"That can't be right; she's just a baby herself," Declan said frowning.
"Remember men, human females can become pregnant as early as ten or eleven. They get their cycle once a month for decades."
Grant swallowed hard. "Ten?"
"Thank the gods Penny is a shifter. I'd hate to go feral killing whatever sick freak tried to get to my daughter." He blinked. "Gods, in human terms, she should could become pregnant in six years," he whispered. "Remind me to call Sascha later to double the patrol around the house."
Aiden nodded. "Good thinking."
Grant watched as the narrator announced that contractions had started.
"She's doing quite well," Etain noted.
"Why are they lifting her hospital gown?" Micah asked.
"Oh my gods, they are showing her..." Aiden stared wide eyed at the screen.
Over the course of the next few minutes, the woman's labor and impending delivery progressed quickly.
"What is that?" Colton asked, pointing at the screen.
"I think that's the baby," Nigel said in horror.
"Is it stuck?" Neil asked.
"I think it is, why is it not just coming out?" Adriel asked.
"That is what the contractions are for," Gavriel explained. "Their inner muscles constrict, pushing the baby out."
"It's coming out of her, you know," Nigel whispered.
"I don't think it's supposed to stretch like that," Neil said, peeking at the television through his fingers. "She's very red, and she's screaming like she's being murdered."
Declan sat forward. "What the hell is that needle for?"
"Oh my gods! It's going into her spine," Grant swallowed hard, feeling light headed.
"They won't do that to my Kari!" Declan growled.
"Why is he putting his hand up there?" Micah demand. "That has to hurt."
Grant watched in horror as the doctor took a scalpel and cut the flesh at the bottom of the woman's opening. They all gasped in horror.
"He is mutilating her!" Adriel hissed, his eyes turning red.
"What are those?" Declan asked, pointing at the screen. Grant noticed the man's hand trembled.
"They just said they are called forceps," Neil announced.
"They kinda look like salad scoopers," Nigel said.
As one, the men leaned away from the television as the forceps were jammed up inside the woman.
"They are going to hurt the babe!" Gavriel shouted.
They watched as the doctor twisted and pried the small goop covered infant from its mother's body. Once free of the birth canal, the baby was held up by its ankles and whacked on its bottom.
Hisses and growls erupted around the room. "If any doctor even thinks of laying a single fucking finger on my son or daughter, I'll fucking kill them!" Aiden snarled.
"I don't feel so good," Nigel said, swallowing repeatedly.
"Part two? What the hell is part two?" Colton demanded. "They've already beat the child."
"It's a different woman, maybe it's another birth?" Micah suggested. He tilted his head. "I'm no medical expert, but it looks like they are preparing her for surgery."
Neil turned to Grant, tears in his eyes. "What is the doctor going to do with the scalpel?"
Grant shook his head, his heart racing out of control "I don't know."
"Oh. My. Gods!" Colton shouted. Next to him, Gavriel swayed in his chair.
"They are eviscerating that poor woman when she is with child!" Etain exclaimed.
"Her skin ripped," Declan said weakly.
Grant looked around the room and saw the terrified expressions on the twin's faces. He quickly stood and stepped between them and the television, pulling their faces into his chest. "Aiden, turn it off! Turn it off!"
Aiden sprung from his chair, and in an effort to stop the gruesome images, ripped the DVD player out of the wall. Breathing heavily, he let it drop to the floor. "I will personally beat the next man I hear say that women are weak."
"They lived, right? Please tell me they lived," Micah begged.
"Humans are barbaric," Etain whispered. He was practically bent in half, his face in his hands as his elbows rested on his knees.
Gavriel stared blankly at the floor, muttering non-stop under his breath. "She will need to be cut open, I know it. It is her luck. Everything will go wrong; gods, they will try to cut her and I will go feral, killing the doctor. I will never know my child," Gavriel's steady stream of panicked fear kept going, his unfocused eyes unblinking.
Grant felt his insides trembling. "I've changed my mind; I don't want children. Benji is more than enough for us."
"It's too late for my mate!" Colton gasped. "I didn't know." His eyes were wide as he looked over at Aiden. "I didn't know."