Chapter Fifty: A New Howl Echoes in the Night

Hudson:

The months passed begrudgingly slow, the first snow storm raging away outside. A depressed Evie didn't leave the house, Christmas and New Year's Day passing without a smile on her face. If I was being honest, holidays were never her thing. She never showed up to school during those weeks, my old man probably having something to do with it. Something was eating at her, my eyes falling on the calendar. Today was January fourteenth, an annoyed Evie working on her millionth charcoal picture. Cupping the side of her head, a long groan poured from her lips. Boredom darkened her expression, the anxiety driving her insane. Her wolf had refused to let her shift for the past months, the desire to run itching at sanity.

"Can't this pup arrive already? I can't stand to sit here." She grumbled under her breath, her gaunt cheeks showing her lack of an ability to keep any food down. "I want to eat again. What the hell has my life been reduced to?" Grappy and Bloodsworth sat on either side of her, her fingers drumming on the coffee table. Her agitation swelled by the day, the rough coldness of it affected everyone. The house felt cold, foreign to us all. Her warmth had cooled to a tiny ember.

"I don't need a babysitter every ten seconds. Trust me, I am too fucking sick to move." She spat viciously, chewing on her lips. "I don't feel right today. Do me a favor and get me a cup of ice cubes. I am thirsty and a bit hungry with a sour stomach. Never mind, I have another plan. Smoothing out their matching scarlet silk suits, their eyes watching her struggle to her feet. Leaning on the wall, she climbed the stairs gingerly. Latia watched on from the kitchen table, seconds from her due date as well. Adjusting her sweatshirt, Grayson hugged her from behind. His hair had grown out to his shoulder, a tinge of jealousy flashing in my eyes at the sight of how lovey-dovey they were. A steady stream of curse words shattered the quietness, my ears perking up at the sound. Raven poked her head out of the room, my bare feet pounding up the stairs to view a sweat soaked Evie standing over a puddle of water. The wood groaned underneath her strengthening grip, her hand holding her swollen bump. Our pup was coming today, my heart pounding out of my chest. Sliding on my boots, her fingers grasped my t-shirt.

"Get the doctor." She squeaked out, fighting the urge to scream. "Get the doctor!" Running out into the hall, Grappy was on the phone. Calling me down, his nervous smile alarmed me in the most unsettling way. Pulling me in close, his next words sent chills up my spine. Of course, nothing seemed to be going right.

"The doctor is already at another birth." He laughed anxiously in my ear, hanging up the phone. "We have to take her to a hospital. It's your move, boss." Clenching my fists into a ball, another steady stream of curse words bounced off the wall. Fishing around my pockets, I dropped the car keys into his palms. Keeping him in his place, my sarcastic smirk sent him into a panic.

"Start the fucking car. Her water broke and I don't know how long we have left." I commanded impatiently, my nerves fraying by the second. "Is that even safe? What will they say about your eyes?" A throat clearing captured our attention, a quaking Evie sat at the top of the stairs. So many questions rested on the tip of my tongue, the sight of her wincing snapping me out of it for a quick second.

"You can tell them I am albino, idiots." She chastised with a sarcastic half-smirk, an overnight bag rested in her lap. "It hurts a bit, so let's speed it up. Grappy is my brother and so isn't Theros when he visits. We all know that he will." Hiding her pain behind a twitching snarl, her calmness frightened me. Gripping a banister, the wood snapped in half. The banister paid the consequence for our indecision.

"I can't move. I need help getting to the car." She continued with a small whimper, the leather handle groaning underneath her grip. "I am ready to pop this pup out of me. So let's go before I lose my cool." Chuckling darkly to herself, she meant it. Resting her head on the banister next to her, silent tears streamed down her cheeks. Rushing up the stairs, my arms scooped her up. She felt light as a feather, her black bags hollowed out her eyes. The ghostly paleness of her skin alarmed me, her lips pressing into a thin line. How did she end up like this? Rushing her into the car, Grappy hopped in behind the driver's wheel. Her breathing grew labored, my shaking hands clicking in her seat belt. Gripping my midnight black cotton t-shirt, her claws tore at the soft cotton. Her inner wolf howled in response to the immense jolts of electrical pain associated with each contraction.

