Shadows like mine

Bonus Chapter 3

"He's losing his mind," said Cassian. He looked at Azriel in full amazement. "It's so fascinating."
"You want your throat ripped out?" grumbled Azriel as he kept walking back and forth the hallway. "Why doesn't she let me in?!"
Again with his fist he pounded on the door. So hard that it almost fell out of the frame. "You just need to wait!"
"I don't want to wait out here while my mate is in labour!" Azriel yelled and his shadows almost fully hid him in the dark. It had been two days since their talk in the garden. Almost three hours earlier Aurora had been complaining again about her cramps. Azriel had tried to comfort her, until it became so bad that he slowly started to panic.
Not long after that her water broke and Azriel's life flashed before his eyes.
Now everyone, the whole Inner Circle, was stacked in Azriel's hallway and study. The study was right across their bedroom, for multiple reasons. He didn't care that Rhysand sat on the very desk he had fucked Aurora on for years and years.
If you looked closely you could see the little dimples in the wood because of her nails.
"She is strong, Azriel," said Feyre and was smart enough not to lay a hand on the Shadowsinger's shoulder.
"She's not Illyrian," he breathed heavily and started waking again. Inside their bedroom he could hear Aurora's grunts and puffing, while the healer gave instructions. "She's not like you or Nesta."
"She survived Death," reminded Nesta him. Her pregnant belly wasn't showing, but you could definitely smell it. Nesta's pregnant scent was way different than Aurora's.
"That won't happen again."
"You don't know that, Azriel," said Nesta and pinched Cassian. His fascinated state became annoying.
"Is it okay that I drink your wine when he or she is born?" asked Mor. "Or is this not the right timing?"
"Mor," whispered Rhysand and the room trembled under his power.
"The wings won't go through," started Azriel and with his hands he went through his hair. He was losing his mind. He might be losing his mate at the moment. Not a single second he let go of the mating bond. He would not let her go. Whatever the cost.
And if Aurora did leave him... He would follow soon. A life without her was grey. He wouldn't leave his family so soon — but he wouldn't stay for another centurie.
Azriel almost stormed into the bedroom when Aurora started screaming of the pain.
"Let them do their work," said Cassian and grabbed Azriel's shoulder.
"I should be in there!"
"Azriel, there are four healers in there. It will be too crowded," explained Rhysand calmly, but Azriel could see the worry in his eyes.
"She needs me!" He shrank while listening to Aurora, her pain. And there was nothing he could do about it. He took a few good deep breaths. "They can go fuck themselves," he grumbled and stormed into their bedroom when Aurora let out another cry.
The scent of blood was the first thing to notice when he walked in. Four healers looked shocked and somewhat annoyed when he barged to his mate.
No one dared to speak to him as he kneeled down next to the bed. Aurora's face was pale, her lips looking like they belonged to a corpse. Sweat was pearling on her face.
"Azriel," she said with a smile and immediately grabbed his hand when he reached it out. Her grip was firm and desperate. Even though he looked calm beside her, he definitely wasn't. He just needed to be for her.
"I'm here," he assured her and wrapped his other arm around her, supporting her. He pulled his wings in as goodness possible.
"You need to push more, Aurora," said the healer, sitting between her open legs. "The baby is in the right position." She didn't say anything about the wings.
"I'm so tired..." she whimpered and Azriel held her tighter.
"You're doing great, love," he promised her. "Hold on just a little longer."
"Luna is actually a nice name for her," she said and Azriel had to bite the inside of his cheek.
He wouldn't break down in front of her.
Aurora followed the instructions as good as she could, even though her grip on his hand became weaker. She lost too much blood. Azriel felt like he was about to faint. The birth of his child looked too much like Nyx's.
Only this time Nesta wouldn't be able to save her. No one could. He just had to pray that Aurora was strong enough to live through it.
Azriel held on to their mating bond... until it wasn't there anymore.
At first he didn't think it was true. A lie his instincts told him. The shock betraying him. The cry of a born baby woke him up, making him look at the arms of the healer.
And there was the most beautiful little thing he had ever seen. Covered in blood and fat, crying soft and with a high pitch. His heart shattered as he looked at his child.
"It's a girl," the healer said and turned away to clean her up.
"You were right," he whispered and felt tears stream down his cheeks. "It's a girl."
Aurora didn't answer and that's when he realised it. He barely dared to look down at her. Her lovely breathing had stopped. Her heart wasn't in rhythm with his anymore.
And the world truly became grey.