Birth Under the Blood Moon

Chapter 5

Elera's POV

The pain was terrible and my whole body shook.

“Lucien!” I screamed. “It hurts!”

He ran into the hut and his eyes were wide. “It’s time,” he said quickly and he quickly called the old midwife who lived closer to the forest.

I gripped the blanket and screamed again and my stomach screamed of pains and sweat ran down my face and my hands shook so bad that I couldn't hold anything.

Lucien knelt beside me. “Breathe, Elera. You can do this. You’re strong.”

“I can’t,” I cried. “It hurts too much!”

“You can,” he said again, and his voice was calm but firm. “You must.”

The old midwife rushed in, her hands were already full of herbs and cloth. “Hold her steady,” she said to Lucien

The pain kept coming, and then I bit my lip until I tasted blood and the fire in my body grew stronger and the air was hot

“Push, child,” the midwife said. “Push now.”

I pushed, I screamed and my body shook. The world around me turned white and red and the sound of the wind mixed with my cries. Then, suddenly, I heard it…. a cry, it was small, weak, and a beautiful cry.

I stopped breathing and my heart stopped too and then the midwife lifted the baby up, her eyes were wide.

“It’s… it’s a boy,” she whispered.

A boy? My tears fell fast and my hands trembled as I reached for him. “A boy,” I whispered. “A boy…”

Lucienl looked at the baby, then at me, his face was calm, but I could see something deep in his eyes, shock, wonder, maybe fear.

“Damon said it would be a girl,” I whispered and my voice shook. “He said if it was a girl, she would die…”

Lucien looked at the red moon through the window. “He was wrong,” he said softly. “The Goddess didn’t curse you, she blessed you.”

I held my baby close, his skin was warm and his tiny fingers wrapped around mine, he was small, but he breathed strong.

“I will call him Lior,” I whispered. “It means ‘my light.’ Because he is the only light left for me.”

Lucien nodded. “It’s a good name.”

The midwife smiled weakly. “He’s strong, Asha, but you must rest now, you both need strength.”

Lucien stood, he looked outside again, at the forest. “No one can know he’s a boy,” he said quietly. “Not yet. If Darius finds out, he will come for him.”

My eyes widened. “But… I can’t hide him.”

“You must,” Lucien said firmly. “Say he is a girl if anyone asks, we will protect him, but you must be careful.”

I nodded slowly and my heart beat fast and then fear and love mixed inside me like fire and rain.

Lucien helped me to lie down. “Rest,” he says softly. “I will guard the door tonight.”

The red light from the moon fell on the baby’s face and his small eyes opened just a little, and he looked at me, my heart broke and healed at the same time.

“I won’t be weak anymore,” I whispered to him. “I promise, my little light. No one will ever hurt you. Never.”

Outside, the wind grew louder, the trees moved like shadows and Lucien stepped out of the hut, his silver eyes watching the dark woods.

I closed my eyes and held Lior close to my heart and then the night was still.

___

The sun slowly rose over the trees and the air was cool and the wind smells of herbs and smoke. I stood outside my small hut and watched the sky turn gold.

Five years. It has been five long years since that night under the red moon.

Inside, I heard small feet running. “Mama!” Lior’s voice was bright and he ran out, holding a wooden wolf toy Lucien made for him, his smile was wide, and his eyes were full of light.

“Slow down,” I said, laughing softly. “You’ll fall.”

He giggled. “I’m strong, mama, Like Alpha Lucien!”

I knelt and fixed the small shirt he wore and the collar hid the mark on his shoulder, it was the same moon mark I have. “You’re strong,” I said. “But you must be careful, my light.”

Lucien’s voice came from behind. “He is strong because of you, Asha.” He walked over, he was tall and calm, and a quiet smile was on his lips, his silver eyes always looked like they knew too much.

“I only want him safe,” I said.

“And he is,” Lucienl answered. “You’ve made this village better and everyone comes to you now, you heal, you help, you guide. You are not that broken girl anymore.”

I smiled a little. “Sometimes I still feel her inside me.”

Lucien shook his head. “She’s gone. You’re new now. You survived what others could not.”

I looked at Lior again, he played near the garden, chasing a butterfly and the light touched his hair and then my heart warmed.

Then I smelt something strange, it was fresh blood.

Lucien turned fast. “Stay here,” he said, his voice low and he walked toward the path that led to the edge of the rogue camp.

I couldn't stay still and I followed slowly.

Two men came running with a stretcher, on it lay a man covered in blood and his clothes were torn and his body looked beaten. His scent… my heart stopped

No.

Not him.

Lucien shouted, “Take him to Elera'’s hut, she is the best healer we have.”

I immediately froze and then my breath caught in my throat.

They carried the man to my door and his face turned in the light.

Damon

My hands started shaking and my legs went weak and my throat closed.

Lucien didn’t notice. “He’s an Alpha,” he said quickly. “Whoever attacked him wanted him dead, we can’t leave him outside. Asha, help him.”

Help him.

I instantly felt the words and I couldn’t breathe.

Lior ran out from behind me, holding his toy. “Mama, who is that?”

I grabbed his arm fast. “Go inside,” I whispered. “Now.”

He nodded and ran in.

I turned back, Damon lay still and his face was pale, but I could still see the same strong jaw, the same lips that once cursed me, the same eyes that rejected me under the moon.

Lucien l looked at me. “Elera, he’s fading.”

I stared down at Damon and my hands trembled, my heart beat so fast and I could hear it.