Birth

The door to the meeting room burst open as a boy came in the panting,

“Alpha, you must come at once… your mate… she’s about to give birth.”

The man at the end of the round table stood up in such hurry the heavy wooden chair fell back.

“The meeting is adjourned, lead the way, Luke.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

The man hurried after the boy and quickly made way to the healing house, pushing open the doors and rushing to the room his mate had been moved to a week ago. They’ve been trying for a child for twelve years and with numerous miscarriages he had nearly given up. But his mate had hope, constantly believing the moon goodness will bless them with a child. When he had discovered she was pregnant, he had been worried given the healers advised not to not try again but his mate had insisted on keeping it. The pregnancy had not been easy on her so he had kept healers around her, taking care of her and the baby and watching for any sign of trouble.

A loud wail rang through the walls of the healing house leaving a sense of unease in its wake.

“Someone, get the alpha now.

“I’m here Viva, what is wrong?”

“Alpha, I’m sorry but she is too weak and is losing to much blood we can only save one of them.”

George sucked in a shuddering breath as he let the statement sink. Haven’t they suffered enough? After raising their hopes, the thought that he would lose his child was heartbreaking. Alice would never recover from the loss; but the other option wasn’t available, he couldn’t lose his mate. The pack needed her and so did he.

Another wail rang out, pulling him from his somber mood. He hurried past the healer into the room and saw his mate on the bed, sweat decorated her face which was scrunched in pain. The sheets around her legs were dyed with blood. Three healers surrounded her pouring their essence into her to help ease the pain.

“There isn’t much time Alpha, what is your decision.”

Alice’s head swung to face him; her pupils were blown. She stretched out her hand to him, he was besides her in a moment gently holding her hand as she leaned on him.

“Save her, George.”

“Alice, you know I can’t…”

“Please, I’m dying anyways.”

“Alice….”

“No listen, I can feel it, I don’t have much time left. Save our daughter.”

“Alpha, she’s losing too much blood who are we saving?’

“Save the child.”

He watched solemnly as the healers transferred their energies fully to helping the child be born, watched his mate use up all her life force to bring their child into the world. After what seemed like forever, but was really just a few minutes, the loud cry of a babe filled the air. The healers cleaned the babe and brought it to his mate, he helped her sit up and put his arms around her to help cradle the child.

“She’s beautiful, and looks just like you Alice.”

“She… has your eyes, the same golden brown.” Alice said weakly

“What should we name her?”

“Aaliyah…”

Alice kissed the babe on the head and gave her back to the healers.

“Everyone leave, I want some time alone with my mate.”

“Yes, Alpha”

He hugged his mate close breathing her scent greedily, his heart broke at the thought of losing, of their child never getting to know her.

“I love you, Alice… please don’t leave me”

“Luan, will make a good Luna… and a good… mother”

“Don’t… I can’t replace you, no one can.”

“You’re not replacing me… but the pack needs a Luna, and Aaliyah needs a mother.”

“I love you George and I wished we had more time together. Take care of our pack… and our… daughter. Please promise me you’ll make Luan your Luna”

“I will… and I love you too, Alice.”

He kissed her pale bloodless lips, and drew her closer as he felt life leave her. He kissed her head and then swept her hair of her neck to reveal the bond mark at the base of her neck. He kissed it reverently as a single tear slid down his cheek onto her.

“Goodbye… my love.”

He laid her gently on the bed and took a while to compose himself before stepping out and calling the helpers to prepare her for cremation.

His beta, gamma and members of the council were outside the hall.

“Our deepest condolences on your loss Alpha.” Neil his Beta, a blond man in his late fifties, said patting him gently on his shoulder. He was his second in command a fierce and powerful wolf and closest friend.

“Should we announce the birth of the princess now or wait till after the passage of rites of the Luna.” One of is council members Germont, a wolf in his late forties asked

“Announce her birth tomorrow, I do not want the celebration of her birth be tainted by death. But the birthing rituals shall be put off till the month of mourning is over”

“Yes, Alpha.”

He strode out of the healing house to the nursery to see his daughter, he needed to hold her and comfort himself in a piece of Alice. He clutched his chest as a fresh wave of pain and grief washed over her at the thought of her. He had known Alice since they were pups, she was his friend long before she became his mate. The thought of life without her was heartbreaking. On arriving the nursery, he saw Viva the head healer standing with a grim expression, George’s breath caught oat the thought of something being wrong with his daughter. Losing both his mate and child would wreck him.

“Alpha I must speak with you urgently.”

Viva dismissed the nurses and walked to him.

“What is wrong with her?”

“I wasn’t sure when I saw it initially, but I'm afraid we have a troubling situation on our hands.”

“Speak, Viva what is wrong.”

“I believe, our princess has been cursed.”

“Cursed… I hope you are sure of what you are saying” George said, voice dipping to a guttural growl as his eyes turned an inhuman gold. Viva’s head dropped in submission her body trembling a bit.

“Yes, I'm sure alpha, my grandmother was the pack seer and I have seen this once. The princess has a birthmark the shape of a star on her forehead.”

George sucked in a shuddering breath and walked to his daughter; he gently swept her hair to reveal the birthmark on her forehead. It was red and covered her forehead and stopped just above her brows. Since he could remember, the star had been a symbol of doom amongst the werewolf due the to the folklore of the star betraying the moon goddess and was punished by being cursed to be scattered amongst the sky never to be made one. The mark of the star almost always represented doom, it being the side effect of a deadly curse, though the degree varied.

“Summon the seer at once and let not a word of this be breathed outside. Gather anyone that knows about this and bring them before me at once.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Viva scurried out to carry out his orders; sighing he looked at his sleeping daughter again. Alice didn’t give up her life for their child to be snatched from him in such a cruel way. He felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him, he will protect her even if it was the last thing he did.

The seer, and old wolf over a hundred years, came in. She had white hair that fell in numerous braids adorned with beads and cloudy grey eyes that looked almost blind. She was wrapped in grey silk and was followed by her apprentice, a boy with the same white hair and the cloudy grey eyes particular to seekers, carrying her leather skin bag.

“Wise one, I'm glad you could make it on such short notice.” George said getting up to greet her. The pack seer was as revered as the alpha if not more.

“The matter is of great import, Alpha. Where is the babe?”

George led her to the crib then turned to the guardians that followed her.

“Keep everyone out, no one is allowed inside.”

“Yes, Alpha.” They bowed and went to stand outside.

The seer examined his daughter and then gestured for her apprentice who brought her bag to her. She brought out some herbs and ground it in the mortar and pestle her apprentice laid out before her, she then proceeded to rub the mash on the babe’s forehead then lay her hand over the babes’ head as a warm stream of light poured out of her hand to the babe. After a while she cleaned the herbs of the babe and turned to face him.

“I'm sorry Alpha but it’s not a curse I can lift.”