Chapter 154
Chapter 154
"I'm pregnant," Laura said quietly.
The room went completely silent. All four of her mates stared at her with wide eyes.
"You're what?" Dante asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Pregnant," Laura repeated, her hands moving to her belly. "I'm having a baby."
Lucian's book hit the floor with a loud thud. Zephyr's mouth fell open. Nikolai looked like he'd forgotten how to breathe.
"Are you sure?" Lucian asked, his voice shaking.
"Very sure," Laura said. "I've known for a week."
"A week?" Dante jumped up from his chair. "You've known for a week and didn't tell us?"
Laura bit her lip. "I needed time to think about it. This changes everything."
"This changes nothing," Nikolai said firmly, finally finding his voice. "Except that we're going to be fathers."
"We don't know who the father is," Laura said softly.
"Doesn't matter," Zephyr said, standing up. "The baby is ours. All of ours."
"Exactly," Dante said. He was pacing now, running his hands through his hair. "Wait, when did you say you found out?"
"A week ago," Laura said.
"A week!" Dante exploded. "Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be working so much while pregnant? You could have hurt yourself! Or the baby!"
"Dante, calm down," Lucian said, reaching for his arm.
"Calm down?" Dante spun around. "She's carrying our child and she's been lifting heavy things! And walking around! And doing Queen stuff!"
"I'm fine," Laura said, trying not to smile. "The baby is fine."
"Are you eating enough?" Dante asked, waving his hands frantically. "Are you getting enough rest? Do you need more pillows? Different food?"
"Dante," Laura said gently. "Breathe."
"I can't breathe," Dante said, his eyes wide with panic. "There's a tiny person growing inside you and I don't know how to protect them."
Zephyr stood up and grabbed Dante's shoulders. "You protect them by not having a heart attack."
"Right," Dante said, taking a deep breath. "You're right. I'm being crazy."
"A little," Nikolai said with a smile.
"But cute crazy," Laura said.
Dante sat back down, his hands shaking. "I'm going to be a father."
"We're going to be fathers," Lucian corrected, scowling at him.
"I know," Dante said. "But it's different when you say it out loud."
Laura felt tears in her eyes. She'd been scared they wouldn't want the baby. That it might complicate things.
"Are you happy?" she asked quietly.
"Happy?" Lucian pulled her into his arms. "I'm over the moon."
"I'm terrified," Zephyr said. "But in the best way."
"I'm already in love," Nikolai said. "With our baby."
"Our baby," Dante repeated. "I like how that sounds."
"Good," Laura said. "Because there's going to be a lot of changes."
"What kind of changes?" Lucian asked.
"Legal ones," Laura said. "We need to figure out succession. How this works with four fathers."
"We'll make it work," Zephyr said. "We always do."
"The council will have opinions," Laura said.
"The council can deal with it," Dante said. "This is our family."
"Our family," Laura said. She liked how that sounded too.
---
The next few weeks were chaos. The news of Laura's pregnancy spread through the kingdom like wildfire. Everyone had opinions. Everyone had advice.
"You need to eat more," the pack healer said.
"You need to rest more," Sarah said.
"You need to delegate more," Zephyr said.
"You need to stop working so much," Dante said for the hundredth time.
Laura was sitting in the garden, trying to get some peace. Her hand rested on her still-flat belly.
"Hey there, little one," she said softly. "Everyone's very excited to meet you."
"Talking to the baby?" Lucian asked.
Laura looked up. He was standing there with his hands behind his back, smiling.
"Maybe," she said. "Is that weird?"
"Not at all," Lucian said. He sat beside her. "What are you telling them?"
"That they're loved," Laura said. "That they're wanted. That they're going to have the most protective fathers in the world."
"Especially Dante," Lucian said.
"Especially Dante," Laura agreed, laughing.
Just then, Dante appeared with a tray of food.
"Lunch," he announced with purpose. "With extra vegetables. And milk. And those berries you like."
"Dante, I ate an hour ago," Laura said.
"The baby needs nutrition," Dante said, surprised at how stupid she sounded. "Constantly."
"The baby is the size of a grape," Laura said.
"A grape that needs the best care possible," Dante said.
Lucian laughed. "He's gotten worse."
"I can hear you," Dante said. "And I'm not worse. I'm thorough."
"You're obsessed," Nikolai said, joining them.
"I'm prepared," Dante corrected. "Do you know how many things can go wrong during pregnancy?"
"Please don't tell me," Laura said.
"I won't," Dante said. "But I've memorized all of them. Just in case."
"That's not helpful," Zephyr said.
"It's very helpful," Dante said. "Knowledge is power."
"Knowledge is also anxiety," Laura said.
"Are you anxious?" Dante asked immediately. "Because anxiety is bad for the baby."
"I'm not anxious," Laura said. "I'm amused."
"Oh," Dante said. "That's good. Amusement is good for the baby."
"Everything is good for the baby according to you," Nikolai said.
"Not everything," Dante said. "Stress is bad. Overwork is bad. Not eating enough is bad."
"We get it," Lucian said. "You're going to be a great father."
"We all are," Dante said. "But I'm going to be the most prepared."
Laura reached for his hand. "I love how much you care."
"I love you," Dante said. "Both of you."
"All of us," she corrected.
"All of us," Dante agreed.
---
Three months later, Laura was definitely showing. Her belly was round and firm. She felt the baby move for the first time during a council meeting.
"Oh," she said, her hand flying to her stomach.
