Chapter 77

Luke

It was a long few weeks with Mary once Ann had mentioned my little letter from Aurora. I begged her not to do it but once Ann caught me two more times reading the farewell note. Mary has since rejected me from being her mate. I don’t blame her. I can’t seem to think of Aurora when we are together, only thinking of Mary and when I am alone with my mate Mary, Aurora refuses to leave my mind.

Mary gave birth in the early hours of the morning, the pain excruciating and the process long but thankfully the pack medic and healer was available to come by. He helped her through the process and I held her hand all the while knowing, she still holds animosity towards me. I don’t blame her still but seeing my pup in the basket beside our bed, it’s hard to ignore my wolf’s calling. I am meant to be this father, this mate, and I’ve ruined it.

I haven’t thought of Aurora since laying eyes on Juniper. She’s a gorgeous little baby, glowing like the moon and so beautifully born, I wasn’t sure if it was real or a dream. She looks of her mother, tossing and turning in her sleep after a rough go at labor. She let me approve the name, something we came to agree on simply, and I wouldn’t blame Mary if she never let me near either of them again; I’m just glad she allows me to be here now.

Juniper is a small pup, with light brown eyes and pale, blonde hair. She has perfect features, a smile that could knock over an army, and it’s impossible to see her cherubic features and not think you’ve laid witness to an angel. She wouldn’t bare a single blemish, never in her life.

“My Juniper,” I breathe, tucking the blanket in around her tiny little arms that wiggle around in her sleep. I check her temperature, feeling her warmth, and I couldn’t stand to think of my little baby getting a chill. “I will always be there for you. Always.”

I hear the rustling behind me, turning to see Mary blink awake at the sight of me beside the bassinet. I actually got this bed for Juniper when the birth was nearing in time, a pretty and dainty white wood with lace blankets and a soft pad for our angel to sleep on. I didn’t know it would be like this, her parent’s rejecting one another and so lost in their love that had flourished through the mating pull, but instead it’s like we live in two different worlds, wanting two different things.

Mary wants stability, she wants a future with me. I don’t know what I want. Therein lies the problem with us. Or at the least, me. I started this mess and only fanned the flames of the disaster we are today. I wish I could change it but I can’t. I live in the pain of Mary, and in the love and innocence of our daughter, Juniper.

“She wake up at all?” Mary asks, standing up beside me as we watch the little princess.

“No, she’s been asleep for a long time.” I look at Mary, perplexed that she watches me back with the same yearning for affection she used to have with me. She rejected me, though. She should be content with that choice but I can see it clear as day, she regrets it. “Everything that happened between us isn’t the end of it, Mary. I will fix it all again.”

She nods, a hopeful, mere look of a pleasant grin finding its way to her lips. “Of course you will, Luke. You always do. I just need to believe it will last this time.”

We watch her sleep with gentle breathes of innocent purring escaping our pup. It’s hard to convince myself that this is the new reality I live in. I am a father. I am a rejected mate, though, and I can’t bare to wear that as something resembling honor. I do care for Mary, and the reason I stopped, even for a second, is the idea of losing Aurora.

I lost Aurora a long time ago and it is only now that I realize it. I have made mistakes, a lot of them, and I should have never accepted them as the path to follow in my life. I went against my fated, the mother of my pup, and I can’t stand the thought of it any more.

Wherever Aurora is, I hope she is content with our history staying just that; history.

Aurora

My mind is in a daze. I feel constantly ill, constantly with a fever, and getting out of bed has become my biggest hassle yet. I dare to retreat to the kitchen for water but Jaxson is permanently in my mind, digging for my wants and needs the second they come to thought. He rushes into the bedroom, holding a tray of water, juice, and some miscellaneous fruits.

I blink slow at the sight of my mate, the pain in my abdomen a little bit too intense for my liking but I don’t show it. Instead I let the sheen of sweat scatter across my neck and forehead, the world fuzzy while I reach for the glass beside me. Jaxson beats me to it, though, handling a light orange juice and bringing the glass to my lips.

I inhale the drink, my tongue and throat so dry that I can’t bare the pauses where I have to breathe between gulps of the drink. My head is still so light, but I feel less hollow now, Jaxson reaching for the water cup and setting it back down when I wave the notion off. I cough a little, the pit in my stomach so heavy, even after I had just gone into heat a week ago.

This feeling is new, it’s tiresome, but it’s also terrifying. I try to keep my mind clear of my concerns, fearful of the outcome I would face for telling Jaxson that I do not believe I can protect a pup, should I give birth to one someday. He gives me a sideways look, setting down the tray and holding my face in his smooth, gentle touch.

A rough Alpha’s son once; a kind, gentle lover now. I feel myself blush in his grasp, overwhelmed with fear and concern over our futures now. But this is natural. This is how it works for all mates, and I have to accept that our fate is no different. I will bare the pup of an Alpha, the offspring of a royal, and I will hope that the commoner blood in his veins does not bring them any grief in the coming years of their life.

“You will feel better soon,” Jaxson hums, grinning through his fretful eyes. “I will be here with you until then, sweetheart.”

I watch his deep, cyan eyes find my own and I can’t stop the chills that spread across my body, forcing me to shiver. He brings a blanket to my cheek, brushing his knuckles across my lips, the feeling of his touch so soft and subtle, it brings a smile to my own face.

“You have training, Alpha,” I hum, my stomach cramping through the hours of the day without showing signs of stopping. “I don’t want to keep you here, from the pack.”

His smile blossoms wider. “An attentive Luna, always looking after the pack before herself.”

It’s hard to show the admiration I feel from such a complement. “Jaxson, please. I have kept you long enough. If the royals return and attack—”

“I will have them killed,” he says, firm. “I know that much.”

His hand finds my own, his warmth spreading through my body as I dare to pull him into the bed beside me, feeling his arms wrap around me. He keeps me close, his lips pressed against my forehead for a brief moment, the world slowing in doing so. I melt into his hold, his body, and find peace in my mate.

His other hand reaches for my stomach, pressing against it gently, and I hiss a breath until her retreats his touch. He can’t help the curiosity I fight back as well, my stomach so hard and bloated, I feel like I’ve gained twenty pounds in a mere amount of days. It makes me worried, but it makes Jaxson happy, and I can’t ignore his new found pride.

“My Luna and my pup,” he hums, stroking my stomach and sides in a way that alleviates the pain. “I am so happy, Aurora.”

I grin, letting myself fall into his touch, my aches withering with his gentle hand working to massage the pup forming in my stomach. I still have concerns, of course, and I dare to not ignore them. I just hope that wherever the moon goddess is now, that she is watching over my mate, my health, and that of my pup.