~ ~ Sylar ~ ~
Kings Moon Pack - Montana Mountains
And so it came full circle. The entire King's Moon Pack assembled for this momentous occurrence. The moon, at its fullest as an alignment of stars never witnessed before, graced the night skies above the Montana Mountains that I now called my home.
Here was where I'd met my mate, my soulmate, my very own living, breathing goddess, Willa.
I always thought I understood the meaning of the word mate, or soulmate, but I was wrong. By some crazy mix-up, they gave me two mates. But only one completed both halves to make me feel whole.
Finding Willa, they gave me the greatest of loves and I vowed to always fight for her love... until my last day on this earth. She loved me too and together we lived for each other... would die for each other and I blessed every single day that the universe granted me time to spend it with her.
And today, as I become a father for the first time, together we would welcome our firstborn. One that bore an enormous responsibility, neither of us knowing truly what to expect. But we would meet that challenge head on, and I would love her, nurture and protect her.
A gift to the world, we'd been told. But in truth, our daughter meant so much more to us.
I won't deny it had been a shock when Willa confessed her pact with the old soul, Luna, and the sheer magnitude of that decision. And I also wont deny it saddened me that she had lacked faith to tell me beforehand, but I understood and forgave with the blink of an eye. She had been willing to risk everything for Pearl and given up her birthright to protect and save the ones she loved.
How could I hold that against her?
"Okay, Sylar?" Sage, my sister, asked.
I was, and I wasn't. Stood outside the pack infirmary, we were all waiting. Inside was my mate, the Elders, Eve and Misha. Misha was the only one allowed inside because of her healing abilities and should the unimaginable happen and my mate needed help.
"Just nervous." That was an understatement, as I blew out a breath.
Sage rubbed my back in small circles. "Everything will be fine, Sylar, oui?"
I turned and smiled. "It has to be." I couldn't live if I lost Willa. We'd not spent a night apart since our mating and it had killed me to lead her inside the infirmary and then walk away. I could feel her trepidation and excitement, which was only matched by my own.
Physically, I may not have been with her to hold her hand, but through our bond, I could sense and experience everything, offering her comfort and my strength. For this, to me, was stronger than the magic that surrounded us tonight.
"You can feel it too?" asked Sage.
I could.
The Elders tonight had woven spells eons old, called upon the elements and spun magic that I could barely comprehend but feel its power. "Yes, I feel it."
A scream.
My head cut toward the infirmary; body stiffened as panic coiled around my ribcage. My heart tested the strength of my chest as Willa's pain barrelled into me. Forcing a step back, I pushed forward, my feet itching to run inside.
"Breathe Sylar." I heard Pearl behind me. "Willa's got this, she's strong."
"Oui, breathe. Everything will be okay," repeated Sage.
My cousin scoffed. "Pfft, you had the easy part, all the fun and none of the pain!" grumbled Pearl.
I heard the Alpha groan, who now stood beside his mate.
But she wasn't wrong. Still, it did little to settle my concerns, and I wanted nothing more than to be there for my mate and watch the amazing moment our daughter took her first breath coming into our world.
Another scream as nerves ate away at my guts.
"It won't be long now," assured the Alpha. He, too, could feel his sister's struggle.
Willa cried out again. Clenching my teeth, my hands fisted by my side.
"Ouch... oh, oh, oooohh," hissed Pearl, rubbing her own stomach in circles. "Pity it's not my turn."
"It will be our turn soon, my love," said the Alpha, pressing his own hand over Pearl's enormous stomach filled with its own precious cargo.
"I'm telling you right now, Cassius King, when your pup is due to push his way out of my v-jay-jay—ya better have me in a modern hospital and drip-feeding me drugs. Lots of drugs!"
Sage giggled next to me.
Pearl continued. "There is no way I'm feeling the pain that your sister is going through. Na-ah, sunshine—not me."
He laughed, kissing the top of my cousin's head as his hand rested over hers. "You are strong, my Luna. There is no need for drugs and all that modern nonsense."
Pearl scoffed. "Listen, your mother already told me giving birth to you was like giving birth to bear, not a baby."
The Alpha's deep, resounding laughter made me smile.
"Ouch." She winced. Pressing her hand into her side.
"What?" asked the Alpha, worry spread through his eyes.
"Oh, just your pup playing my spine like a xylophone... again. Honestly, I think I've peed more in the last month than I've done in my entire life," whined Pearl.
"Sit, now I insist." The Alpha had brought an enormous sofa here out in the open air just for Pearl. Pulling her toward it, he forced them to sit, twisting her, so he could lift her feet across his lap and remove her shoes where he now rubbed her feet.
