423- Blood, Moonlight, and Birth
POV Viktor Averwyn:
I cursed under my breath, panicked, pulling her tightly against my chest. I looked at Daciana, who had noticed it too.
Nervous.
“Seraphine, hold this.” I grabbed the protection charm hanging from her neck and pressed it into her sweaty trembling fingers once she caught her breath. The green returned to her eyes and she looked exhausted, but obeyed. “The wolf has awakened. And I can’t give you any more elixir or transformation suppressant until our daughter is born.”
“Oh God…” Panic flooded her voice.
“Easy. I’m here.” I wrapped my hand around hers and the amulet. “We’ll get through this.”
“I’m burning…” she panted. “I can feel her. So strong… stronger every second.”
“Look at me.”
“Viktor…”
She did until another brutal contraction slammed into her and her scream became a loud growl.
“The head is showing!” Daciana hurried between her legs. “Just a little more!”
“That’s it, my gypsy. Keep looking at me. It’s just the two of us now.”
The fight became difficult because once her beast awakened, my own wolf wanted control too, powerful and furious, claws and fangs pushing against the surface. I restrained him, focusing only on my woman.
“Breathe. Our daughter is almost here.”
She inhaled shakily, flushed red, tears running down her face. Her eyes burned molten gold, soft growls escaping her lips. I noticed her canines lengthening slightly and did everything possible not to panic.
“One more time. Push!” I demanded, and the next contraction came even worse.
Brutal.
Seraphine snarled fiercely in unbearable pain, and then Daciana cried out joyfully:
“She’s here! Oh! What a beautiful, big girl! Lioara is here!”
I wrapped my arms around Seraphine’s trembling body as it collapsed against me while I watched the miracle of my daughter being lifted into the air covered in blood and white fluids, releasing a sharp cry.
My chest thundered.
My wolf roared.
Then Seraphine growled again, and I knew the moment had come.
“Take care of the baby!” I jumped off the bed while Daciana hurried to the side table already prepared with towels and everything she needed.
I grabbed the pink elixir meant to ease the pain and consequences of transformation. I didn’t know if it would help anymore, this late into it all, but I helped Seraphine drink it anyway.
Chaos didn’t wait.
She writhed violently while blood and remnants of childbirth flowed between her legs, soaking the bed. Fear hit me hard because childbirth alone was already dangerous, and now it was followed by a transformation that remained completely unknown for a human woman.
I climbed onto the bed and pinned her between my arms and legs, holding her through her screams and violent spasms.
“Easy, love… I’m here with you… Bite me, scratch me, just don’t hurt yourself.”
“Viktor!”
Her voice deepened into a terrifying new roar. Bones cracked. Her nails dug into her palms. I forced her hands open and pressed them against my body instead as the nails lengthened into claws.
I glanced between her legs where more blood flowed together with the placenta. My wolf howled, wanting to clean her, to remove everything from inside her. I fought him back because that instinct would only strengthen her creature further.
In the background, my daughter cried until she quieted once Daciana wrapped her in blankets. The older woman held her in her arms, watching us with fear and helplessness.
I knew how painful the transformation felt.
Like every bone in the body was shattering while skin stretched enough to tear apart.
The first time was always traumatic—the body adapting so future transformations would become easier.
I prayed the elixir would lessen at least some of the suffering.
Seraphine thrashed wildly while I held her close, allowing her to claw and bite me. Reddish fur spread across her face and arms. Her mouth elongated as fangs and claws emerged uncontrollably.
She sank her teeth into my shoulder exactly where she was meant to mark me.
And her fangs extended there, piercing deeper into my flesh, drawing blood.
I let her.
The pain burned fiercely and didn’t heal as quickly as it normally would. Her wolf demanded that I finally belong to her completely now that she was free. My eyes burned and my own fangs emerged.
But I did nothing except support her.
Her screams slowly became purrs while her claws dug into the muscles of my back as she drank my blood, hungry and thirsty.
“That’s it, love… my wolf, my gypsy… feed from me. Heal.”
And she did.
Clinging to me while her transformation remained restrained until she finally felt satisfied and lifted her head.
Her red hair thickened into dark crimson fur spreading across her skin. Golden eyes. A lengthening jaw.
I didn’t move.
The pain seemed bearable now. Her body appeared to be adapting while her wolf basked proudly in my attention. I growled softly with my fangs exposed.
She growled back.
Black fur spread across my own body, muscles swelling as my wolf rose proudly too, recognizing her.
Human and beast existing together as one.
Seraphine lifted her head and howled while her spine lengthened, bones reshaping themselves, a tail emerging behind her.
I held myself back until her transformation completed.
Until she emerged fully for me.
A wolf at last.
She was beautiful.
Soft fur like a fox’s, eyes like molten gold, delicate and powerful all at once.
Then I finally let go and transformed too, becoming the much larger black wolf beside her. Soon we were both lying together on the bed, breathing in each other’s scent.
She crawled closer until she pressed herself against me, panting and confused.
I used my mind to speak to her.
Can you see me? Feel me? Hear me? How are you talking to me?
She answered immediately through telepathy.
I smiled internally at the shock in her eyes.
That’s what happens when our wolves take over.
I feel different. My body…
Are you okay? You just gave birth.
Yes. And our daughter?
I looked toward Daciana, and she understood.
Slowly, tears shining in her eyes, she approached us carrying the baby wrapped in blankets and placed her carefully between our intertwined paws.
Lioara moved slightly, pale eyes open, soft reddish hair covering her tiny head.
White as snow.
My chest exploded with love at the sight of that blessing. I lowered my muzzle and inhaled her scent slowly, finding traces of my own on her.
Lilies and wolf.
Seraphine and me combined within that tiny helpless creature.
Daughter… our daughter…
Seraphine lowered her muzzle too, sniffing her with emotion before licking her gently as though kissing her.
That was when I understood her wolf had awakened to share that moment with us.
Her wolf and mine were powerful, protective creatures.
They could never have stayed away.
Relief flooded me at seeing both of them safe, and I licked them gently before pulling them against me.
Everything would be alright.