Amara

Ara sat shaking on the cold basement floor. Her small body shuttered against the chill air making the pains all the more unbearable. Her hands clutched her swollen stomach as if somehow it would help it all go away. She wasn't ready for this. . . She was only fourteen, she didn't know what to expect as the pains of the contractions overtook her in merciless waves.
She screamed, panic started to settle in when she the babe within her kicked.
"Stop. . . please stop." She prayed under breath even as another contraction, this one more forceful than the last, consumed her entire senses.
She had to do something, what was it she had read about? Breathe, right?
How was that even possible? Ara could barely move, much less force her body to take in oxygen.
Sweat started to bead off her skin, the dirt that coated her face became an even bigger mess as her hair began to stick to her forehead. The young wolf didn't know anything about child birth, nor did she have any help, no one to guide her through the process. All she did and could do, was allow her instincts to take over.
Days could have passed and she wouldn't have noticed it in the slightest. Her entire focus was on the small pushes she attempted whenever a contraction hit. It took ten hours of labor for her to even feel like she was advancing in the slightest. Fatigue began to settle in as her pushes became weaker and weaker.
Blood covered her thighs and the floor and it seemed that more and more of it appeared as she began to lose the fight. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared up at the ceiling, helpless against her own fears.
I'm all alone. .  . how am I supposed to do this? She sobbed quietly, her body contorting once more as she felt the pressure increase to new heights.
She didn't want to think of it, but it started to come to her mind. . . the questions she was scared she would find answers to.
Would she make it out of this alive? Did she want to? What of her child. . . could Ara raise it with her monster of a step father around?
As if to answer all those questions, she felt her babe move. The pressure eased only a little bit, enough to allow Ara to gather what little strength she had left. You can do this, Ara. . . come on, even your child is fighting for it!
"Ok. . . o..ok. .  .one. . . two. . . three-" She felt the horrible pain of the head starting to come through. It only encouraged her further, she put everything she had into it. Almost. . . almost!
She could have sighed in relief had she not completely collapsed as she heard the strangled cries of the babe.
It's over. . . It's over. Finally. . . Instinctively,she wanted to comfort the baby, she wanted to hold it but she could not will her muscles to move. Oh god. . . no. She was going to bleed out, she could already feel the familiar  cold numbness that began to take over her mind. Her breaths came out in low, harsh, gasps and the sounds of her baby filled her ears. Not like this, she thought. She didn't want to go out like this, but it she had little to nothing to say in the matter.
And it seemed fate only wanted to make things worse. She heard the ominous sound of boots coming down the stairs. Her heart accelerated as pure terror took hold of her.
"No. . . go away, go away." She meant for it to be loud, for her voice to sound strong but all she received were weak , desperate,whispers.
"Well, finally. The buyer is here."
Buyer? No.. no!
"Great, its a girl. Couldn't make a boy, could you, you fucking little whore."
No. . . stop!
She felt him cut the cord and take the crying child into his arms.
Stop!
She watched helplessly as he walked back up the stairs, stopping only to look back. His face held no remorse, no guilt. It was nothing but cold hatred that burned in his gaze as he smirked wickedly at her.
"Please," She pleaded, her hand weakly reaching out as if she could will her child back into her arms. Her voice sounded rough, weak as she tried to beg for him to give her child back. "don't. . . Just. . . give her back, please. I-I'll do anything-"
"You can't give me anything you stupid mutt. Besides, I can't have you raising a kid, you'll be even more fucking useless." He turned his eyes to the bundle in his arms, for a second. . . if only for a fraction of time. . .  something that resembled pain crossed his features but it quickly faded before he turned away up the stairs.
No. . .no. . .no! Ara would have screamed if she could, she would have fought for her child had she had the strength but she didn't. . . she was weak and dying. All she could do was lay there in a pool of her blood as her tears ran down her cheeks.
"Ara? God. . .Ara!"
Her eyes moved from the place where her step father and child had disappeared to. Slowly they came to the sky blue eyes of her only friend in the world.
"Dustan?"
The saddest smile crossed his lips as he moved to pick her up.
"Yea, Ara. I'm here, don't worry, babe, we'll get you out of here."
"No..." She shook her head, her eyes turning back to the stairs. "Amara. . ."
"I know, I'll get her back, Ara. I promise. But first we. . .we-" The sound of his voice breaking brought her attention back to Dustan's crystal blue eyes. He swallowed hard, his gaze turned away from her as if it pained him too much to see her like this. She didn't blame him, she must look like death. At least, she hoped for it, maybe then she would find peace?
She lost track of his movements, all she knew was that her view of the ceiling had changed. It wasn't her house anymore. Probably his apartment. . . maybe a hospital. Who knew. . .she didn't care. Her mind was blurred at that point, unconsciousness beginning to pull at the edges of her vision. Faintly, she heard his voice call to her. Begging her to fight, to hold on for him, but she didn't want to. Couldn't she just be done?
Apparently not. She felt the soft cushions of a bed underneath her as she watched Dustan roll up his sleeves. His eyes held nothing but panic and fear as he uttered words she couldn't understand under his breath. His hands began to glow a brilliant red and she felt them gently glide over her stomach. Pain ,she didn't even realize she was in, began to ease away. A soft, surprised, gasp left her lips as the feeling of near euphoria filled every cell of her body. Warmth rushed through her body almost instantly and she felt herself being thrown back into reality, much to her dismay.
"You're going to be ok, Ara." Dustan said on a breathy laugh. He leaned in to her, his arms coming around her as he held her against him like she was a precious glass doll.
Through all this, through all that Dustan had done to save her.  . . Ara couldn't bring herself to find joy in being alive. She couldn't bring herself to thank Dustan, instead, she felt her body shutter. Her eyes welled up with tears she fought hard to hold back, "You should have let me die, Dus. . ."