Athena
Everything around me felt too light, and my body felt burdened by an inexplicable weight. I was acutely aware of my own breath, the gentle touch of someone's fingers caressing my cheeks, and the faint, delicate movements of a small figure nestled in my arms.
Do the departed continue to breathe? Perhaps in their consciousness, or maybe in a manner imperceptible to the living. Do the dead really breathe?
Am I among the dead now? If I am, then why do I still sense that touch, one that seemed to coax my soul to the surface with every stroke? Why do I feel the presence of someone incredibly dear to me, as though a part of my essence had drawn near?
Thoughts raced through my mind, clamouring for attention, until one realisation surfaced — my baby.
My eyes slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the soft, ambient light. The surroundings were unmistakably familiar — our very own home, and our shared place—Our room.
So....we made it?
"Love," Sebastian's voice whispered beside me, and I turned my gaze to find him sitting at the edge of the bed. He was bathed in the warm, golden light streaming through the morning windows, his smile imbued with a touch of otherworldly grace.
I had never thought I'd get to see this view again. Was this a dream? But, it didn't feel like one.
"We made it?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Yes, we have," he replied, his fingers gently sweeping my hair away from my face as he caressed my cheek, "And look who we've won back."
My eyes lingered on our baby boy, nestled securely in my arms, soundly asleep. His tiny hand occasionally tightened its grip on the fabric of my maxi dress, and I couldn't help but marvel at the surreal nature of this moment.
God, this feels like a dream.
So we really made it?
With trembling fingers, still, in utter surprise, I gently traced my index finger along his soft, pink cheek.
This was real. He was real.
Tears welled up in my eyes. It was almost impossible to fathom that I had journeyed from a past where I felt so worthless that I was considered to be sold for a mere five thousand dollars. I had then become the mate of someone who had forsaken a curse he believed to be the very foundation of his existence, all for the sake of love. And now, I was a mother—a mother to an innocent soul, a symbol of love over the darkest of circumstances.
"This is probably the first time I won't stop you from crying," Sebastian confessed, his voice thick with emotion as he tenderly wiped away my tears, "I couldn't hold back my own tears when he grabbed my finger. We are parents, Athena. Now, it's not just the mate bond, the only special thing we have; we have someone to cherish with our lives. Our boy."
"Yeah, our baby boy," I whispered, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his tiny forehead.
He was incredibly delicate, every feature on his little face a marvel. His skin was so thin, his hands miniature, and his eyes, nose, and lips, all exquisitely petite.
Yet my boy saved me..
"He's so small," I observed, running my finger over his hand, which he slowly grasped with a touch as soft as a rose petal.
"Yeah, he is," Sebastian replied, a smile breaking through his own tears, "But you know, he's surprisingly active, and he seems to adore you. He hasn't stopped crying for the past two days unless he's nestled close to your arms, just like this. Cora and Vincent, they haven't even thought about going home, it seems. Cora's even given him a name — Ashy baby, from Asher. And Vincent calls him little fighter."
"Asher..." I echoed with a contented smile, overwhelmed with joy. "I think we have chosen the perfect name. It suits him so well. And those nicknames the others came up with are adorable," I chuckled softly, as I gazed at my baby, "I still can't believe this isn't a dream."
"I know, love. It was hard for me to believe as well," Sebastian whispered, leaning in to place a kiss on top of my head before capturing my lips in a gentle, loving kiss, "But trust me, this dream is now our life. You, me, and our boy — we will live this dream together."
"He looks like you, I'm jealous."
"To me, he looks more like you," Sebastian countered, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "His nose and lips, they've definitely taken after you. And you haven't seen his eyes yet, but they're as breathtaking as mine," he chuckled, "The perks of being the son of an extremely good-looking dad."
"Such a narcissist," I laughed.
"Oh, I have every right to," Sebastian insisted, his eyes filled with adoration as he gazed at our sleeping angel, "Look at the wonder I've landed in your arms. He's an angel."
Our conversation had already wiped away all traces of tiredness from my body.
Giggling, I slowly pressed my forehead against his, savouring the familiar comfort of his scent, "I love you, Sebastian."
The memory of how it had once felt, the fear that I might never get to see his face, now seemed like a distant nightmare. All those wounds were on the mend, and as long as my baby and my mate were close to me, I needed nothing else from this life. They were everything I could have ever asked for.
"I love you too, Athena," Sebastian murmured, pulling me into another kiss.
As we broke the kiss, he locked eyes with me, his gaze filled with a mixture of relief and deep affection, "I can't believe I almost lost you."
"Destiny brought us together, Sebastian, and nothing else can break us apart," I reassured him, "Like you said, we'll live this dream."
"Yes, we will," he planted a sweet peck on my lips before moving to my cheek, "And I promise, I will treat the baby and the baby mama right," he continued, moving to my other cheek, "I will always make sure to give them tons of kisses," he moved to my temple and then my neck, causing a spontaneous giggle to escape my lips, "Just like this." With utmost tenderness, he placed a light, feathery kiss on our baby boy's forehead, and I could have sworn I saw a faint smile tug at the corner of the baby's lips in his sleep.
No matter how much I thanked God, I couldn't fathom that my gratitude would ever be enough to express the depths of my thankfulness for this second chance at life. I had everything I had ever dreamt of, and it was all in my arms now.
I was complete. Before Asher, Sebastian and I weren't incomplete, but now that he was here, it felt as if he were the missing piece we hadn't even realized we were missing until he completed our puzzle. He was our light, our joy, the precious piece that illuminated our lives, and we would protect him with all that we had.
A radiant smile spread across my face as I looked at Sebastian, his eyes filled with love as he gazed at our baby boy, "So, we play 'the little family?"
"Yes, we play 'the little family, till the end." He smiled back.