"What?" Zephyr asked immediately.
"The baby," Laura said. "It moved."
All four of her mates were on their feet in seconds.
"Is it okay?" Dante asked.
"It's perfect," Laura said. "Here, feel."
She took Lucian's hand and placed it on her belly. His eyes went wide.
"I can feel it," he whispered.
"My turn," Dante said eagerly.
They all took turns feeling the baby move. The council meeting was forgotten. Nothing else mattered except this moment.
"That's our baby," Dante said in wonder.
"I can't believe it's real," Zephyr said.
"It's real," Laura said. "Very real."
Laura felt tears in her eyes. "I love you all so much."
"We love you too," Dante said. "More than words can say."
---
The months passed quickly. Laura's belly grew bigger. The baby got stronger and Dante got more protective.
"You can't lift that," he said when Laura tried to pick up a book.
"It's a book, Dante," Laura said.
"It's heavy," Dante said.
"It's not heavy," Laura complained.
"Everything is heavy when you're pregnant," Dante said. "I read it in a book."
"What book?" Lucian asked.
"All of them," Dante said. "I've read practically every book about pregnancy in the kingdom."
"That explains a lot," Nikolai said behind him.
"It explains why I'm the best prepared," Dante said.
"You're the most worried," Zephyr corrected.
"Same thing," Dante said.
Laura laughed. "I'm fine. The baby is fine. Everything is fine."
"For now," Dante said. "But what if—"
"No what ifs," Laura said firmly. "Just what is."
"What is?" Dante asked.
"What is, is that I'm healthy. The baby is healthy. And we're all happy," Laura said.
"Cautiously happy," Dante grumbled.
---
Eight months into her pregnancy, Laura finally went into labor. It was the middle of the night. She woke up with a sharp pain in her back.
"Guys," she said quietly.
No one moved. They were all deep asleep.
"Guys," she said louder.
Still nothing. Dante was snoring loudly.
Another pain hit. Stronger this time.
"GUYS!" she yelled.
All four of them were awake instantly.
"What's wrong?" Dante asked.
"I think it's time," Laura said.
"Time for what?" Lucian asked.
"Time for the baby," Laura said.
Chaos erupted. Dante jumped out of bed and started running around the room confused. Lucian started getting dressed. Zephyr was looking for his shoes. Nikolai was just standing there in shock, looking terrified.
"Someone needs to get the healer," Laura said to the stupid confused men.
"I'll go," Zephyr said finally getting his wits around him.
"Someone needs to prepare the birthing room," Laura said.
"I'll do it," Lucian said.
"And someone needs to calm down," Laura said, looking at Dante.
"I can't calm down," Dante said, pacing. "You're having a baby!"
"Breathe," Nikolai said.
"I can't breathe," Dante said.
"You have to breathe," Laura said. "For me."
Dante took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm breathing."
"Good," Laura said. "Now help me to the birthing room."
---
The next few hours were a blur of pain and joy. Laura's mates took turns holding her hand. Encouraging her. Telling her how strong she was.
"I can see the head," the healer said.
"Is it okay?" Dante asked frantically.
"It's perfect," the healer assured him.
"One more push," she said to Laura.
Laura pushed with everything she had. And then suddenly, there was crying. The most beautiful sound in the world.
"It's a girl," the healer announced.
Laura burst into tears. The best tears of her life.
"A girl," she whispered.
The healer placed the baby on Laura's chest. She was tiny and perfect and absolutely beautiful.
"Hi, sweetheart," Laura said softly. "I'm your mama."
"And we're your daddies," Dante said, grinning widely.
"All of us," Lucian said.
"Always," Nikolai said.
"Forever," Zephyr said.
Laura looked up at her mates. At the four men who had saved her. Who had loved her. Who had given her everything.
"What should we name her?" she asked.
Laura looked down at her daughter. At the tiny person who had changed everything.
"Luna," she said suddenly.
"Luna?" Dante asked.
"Luna," Laura repeated. "She's our moon. Our light in the darkness."
"Luna it is," Lucian said.
"Perfect," Nikolai said.
"Absolutely perfect," Zephyr agreed.
And she was. Luna was perfect in every way. She had Laura's eyes and a mix of features that could have come from any of her fathers. But it didn't matter. She was theirs. All of theirs.
"I love you, Luna," Laura whispered.
Laura felt complete. For the first time in her life, everything was exactly as it should be.
"Thank you," she said to her mates.
"For what?" Dante asked.
"For everything," Laura said. "For saving me. For loving me. For giving me this."
"You gave us everything," Lucian said.
"We saved each other," Nikolai said.
"And now we have her," Zephyr said.
"Now we have her," Laura agreed.
---
The new laws were written within a week. Luna would be heir to the throne. All four Alphas would be recognized as her fathers. The kingdom would be ruled by love, not just blood.
"This is unprecedented," one of the council members said.
"So was everything else we've done," Laura said.
"But the tradition—" another member started.
"The tradition is what we make it," Laura said firmly. "And we're making it better."
The laws passed unanimously. No one wanted to argue with the Alpha Queen. Especially not when she was holding her baby.
"You're going to change the world, little one," Laura said to Luna.
"Just like her mother," Dante said, grinning.
Laura looked around at her mates. At her daughter. At the life they'd built together.
"I'm ready for whatever comes next," she said.
"We all are," Dante said.
And she meant it. Whatever the future held, they would face it as a family. As a team. As one.