The Taken Princess

Zeke’s pov “Deep breaths babe, you can do this. In and out that’s it.” I watched as her face relaxed once the contraction had passed. She exhaled and took in a breath of relief. I looked at the monitor next to me. “Okay you have another minute before the next one, keep breathing.” She nodded her head at me as she kept her breathing steady. She continued to roll back and forth on the big grey ball. I looked around the tan and green hospital room, we have been here all night, it’s now two o’clock in the morning. The sterilized smell of the hospital was giving me a headache, but I had to be strong for my mate. We had decided a few weeks ago that having the baby at the nearest hospital was the best course of action. The doctor said he was worried about the placenta and thought being closer to a sterilized operating room was the best thing we could do. I leaned over and grabbed her cup with ice chips in it. I held it up to her mouth and she happily took one. I noticed sweat dripping down her face, I took the towel laying on the side of the bed and wiped her forehead dry. There was a soft tap at the door and one of the nurses walked into the room. “Luna, how are we doing?” She gave the thumbs up as she continued to take deep breaths, “That’s good.” She put on a pair of gloves and put some gel on her fingers. “ I would like to check you again, I think you will be pushing very soon.” Jane nodded her head and sucked in a breath as the next contraction struck. I rubbed soothing circles on her back as she gently bounced on the birthing ball. I breathed with her as she tried to work through this one. Her grip on my hand tightened, almost breaking the bones. “Ah, Zeke, it hurts so bad!” I looked at the nurse and she quickly walked over to us. She grabbed a clean towel off the shelf behind us. “Okay Luna let’s get you on the bed.”The nurse looked concerned as a metallic scent hit my nose, Jane started shaking her head back and forth. I could feel her fear through our bond. “Something is wrong.” I told the nurse, she pulled up Jane’s dress and noticed blood on the pad that was placed on the ball. Her eyes went cloudy and moments later the doctor rushed in. “Get her on the bed, I need to have a look at her.” I followed his orders and quickly got her up onto the bed. He pulled out the ultrasound and put the gel on her big swollen belly. “Damn it! That’s what I was afraid of, we need to get her to the operating room now.” My stomach clenched, I followed after them as they wheeled her out of the room. “Tell me what’s happening?” I said loudly. “Quickly, run ahead and prep the O.R.” The doctor called out calmly to a nurse as they ran down the hall. I could see the double doors coming closer. “What’s going on?” I shouted as a door was slammed in my face with the words AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY written in large red letters. My anger flared and I couldn’t contain it anymore, “I am the Alpha King. I want an answer now!” I roared through the halls and heard whimpers. A nurse ran up to me with worry on her face. “You highness please, they need to focus on saving the babies and Queen Luna. Let’s go back to the room and maybe I can see what he saw on the ultrasound. Is that okay?” A soft voice from my right said, I stared at the doors, terrified that I may never see her again. I tore my gaze off from the door my mate went through and nodded at the nurse, she smiled and gently placed one of her hands on my forearm. I looked at the door one last time before a voice pulled me away from it. “Zeke, she is strong, she will be okay.” Zane’s words soothed me momentarily. I followed the nurse back into the room we were just in. She stood next to the ultrasound and pulled up the last saved photo. A sad look crossed her face, “What is it?” I was getting angry that nobody would tell me what happened. “Um, the umbilical cord wrapped around one of the baby's neck.” I growled, I knew that wouldn’t cause the amount of bleeding that she had. The nurse looked at me, fear flashed through her eyes. “It’s not my place to say but there may also have been a placenta abruption. You will need to wait for the doctor to confirm that.” He had told us there were some complications with this pregnancy, the placenta specifically. We knew from the beginning that one of the babies may be compromised because of the way the placenta was positioned. We are having fraternal twins, one boy, one girl. Please moon goddess if you can hear me, keep all three of them safe. I silently prayed to the goddess for them. I don’t know what I will do if I lose any of them. My phone started to buzz in my pocket, I bet that is Jace. I looked at it and sure enough it was. I didn’t want to answer it, he could probably feel something was wrong. I swiped the green button and put the phone to my ear. “What’s going on with Jane? I know something is really wrong.” I could hear how worried he was. I leaned over resting my elbow on my knee and placing my head in my free hand. “It’s not good Jace, I don’t know what to do?” For the first time ever I truly felt completely helpless. Even when Jane was kidnapped by that stupid vampire, I didn’t feel this helpless. “We are heading to you right now.” The phone went silent before I could even respond. I looked down at my pants and noticed the wet spots, I was crying and I didn’t even notice. “Zane, what do we do?” I threw my phone onto the table next to me and ran my hand through my hair. “We need to trust that the doctors will do everything in their power to save our mate and children.” I leaned back into the chair, I heard the wail of a baby just down the hall and my heart broke. I stood up and started pacing the room, before sitting back down on the chair. I looked down on the floor and saw the blanket that had been on the bed Jane