Lycan Christmas, S. Yule [best book club books of all time TXT] 📗

was about twenty minutes from their location. Had he stayed back at Sanctuary, it would have taken him over forty minutes to reach them. “I’m on my way.”

He hit the call button on the walkie to set the ringer off, knowing someone in the meeting would hear it. Within seconds, Piers’s voice came across the line.

“Piers.”

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Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

“This is Lorent. Get Knox and anyone else available to the Nine Road cutoff. Melony is there, and a rogue is after her.”

“What the hell is she doing there?”

“I don’t know. Don’t have to time explain, but there’s more, and you aren’t going to like it. Sherry is with her, and she’s in labor.”

“I’m on my way.”

Lorent heard the deadly calm in the other man’s voice, and knew the rogue messing with Melony and Sherry would die either by his hands or Piers’s. One way or the other, it was a done deal. There would be no reformation offer in this matter.

He shed his clothes, let his wolf come to the surface, picked up the walkie in his teeth after shifting, and ran flat-out toward Melony and Sherry’s location. What if he didn’t make it in time? No! Do not think that. He’d promised Melony he’d always protect her, always keep her safe, and he would do so, no matter what it took.

* * * *

“The contractions are getting closer.” Sherry cried out in pain.

Slam! The rogue hit the side of the SUV again, rocking it.

“All of the vehicles at Sanctuary have extra security. The windows are security glass and bulletproof. He’ll be able to get through it eventually, but hopefully it will hold him off until help gets here.”

Melony was happy to hear that, but by the way the rogue was repeatedly slamming into the side of the vehicle, she wasn’t sure it would last that long.

She scrambled to the back of the vehicle and found some blankets, then instructed Sherry to lie down in the front seat. She put one blanket under her head and the other over her to keep her warm.

“I can feel the baby coming, Mel. You have to help me.”

“No, no, no, no, no. You have to wait, Sherry. You can’t have your baby now. I don’t know what to do.”

“I don’t think he cares, Mel. I’m sorry. Please, he’s coming.”

Slam!

138

Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

She folded the blanket back, pushed Sherry’s long skirt up her legs, and pulled her underwear off.

“Oh. My. God!”

“What?” Sherry cried out.

“I can see his head!” Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

Slam!

“Hold on. Do not push yet.”

She scrambled into the back of the SUV again, grabbed the other two blankets, and hurried back up to the front seat.

“Okay. When I tell you, I want you to push.”

Slam!

“Push!”

Sherry bore down, and Melony could see more of the baby’s head appear.

“Keep pushing. Keep pushing. Keep pushing. Okay. Take a break.”

Sherry panted, and didn’t say a word.

“You ready to push again?”

Sherry nodded.

“Push! Come on. Keep pushing. He’s coming, Sherry. Your son is almost here.”

“No. I can’t push anymore.”

“Yes, you can. You can do it for him, Sherry. Now push.”

Less than a minute later, Melony held a tiny baby boy in her arms, wrapped in one of the blankets. She’d cut the umbilical cord with some scissors from the first aid kit under the seat, and had tied the end off with a piece of string holding some gauze together after soaking it in alcohol. She didn’t know if she’d done anything right, but prayed the baby was okay. If he wasn’t, no one would ever forgive her.

“Why isn’t he crying?” Sherry asked frantically.

Slam!

“I don’t know!” He had a blue tinge to him, and Melony was worried, but she didn’t want to alarm Sherry.

139

Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

The baby was breathing, but the breaths were shallow. Then she remembered something she’d seen on a television show about babies. She turned him to the side and patted his back, then rubbed it in circles before patting it again.

“Come on, baby,” she whispered. “Your mommy is waiting to see you.”

She continued rubbing his back and patting it. Just when she thought all hope was lost, fluid dribbled out of his mouth, and he coughed before letting out a loud wail. Within moments, his color went from grayish blue to a healthy pink. Relief washed through Melony as she rubbed him down, wrapped him back in the blanket, and handed him to Sherry.

“He’s beautiful.” Tears streamed down Sherry’s face.

“He is beautiful. Just like his mother.”

“Mel?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“Thank me when we make it back to Sanctuary.” Then it dawned on her that there hadn’t been a slam to the side of the SUV for several minutes.

Had the rogue realized he couldn’t get in and given up? She hoped so because she had to figure out a way to get them out of here. She didn’t know how far away Lorent was, and Sherry and the baby both needed medical attention.

140

Lycan Christmas

S. K. Yule

Chapter Eighteen

Melony crawled into the back of the SUV again and looked out the windows. She didn’t see any sign of the rogue.

“What are you doing, Mel?”

“I’m going to go get help.”

“No! You have to stay in the car.”

“I have to get some help for you and your son. He needs to be looked at by the midwife to make sure he’s okay.”

Melony knew Sherry couldn’t argue with that logic no matter how much she wanted to. Her baby was the most important thing right now.

“I’ll be all right.”

“Be careful, Mel.”

Melony reached for the handle on the back passenger side. “As soon as I’m out, you engage the locks again.”

“Okay.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, took in a deep breath, and said a silent prayer. Please let the rogue be gone. Please let me be able to