Chapter 87

Chapter 87
Lucien’s POV

I sat in the low chair beside the hospital bed, staring at the tiny miracle sleeping soundly between us. Aurora. My daughter. My first pup.

The room was dim, lit only by a single overhead lamp. It was past 1:30 a.m., but I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to.

Felicia lay beside Aurora, her head resting against the pillow, eyes closed but not fully asleep. She was trying to rest, but I could tell her mind was still running. Maybe she was still overwhelmed. Or maybe she was just watching Aurora the way I was, like she couldn’t believe she was real.

The scent of antiseptic still lingered in the room, but I was getting used to it. Normally, I hated hospitals. The sterile air, the quiet beeping, the sense of vulnerability. But tonight, none of it mattered.

Because Aurora was here.

I leaned forward, my eyes drinking in every detail, her tiny nose, the way her fists curled near her chest, the soft rise and fall of her breathing. She looked peaceful. Untouched. New.

A warmth filled my chest. One I hadn’t known I was capable of feeling.

I looked over at Felicia.

She was exhausted, pale, her hair damp with sweat from the long hours of labor. But gods, she was beautiful. There was a glow about her now, something maternal, something fierce. I had been with her through the entire delivery, holding her hand, grounding her through every contraction. She had cried, cursed, pushed, and in the end, she had brought Aurora into the world with strength I could only admire.

“I love you, Felicia,” I murmured, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes opened slowly, a tired smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “What are you doing, Lucien?” she whispered.

I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“I’m just watching both of you. I can’t believe she’s here.”

Felicia shifted slightly, turning her face toward Aurora. “I know. It feels like a dream.”

I nodded, settling back into the chair. “She’s perfect.”

Felicia reached out gently, brushing a finger over Aurora’s soft cheek. “She has your nose,” she said with a quiet laugh.

“And your temper. She already growled when the nurse tried to lift her.”

Felicia chuckled, then winced slightly. “Don’t make me laugh. My whole body hurts.”

“Sorry,” I said quickly. “I just… I’m happy.”

The room fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments. I couldn’t stop staring at the two of them.

“She’s going to change everything,” Felicia said softly.

“I know,” I replied. “She already has.”

I had always known I’d have an heir one day. But I never imagined this moment,this stillness, this quiet joy. I never thought it would feel like this.

Felicia turned her head, watching me with a look I couldn’t quite read.

“You’re really here,” she said. “Not just physically. Emotionally. You’re present.”

“I was there when she took her first breath, Felicia,” I said, my voice low. “That changes a man. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but this, being with you two, it feels like something I can finally get right.”

Her throat worked around the emotion building there. She blinked quickly and looked back at our pup.

“I was scared,” she admitted. “Terrified, actually. That maybe you’d pull away. That you’d keep your distance.”

“I was scared too,” I confessed. “Not because of you, but because I wasn’t sure I could give you what you deserve. But I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”

Felicia didn’t say anything right away. She didn’t have to.

She simply reached out and placed her hand over mine where it rested on the edge of the bed. Her fingers were warm, delicate, but there was strength in them too.

I looked down at our hands, then at the little bundle nestled between us.

“I’ll protect her,” I said again, like a vow. “No matter what comes.”

Felicia nodded. “We’ll protect her. Together.”

We sat like that for a while, saying nothing. Just breathing. Just… existing.

I hadn’t realized how much I needed this.

Eventually, Aurora stirred in her sleep and let out a soft, whimpering noise. Felicia moved first, her instincts sharp and immediate. She gently pulled Aurora closer and rocked her slightly.

“She’s hungry,” she said.

“I’ll get the nurse.”

“No, stay,” she said quickly. “I want you here.”

So I stayed. I sat there and watched as Felicia fed our pup, speaking to her in soft whispers, soothing her when she fussed. She was so natural at it. So patient. So full of love.

And for the first time in my life, I saw a future I wanted more than power or legacy or anything else.

I wanted this.

Them.

When Aurora finally drifted back to sleep, Felicia gently placed her back in the bassinet next to the bed.

I helped adjust the blanket around her, making sure she was warm and safe.

Then I sat down again and reached for Felicia’s hand.

“You should rest,” I said.

“I will,” she whispered, eyes half-lidded already. “Just… stay with me.”

“Always.”

I waited until her breathing evened out, until her hand relaxed in mine, and then I looked at Aurora again.

Her little eyes fluttered beneath her lids. Dreaming already.

“You’re going to be strong,” I whispered to her. “You’ll be brave. And you’ll always be loved.”

I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Then I sat back, still holding Felicia’s hand, and listened to the quiet rhythm of my family breathing beside me.

The night was still. Peaceful.

For once, the world could wait