had been using was crumpled into a ball. I quickly grabbed it and sat back down in the chair. I inhaled her scent deeply. I leaned forward and hurried my head into the blanket. I was taking in more of her scent when I heard footsteps coming closer, there was a soft knock on the door, “Excuse me, Alpha? I have one of the twins for you, would you like to hold her?” I turned to look at the nurse and saw the little bundle in her hand. I stood up and walked to her, reaching my hands out for the little bundle. “How are they doing?” I couldn’t hide the strain in my voice. “They are both being worked on, Luna has lost a lot of blood but she should be okay. Her wolf is already starting to help heal her. When they pulled your son out though he wasn’t breathing. They are doing what they can, I know it’s hard but please be patient. Another nurse will be by shortly with a bottle for her.” I nodded my head as I looked down at my beautiful baby girl. “Hi honey, I have been waiting so long to meet you.” Right now she is the only thing I have grounding me, she is the only thing stopping me from tearing everything apart. It felt like forever when another nurse came in carrying a bottle. I took the bottle and put it up to her lips, she opened her mouth and sucked the bottle right in. The nurse showed me how to feed a baby in a way that will give a greater chance for her to not be dependent on it. Jane wanted to breastfeed these two since her time with Zac was cut short. The nurse talked with me some and helped me with her, “does she have a name yet?” I nodded my head. “We had decided on names a few hours ago, her name is Asyra Lee Greyfang. Her brother's name is Luca Ryken Greyfang.” She smiled at me as Asyra started to spit up. “Oh dear, you’re gonna be a messy one aren’t you?” I asked my baby girl sweetly, I was wiping her up when the doctor walked in. “Alpha, I have some news.” I turned to look at him and gently handed my little girl over to the nurse. “They are both okay, the baby has to stay in the NICU for a few days just for observation and your mate is resting right now. She should wake up in a few hours, her wolf healed her pretty quick but it took a lot of energy out of her. If you want to gather up all your things we can show you where your mate is.” I let out a sigh of relief knowing they were both okay, I nodded my head and, with the doctor in the lead, went to her. When we got to our new room I looked at the clock and realized it has only been an hour since Jace called, they should be here soon then. As if on cue they walked into the room, it was the whole group. Isaiah, Marisol and their daughter, Jace, Emerald, Tasha, Jeremy they left their sons at home with a babysitter, my parents and both sets of Jane's parents. I smiled down at the baby in the bassinet, “You have no idea how loved you are.” “Oh don’t worry, she will know soon enough son.” My mother said, the room filled with laughter. “Please tell us her name and where is the other one?” I could hear the slight panic in her voice. I told them their names and they all started tearing up, I picked up my baby girl and brushed my nose against hers. She opened her eyes and I was lost in her gorgeous hazel eyes. Asyra’s pov about ten years later I am so excited! Tomorrow my big brother, Zac, has his coronation. He will be the crowned prince and officially begin his training to become the next King of the Realm. I am Asyra, Zac is four years older than me. Once I turn fourteen I will become crowned princess, at the same time my brother, Luca, will also be crowned as he is my twin brother. Mom says it's because we need to know how to rule the kingdom properly just in case something happens. Also that way we can help Zac if he doesn't find a mate or if something happens to one of us. I know dad has been really worried, something about smelling rogues but not being able to find them. I don't really know, he tries not to inform me of that stuff. He says I should focus on training and being a kid while I can. Anyways I am so excited for this coronation, other than the balls mom and dad put on twice a year I don’t get to see too many people anymore. Not since someone threatened our family a couple years ago. I know my wolf, Anja, has been really antsy lately. Normally we don’t get our wolf until we hit thirteen, but I got mine when I was Eight. Mama said she got her wolf early too. I was skipping about the yard when a scent caught my nose, it was grandma! I bolted letting the scent lead me to her, the excitement pushing me to move faster. I could see her as she got out of her car, I ran past the bushes and straight into her open arms. “Whoa slow down there Boo, you’re going to get hurt.” She pulled me closer and I took in her scent. She smelled so much like Mama, her long white hair tickled my nose as she bent further down to pick me up. She set me back down and took my hand, I led her inside, “Grandma come on, come look at all the decorations for Zac's coronation!” She giggled as I pulled her along, “Okay, okay, I am coming.” She turned and looked at something then I saw him. “Grandpa!” I let go of Grandma's hand and ran to him next, flinging myself at him. “Why didn’t you visit the last time Grandma was here?” He squeezed me tighter into his wolfy hug. “I am sorry Boo, I had some work I had to take care of, but we are going to be staying here for a full week!” I gasped in excitement and ran back to Grandma, pulling her by the hand again. We walked into the throne room and Grandma gasped as she saw the decorations, “It looks absolutely beautiful in here! Did you help do all this?” She asked me. I shook my head, “Was it Jean?” I nodded my head, Jean was the party planner mom always uses to help her set up the big parties. I turned my head and watched as my mom walked towards us, “Asyra, honey, please