"I love you, Evie." I whispered lovingly into her ear, my palms rubbing against her shoulders. "We can do this together." Quivering in my arms, her claws dug into my chest. Ripping out her claws, the wounds sealed themselves. Cupping her hands, her claws receded. Fright glinted in her eyes, her heart racing faster than mine. Humming to herself, the trees turned to the cracked highway. Resting my palms on her bump, another contraction robbed her of her composure. A long whimper flooded from her lips, Grappy keeping his eyes on the road. Snow fluttered in the sky, ice creeping up her leg. Ripping it off her neck, she tucked it into the secret compartment of her boot. Why was she being so polite? If she was in raw agony, she should scream it out. Death popped up in the passenger's side, Grappy nearly crashing the car. Has he ever heard of knocking!

"I heard my favorite little angel was having her own little angel. Considering she doesn't really have a parental figure in her life, I thought it would be my duty as a mentor." He sang gleefully, Evie putting the window down. "You must be hot, my dear." Dusting off his emerald velvet suit, he ruffled the top of her head. Wiping her tears away, she cupped his hand.

"Thank you." She sighed while fighting another contraction, her lips brushing against the top of his hands. "I know we got off on the wrong foot but I think of you as the father I never had. Now let's birth this pup slash whatever it is. I honestly don't know at this point." Tears swam in Death's eyes, the big H coming up in the distance. It really was a good thing too because the roads were starting to get slick. Squealing to halt, the others barely had any time to say anything before I was out the door with Evie in my arms. Stopping at the desk, a cranky nurse reprimanded us for not planning properly. Her eyes glared into her reaper's eyes, a lump forming in my throat. Please don't reject us! We had nowhere to go, my eyes falling on a fuming Evie.

"Can I please have my paperwork please?" She inquired coldly, the nurse refusing to hand them over. "I would like to have my baby. I went to a different hospital but miscalculated the timing of my contractions. Yet, here I stand." Leaning on my chest, her slick palms exposing her anxiety. Standing her ground, the nurse spoke harshly towards her.

"I doubt you are in labor!" She shouted hoarsely, everyone looking over the workstation. "I have never seen a woman this calm. G-" A young blonde nurse popped up with a wheelchair, her perky attitude breeding apprehension. Helping Evie sit down, she passed me the paperwork. Her golden aura contrasted her coworker, her sunny deposition sickening Evie.

"I am Susie Perkins, your nurse. We are going to take you to the birthing suites where your little pup can come into the world." She babbled with the brightest smile, her ocean blue eyes twinkling with joy. "It isn't that often I meet a fellow werewolf. Hell! I will take a double shift for you guys." Showing us her fangs, she winked in our directions. Beige walls flashed by us, an abrupt scream shattered the overtly clean air. Evie seemed to be hunched over, her hair masking her face. Typing in a code, the mint green doors swung open. Susie helped her onto the bed, stripping off my sweatshirt. Tying a hospital gown onto Evie's still form, she began to hook her up to various machines. Beeping echoed in the room, her kind face turning back towards me. Something shifted in Evie's aura, her usual white and gold aura piercing the dark shadow haunting her.

"Could you fill that out? I don't think she is in any condition for that. I am going to go get the doctor. I will be right back. You have this, girlfriend." She chirped delightfully, Evie shooting her a thumbs up. "I simply have to adjust this." Moving the disc around, she strapped it over her beautiful bump. Leaving the room, Evie massaged her forehead. Listening to the heart beat, the graph of the contractions printed out. Both of us breathed a sigh of relief, her another deep breath matched the wicked lines of the contraction. Her genuine smile flashed on her face for the first time in a long time, tears of joy staining my cheeks. For so long I had dreamed of seeing it, her loving expression meeting mine.

"Oddly enough, I feel as calm as I can be for the situation." She admitted feebly, watching me fill out the information. "Oh never mind! That last one hurt. Susie is a little too perky for me." A gentle knock interrupted our conversation, the scent of another werewolf entered the room. The doctor stepped in with his baby blue scrubs, tugging on a pair of gloves. His ash gray hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail. The serenity of his aura calmed the room, Evie's real smile stole my breath away.

