Chapter 243

Fiona POV

“He should be here any minute,” I tell Healer Farah as she preps the ultrasound machine.

Ethan is on his way back from the meeting with the Northern Alphas. He told me that with the death of Alpha Thrange, the other Alphas decided that any form of rebellion or resistance was futile. They see him as the rightful King now that Alpha Thrange isn’t whispering lies and deceit in their ears.

He wanted me to come to the meeting, but I’ve been so busy with the wedding preparations that I couldn’t make it. We only have a week left before our new wedding date, and I’ve been slam busy. Ethan has been helping me, but there have also been some Alpha King duties that he’s been taking care of, like the meeting today.

Ethan did contact me when he left, though, letting me know he was on his way home. He also told me that the other Alphas agreed to his suggestion of a new Alpha for the Whiteclaw Pack. They unanimously agreed that the top Gamma of the Whiteclaw Pack would take over, since the Alpha and Beta were both either dead or imprisoned.

“That’s good, dear. Do you have any questions before he gets here or any concerns?” Healer Ash asks.

“No. I’m just excited to find out the genders,” I tell her, unable to contain my smile. We’ve finally reached week fourteen, which is apparently when Lycans can tell the gender of a baby since they grow faster than a normal pregnancy. I’d been super surprised about that when they first told me, but now, I’m just excited.

“I’m here! Did you start yet?” Ethan asks as he bursts into the room. His eyes immediately land on me, a smile forming on his face.

Healer Sarina moves to his side and pulls him over, saying, “You’re just in time, Ethan.”

“Good. Good. I thought I might miss it.”

“As if I’d let you miss this,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. I told him that I wouldn’t do this without him, but he still worries.

Ever since we got back from the Whiteclaw Pack, he’s been more and more worried about me. I don’t mind, though, because I get to have as much time with my mate as I want. He stands by my side and at my back, supporting me and keeping me safe.

I never thought I’d like someone hovering like this, but every piece of me loves the attention and care.

“Alright, here we go,” Healer Farah says, running the ultrasound wand over my stomach. I grip Ethan’s hand, probably too tightly, especially when all three healers gasp.

“Oh my. The Goddess has blessed you with both a boy and a girl,” Healer Farah says, turning the screen.

“B-Both?” Ethan stutters, leaning closer to the screen. I lift my head, also looking as they point out the differences between the babies.

Tears fill my eyes as I look at our little blessings, and I squeeze Ethan’s hand. “Those are our babies,” I murmur, my voice clogged with the lump that is forming in my throat. He simply nods, his eyes finding mine and showing me the tears that are gathering there.

“Our babies. Our little blessings.”

Leaning in, he kisses me, long and slow and full of love.

“I’m so glad you two came,” Claire says, leading us toward the Moon Goddess’s shrine.

As a shrine attendant, she volunteered to bring us today, which I’m grateful for. I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to come to the shrine since I didn’t grow up here and since I’m new to being a Lycan.

With everything that has gone on lately, such as living through horrible circumstances and finding out that I’m pregnant, I wanted to offer prayers. Ethan said he’d come with me, so hand in hand, we follow Claire through the stark white opalescent building and out to the pretty gold and white gazebo in the yard.

Beautiful flowers line the path toward a statue of a beautiful woman. A cool breeze blows, softly brushing my hair back. It almost feels like someone touched me, but there’s no one there.

My nerves grew as we get closer to the statue, and I notice the food, flowers, money, and many other things laid out at the bottom of the statue. I glance down at the small gift I brought, nervous that it’s not enough.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to bring. Ethan said it is a gift of thanks and that I could bring anything as long as I am genuine in my feelings. I’m not sure if the Goddess is a spirit of a physical being, but I made a special ointment out of the finest herbs I could find.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Claire says, bowing until her headdress brushes the grass. “Please take your time and don’t feel rushed.”

Once she’s gone, I glance up at Ethan, wondering what I’m supposed to do. His hand lands softly on my lower back, and we both step up to the statue.

He kneels, and I follow his gesture.

Silence falls over us, and I watch as Ethan bows, touches his forehead to the ground, and sits back up. I mirror him, placing my offering on the ground in front of me as I bow. Another cool breeze blows past us when I rise back up, my eyes trailing up the statue, but I realize it’s not the statue.

The silvery-white dress is too flowing, too real to be marble.

“M-Moon Goddess,” Ethan stutters, his eyes growing wide as we stare up at the beautiful- no, she’s more than beautiful- woman. There are no words to describe the light, warmth, or beauty of the woman standing before us.

“Hello.”

Her voice sounds clearer and lighter than a ringing bell, and it almost sounds unreal.

“Please stand,” she says softly, turning to me and offering a hand. I glance at Ethan, who nods, so I lay my hand in hers and rise to my feet. How is one supposed to act when a Goddess appears before them?

I don’t know.

“You two have been dealt many crippling blows in this life filled with danger and betrayal,” she says, looking at both of us. “Your faithfulness and strength are refreshing and much needed in these troubling times. Fiona…”

She turns, and I nearly stop breathing as her glowing blue eyes find me.

“I have watched you overcome many trials, and as the descendent of my line and the daughter of my dear friend, I would like to bestow a gift- a sacred blessing- on you,” she says, taking another step closer.

I can’t move. I can only watch as she comes closer and reaches up, her fingers brushing my cheek as she looks at me.

“You’ve lost too much, so I will relieve the pain in your heart.”

My eyes follow her hand as she drops it to my chest, touching my heart. A light, bright and blinding, pours from her hand and fills the area. It takes me several moments to recover from the light, and when it disappears, the Goddess is no longer in front of me.

Instead, someone else has taken her place.

“M-Mom?”

“Hi, honey,” she murmurs.

I stare, unable to move, as she smiles at me.

“Am I dreaming again?” I whisper. Will she disappear if I move? I don’t breathe too heavily either, afraid that this is too good to be true.

“No, Fiona. I’m here. See?” She takes my hand and lifts it to her cheek, letting me touch her. Warmth, unlike the cold feeling I always felt in my dreams, seeps into my fingers. “I’m right here. The Goddess has allowed me to come back.”

“What do you mean ‘come back’? I don’t… what is happening?”

She smiles, turns her head, and kisses my palm.

“She has allowed me to be reborn.”

Almost before she could finish her words, I throw my arms around her, tears spilling from my eyes as I cry into her shoulder.

“Sacred blessings,” Ethan mutters, “It’s a rare blessing only the Goddess can bestow.”

Without releasing my mother, I let my eyes fall on the Goddess’s statue and whisper, “Thank you.”