SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL

SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL
Ayla

The scent of lavender and antiseptic clung to the infirmary air, mingling in a strange but oddly calming blend. I blinked slowly, letting the soft morning light seep through the sheer curtains and wash over me.

For once, the world didn’t feel like it was collapsing around me. For once, there was quiet.

Me on the other hand, I was just grateful to be alive.

I shifted a little in the bed, groaning when the tug in my side reminded me that healing didn’t mean instant recovery. Still, I was grateful. I was still breathing. Darius was alive. And most importantly—we had won.

The door creaked open, breaking the silence. I turned my head just as Jayrell peeked his head inside, a wide grin plastered on his face.

“Well, well. Look who’s finally awake and not scowling,” he said.

I laughed softly. “Well Jayrell... what are you doing here?” I said sarcastically

“Hey, you missed me”

Jayrell stepped inside fully, followed by Kevin, who was holding a tray of something that smelled like warm soup, and Romeo, who carried a bouquet of wildflowers that were, quite honestly, all different colors and shapes.

Romeo walked in with mock seriousness. “These were not picked from the healer’s garden, despite what you may hear.”

I chuckled “well aren’t you all extra”

Kevin was already giggling. “Well that sounds a bit ungrateful babes” she said sitting on the head of my bed.

I held up my hand in mock surrender “I am sorry”

Romeo sat in the armchair across from the bed, stretching. “Seriously Ayla... you are some sort of celebrity now, I have no doubt that soon they would make some sort of fairytale abut you soon.”

My jaw dropped. “You’re lying.”

Jayrell winked. “Would we lie to you? …Actually, don’t answer that.”

It felt good to laugh. Even if I was still a little sore, even if the world was still recovering, this moment was ours.

“I believe you,” I smiled, taking the flowers from him. “Mostly because I think that I deserve to have a fucking fairytale I mean how cool would that be?”

Kevin rolled her eyes “show off”

Romeo set the tray down beside me and perched on the edge of the bed. “We’ve all been waiting for you to wake up, you know. You scared the hell out of us.”

“I scared myself,” I admitted, exhaling. “Everything happened so fast. The war, the magic, Thorne... I didn’t think I’d make it out.”

Jayrell raised an eyebrow. “You disintegrated a man made of darkness, Ayla. I think you can survive anything now.”

Romeo added, “You were flying. Literally. Like some celestial queen. The thunder thing was a bit much, though. Even though we could not move, you scared us all shitless.”

“I didn’t choose the thunder,” I laughed, rolling my eyes. “It just… happened.”

We all chuckled, and for the first time in days, I felt the heaviness in my chest lift.

Jayrell stood and clapped his hands. “Anyway, now that our heroine is back and functioning, I believe it's time to talk about something extremely important.”

“Oh no,” I said.

“Oh yes,” he replied. “Your hair. You realize you’ve got twigs in it, right? You’ve basically invented a new forest chic trend.”

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. “Please don’t tell me the entire pack saw me like that.”

He nodded “yup”

I let the silence settle for a moment, holding the warmth that surrounded me from these three people who had stood by me through everything.

“I have something to tell you,” I said finally, the nervousness creeping up my throat.

The three of them turned to me almost in sync. “What?” they chorused.

I reached for the blanket, suddenly needing something to fidget with. “I… I have actually known for a while, but I was not sure how—”

Kevin gasped. “Are you fucking dying?!”

“What? No!”

How could she even think such a thing?

“Then what is it?” Jayrell asked, leaning closer.

I looked up, eyes misting over slightly with emotion I didn’t realize had been building.

“I’m pregnant,” I whispered.

The silence was glaring.

At this point I could even hear the silence if a pin was to drop.

I looked nervously at their emotions, suddenly feeling so nervous… did I say it too soon?

Jayrell blinked. Kevin’s mouth dropped open. Romeo looked like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice water on him—shocked.

Then, chaos.

Kevin let out a high-pitched squeal. “I KNEW IT! I had a feeling! Oh my goddess, Ayla!”

Jayrell just gaped. “You’re—wait. Actually? Like, tiny baby in there right now?”

I nodded slowly, hand instinctively resting on my stomach. “Yeah. I felt the heartbeat the day I escaped Thorne, it felt like bad timing but I am really happy it happened.”

Romeo stood slowly, eyes misty. “I don’t think you could ever be as happy as we are for you Ayla.”

Tears welled in my eyes at that. “I was so scared. I still am. But this baby—it’s proof that there’s still something worth fighting for.”

Kevin had already thrown her arms around me gently. “You’re going to be the best mom. And we’re all going to spoil that kid rotten.”

Jayrell leaned against the wall with a smirk. “I call dibs on godfather. Or magical guardian. Or... honorary uncle. Something fucking cool.”

I laughed through the tears. “You all are insane.”

Romeo smiled, stepping forward to take my hand. “We’re your family.”

And in that moment, surrounded by my chaos-loving, overprotective, ridiculous friends, I knew he was right.