The Rejected Luna’s Prince By Aurora Archer
Chapter 65 – Labor
(Willa)
“Yes, I think, I think I am ready” I answered breathlessly.
I wanted this, everything he had to offer. All of him, I was all in.
“Oh, my Goddess.” Someone familiar said.
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The room came back to focus and clapping and excited chatter filled the room. I smiled up at Caspien, his piercing eyes churning in response. I offered him a smile, but his dark brows tugged together and he broke our gaze looking past me.
I stood straight and turned around, surveying the room, a glass smashed, but the sound didn’t unnerve me as much as Griffen’s face did. His mouth was open, and it took me a moment to realize that he dropped the glass.
I had never seen him so flustered, even when he attended to Nora.
“She’s in labor.” His face paled, and I looked at Caspien, “What do I do? I need a hospital bag. What if, oh Goddess, I packed three I don’t know which one has the fuzzy socks she likes.”
I suppressed a smile. The cool calculated warrior that became Beta of the most prominent back in the area not because of bloodline but because of sheer skill alone looked like he would get sick because he didn’t know where his mate’s fuzzy socks were.
“Don’t worry,” I took a few steps toward him, where he stood on the outskirts of the dance floor and placed a hand on his arm, “We will help you and get everything.”
Cali and Holden showed up next to us, and Caspein probably informed them.
“We got this,” Cali added, “You get Nora to the hospital, and we will bring everything you need and make sure your apartment is ready when you get back.”
“What if she doesn’t make it?” Griffen sounded hollow, and Caspien put his arm around his Beta leading him to the elevator.
“The pack clinic is maybe four minutes away. I think she can make the commute from your apartment to the clinic.” Caspien said, but there was a bit of humor in his voice.
“She’s not at the apartment.” Griffen stopped Caspien, “She’s with your and Willa’s parents, I didn’t want her to be alone. Oh Goddess, what if I had left her alone?”
“I think she can make the five-minute commute then,” Caspien countered.
“Believe it or not, you do know you’re in labor without someone else telling you,” Cali said, her voice full of wry playfulness.
Griffen’s dark eyes shot to mine for confirmation.
“She would know no matter where she was,” I gave him a soft smile. But I suppressed a wince thinking of those rippling contractions; I thought Emmett was clawing himself out of my stomach at some point, “Bring her to the clinic, and in a few hours, you’ll get to meet your baby.”
“The baby,” Griffen swallowed, “I forgot about that. The baby. There will be a baby.” I bit down on my smile, the other thing you don’t think about during labor… the outcome.
Caspien wrapped his arm around Griffed supporting his friend to the elevator but not before shooting a look over his shoulder.
his was going to be a long night.
“If you ever act like that when I’m in labor,” Cali shook her head at Holden, letting out a breath.
“You mean we can have another one?” Holden’s eyes lit up.
“Not now, but I mean.” She trailed off, her eyes met his.
I clasped my hands together, watching them.
“Okay let’s do this now,” Holden’s face lit up, “Are you ovulating?” He threw Cali over his shoulder and she made a noise that could have been cla*s*sified as a squeal if anyone else did it.
“Do you even know what that means?” She shrieked laughing trying to wiggle away, but not actually wanting to.
I followed them out of the crowd. Some of the other pack members gave us smiles which I genuinely returned, but most of them were so absorbed in their own mates or friends to even notice us.
“No, but I think it has to do with babies,” Holden said.
Cali gave me a look over his shoulder that said ‘men’ and I shrugged agreeing.
“Not to be a wet blanket but we do have a baby on the way,” I mentioned when we got far enough away from the noise.
Holden sighed but didn’t put Cali down, “Rain check? Ovulating or not, we are trying.” Holden emphasized and Cali rolled her eyes but a smile played on her face.
It melted me seeing my friend so perfectly happy, so content, and I was selfish enough to be happy that she would be staying here with me forever.
Our parents had her covered, she’s still apparently in the early stages but its definite labor -Caspien linked me – Griffen is taking her to the hospital with both our moms, they didn’t trust his energy apparently – I could almost hear him sigh in my mind and bit my smile.
Everything else okay? – I asked
Kids are asleep. I just checked on them. I’m going to follow them down with some for Griffen.
Let them know we’re grabbing the bags and all they don’t need to focus on anything else.
I’ll tell the message to Nora, Griffen is a nervous wreck, completely useless
We got this.
I relayed the information to Holden and Cali, “If you can hold off on you trying to make a baby for a few hours,” I raised my eyebrow at Cali.
Holden turned around, “Yes, Luna,” He smirked, “Anything for our fearless leader.”
His back was turned to me before I could reply. Instead, Cali was facing me over his shoulder.
“Do they need anything else? I have to admit my labor was a bit foggy, but I think I know the gist of what she needs.” She said frowning slightly and tugging on a curl seeming completely at ease over Holden’s shoulder, “Are werewolf labors different?”
“I wouldn’t know,” I replied honestly, “Mine was bad, but I guess they all were, I lost track of time but apparently it only lasted five or six hours.”
“Not too bad,” Cali took her bottom lip in her mouth, thinking something over before nodding once resolutely.
I stared at her, but she didn’t offer what she thought so I let it go for the moment.
