[ELARA'S POV]
Labor started at three in the morning.
Two days after the wedding. Right on schedule.
I woke to pain. Not the fake contractions from before. Real ones. Deep. Radiating from my back around to my belly.
I pressed my hand to my stomach. I felt it go rock hard.
Then release.
Another contraction. Stronger this time.
I reached over. Shook Damian's shoulder.
"Damian."
He was awake instantly. Eyes alert. Focused.
"What's wrong?"
"Labor." I breathed through another contraction. "Real this time."
He was out of bed in seconds. Pulling on clothes. Grabbing the hospital bag we'd packed weeks ago.
"How far apart are the contractions?"
"I don't know. Just started."
"Okay." He helped me sit up. "We'll time them. If they're regular, we go."
We timed them. Five minutes apart. Regular. Strong.
He called Dr. Chen. She told us to come in.
Marcus brought the car around. Damian helped me down the stairs. Each step is careful. His hand on my back.