"I am Dr. Perkins, your doctor for the evening or day. I have lost track of time." He introduced himself with a million dollar smile and twinkling gray eyes. "Isn't my wife the loveliest soul you have ever sniffed? I am a werewolf as well and plenty come through here. We can take care of you. I can assure you that." Guiding her down, he examined her. Shock rounded her eyes, a steady stream of curse words bounced off the blush walls.

"You are about eight centimeters dilated." He announced excitedly, peeling off her gloves. "Soon, your little pup will be here soon. Try to relax, my dear." Leaving the room, a calming serenity bathed her aura. The other women were howling and screaming while she sat with a tired smile on her face. Concern flashed in my eyes at the sight of her wincing abruptly, her hand reaching mine. Sweat drenched her face, her hair clung to her face. Theros and Grappy skidded in, her real smile illuminating her face for the third time in a day. Theros' light blue t-shirt and jeans threw me off, his hood covered his face. Closing the blinds, Grappy turned up the lights.

"Hey, guys." She greeted them with a quick wave, bewilderment twisting their features. "I am so glad you made it. Don't worry, I am feeling every ounce of fucking pain. I am simply choosing not to react to it. I have had plenty of practice." Pulling up a couple of simple chairs, they sat on the opposite side of each other. Chatting with her pleasantly, Susie popped her head in. Scanning the room, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"These must be the brothers you were talking about.Why is it so dark in here?" She inquired with a bright smile, a clear cup of water clinked in her hands. "How's the pain, girlfriend?" Shooting her a thumbs up, Death knocked on the door. Running his hands through his hair, Susie looked less than pleased. Could she sense that he was Death himself?

"I am going to take care of my other patients now. It is nice to meet your family." She said calmly, gathering her wits. "I am always here to help out. Don't kill anybody while you are here, Death." Stomping out briskly, they all shrugged their shoulders. Distracting her with a conversation, the hours passed by painfully slow. This was the most she talked to us in months, all of us happy to hear her voice. Her whimpers grew more constant, the boys all fussing over her. Purposely knocking over her water, they all leapt to their feet.

"I need more water." She acted poorly, a long groan escaping her lips. "Death, I need you to get me my favorite blanket. It's at home." Her breathing grew shallower, Theros running off to get the nurse. Death clapped his hands while Grappy scooped up the cup. His dress shoes echoed down the hall, her grip on my hand strengthening. Her composure was slipping by the second, her whimpers turning into tortured screams. Dr. Perkins rushed in with Susie, the beeping growing faster. It all made sense now, the missions were so people didn't have to see her like this. Chaos erupted around us, blood dripped onto the floor. Panic gripped Dr. Perkins' face, time slowed down. Screams mixed with his orders to push with the contractions, my head began to spin. Dread bubbled in my stomach, a quiet wail snapped me out of my trance. A ten pound baby boy squirmed in the doctor's arms, Susie shoved a pair of scissors into my quaking fingers. Guiding my hand to the umbilical cord, the sharp blades cut the cord with ease. A ghostly paleness haunted her features, something smelling off. Alarms blared, Susie yelling at her husband to stitch her up.

"Stop the bleeding." She barked over the alarms, tears welling up in my eyes. "She is going to die and we can't ask a normal doctor." Wrapping our son in a blanket, she placed him gingerly in my arms. Opening up a secret door, Susie pulled out a worn leather bag. Dr. Perkins birthed her placenta, Susie shifting through the bag. Horror widened my eyes, the heart monitor reading zero. Crying out, Susie put her finger up in the air. Two needles shimmered in her hands, one swift swing jamming them into her thigh. Dr. Perkins had his head buried into his stitch job, my heart beating out of my chest. Taking in a deep breath, she sat up. Fright rounded her eyes, her fingers clambering for her boot. Picking it up, she ripped open the secret compartment. Clipping it to her neck, her heart rate slowed down back to normal. The bleeding slowed to a stop, her eyes falling on our son. Her genuine smile illuminated her sickly features, her weak arms reaching for him. Time stopped, my breath hitched at the sight of her holding our son. The sliver of the afternoon rays bathed her beautiful features, a new trauma haunted her eyes. Where did she go?

