Death And Birth

There is a certain stillness in the air as the moon peeked over the window of the room where an eight-year-old Aegaeon was waiting with his father in front of a closed door.

He sat straight on the chair with the two men from his family—his father to his left and a man around the same age as his father that he called his uncle, who sat on his right.

They were all anxiously waiting for a piece of good news from the firmly shut door since the sun kissed the horizon goodbye, and the moon slowly rose high in the night sky.

They were told it would not take that much time since the baby was small inside her mother’s tummy and she was already the second child. The first child was born the same year as Aegaeon — a boy. This second child was a girl—a very special one.

The child that was about to emerge into the world is his Luna!

He knew it the first time he saw the baby bump of the wife of the man sitting on his right whom he calls uncle.

Elaron is the Beta of their pack. His father—second in command—and he would be his father-in-law in the future when he and the baby who was about to be born were at the right age for marriage.

“Aaron, the moon is now high in the sky and my wife is still— ”

Aegaeon was startled when his uncle Elaron stood up noisily from his chair. He just stared at the man who had his hands clasped tightly together, covering his mouth. He was breathing through his mouth while he slightly bounced up and down in the quiet corridor.

The rest of the pack were waiting outside. It’s been hours. And the door, where Uncle Elaron’s wife is laboring, is still firmly shut. Grunts and screams were heard hours ago, but in the past thirty minutes, it was deadly quiet.

No wonder uncle Elaron was getting more nervous by the seconds.

“Be patient! We all know that it is difficult for a She-wolf to bore a child. But your Lyka has always been a strong one. Trust her to give you the daughter you've been wishing for.”

“Yes, my Lyka is strong and the Moon Goddess is kind enough to bless us with another child. Everything will be alright,” he mumbled under his breath, giving Aegaeon a small smile. He was nodding his head as if he was trying to convince himself of what he just said.

Aegaeon didn’t say anything. Even if he is the first son of the Alpha of their pack, he knows that he is still a young boy. He hasn’t even turned.

There are matters that he should not give his opinion at all. He simply sat with a straight back on the hard oak long bench and remained quiet. He shifted his gaze from his father’s grim expression to Uncle Elaron's nervous face, to the firmly shut door.

After taking the deepest breath his small heart could manage, he clasped his hands together and bowed his head. 'I pray to God and to the Goddess Selene that they protect my Luna and Auntie Lyka,' he prayed.

The door that had been closed for hours slowly creaked open as a response to his prayers. He snapped his head in the direction of the door where the old midwife peered out from the door, beckoning his father and Uncle Elaron to come forth.

Silently, he turned to look at his father, wondering what was happening.

“You wait here, Eon. Your Uncle Elaron and I would have to check on your Auntie Lyka.”

Aegaeon nodded quietly to what his father said. His heart was beating so wildly in his chest, especially when his father ruffled his hair with a somber expression on his face.

He knew something was wrong. His young heart knew something had happened behind the closed door.

Two years ago, another She-wolf gave birth in their pack and the situation wasn’t like this. There was a celebration and howling feast to welcome the new wolf in the world. But tonight, the atmosphere doesn’t feel like there is going to be a celebration.

The air of the night felt suffocating.

He watched the back of his father and Uncle Elaron as they disappeared into the room. He stood up from the wooden bench when the door slammed shut.

He paced nervously in the corridor, and he did what his uncle Elaron did a while ago. He started bouncing lightly on his heels.

He glanced up at the open window, framing the moon that was illuminating the night sky. The moon Goddess just like any other night looks magnificent as it perches high in the sky.

He stopped bouncing on his heels and stood still, staring at the silver moon slowly hiding from a clump of dark clouds.

He was rooted to the floor when the stillness of the night was broken with a scream, followed by a howl of pure agony and despair.

His father howled right after, and then, the rest of the pack that was standing guard outside the small clinic they were in, joined the howling. Aegaeon returned his gaze to the night sky, and the moon was still hiding behind the dark clouds.

He joined the howling of his pack. The howling doesn’t sound celebratory just as he was expecting. After all tonight, his Luna was born.

The pack was howling mournfully. The howls that cut the stillness of the night were of pure sorrow and despair.

Tonight was the night his Luna was born. The night when the Goddess Selene hid her face. She knew what was about to happen. She knew that’s why she hid. She hid and covered the night in a blanket of darkness.

To allow them to mourn the loss of a family member.

His gaze was still glued outside the window. He was waiting for the moon to come out of hiding. But it was uncle Elaron who came out of the closed room, tore his shirt off, and ran out into the pitch-black night to mourn the death of his mate—the mother of his children.