THIRD PERSON'S POV
THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. The people of Coldcrest Pack noticed the change in the air. It was airy and filled with love. Something that was a rarity in their pack.
But that was because their Alpha and King, Enzo and his wife, Sera, had just found out the good news. They were going to have a baby.
"Finally!" Enzo grinned, his hands rubbing the slender shoulders of Sera. "The gods have blessed us with an heir."
Sera only gave a weak smile as she rubbed the huge baby bump. It was extremely normal for she-wolves to give birth within the span of four to five months. Even three. But the child inside her was growing rapidly. It scared her.
She had only found out last week and decided to tell her mate this morning. Of course, Enzo had immediately called the best midwives to check on her and they found out she was pregnant.
She had noticed the look on the faces of the midwives when they found out she was only a week gone. Her damned belly looked like she was going to pop soon.
She had only stayed quiet– heart pounding– as they whispered amongst themselves while sneaking glances at her.
Sera looked at her mate, who already had his hand above hers, rubbing her belly. Enzo was excited, she knew that after all the most vicious pack without an heir was no pack at all.
"Arrange for a feast in the pack square." His voice boomed in the vast room as he spoke to the guards. "Everyone is invited! Both young and old. They are all going to celebrate with the Luna and I."
Sera smiled at her husband, whose grin was still in its place. You couldn't wipe the smile off the man's face. His happiness was spreading around the whole air.
Sera was still in awe of how immensely in love she was with him. Even after thousands of years of being a couple, he still made her heart race and the butterflies in her tummy were never calm in his presence.
His salt and pepper hair fell to his forehead as he leaned in to place a kiss on her lips. "Soon, it's going to be the three of us against the world."
And Sera believed the words of her mate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was only a month into the pregnancy before the obstacles began rearing their ugly heads.
"What do you mean she can't have the baby?" Enzo glowered at the priest in front of them as he mixed some concoctions for her.
Lately, he has been noticing some visible changes in his wife. She was shedding a lot of weight and she was looking paler. Of course, he had asked multiple times if she was okay but Sera had only given him a weak smile and said; "I guess it's part of the symptoms."
But today had drawn the line and Sera knew that. Enzo had found her close to their bathroom door, naked with her hands clenched beside her struggling not to pull the damn baby out of her. She had been in severe pain.
"She can't have the baby, Alpha. Its birth is either going to end up killing her or the baby." The priest spoke again from his spot on the floor.
That had Enzo pausing the circles he was making on his wife's palm. He couldn't afford to lose his wife over a child. But the confident look on Sera's face spoke the opposite.
"I'm keeping the baby." Her voice was surprisingly strong and calm for someone who was going through harsh contractions.
Sera wanted to keep the baby, she didn't care if she was going to fucking die while giving birth to her baby boy. She knew if she let them rip open her stomach and take away her baby she was going to live with the guilt forever. And Enzo knew if he went against her wishes– she was never going to forgive him.
Sera had already made up her mind. She had already known the risk of keeping the baby, after all, it was in her damn body. But she was ready to take the risk. Ready to give the pack what they badly needed – a child, an heir to the throne. The pack, although the strongest and largest pack, was going to be nothing without one.
Enzo and Sera were getting old. She had to do this. Even if it meant going against her mate.
"B-But you're going to put yourself in so much danger, Luna." The priest stuttered and he looked at her with wide eyes. "This isn't a fifty-fifty chance of survival. It's an eighty-twenty."
Sera knew what that meant, she knew that meant she had a twenty per cent chance of survival. But fuck that, she was going to keep her damn baby.
Everywhere went silent again before the priest decided to drop the bomb.
"The child you're planning to keep is Lycan." His voice even shook as he spoke.
Enzo's spine steeled and Sera inhaled sharply.
"A Lycan." Sera mumbled. She couldn't believe her ears. She had a Lycan growing inside her.
"How?" Enzo struggled to tame his anger. "Sera and I are full-blooded wolves. There's no way two wolves would produce a Lycan."
Sera still couldn't place her bearings. Lycans were extremely dangerous.
"The dangers of a she-wolf carrying a Lycan are grave. There's little to no chance of survival, Luna."
Sera breathed in as she looked at both men – waiting for her response, her next move.
Sweat coated her forehead as she thought about the possibilities. The chances of her survival were slim. But what if she made it? What if she gives birth to this child growing in her and nothing happens?
The 'what ifs' were much but she was willing. Willing to do anything for her baby. Sera already formed a beautiful bond with the child in her and there was no way she was letting them cut her open and take it out of her.
So when she looked into her mate's eyes with the strength and courage only a fierce Luna could possess and she smiled at him.
"We're keeping the baby."
Enzo was already shaking his head. "No, we're not." He looked about ready to remove the child from her with the way his nose flared and he kept glaring at her stomach.
"We're not keeping it, Sera. The damn thing is going to fucking kill you." He hissed. "Am I supposed to just sit the fuck down and let you kill yourself because of a child?!"
Sera carefully moved to grab his hands which were already making a fist. "What happened to you saying it will be just the three of us against the world?" Her eyes stung as she whispered. "You're just going to let our chance of having an heir go?"
Enzo cursed, removing his hands from hers. "I don't give a fuck about the damn heir, Sera."
Sera whimpered at his harsh words. "W-We can't just let this go. What if I never get pregnant again?"
"I don't fucking care! All you care about is having an heir. What am I supposed to do when you die?" Enzo couldn't even bear the thought of losing her, pure rage blinded him as he lashed out at her, something he never did.. "What do I do then?! Do I just live with the guilt for the rest of my life? What happens if that guilt turns into resentment for our child? What the fuck would I do then?"
"I don't fucking know!" Sera cried out. Hot tears were already streaming down her face and her husband looked at her with so much hurt in his eyes. She suddenly felt this baby was going to cause a rift in their marriage. She loved Enzo but she also selflessly loved the child growing inside of her.
She struggled to blink the tears away but the dam was already burst wide open. They were both so deep into their argument they didn't notice the priest leave their room.
Her lips trembled as he gave her a steely look before turning around to walk away. Once he was at the door, he turned to look at her. "Have it your way then."
He shut the door with so much force before she could respond.
But Sera's mind was made up. And she was going to have it her fucking way.