, but if you're there, or baby, Charity, if you're watching over us… Please, save our baby, and grandbaby. I'll do better. Be better," he continues to pray as I keep my hands on my belly.

I must black out because loud noises and bright lights rouse me.

"What do we have here?" someone asks, but I don't have enough strength to turn my head.

"Twenty-one-year-old female, thirty-seven weeks, active labor, stalled due to a breech birth."

"Okay, let's get her into OR four. Are you the father?" a man asks Snake, and he shakes his head.

He looks like he just went on a killing spree. His arms, hands, and shirt are covered in blood.

"I'm her father. Her husband is on the way."

They wheel me down the hall before I can hear anything else, but those last words bring me peace.

Levi is coming. My boys will arrive, and everything will be okay.