Chapter 332

Chapter 332
Isabella's POV

The air in the council headquarters was filled with a subtle mixture of tension and anticipation. Everyone was being extraordinarily careful around me, and for good reason—after all, I was six months pregnant with a werewolf baby, which by human standards meant I was full-term, and the heaviness and discomfort made it almost impossible for me to breathe.

I was trying to bend down to pick up Lucian's little sock that had fallen to the floor. Before my fingers could even touch it, Sarah rushed over like a gust of wind.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a reproachful tone, snatching up the sock before I could.

I straightened up, the pressure in my lower back making me wince. "I'm just picking up a sock, Sarah. I'm pregnant, not incapacitated."

"You can't just bend over like that in your condition." Her eyes were full of concern.

"It's just a sock." I argued, stubbornly attempting to bend again to prove I was fine. My center of gravity shifted, and I nearly fell, fortunately Sarah caught me just in time.

"Enough stubbornness. Back to bed." She firmly guided me toward the large bed in the center of the room. "If you fall, I'm afraid you'll split open like a watermelon, and then we'll be dealing with a premature birth."

I sighed in resignation and leaned back against the pillows Gabriel had carefully arranged for me. "This baby is so big," I said, rubbing my swollen belly with both hands. "I'm really not looking forward to the process of getting her out."

Sarah smiled smugly as she adjusted the pillows behind me. "What did you expect when you chose the biggest werewolf I've ever seen to have children with?"

"I didn't have a choice the first time," I reminded her. "Back then, I selected a completely average-sized sperm donor, thank you very much."

"Maybe not the first time," Sarah admitted, with a mischievous smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "But the second time was definitely voluntary."

I couldn't argue with that, I could only furrow my brow. Another wave of discomfort hit me, and I couldn't help but let out a soft moan. "I've been having pre-labor contractions for several hours now. They're not regular yet, just... uncomfortable."

Sarah's expression softened as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Remember when Lucian was born? That was quite a battle."

"How could I forget?" I smiled wryly, my heart still racing at the memory of that experience. "Do you think I'd miss giving birth in a strange place, surrounded by a crowd of people, unable to even get to a hospital?"

"Well, you have to admit it was pretty exciting." Sarah teased.

"Maybe a little," I couldn't help but laugh. "A human girl's life occasionally needs some drama."

Sarah's eyes sparkled with playfulness. "Just wait for the Moon's Blessing Ceremony in two months. As her godmother, I'm planning to make quite a scene—covered in mud, soaking wet, prophesying your daughter's crazy future."

"I'm considering revoking your godmother status." I threatened half-jokingly.

"As if you have other friends to choose from." Sarah retorted without missing a beat, and we both burst into laughter.

Just then, Gabriel and Ryan pushed open the door. Gabriel was carrying Lucian, whose eyes immediately lit up when he saw me.

"Mama!" he called out happily, struggling to get down.

"Remember to be gentle, okay?" Gabriel reminded him softly, then carefully set him on the floor. Lucian toddled over to the bedside, arms outstretched.

My heart melted, and I was about to pick him up when Sarah moved faster, lifting him onto the bed. He immediately crawled into my arms, carefully avoiding my belly.

"He's growing so fast." Sarah said, looking at Lucian with tenderness in her eyes.

"Yes," I sighed, stroking his soft curls. "He just turned one, and I can barely stand the thought of him growing up."

Ryan leaned against the doorframe, a kind smile on his face. "Always showing off, aren't you, little guy?"

Gabriel chuckled in response: "Ryan's just jealous of all our son's talents."

Sarah and Ryan exchanged smiles, creating a warm atmosphere. I groaned dramatically, "You're all discussing Lucian's talent show while I'm suffering through pre-labor pains. So unfair."

"This isn't even the real labor pain yet." Sarah grinned. "That's much worse than this."

Gabriel came to my side and took my hand. "Ryan and I have cleared our schedules for today. We're all yours now."

"Is everything okay with the pack? How's the war going?" I couldn't help asking, despite my physical discomfort, my heart was still concerned about the situation outside.

Gabriel's eyes met mine, and through our mental bond, I could feel his reassurance and determination. The Moonscar tribe was intensifying their efforts, but our allies were also rallying quickly, and they were losing ground.

"I'm sorry you still have to worry about these things." I said softly, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Today is just for you and our baby," he said gently. "Nothing is more important than that."

I smiled, though I knew in my heart that as Alpha and Luna, our family happiness and our responsibilities to the pack could never be completely separated, one would always affect the other.

After a brief silence, Ryan spoke up, breaking the quiet. "I still can't believe you haven't named her yet. You had Lucian's name picked out months before he was born."

"That was different," I explained, watching Lucian play with my necklace. "He told us through our bond what name he wanted, we could all feel it."

Gabriel nodded, "We've tried a few names for the little one, but she doesn't seem particularly interested in any of them."

"I think we'll wait until we see her in person," I said, gently stroking my belly. "Maybe when she's born, we'll have inspiration."

"That's sweet," Sarah nodded approvingly. "A bit old-fashioned, but very ceremonial. Even though werewolf babies are quite self-aware before birth."

Ryan joked: "For your next child, you could try drawing names from a hat, add some excitement."

I was about to object when a strong contraction suddenly hit me. I stopped laughing, took a deep breath, and tried to ease through the tight pain.

This one was stronger than the previous ones, but still not at the screaming level I experienced when Lucian was born.

"The intervals are getting shorter," Sarah observed, immediately becoming serious. "Gabriel, you should start timing."

Gabriel nodded and got up to find his phone. "While we wait, perhaps Lucian can show everyone the new trick he learned yesterday."

I could only sigh in resignation.

"Absolutely not," Sarah firmly objected. "We can't be distracted by your son's acrobatics while your wife is in labor."

Ryan's lips curled into a smile, "I'm sure we'll find plenty of ways to pass the time."

Another contraction was silently approaching. I didn't know if our daughter would be born soon or if she was just teasing us.