Cassidy's screams pierced through the quiet night and woke everyone in the pack. The moon hung high and bright in the clear sky as I bolted from our house with Ezra running close behind me. We reached Cassidy's home quickly, our hearts pounding with worry.
Inside, her mate was holding her hand tightly while Healer Margaret stood nearby with a worried expression on her face. Cassidy lay on the bed, her body covered in sweat as waves of pain crashed over her. The pup was coming early, three weeks too early. I grabbed her other hand and squeezed it gently.
"It's okay," I whispered to her, trying to sound calm. "Just breathe through it."
She cried out again as another contraction hit her. The pain was clearly intense, and I felt helpless watching her suffer. The hours dragged on, long and difficult for everyone in that room. Then finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pup arrived.