"Ooh, keep doing that. It feels so nice." She moaned, wiggling her toes.
Who would have guessed the big bad Alpha, Cassius Wolf King, would be the sweetest and most loving wolf on the planet to my cousin?
"You may have me knocked up Alpha, but damn you make up for it in the best foot rubs." said Pearl, sighing. "I think I'm hungry." She pouted. "Can you get someone to prepare me a tuna, pickle and anchovy sandwich." She tapped her lips. "Oh, oh, and those potato chips—the salted ones."
My cousin had the weirdest cravings as I watched Alpha's face drop, turning a shade of green. "It will be here shortly, my love." He pandered to her every wish and demand.
Pearl sighed again. "Oh, and more of that delicious apple pie, too. Can't forget dessert!"
He looked at me, and I shrugged. She was eating for two.
To distract myself, I tuned into the thoughts and feelings of the pack. They'd all stayed awake, gathering, happy to share in this moment.
Growing up, I'd never given thought to being part of a pack. But here, surrounded by their support and love, I finally felt like I'd found my true home.
Another cry from inside the pack hospital had us all sucking in a breath. I held my breath as a white light illuminated around the door and all the windows. The ground shuck as a gust of wind whipped around us, then gone as quick as it came.
Silence.
A beat...
Two beats...
My heart exploded as I heard one last scream and then the cry of my daughter. Sage gripped my arm as the front entrance opened and the Elder Ester greeted us with a huge smile on her face.
"All is well young Sylar, come meet your daughter."
I heard both Sage and Pearl squeal in delight as I rushed into the pack hospital, down the corridor to the room where lay my mate... my Willa sat up looking exhausted, holding our daughter. Tears welled in my eyes as I tried to restrain my emotions.
Misha smiled as she squeezed Willa's shoulder and stepped back from the bed.
"Come look, Sylar." Willa smiled. "She's beautiful... perfect."
Approaching the bed, I leaned down and kissed the crown of my mate's head, and then my eyes fell on my daughter. The brightest blue eyes greeted mine. It surprised me, as the twins and Hannah could barely open their eyes just after being born.
But these eyes were aware and filled with hope, and a serene calmness.
Willa was right. She was perfect. "Hello little one." I whispered, gently stroking her cheek to hear her gurgle.
"I'm so proud of you, Willa." I blinked back the well of emotion.
She smiled up at me. "I love you, Sylar."
Gently pressing my lips to hers. "I love you more." I breathed against her lips.
We didn't know what the future would bring for us all, but I was excited to find out. I had my mate, my family, and my new baby daughter.
The stars had aligned, and everything in my world was perfect.
~ ~ Pearl ~ ~
Cassius helped me up from the sofa as I waddled into the infirmary. The twinges on my side were increasing and every few minutes they tore through me. Doing my best to ignore them, I stood at the doorway, the rest of my family inside cooing over the new arrival had my heart fit to bursting. She was beautiful, and the tranquillity memorised me in Willa's eyes. I wasn't sure I could be as strong as her when my time came.
Fuck! I tensed. Another twinge.
Cassius placed his hand on the base of my spine. "Everything okay, my love?" he whispered, his warm breath against my ear distracting from the pain... but only for a second.
"Ouch, something—" I sucked in a breath, pain sliced across my abdomen, and then warmth. "Fuck!"
Cassius tensed beside me. "Pearl?"
Warm liquid seeped through my leggings, spreading like someone had blown up a damn down there. "Cassius—I think it's started." Panic flooded my body as my eyes shot up to see Cassius staring, confusion running wild in his.
"The pup?" he asked.
I nodded, "Ouch—" I doubled over.
"Eve!" Commanded Cass as everyone's head shot in our direction.
"No, no, no. It's not time." I gritted through my teeth.
Cassius scooped me up. "Fuck, it hurts Cassius," I hissed on a cry.
"It will be okay my love. You are not alone."
"Quickly, the next room—" said Eve "I need to examine her."
"No, no...no" tears heated my eyes. "I need to be at a proper hospital, where they hand out drugs like toffee's, so I don't feel a thing!!"
Cassius bit back a chuckle. "Just breathe, my love."
Fucking breathe? Was he for real? I growled. "You fucking breathe... ouch... ahhhh."
And then he laughed, deep and throaty, as he placed me down on the bed and Eve was all over me like a rash, pulling my wet leggings down my legs. My head lolled back as I panted.
Fuck, this hurt... really hurt! "Get the Elders, surely they have a spell that can help?"
I looked up at Cassius, pleading as he held my hand and swiped my hair from my face. "You are the strongest mate the world has ever known, Pearl. You need no help to push out our pup. Just breathe my love."
