Isabel's Choice

Epilogue 1 - Lars

"Except after your birthday."

For my twenty-first birthday, Isa organized a massive party. She plundered her first strawberry crop to make a flour-free dessert, Eino came with a bunch of meat from his lands and Sven brought a weak joint because he was trying to quit. I hadn't smoked in months and the two drags I took almost put me to sleep. Almost, because apparently, I did other things.

"I told you I will go shower and you wanted to join, but I was just finishing my days," Isa tried to jog my memory.

"Aha."

"Yes, yes, you made exactly that sound and I sighed and said fine, you can come and help me wash my hair? And then things...escalated and I ended up giving it four and a half stars because the water got cold at the end?"

I finally remembered the encounter that had ruined my perfect score. 

And I did remember how she came arching back that beautiful neck of hers, and how overwhelmingly pleasant the contrast was, between her hot flesh shivering against mine and the coldness of the water that bathed us. It brought me instantly to my peak and I still wanted to be somewhat careful and pull my hips away from her. But Isa begged me to stay. She said the full moon is weeks away and she had missed feeling me so close.

I was pissed at myself and at the whole world because I didn't want Isa to go through the terror of a loss again. But I also didn't want our pup to be welcomed in her belly by its mom's fear and its dad's resentment.

So I kneeled, and I pressed my lips an inch below my mate's belly button, whispering to the bunch of cells who couldn't yet hear me that they have to grow, they have to follow whatever Life tells them to do. That I will provide for their mother everything she needs so that she can keep them safe until they are big and strong, strong enough to breathe River Border air.

Several months have passed and with each that went Isa's belly became a bit rounder. I was almost ready to exhale relieved but my mate was not. The fourth New Moon coincided with a random family dinner at my parents. My Luna insisted that she felt perfectly fine and fit to drive. She was more excited than me about showing off my first River wave tattoo, which much to her delight, I had decided to get on the side of my ribs. 

We had a nice meal and afterward, as per the usual procedure, my brothers and I cleaned the table, and the females relaxed on the couch. Walking with an armful of plates towards the kitchen, I saw Isa blushing to the top of her ears and I heard her asking my mom if she could check if everything is ok with the baby. 

"Of course," Ayn blushed in return because even for a Master Healer the privilege of touching a pregnant female is deeply humbling. 

"It's an absolutely healthy baby," Ayn whispered in awe as she walked her hands over Isa's summer-kissed bump. 

As usual, when my mother did her craft, the world stopped existing for her. Her complete focus was on Isa, on tracing on her belly the shape of the pup's perfect arms, folded against their chest. Showing how they are floating a bit up with every strong heartbeat. Poking gently where its fully formed fingers - all ten of them - were busy growing nails. How the chord is loosely coiled at its side, gorged with blood as it should be. 

"Sadly I am blind to their gender," my mom pouted. "And your male refuses to tell me!" She frowned at me but pointed an angry finger at my dad, who stopped in his tracks, a tray full of glasses in his hands. "I blame you, Kari, and all your we don't provide unsolicited information that doesn't belong to us," my mom intentionally did a very poor impression of the Alpha voice which made even Eino - the main recipient of Kari's teachings - burst into laughter.  My father chuckled also and sat at her feet, deposing a kiss on her knees.