Storm Born Book One

Prologue

The storm raged outside the cave, the rain pouring from the heavens in sheets, inside the cave it dripped down the ice-cold walls in rivulets steadily adding to the damp chill conditions there was no warmth to be had in the cave, it was cold and unforgiving and yet a woman panted heavily her brow coated in sweat, pain etched across her face, as she cried out. The teenage boy places a desperate hand over her mouth eyes frantic pleading with her desperately, 

"Hush.  Luna I know it hurts but you must be silent".

Between contractions the woman pants, her long dark hair sweat slickened sticks to her face, her eyes widen with a mix of fear and pain as another contraction racks her body. The weariness eating into her bones, was all-consuming as she desperately tried to hush her cries.  She bit down on the stick the boy had placed into her mouth, her screams were muffled her eyes watering from pain. 

"I must look, Luna I am sorry".  

The boy looked embarrassed It felt wrong to look at his Luna in this condition but it was necessary. he had seen his father lambing he surely could not be that much different with a -baby. he lifted her skirts pushing them over her knees, he swallowed nervously his hands shaking as he gently pushed her legs apart, he could see the top of the baby's head.  

''The baby is nearly here Luna It will soon be over''. he soothed  ''Just a few more pushes and it will be over''  he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, ''and then you can rest okay?''

The woman, beyond exhaustion, could barely hold his gaze, ''Okay,'' she whispered nodding weakly. another contraction hit her and she bit down on the stick the boy had placed in her mouth. 

''Luna you must push'' the boy urged 

''I...can't, I can't'' she whispers  weakly '' have no strength left''.

''You can Luna you are so close I can see the baby's head'' the boy encourages here give me your hand'' 

He took her hand and placed it on the baby's head see your pup is almost here just a few more pushes you can do this next contraction push okay, as hard and as long as you can.'' 

The woman nods wearily, They had escaped running desperately into the storm, her mate was gone her pack was gone, and all that remained was this boy. She cried out as another contraction wracked through her exhausted body.

"shh.... shh" the boy soothes "Please Luna for both our sakes hush".

She did not want to live without him, her wolf was curled in the back of her mind gone crazy with grief, another contraction and the boy placed the stick back into her mouth. She bit into it as she bore down pushing with all the strength she had left. She would live for the baby, she would protect the Alpha child it was her duty, the last thing she could do for her mate. Wave after wave of pain hit her as she pushed, till thinking her strength must surely fail the child slipped from her body into the waiting arms of the boy. The infant wailed lustily as the boy placed him into her arms. A son she had known it would be a boy had felt it in her bones, he was the image of his father, She held him close to her kissing his forehead as the boy tied off the chord with a string, and cut it with a small knife. 

"He is beautiful Luna, The Alpha would have been so proud of him he will be a strong leader someday, what is he to be named," the boy asked amazed by the miracle of seeing a new life come into the world. He had spent a lot of time studying with the pack doctor and helping in the clinic, as a third son and was not destined to lead, he had harbored ambitions to be a healer and had seen pups birthed from a distance, but this was the first pup he had helped into the world.

She nodded smiling weakly at him " He is to be named Darius after his father" She felt light-headed and weak,  drained, struggling to hold the baby in her arms. The boy was looking at her strangely he reached to take the baby from her, why was he taking her baby? no give him back she thought, but she could not say the words, no sound coming from her lips. Her vision was dimming she felt as though she was in the water floating It reminded her of when she and Darius had first fallen in love swimming in the river, it had been such a warm sunny afternoon. They had a picnic and kissed for the first time. Why was the boy crying? she thought.

The boy looked down at the ground blood was pouring from under the Luna he took off his shirt and held it to her desperately trying to staunch the flow, all the while knowing it was hopeless perhaps with a midwife or a pack doctor she may survive but there was no one only him and he did not know what to do, She was slipping away, the boy could see it in her eyes, her gaze seemed to be no longer with him and the baby it was as though looking at something far away, he had seen too much death not to recognise it.  Holding her hand he hoped that she would feel the comfort he was sending to her, that she would know that she was not alone He held her hand tight as her hold on life grew weaker.

Her breath grew shallow, She looked for the boy her eyes searching for him Fear clutched at her heart was she dying? Then she felt it his hand in hers holding to her tightly. She smiled weakly she could feel his hand holding hers Darius was holding her hand he had come for her. She knew he would not have left her all alone she smiled weakly he was here, he had come to take her home. Her breath gradually slowed until it stopped, and silence filled the cave broken only by the mewling whimpers of the baby in the boy's arms. 

He did not know how long he sat there holding his Luna's hand, The tears tears tracked silently down his cheeks, and he felt numb it was not the chill cold of the floor of the cave that was slowly seeping into his bones but loneliness for the first time in his life he was utterly alone. His family, and friends, were all gone. It was the mewling of the baby that finally brought him back to his senses.  He could not save his Luna but could save her child.  Pulling his hand from her already stiff grasp, he leaned over and closed her eyes.  

Wrapping the boy in his mother's shawl he lay him on the ground and turned his attention to his Luna. He could not leave her like this He pulled her gently into his arms and laid her down on the cave floor, arranging her skirts as best he could. He should bury her he thought bitterly she deserved to be buried and grieved for properly. It was not right that she should be left in this cold damp place but there was no time. He hoped that she would forgive him for leaving her like this, but to stay longer was to risk the child's life if they found them they both would die. He smoothed down her hair as best he could and murmured a quiet prayer to the goddess to protect her in the afterlife and reunite her with her love in the next.

Taking the chain from her neck he shoved it into his pocket for the baby when he was old enough he would tell him about his mother and give it to him the boy should have something of her he thought.  He stroked her hair for a final time and promised to care for the child, to protect him with his life.  He pulled a shirt from the bundle of clothes he had hastily snatched from his room before he ran into the night with his luna,  The babe would need clothes and feeding a wet nurse, and soon if he was to survive he thought. Sighing he buttoned up the shirt and pulled on his jacket before picking up the baby gently. He was sleeping his little mouth suckling on imagined milk frowning the boy pulled the shawl tighter around the child's tiny body and held him close to his chest buttoning his coat around him to protect him as best he could from the wind and rain. then taking one last look at his Luna he crept to the entrance of the cave, peering into the dark, his ears alert for any sound he listened for signs of their pursuers. hearing nothing he sent another prayer to the goddess Before slipping out of the cave.