"Aren't we the handsome boy?" She whispered lovingly, wiping the sweat off of her brow. "How about I call you Flynn Bruce Smit. Is that okay with your Daddy?" Glancing over at me, her tired smile my loving gaze. Rubbing her arm, an eagerness shimmered in her eyes. Seeing her back to her normal self, my inner wolf sensed the storm brewing underneath the surface.

"I love it." I assured her sweetly, playing with his fluffy onyx black hair. "He is our handsome boy." Short gasps echoed in the room, his eyes opening, the pure love in them stealing her breath away. A rich ruby colored his left eye while my dark emerald eye color painted his right eye. His black lips curled into a smile, our hearts melting. The husband and wife team cooed on the other side of us, a deep pride swelling in my chest. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Susie scooped our son from her arms. Taking the chance to kiss her feverishly, her eyes wouldn't leave them taking care of our son.

"Can I say how proud I am of you?" I praised her with a beaming grin, her hands cupping mine. "There is no one else in the world I have our son with." Saying nothing, she chewed on her fingernails. The nurse came back in with our son, stealing her away to take a shower. Death popped in with a frustrated expression on his face. One of our blankets hung over his arm, the cleaning staff working on the room.

"She didn't die, did she?" He queried furiously, gazing upon Flynn. "It is fine as long as she has returned back to the land of the living. but she saw some things she didn't need to see." My brow cocked in response, the staff finishing up. Rushing out, Death snapped his fingers. Lining up in front of him, blank eyes watched him.

"You didn't hear anything. So move on to the next room." He informed them briskly, all them shuffling out awkwardly. "She probably entered Hell and saw a few of our worst torture chambers. I am not in charge of that but she might be a little weird for the next few days. How odd? This child has inherited her reaper's powers. How aren't the screams bothering him?" His face fell, sad words rested on the tips of his tongue.

"What is it?" I shouted bitterly, tears welling up in his eyes. "Tell me, damn it!" Shaking his head, a freshly cleaned Evie exited the bathroom. The staring war between Death and me seemed to never end, Evie catching on. Running over to him, her fingers traced his ears. Snapping her fingers in his ears, no response happened. Trying again, her frail body sank to her knees.

"I made him deaf." She sobbed softly, burying into her palms. "I cursed him. I am a monster." My heart sank into my stomach, an oppressive silence poisoned the mood. Deaf or not, he was our son. Guilt dimmed her face, her fists smashing into the floor. A crack spread like the sea, ice spreading across the floor. Death approached her cautiously, attempting to rub her back. Smacking his hand away, he cupped her face. A quiet rage simmered in his eyes, his temper flaring.

"Can't you count it as a blessing?" He snapped hotly, slapping her across the face. "He won't hear the screams." Her eyebrow twitched, her fingers curling around her tie. Yanking him close to her face, the crack of her slap stunned us all.

"He won't hear music or my voice. It's not like I can't give him hearing aids or he'll start hearing the screams that haunt me all the time. They don't ever stop." She retorted ferociously, her emotional dam bursting. "Every night I have nightmares of Hell, and where I am going. Everyone else gets to go to Heaven and I am stuck in Hell. For what! Just to be the fucking hero! I have given so much sacrifice only to get punished in the end! How is that fucking fair! It's not! It's not! It's not as if my life was easy but knowing what comes after is terrifying." Pulling her into a warm embrace, a silver box rested in his hands. Her words broke me, the stress wearing on her face. How could that be true? We wouldn't be able to spend our afterlife together. Silent tears streamed down my face, his finger lifting up her chin.