There he was again with his just breathe... It was easy for him to say. I looked at Eve, stress written all over my face. "Will everything be okay?"
My leggings and underwear gone, she'd propped my ankles into stirrups. Her head disappeared from view, but a chilly finger told me where she was. Thank the goddess, I wasn't easily embarrassed.
Eve's head popped up, smiling. "Everything is okay, Pearl. If you listen carefully, you can hear the heartbeat, it's strong and healthy."
It didn't reassure me. "But I'm a few weeks early." It felt like I was about to shit out a bowling ball. Perhaps it was good they were a little early.
"You will feel some pressure, don't be alarmed, it's my hand. I need to reach further up to measure dilation."
Fuck, she was putting her hand up there? I wanted everything out... not more things going up there!
"You will need to push. I'm sensing this will be quick."
At least that was something—patience was overrated!
"Are you ready, my love?"
I looked up to see happiness in my mate's eyes. Yeah, it was alright for him to be happy. He wasn't doing all the hard work! A baby was about to burst out of me... Aliens style!
Sucking in a breath, I felt a weird urge, a pushing of sorts, and I knew that was my cue to do exactly that.
Eve confirmed it. "You need to take a deep breath and push down for me Luna."
I gripped Cassius' hand tighter.
Pushing and grunting, the pain was worse than I'd imagined, and then something happened. My wolf began howling, totally distracting me as my focus was on her—was she okay? Did she sense something was wrong?
"Whatever you're doing, it's working Pearl," said Eve.
Clever wolf, distracting me.
"Give me another push, Luna."
I pushed, gritted my teeth, hissed a breath. My head fell back.
"Again."
Baring down, my molars almost grinding on themselves, I pushed again.
How women did this more than once surprised the hell outta me.
Between pushes, my wolf pranced up and down, howling repeatedly. I thought my head and vagina were about to be ripped open.
"Good, good Pearl. I can see the head."
I bared down again, a cry that I didn't recognise from my mouth ripped around the room.
"Its a—"
Silence.
A cry from a different mouth.
My held breath came out in a whoosh as Cassius gasped.
Another cry as relief moved through me.
Cassius cupped my face in his large hands, brushed away my happy, relieved tears. "You did it, my love."
He pulled back and Eve was passing me a beautiful...boy. We had a boy!
"Your pup... your son," said Eve proudly.
She placed him on my chest as I held him. Heat and happiness flooded my body. I felt full to the top, bursting with love for this tiny being in my hands. He was beautiful, a mini version of my Alpha. "Hello my precious, you scared years off me," my voice cracked.
"He's perfect, my love," said Cass, emotion thick in his words.
He was.
Sage came bursting through the door, rushing toward me. "Mon Dieu! Heavens above." She cupped her cheeks. "I can't believe I have a nephew and a niece on the same day!" She gently stroked her finger across my baby's cheek.
"He's so beautiful Pearl, beautiful." She leaned, pressing her lips to my head. "And you were quick, you lucky thing."
Quick—that was quick? It was pain like I'd never known and I knew pain, hell I'd been possessed, stabbed and shook hands with death. Pain was an old friend.
"Have you decided on a name?" she asked.
I looked up at My Alpha who stared down at his son with such love it squeezed my chest. "Xavier," he answered.
"Oh, that's lovely," she said. "Perfect."
An hour later, everything was quiet as Cassius was curled on the bed with me with and our precious bundle lay in a crib next to the bed sleeping. I couldn't take my eyes off him.
"Are you awake?" asked Cass, planting a kiss to the back of my head.
"Ah-hu," I whispered.
"Thank you, Pearl."
"For what?"
"Everything." He pressed another kiss, his warm arms wrapped around me. "I looked up your name."
"How?"
"That little thing in Seth's study."
"What, you used a computer... the laptop?" Wonders never ceased.
He groaned. "Seth showed me how."
Ah... okay. "And what did it tell you?"
"Pearls bring the power of protection, luck, wealth and an abundance of love." He shifted his arm, moving his body back a little as he gently turned me toward him.
That didn't sound so bad.
He ran his thumb across my cheek. "You are all that and more, Pearl. I'm nothing without you and every day I'm going to make sure I do something, no matter how small, to make you love me a little more." He paused. "Like I love you."
I smiled, my chest about to explode. "Way ahead of you Alpha."
He pressed his warm lips to mine.
Cassius Wolf King was my soulmate. He was a wolf worth dying for. Hell I did die for. But even more—he was worth living for, and for that every day I would thank the heavens above for...
My love. My Mate. My everything.
The End...maybe...