We collected all three hospital bags Griffen packed, one was in his office here, as if the twenty-second elevator ride would have been too long for him to retrieve the others. Apparently, he had another stashed at The Dracos’ Group office, but this was already excessive.
Cali and I checked to make sure the essentials were packed, besides the fuzzy socks, which we also found loads of. I was impressed; he was more prepared than I would have been.
A dull pain tugged at me, thinking of how this was supposed to be how fathers acted. I shook that away, closing my eyes against the now unfamiliar dull ache.
I hated how I still was triggered by these things, even though I was far past that, years away, and completely and entirely happy. I guess I still had some deep-rooted trauma or anger that part of me needed to let go of. I knew Caspien would be different, but it still didn’t erase what Emmett deserved in the past, what I deserved because Caspien wasn’t there for that.
“You good?” Cali knelt next to me, where I was re-packing a bag, concern plastered on her face.
I shook my head, “Yeah, just bad memories.” I offered her a smile, but I knew she saw through it.
Something dark marred her features for a moment before a wary smile returned.
“I understand.” Her gold-flecked eyes met mine with such sincerity it made my throat constrict. I nodded, all I could bring myself to admit, and she squeezed my shoulder.
I knew she understood.
“Let’s go help someone else have the perfect labor,” Her smile returned, it was genuine this time.
She held a hand out, and I placed mine in hers. Her fingers grasped mine and helped me up in a way that brought me back to myself.
We exchanged a smile that only two people that had been in similar gut-wrenching situations could. We saw the end of that, we got past it, and we were okay now – better than okay. But it didn’t erase our experiences, and I didn’t want it to.
What I went through was real and valid, and I survived it, even thought looking back I didn’t understand how I did.
__
We met Griffen and Nora in the clinic. A sense of relief washed through me being able to come back down here and feel joy instead of the gut-wrenching pain that stained the last time I was here when Caspien almost died before me.
Griffen was a wreck. I had never seen him, or anyone for that matter, so nervous. But he made it through. They all did.
Caspien wrapped his arm around me still in his suit, I should have thought to bring changes of clothes, but this was all so sudden.
Holden, Cali, Caspien, and I waited in the waiting room alongside Griffen and Nora’s parents who we had the p.leasure of meeting. Nora’s parents were as soft-spoken and rational as she was, and Griffen’s parents seemed nothing like him, but in a way, it almost made sense how he turned out.
There was nothing but pride and anticipation on their faces as they waited.
Finally, a few hours later, the world was introduced to Olivia Rose Paterson, and the world was a better place for it.
_______
We left after we were introduced to the little bundle. Griffen’s color returned only when the baby was in his mate’s arms. Nora was a natural, of course, and seeing them all together made me swell with love and affection.
We would visit them properly tomorrow, but tonight was their time, and we were just happy to have been a part of it, however small.
Caspien gripped my hand as we rode back up with Holden and Cali. Cali gave me a smile as Holden tugged her off at their floor.
“Good luck with the ovulating,” I called after them. Cali snorted and Caspein looked at me confused but I brushed it off. I was too tired to explain.
“It’s all so real now,” Caspien murmured when we got back to our floor.
“What?”
“We’re not kids anymore, and I haven’t felt like one for a while, honestly far too long.” He ran a hand through his dark locks, and I followed him into our place.
He poured himself a drink and offered me one, but I shook my head. My eyes were already heavy with exhaustion, even though me left my Luna ceremony early, we were well into the night after Nora’s labor.
“It just seems so, I don’t know.” He paused, he was rarely at a loss for words, and I let him find them, “I’ve known Griffen for almost my entire life, even before I considered him for a Beta position. It seems surreal to go through this with him, his first child.” He took a sip and met my gaze.
“You knew the pregnancy thing would result in a baby, though, right?” My mouth tugged up.
“Yes,” He softened, shaking his head, “It just feels grounding in a way. A moment where you really look back.” He shrugged, tossing back his drink and examining his empty glass as if he might find an answer there.
I walked up to him and took the glass, placing it back on the bar, and ran my hand along his arm, “I haven’t been in a similar position, but I can imagine it would feel surreal.” I offered, not wanting to diminish his experience.
“It’s not bad, I’m f*uc*king delighted for them, it’s just-” He shook his head.
“One of those moments you realize that life is life?” I suggested.
“Yes,” He smiled at me, “Pretty much that.”
He put an arm around my shoulder, “Now, how about I get you to our bedroom, Luna?” His tone returned deeper, wanting, and it chased away any sleepiness I felt prior.
We walked in silence to the bedroom, and I reflected on all that happened on this long night. I had no idea what time it was, but it didn’t matter. I knew that Emmett was safe, taken care of, and protected, with two loving sets of grandparents that happened to both be staying on the same floor this weekend.
I was truly blessed. We were truly blessed, all of us to have found each other and fit so well together.
“What are you thinking,” Caspien brushed his lips to my temple before he opened the door for me.
“How crazy and perfect this night has been and how lucky I am.” Caspien came to stand in front of me after he closed the door.
“Me too,” His eyes were bright despite the darkness in the room, “I want to show you something,” He held out a hand, and I placed mine in his without a moment of hesitation.
He led me to his floor-length windows and the glittering lights beyond.
“This is your kingdom, Luna.” His hand came to the back of my neck, and he brushed it alongside my shoulder, “I intend to show you it all, but for tonight this will have to do.”