"I am going to build you a castle for Hudson and whoever wants to go with you in my dimension." He promised with a fatherly energy, pressing a silver box into her palms. "These are special hearing aids that block out the screams. I can't help with the nightmares but I can be there for you. I intend to be the father you never had." Fresh tears flooded from her eyes, her head nodding. The broken smile on her face told us that she was going to be okay, her head resting on his shoulders. Surprise rounded his eyes at the sudden affection, teardrops soaking the top of his head. Kissing the top of his hand, she wiped away his tears.

"You are always going to be my father figure in my life. I can't thank you enough for the hearing aids." She blubbered joyfully, hugging them to her chest. "I am sorry for my outburst. Would you do me the honor of putting them in?" Extending her palm, he picked up the box. The top groaned open, his slender fingers placing them in his tiny ears. Pushing a button, his big eyes looked around. Helping her to her son, her angelic voice echoed in the room. His smile grew wider, joy illuminating his eyes. Teardrops soaked the mat, Susie covered her mouth. Tears flowed down all of our cheeks, Evie's legs giving out. A confused Grappy and Theros wandered in, Susie passing a tissue box around.

"Who is this handsome guy?" Theros cooed in Flynn's face, his tiny fists clenching his slender ring finger. "You look a lot like Daddy but I bet you have your mommy's smarts." A small sigh flooded from his black lips, Grappy helping her to the bed. Laying down, Theros brought Flynn over to her. Rocking him in her arms, my eyes fell on her underweight frame. Beginning to have conversations with everybody, the hours seemed to fly by. The last guest left, an exhausted Grappy rested on the branch outside the window.

"I am sorry." She apologized sincerely, a strained huh escaping my lips. "I am sorry for the loss of emotions. I promise to con-" My loving embrace stopped her mid sentence, her body feeling so frail in my arms. Moving over, her dainty hand pat the bed. Climbing on next to her, my arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Don't ever apologize for being yourself." I uttered with conviction, her wet eyes meeting mine. "Today was emotional. You died and we found out our son is deaf. That's not because of you at all. Check it out." Pointing out the window, a gorgeous winter scene greeted up. Snow covered the pine trees, a soft knock stealing our attention. Susie came in with a cream sweater and floor length denim skirt, a gift bag swinging in her hands. Sitting down at the end of the bed, she handed it to Evie. Taking our son, tears streamed down my wife's cheeks as she opened it. Pulling out homemade medicinal herbs and creams, her trembling fingers wiped away her tears. A tiny card fell onto her lap, a tender blush rising to her cheeks.

"You want to be my friend. I don't get it. Why does everybody want to be my friend?" Evie stammered anxiously, chewing on her lips. "I don't deserve to have fr-" Shock rounded her eyes at the kind hug from Susie, her arms dangling awkwardly by her side. Holding Evie by her shoulders, her eyes refused to leave hers.

"You are the kindest person I have met. You weren't rude to me once even though you were in immense pain. I would quit if I was in your situation." She babbled brightly, the compliments not sinking in. "I have issues making friends and all of the other nurses are mean. Do you think we could do a ladies night or something? I can bring a movie to your place and I know how to make air popped popcorn." Evie cupped her hands together, her genuine smile shredded any nerves Susie had left.

"Of course, we can be friends. I know a couple of ladies who might like you as well if you don't mind." She assured her sincerely, pulling into one of her motherly embraces. "How about you come by next weekend and I can make your favorite meal. Here, plug in your number. I will text you everyday to see if you are okay. If you guys are ever in danger, my home is your sanctuary." Teardrops soaked Evie's shoulders at Evie's unbridled compassion, an excited Susie typed in her phone number. Dancing around the room, her long blonde waves floated with each spin.

"I can't wait." She sang with the biggest smile, pausing in the door frame. "You are so fucking awesome. See you tomorrow for my shift." Skipping out of the room, Evie's laughter twinkled in the air. Texting her real quick, a text alert dinged in my ear. Putting her phone away, her head rested on my shoulders. Snores rang in my ear, the serene expression on her face told me that we were going to be okay. Playing with Flynn, his giggle brought me to my center. Kissing his forehead, all of my wishes had come true. Grappy crawled in through the window, settling down in the chair next to us. Snapping his fingers, the window shut by itself. Turning on the television, the two of us let a generic action movie carry us through the night.