Chapter 187: The Birth of Hope

The moon hung full above the kingdom, its silver light pouring over the land in an otherworldly radiance. The palace gleamed anew in revitalized brilliance, its walls unpunctured, its halls no longer echoing with war but with the hum of remaking. The werewolf kingdom breathed again, but tonight something else was being born. Reika was giving birth. The First Signs It started as a numb ache in the late afternoon as she sat in the great hall observing a session of the new council. Kael was delivering an update on eastern border patrol when Reika tensed, her fingers tightening around the lip of the table. Lleus beside her noticed it immediately. His eyes darkened with concern. "Reika?" She took a slow breath, waving off his worry. 'I'm fine. Just a little discomfort." Athena, standing across the table, narrowed her eyes. 'You're not fine. How long has this been happening?" Reika hesitated. 'A few hours." A chorus of voices erupted at once. 'A few hours?!" Lleus nearly growled. 'Reika, this isn't a minor thing!" Athena snapped. 'You need to rest," Kael insisted. But Reika, obstinate as ever, shook her head. "The kingdom still needs us. We can't just leave because—" A burning, piercing pain ripped through her, cutting through her words. She gasped, her hands reaching out to her belly. Lleus sprang to his feet in a flash. "That's it. Meeting's over." "I can still—" "No," Lleus growled, the color of his Alpha power tainting his voice. "You are not overexerting yourself. Not now. Not with our children." Reika had no choice but to let him help her stand up from the ground. She growled into his shoulder, "You're dramatizing this." Lleus frowned at her. "And you are acting stupidly." Athena laughed. "I never would have thought that the day would come when Reika was held back from a fight." "This is not a fight," Reika complained. Athena's eyebrow shot up. "Childbirth? Oh, believe me, it's the ultimate fight of all." The Labor Begins By nightfall, the contractions had intensified. The palace had been readied for the day, with Elira summoning the midwives to set up a birthing room with healing herbs, warm water, and soft cotton. Reika was on the large bed, beads of sweat on her forehead. She was clutching Lleus' hand tightly as another wave of pain washed over her. Lleus, feral Alpha that he was, was a ghostly white. "Are we certain we cannot call in the witches? Some healing magic—" "No," interrupted Elira brusquely. "This is the way of nature, Lleus. Do try to have some faith in Reika's strength." "I do," snarled Lleus, brushing wet strands from Reika's forehead. "But I have never felt so. helpless." Reika smiled weakly. "Welcome to my world when you run off to war." Elira smiled. "She's still got that spark. That's good." Hours crept by. The palace suspended in strained silence, all of them waiting for a sign from the room where the next kings and queens of the kingdom were being born. Outside the walls, wolves waited patiently, their ears straining for the first howls of their new masters. Then— A howl tore through the darkness. Lleus's own gasp stuck in his throat as he turned to watch Elira bring a small, wriggling puppy into sight. His wet, golden fur and tiny protesting form meant that his initial wails still lingered in the air. "It's a boy," Elira said. Reaching out towards her son but smiling in wonder, Reika said, "He's beautiful." Swallowing hard, thickly, Lleus's own eyes filmed over as he stroked the crown of his son's small head with a gentle hand. "He's perfect." "The—" Another contraction hit. "Wait," Reika cried out. "There's… another?" Elira's eyes went wide. "Twins." Shock and excitement blended in the air. Lleus's eyes expanded. "Twins?!" Elira came to first. "You have to push again, Reika." Reika gasped out a laugh. "Of course. Because one wasn't enough." The second birth was just as vigorous, but then another scream tore through the air. This time Elira cradled in her arms a silver-coated pup, a bit smaller than the first but just as powerful, his tiny howls just as feral. "A girl," Elira breathed. Reika let out a strangulated cry of victory when the second pup was placed alongside her son in her arms. She looked up at Lleus, her golden eyes sparkling. "We have a daughter." Lleus, the fighter who had fought wars, fought death, and reclaimed a kingdom, was completely and totally defeated. He buried his forehead against Reika's, his voice shaking with tears. "You are the strongest person I know." Reika's smile trembled. "You'll remember that the next time you go on to issue orders, yes?" Lleus's smile was wide and sincere. "Aye, my love. I swear." The Kingdom Rejoices Morning broke and word flew. The kingdom rejoiced. Wolves howled up at the heavens, witches flung sparks of magic into the air, and warriors cheered. Their Alpha and Luna had ushered in the future. Kael and Athena were the first to arrive. Athena, tear-filled for a fleeting moment, gazed at the pups. "They're… so small." Kael grinned. "Everyone begins small, Athena." She nudged him playfully. "Even you?" He laughed. "Especially me." Viktor and Alfonso came next, somewhat awkward around newborns. "So, uh… what are their names?" Viktor inquired. Reika and Lleus looked at each other. Reika stroked her son's fur softly. "His name is Lucian." Lleus smiled, then looked at their daughter. "And she will be Selene." The names were spoken, and it was correct. Kael smiled. "Lucian and Selene. The future of our kingdom." Athena nodded. "And they will have the strength of their parents when they are adults." Reika relaxed back, exhaustion finally catching up to her, but she felt complete in her heart. The war was done. The kingdom was being rebuilt. And now, they had a future to protect. As she drifted off to sleep, Lleus pulled her close, the babies between them.For the first time in a very, very long time… All was perfect. For peace... Has come to stay.