Page 191 of King Luna

Our soft giggling fills the forest, replacing my wails from moments prior.

“I love you all so damn much,” I breathe.

But the second we find Rainn and Lilian waiting at our den’s entrance with excited smiles, sadness caves my chest in.

I wish Mom and Dad were standing there too. And I wish Noah had his dad to guide him through his first day as a father holding his child.

A tremendous sorrow crashes through our bond. Noah sucks in a tight breath, his arm stiff against my back.

Oh, Aliya... Are you—

Before Noah can finish his thoughts, Rainn snuggles up to his arm. “My big brother!”

Breaking into a smile, Noah nuzzles her head. “Hey, Rainn.”

Rainn gives my hand a soft squeeze. “I’ve been so excited to see you both. I’ve heard how far you’re progressing, Luna! You’re doing so well!”

Lilian steadies me as she guides us around a boulder. “You are. I’msoproud of you both.”

My shoulders soften. I don’t have my parents, and Ritchie isn’t with us, but Yasmine and Amy provide us with laughter, Rainn fills any space she enters with joy, and Lilian’s soothing, nurturing scent fills just enough of the gap in my heart to carry me through.

But at the den’s threshold, I freeze; Noah’s newly-cooled exterior breaks into wracking tears.

Lilian’s eyebrows arch. “Oh, my sweet—” Lilian reaches for Noah, pulling him into a hug. She kisses his head, over and over. “You're doing so well too, sweetheart.”

Noah sobs against her shoulder, flipping my heart; I’ve never seen him trust her like this. But now that I am, tears slip down my cheeks.

“I don't know how to help her well enough, Mom. I just love her so much.” Noah’s voice comes out shattered, tearing at my core.

I grip Amy’s hand tighter, unable to stabilize my breath. Noah might think I’m struggling through this alone, but with how deeply our souls have intertwined, I can feel my mate working through his own birthing process.

And Lilian holds her son through it. Releasing a wave of nurturing, soothing love in her scent, Lilian draws a helpless whimper from Noah’s lips.

But I can feel the relief she provides his sore heart, stunning me speechless.

For the first time, I see it: I’ve been so worried about all the ways I could accidentally hurt dear Ari once they’re born that I almost forgot how deeply I can help Ari feel loved.

Lilian’s softened voice lowers Noah’s shoulders. “You’re going to keep being there for her, just like you’re already doing,right? That’s what she needs from you most, so you’re doing just fine. It’s all going to be okay. You’ll both be okay.”

“Okay. Okay, thank you.” Noah nods, blowing out a slow breath. When he turns to me, his eyebrows arch once more. “I just love her with my whole heart. I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to hold her pup.”

“Oh,honey...” Lilian strokes his back. But as I waddle closer, Noah’s tearful expression warms into a weary smile. We reach for each other, pulling each other into a tight embrace.

“I adore you,” I whisper.

“I love you too—” Noah tenses as my forehead warps in pain, my next contraction hitting me hard and fast. “Oh, shit. Breathe, Aliya.”

Sputtering out a short, fast breath, I clutch Noah’s shoulders as hard as I can. But it’s not enough; grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, I let out a heaving, low groan as my whole body tenses. A force beyond my control sends an undulating motion down my body, impelling me to stoop over and produce low humming sounds I’ve never heard from myself.

As Noah holds my hips steady, his refreshed mindset shines through his soft-spoken words against my ear. “Good girl. Good, you’re doing so well.”

But as my body bears down, forcing me to tense my stomach as if it’s preparing to push, fear strikes my heart. My eyes jolt open, my active labor groans morphing into a cry.

Rainn gasps, and Lilian rubs my shoulder. “Oh sweetheart, take it easy, if you can.”

I shake my head, coming up for air with heaving, groaning breaths.

Noah grasps my cheeks. “Hey, hey— You’re okay. You’ve got this.”

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