Ember

1. A spark is born

September 1989

Rupert Astrid

Nessie has been in labor for 12 hours. The sweat has coated her beautiful face in a thick glossy mask. It is almost time for the arrival of my heir and our beautiful child.

She is throwing threatening glares in all directions ready to strike. I want to sooth her pain but that is not a possibility. I direct my attention to the sight above me to ease my suffering.

We use a special room in the alpha hospital wing with a glass ceiling so our pups can be born under the power of the moon. An ancient ritual but a beautiful one in my eyes. The stars are a gorgeous site to see as the constellation Libra is in plain sight and the new moon although barely visible, my predator vision can see it perfectly.

I am confident that it has taken my mate this long to deliver, due to the nature of mine and my beautiful mates relationship stressing her body, I have loved her since I laid eyes on her. She was a Rouge traveler from the north. She was alone and traveled beyond our borders. Her dark auburn and brown hair straight down her back, Nessie was a thin woman and slender face held light brown eyes with flecks of yellow. She was a voluptuous women but when she chose to stay she let herself go. Her skin was tan but muted by the cold. She was radiant with the snow fall.
She made it very clear a lycan mate was not wanted by her. I gave her a home. Not my home since she did not want my love or affection but her own beside the castle in case she needed anything. I requested she stay at least so we didn't weaken from the bond. Nessies heat hit after a few months of her staying, like a wave of hypnosis took over her mind as she broke down my bedroom door crazed with the heats demand and here we are. Bring a living miracle into this world and Nessie hates us all. Lycan pregnancies are shorter. Her being a pure Werewolf she carried for 9 months. The mother and her species determined the pregnancy length. The pup develops their lycan side at 2 years old were as the wolf side comes at 16. Nessie never gave our growing life a chance to see. All she sees in her dark mind is an abomination. Lycans are frowned upon in the pure Werewolf community, no one knows this side of me except my mate. Although hidden for safety purposes my mate literally could smell it.

"Nessie I will not force you to stay. I never have my dear but you must relax if you want this to end" I try to reason with her wolf. Eyes black as onix fixated on me.

"I will not to be weakened by this moon forsaken bond" she snarls threw her bared teeth. Vira her wolf very present and damn near feral.

It fades with a powerful contraction that makes her body shake, her scream makes me want to hold her but she never would allow that.

"Alpha she won't with you here" Thompson my Beta whispers in my ear.

"Alpha Astrid it's OK we can take it from here" Dr Diarra spoke firm but carefully to not to piss off my beast.

I nod and leave the room. Standing straight across from the door waiting for my heart to be born since it is obvious that my mate doesn't have one. I feel the sweat on my brow, anxiety is building rapidly. How can Nessie refuse me the first glimpse of my pup. I never once forced her. I made sure she had everything including the choice to leave. Yet she continues to hurt me.

Pissed off I storm to open the solid oak door cracking the frame, barging in to the sight of the tiniest child being born and pulled from between my mates legs with curly bleach blonde locks with a strip of red.

The first scream was magic and my big alpha aura melted away into a paranoid mess. Nessie starved herself to harm the baby and I feared for my child's health. The doctor took her to a table to be examined while a nurse checked on Nessie.

Felt like a lifetime and everything was so slow I barely registered the bed wheeling to my side.

"Monstrous mistake. You were never mine demon" Nessie screams as she is transported still in the hospital bed to another hospital room to be cleaned and fed.

I stop them on the way out, looking her in the face.

"You are permitted to live here but that pup will see no harm. Keep away my dear and go about your life" my voice waivers. No mate should have to feel this. Rejected and unloved.

She simply smirks as if that is what she wanted, I move aside allowing them to remove her.

"September 30th under the new moon, 12am. 17 inches long 5 lbs 5 oz. Strong and healthy, just a bit small" Dr Diarra announced with a grin.
Wrapping the tiny life in a thin blanket she walks over to me, passes the bundle to me so gentle.
Tears of sorrow from the hate from my mate and also happiness for the new love in my hands.
Bright blue eyes just like mine, her nose is so small. Very tiny in general.

"Congratulations Alpha you have a daughter " Dr Diarra smiles.

Her name already in my mind. So proud of this beautiful girl already for surviving her mother's negligence.

"Remi-Rain Astrid " I say loudly, applause fills the room.

I pull her close to my chest with aloud declaration of claim

"mine"