go find Luca and Zac and help them with the decorations outside please.” I nodded my head and ran off to find my brothers. I walked outside where I knew they would be, but something wasn’t right. I looked around and saw the tents placed near the entrance to the garden and saw Luca walk into one of them. I sighed as I looked around again, I could feel something was wrong, but I didn’t see anything. I shrugged my shoulders and started heading the direction I saw Luca when I heard a branch snap. I froze in fear, the hair standing up on the back of my neck, I turned my head and noticed a big dirty wolf snarling at me. I could feel something was different with this wolf. I started slowly backing away but each step I took away the wolf took towards me. The wolf snapped its jaws at me and I let out a scream as loud as I could. I turned running as fast as my legs would carry me. I shifted into my wolf so I could run faster but he pounced on me. His wolf was much bigger than mine was, I whimpered as I felt the pressure of his paw on my ribcage increase, then a snap as some of my ribs broke. I felt the weight lift off of me as I saw a blur of grey and black go flying over us. I was light headed from the lack of oxygen because of the amount of pressure on my lungs. I saw Luca running towards me but I couldn’t understand anything he was saying. I saw mom drop to the ground next to me. I could faintly see the light from her hands. But everything was fading, then all I could see was darkness. Zac’s pov Mom has us in the tents working with Jean today, tomorrow is my coronation and I am so ready for it. I have worked hard to get where I am right now, Dad has told me numerous times how proud he is of the wolf I have become. I was watching Jean tell a young wolf what to do with the lights and another how to put together the outdoor heaters when I heard it. The worst scream imaginable, it made my blood curdle. I ran out of the tent and the sight I saw made me furious. Asyra was running from a brown rogue, how did that thing get this far into the territory? I took off running as I shifted into my wolf, I linked my parents. “Garden now, rogue!” I didn’t get an answer back as I blocked the link. I knew they would send help, I watched as Asyra shifted into her white and black wolf. The rogue jumped and landed on her, I could hear her whimpers and then the sickening crack of bones breaking. I leaped into the air smashing into the rogue, successfully forcing him away from her, he snapped his jaws at me and growled. I growled back, I saw a warrior sneaking up behind him. I just needed to keep him busy for them to sneak attack him. Then we could capture him for questioning. I snapped my jaws at him trying to keep his focus on me. I leaped forward at the same time the warrior did and we collided with him at the same time. I pinned him down as the warrior pulled out the syringe and jabbed it into the wolf's leg. This was the plan we had come up with. We use a drug to knock them out long enough to get them into the cells. We have been using this for a few years now and it works great. Within seconds he was shifting to his human and I could hear Luca calling out to Asyra. “Asyra please wake up!” I looked in their direction and saw mom running up to them. Relief flooded over me as Mom picked her up, she was now human and unconscious. From here I could see her side was already bruising and swollen. “Take this one to the dungeons, he will be interrogated shortly.” I linked the guards. I looked up and saw Dad and Grandpa coming up to me. Dad handed me some shorts and I quickly shifted and put them on. “Where were you two?” I asked them. “We were patrolling on the other side of the territory, there were three rogues, they are currently unconscious and on their way to the dungeon as well.” Dad was the first to speak, he ran a hand through his hair. “This was planned, I don’t think they planned on you being out here helping set up.” I nodded my head in agreement. “I have walked past here nearly a dozen times today and not once did I catch the scent or presence of a rogue.” “They could have had help.” Grandpa said, “A witch could have easily hidden their presence.” He was right, they could do that. “Dad, this can’t be a coincidence, tomorrow is my birthday and coronation. What are the chances that we have three rogues on one side and one on the other?” I said angrily. He dropped his head, “I know, I think they are after someone or something.” I shook my head, I didn’t want to be the one to say it. Thankfully I didn’t have to, Grandpa did. “I think that was a deliberate attack on Asyra. We knew this may happen, female royals are always wanted. They typically are easier to snatch, and they can get what they want from their family for ransom. Or other things if they so choose.” I knew Grandpa was right, so did Dad. He nodded his head and let out a heavy sigh. “Well, what do you want to do?” He looked at me. “You want me to come up with a plan?” My dad nodded at me. “Yes, your official training starts tomorrow but I want to know what you would do to keep your family safe in this kind of situation.” I smiled at him, “First I would add more guards on the border and inside the grounds, then have someone always stay with Asyra, she should be under constant watch.” He nodded his head. “That is a good start, but you need an action plan. What if they attack again during your coronation?” I thought about that.“Hm, we could have extra guards posted at the door watching for anyone acting weird or strange. If so, they need to pull them aside and question them.” “No, they shouldn’t pull them aside, it may cause the other guests to panic. You do however have a great start, for now we should go check on Asyra and make sure she is okay.” I nodded my head and followed them to the pack hospital.