The sound of the front door closing seemed to echo through the expansive hall, signaling the start of a long, silent vigil. As the adrenaline of the goodbye began to recede, Ginny caught the way Leela’s hand white-knuckled the edge of the console table. She saw the flash of tension in Leela’s jaw—a look she knew all too well from helping with other pack women she had helped bring.
"Leela?" Ginny asked, her voice dropping into a low, concerned tone. "Was that a contraction? Are the babies coming?"
Leela took a slow, measured breath, forcing her muscles to unclench. Beneath the skin of her chest, the Elemental Stone—usually a breathtaking, harmonious galaxy of emerald green, deep crimson, shimmering silver, and sapphire blue—began to churn. The four colors, which typically danced in a perf
