Prologue

 Dim light flickered in the small shack. The full moon hung high above, displayed as a witness. A man paced in front of the building. His sandy blonde hair ruffled countless times from the impatience he felt and the growing knot in his stomach. He was nervous, yet overwhelmed with excitement. The common feelings of child birth.

 A yell paused his next step and turned him to the window. The curtain had been closed for privacy, but he could see the silhouettes of two midwives shifting in and out of sight. He caught the scent of the two women that were assisting, and his Mate. He sensed her pain and wished he could relieve her of it.

 Then it came. A baby's cry. He stared as the door opened after what felt like ages. When it finally opened, one midwife stepped out, cradling a bundle of blankets in her arms. She met his gaze and smiled warmly at him as she nodded.

 "Come, Beta. Meet your daughter." The woman said as she raised her arms slightly in gesture to the infant in them. His heart skipped a beat. He approached and peered down at the moonlit face of his newborn daughter. Her golden hair was slightly damp and tussled, but overall appeared healthy. He sniffed her curiously.

 The Wolf spirit. Faint, but there. The infant gave off the familiar scent of her mother. Floral. Sweet. Heavenly. Angel blood ran strong in this child's veins.

 "Horace?" a weak voice called to him from inside the structure. He looked at the midwife, who appeared uneasy and avoided his gaze. Horace walked past her and into the shack where he found Ariel still in bed. Blankets rested over her hips. Sweat glistened her face as the small candlelight reflected it. She looked dangerously pale. The smell finally hit him once his excitement settled down. Blood. A heavy dose of it at the end of her bed. He cast his gaze to the other midwife who had finished cleaning up as much of the aftermath as she could. She turned and met his gaze with sad eyes before she took her leave.

 "My love?" He turned back to Ariel. Her eyes fluttered open weakly and a tired smile rested on her lips.

 "The baby?" Her voice was barely audible to the average Human ears, but he could hear her, clear as day.

 "She is well, my love. She is perfect." He peered down at the small girl as he held her close. "Just like you." He grabbed a chair and sat beside her bed. "How do you feel?" He asked worriedly as he peered closer at her face.

 Ariel rested her head back against her pillow. Her eyes fell shut for a moment, and she struggled to open them again. "Tired, but grateful." She smiled weakly at him. "Is she healthy? Can you sense it?"

 Horace nodded. "As far as I can tell, she is healthy. Her Wolf Spirit. I can sense it as well." He shook his head in disbelief. "It is unheard of for a newborn to receive their Spirit at birth, but this may be a good sign. She will be strong, just like you."

 Ariel's eyes fell shut again and her breaths shallow. "I am... So happy..."

 "Ariel?" He called her name. She grunted softly in response. "Rest. I will handle our daughter." He rose to his feet when her fingers grasped the edge of his shirt.

 "Liliana..." Her voice, a mere whisper. "Her name..." Ariel's fingers fell from his shirt.

 "Ariel?" Her name barely left his lips when he felt it. Their bond breaking. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably as he stared at Ariel's pale face. The midwives darted back in and ushered him out of the shack with his newborn daughter. The moment he was outside, grief struck him like an arrow. His heart shattered as his Wolf howled in pain. It took every strength in his legs not to crumble while holding his child.

 Moments later, as the midwives exited the shack with sorrow stricken on their faces, he already knew. Their sacred link had broken. The women didn't need to speak a word to him. He knew before they confirmed it.

 The infant stirred softly and drew his attention to her. Her eyes pried open little by little until eyes that shined like emeralds under the moonlight gazed back at him. Horace gritted his teeth as he dropped to his knees.

 "Please protect her..." He mumbled as he held his daughter to his chest. As the pain grabbed firm of his heart, he turned his gaze to the moon. "Protect her. Cherish her. Give her the love she truly deserves..." He lowered his gaze back to Liliana. "Even when I cannot..."