Months later
[Malia’s POV]
The sound of the baby’s cry hit my ears, and even through the overpowering pain I felt after being in labour for thirty-six hours, a great smile found its way to my lips. It was as though my intestines had been ripped apart and I had never felt as weak as I felt presently, but I was fulfilled.
It was worth it. All the pain I had endured had been worth it eventually.
The Moon Goddess didn’t fail me. She had looked down on me with a smile, and although there had been times when I had wanted to give up and just heed to the call of death, I was happy I had persevered. My baby was worth it all.
“Can… can I see him?” I asked weakly, as I tried my best to keep my eyes open… just to have a glimpse of my baby, just to behold its magnificence.
“‘Her’, your majesty. You delivered a bouncing baby girl,” the midwife said.
“What?” I asked, filled with shock, and the sleep that had been deeply rooted in my eyes disappeared almost immediately. “I… I had a daughter, not a son?” I asked, blinking rapidly as I refused to comprehend the truth.
“Yes, my Luna,” the midwife responded.
“How is that possible? It was predicted to be a male child,” I heard my father’s voice say as he stepped into the infirmary.
“Not all predictions come true, my Lord,” she explained.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see my father fume angrily and he began to pace around the room. “The young girls who assist you came to inform me Malia has given birth while waiting for her outside, and now, they’ve gone to inform the Alpha King and the rest of the elders. Alpha Tyler will be pissed once he finds out the gender,” my dad said.
I panicked. “But… but it’s still his flesh and blood. And this is just our firstborn. I can have a boy next time,” I said.
“Unfortunately, my Luna, due to the complications suffered during your delivery, it will be impossible for you to carry a child in your womb again,” the midwife announced.
“What?” I asked, and my heart felt as though it had been pierced by a thousand needles. Instantly, tears filled my eyes. How could that happen after the numerous plans the Alpha had made in his head to do with his son? I was terrified of what was going to happen.
“Listen carefully, no one must know about this,” my father said to the midwife.
“But the Alpha at least, deserves to know,” she said.
“You don’t know the Alpha like I do. For the sake of my daughter’s life, don’t let him know of her inability to get pregnant,” my father told her.
She looked at me with pity. “Fine, then. I’ll keep it to myself. In the meantime, I need to get some pain relieving herbs for the Luna, with a medicine that can make her sleep as well. She must be exhausted after the long labour,” she told my dad.
“Thank you very much,” my dad said, as he was handed his granddaughter while the midwife left the room.
She had already cleaned me up as well as my child and wrapped her in clean clothes. I was dying to see my daughter, but I was also scared of what Tyler’s reaction would be.
“Why did you ask her not to tell the Alpha? He’s going to find out one way or another eventually. Besides, can we trust her?” I inquired.
“We can’t trust anyone, Malia. I’ll have one of my trusted men go home with her and silence her forever. As for the Alpha, you have to make sure he accepts your daughter as the next heir to the throne. She will be trained in everything… hunting, archery, swordsmanship, basically everything a man can do. She is my granddaughter after all; I am sure she will excel in anything she sets out to do,” my dad assured me, then he walked over to the bed and sat beside me.
I managed to sit up and just stared at the child, wondering how it was possible that I had pushed out a little werewolf. She stared back at me with eyes that were barely open, and slowly, I stretched out my finger to touch her cute little cheek.
The moment I did that, I felt a genuine connection to her and the worry I had felt about her gender suddenly disappeared. She was my baby and instantly, I knew I would do anything for her. I loved her already with all my heart, and male or not, she deserved the world.
“The Alpha refused to come after being told you gave birth to a girl,” one of the midwife’s assistants announced, stepping into the room.
“What?” I asked.
“He said his dreams were stripped from him and all his expectations has been cut off. He sent all the elders home and said he’ll retire for the night and come to see you when he’s feeling less disappointed,” she explained.
I scoffed, then gave a short laughter, then I began to cackle hard. And then, tears began to fall from my eyes as my heart shattered into a million different pieces. I was still suffering extreme pain from being in labour for almost two days, but the man that had planted the seed in me refused to show up because I had failed to give him a son. What would happen when he eventually finds out that I can not even try at giving him a child ever again? What would my life be like?
“You shouldn’t mind the Alpha, Luna. We are all here for you,” the Gamma stated, as she and the rest of the elders stepped in. Apparently, they hadn’t gone home after being dismissed by the Alpha, whom I now knew couldn’t be trusted.
I wiped my tears and gave a small smile.
“The Alpha’s obsession with a male child is something I can’t quite comprehend. Who in this century still acts in such a despicable manner?” Elder Frank asked.
“Imagine refusing to see your own firstborn child. Malia, we should never have supported your union with the Alpha. You’re too good to be going through all this,” the Delta stated.
They kept on saying nice things, and in more ways than one, they helped heal my bleeding heart in a little way. However, it wasn’t enough. At the end of the day, the Alpha had the final say, and without his approval, neither my child nor I would be comfortable in this palace.
“Have you decided on what you’d call her?” my father asked, over the noise that the elders were causing over who to carry my daughter next as they kept passing her around like she were a doll.
“Talia,” I responded.
“That’s a combination of your name and the Alpha’s,” the Gamma noted.
“Yes. She will be beautiful and elegant like me, and strong like her father,” I said, and they all smiled at me and began to call her the name repeatedly, while she just kept looking at everyone, not knowing what was truly going on.
Perhaps, it was karma, but I should have known better. If the Alpha could slit Nivera’s throat without thinking twice on their wedding day, what made me think that he’d treat me any differently? I hadn’t realised it earlier, but as long as he got what he needed from me, our relationship could work.
At the back of my mind, with everything he said and had done for me, I had been convinced he truly loved me. Maybe the Moon Goddess had been trying to save me from him, and that was why she had mated him to someone else, but like a fool, I had thwarted the heaven’s plans.
Even with the joy I felt about having my daughter, somewhere deep within me, I knew that this was the worst day of my life. She had brought me so much happiness, but henceforth, I was only permitted to feel sad.
I was miserable, and because of me, my child would have to share in my misery.