Heart of Blue Crescent: Aurora and Rowan

Chapter 3: Aurora's Birth

Just as he was about to reach them, his sight was blinded by a white light, making him howl in pain as he realized he couldn't protect his mate and child. The entire forest fell silent, as if time itself had paused—no rustling leaves, no sounds at all. His heart sank, and he prayed to the Moon Goddess to save his mate and child.

At the safe house, as soon as Luna Elara and Astrid entered, they were surrounded by Alaric and Isolde’s four boys, asking about their mother. Realizing she wasn’t there, the boys went numb. Luna Elara comforted them, saying that Alaric had gone with the warriors to bring their mother back safely. Caspian, being the eldest, calmed the youngest, Griffin, while Finnian and Julian sat with Astrid, praying. Victor and Lyra, Alpha and Luna's children, joined them, and all began praying for Isolde's and everyone else's safety.

It was as if the Moon Goddess herself heard their prayers. The sound that made Isolde smile was the cry of her child. The Moon Goddess had blessed the child. Though Isolde was happy, she was confused—she hadn’t felt any pain but had heard her baby’s first cry. She wondered if she had died and was only hearing it through instinct, which made her tears of joy turn into sorrow.

But then, a sudden calm washed over her, as if the sea of serenity had swept away her fears. She saw someone approaching her, holding the baby. Blinking her eyes clear, she realized it was the Moon Goddess herself. Though Isolde had never seen her before, she knew instantly who she was. The Moon Goddess, with her long blonde hair and flowing white gown, was gliding toward her with a soft, sweet smile. Isolde sat up as the Goddess handed her the baby, wrapped in a white cashmere shawl that felt as soft as cotton candy, with a necklace around her neck. The baby, now asleep in her arms, was unaware of the danger just moments ago.

Seeing her child’s face lifted Isolde’s spirits. She thanked the Moon Goddess, who replied, "Isolde, you are a brave mother. Your bravery saved your child. This child is gifted with special powers and is destined to change this cruel world and end the evil forces. As long as she has this necklace, she will always be safe."

Isolde, though grateful, was worried for her child's safety. The Goddess reassured her, "Don't worry, my child. It is her fate to save your world. Help her in every way you can, and I will always be with her." Isolde felt a bit relieved and smiled back.

"Have you thought of a name for her?" the Goddess asked.

Isolde instantly replied, "Aurora."

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful child. Take care, Isolde," the Goddess said before disappearing into thin air.

Isolde looked around to find the dead rogues and her mate, a few feet away in his wolf form, on his knees. Alaric, now in control, saw his fellow warriors unconscious behind him, five dead rogues in front of him, and his wife and child smiling at him. Grayson gave control back to Alaric, who turned back into his human form and walked toward his wife and daughter. He was filled with both joy and worry as he knelt beside them, taking Aurora into his arms and kissing her forehead.

Isolde patted his back and told him, "It's a girl, Aurora." His happiness doubled.

He feigned anger, "You already named her without consulting me?"

"Do you not like the name?" Isolde asked, catching on to his teasing.

He kissed her and said, "No, I don’t like it—I love it!" Isolde playfully hit his hands.

After a moment of joy, Alaric asked, "How did you manage to fight all these rogues by yourself in your condition? How did you deliver our child alone? I'm so sorry, my dear. I should have been there. I'm ashamed I left you alone. Lucian could have waited."

Isolde gently reassured him, "Everything happens for a reason, and don't blame yourself. If I hadn’t come this far, you might have missed our child’s birth. But everything turned out fine. We’re both okay now."

Alaric smiled, understanding her words. "But you still haven’t answered my question."

Isolde then explained everything that had happened, from meeting the rogues to encountering the Moon Goddess herself. Alaric listened patiently, grateful that their child was blessed by the Moon Goddess. He realized that the white light that blinded him was the presence of the Goddess herself.

He thanked the Moon Goddess and finally noticed the baby closely. The white cashmere shawl felt otherworldly, and the silver necklace on Aurora’s neck had a wolf face pendant with a blue sapphire for an eye. It looked perfect on the baby.

Alaric stood up, holding the baby, and helped his mate to her feet. He hugged Isolde from the side, still cradling their child, and kissed her again. After a moment, he handed the baby back to her and went to rouse his fellow pack members. Once they were all awake, they greeted their Beta family and congratulated the couple on the birth of their baby girl. With happiness and relief filling their hearts, they decided to head back to the packhouse.

Alaric received good news from the Alpha himself: all the rogues had either been killed or fled back to where they came from, and all the pack members were safe and sound, with only minor injuries. Lucian, who had been worried about Isolde, was relieved and happy to hear the news. Alaric, now feeling reassured, told Isolde that everyone was safe and doing well. He then commanded his warriors to shift back into their wolf forms and head back to the packhouse. He gently instructed Isolde to hold the baby tightly and ride on his back.

Alaric transformed into his brown wolf, Grayson, and crouched low to help Isolde climb onto him easily. Once she was securely on his back, holding their baby with one hand and gripping his mane with the other, Grayson started sprinting slowly towards the packhouse. The other warriors surrounded them, providing protection as they made their way home.

At the packhouse, after the battle between the rogues and the warriors had ended, everyone returned home. The injured were being treated at the pack hospital, located near the training grounds. Lucian assigned a few more warriors, who were in good condition, to patrol the borders according to the schedule. All the warriors gathered in the packhouse. Those who had been in the safe house came out, relieved and joyful to see their loved ones alive. There were tears of happiness across the packhouse’s living area.

Once everyone had settled, Lucian addressed the crowd. "Thanks to all the warriors who helped tackle the rogues all night and kept our women and children safe. Special thanks to the doctors who are currently working tirelessly to heal our injured warriors. Every pack member is present here and safe. This is good news for all of us. Along with this, I want to announce one more piece of good news: our Beta, Alaric, and Isolde have welcomed a baby girl." Cheers erupted throughout the hall, where fear and sadness had lingered just moments before.

Elara, Lucian’s mate, took the lead, and the crowd fell silent. "This situation calls for a celebration. Today, we will celebrate the victory of this battle and the birth of the Beta's daughter. For now, everyone can stay here. The kitchen team and all the ladies will prepare a feast for breakfast now, so we all can have a meal together. In the evening we will celebrate. Lucian, please arrange for someone to take food to the patrolling team."

Lucian felt proud of his mate and was pleased with the idea of a celebration. After all the chaos, they needed a day of relaxation..