Chapter 264
The next hour was a blur of absolute chaos. I remember being lifted onto a gurney, the pain coming in waves that felt like silver knives turning in my gut. By the time they wheeled me into the delivery room, I was screaming curses that would make a warrior blush.
“Where is he?” I demanded, gripping the bed rails. “Where the hell is Rowan p>
“He’s on his way. He’s breaking every speed limit to get here,” Eric’s voice barked from the doorway. He ran into the room, looking completely panicked, his usual sarcastic demeanor entirely gone. He grabbed my left hand. “Come on, boss. Breathe. Don’t break my fingers, please p>
“If he doesn’t get here in five seconds, I swear to the fucking—” I hissed out a breath, pushing down as a massive contraction hit.
The door practically flew off its hinges. Rowan charged into the room, covered in dust, his silver-white hair wild. His eyes were completely black, his Lycan entirely close to the surface from the sheer panic flooding our bond.
“Nyssa!” He was by my side instantly, shoving Eric out of the way. He grabbed my hand, pressing his forehead against mine. “I’m here. I’m right here, baby. I’ve got you p>
“You jerk!” I gasped, tears finally streaming down my face. “This is your fault p>
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m here now p>
I don’t know how long I pushed and screamed, channeling every ounce of my strength, gripping Rowan’s hand so hard I heard the bones in his palm grind together. He didn’t even flinch. He let his walls down a fraction, flooding me with warmth, love and worry.
A loud, piercing cry echoed through the room.
The pain vanished instantly, replaced by a profound, hollow exhaustion.
“It’s a girl,” Brendan breathed, quickly wiping the baby down and wrapping her in a warm blanket. He walked over, carefully placing the tiny, squirming bundle onto my bare chest.
I looked down. She had a tuft of thick, dark hair, but when her tiny eyes blinked open for a fraction of a second, they weren’t blue or brown. They were a striking, piercing silver-gray. Rowan’s mother’s eyes.
Rowan let out a shaky, broken breath, his hand brushing over my hair softly as he pressed his lips to my temple, his tears wetting my skin. “She’s beautiful. Just like her mother p>
The door clicked open quietly, and the room began to fill. Aria crept in first, her eyes wide and watery, followed by Irina, who gave me a knowing, supportive smile.
Eric sauntered in last, though his eyes were suspiciously red. He looked at the tiny baby on my chest and let out a low whistle. “Well, look at that. You actually made something cute, Nyssa p>
“Shut up, Eric,” I laughed weekly.
Rowan didn’t even snap at him. He just kept staring at our daughter. He reached out a massive, trembling finger, and her tiny hand instinctively clamped around it.
“What are we naming her?” Aria asked softly from the foot of the bed.
Rowan looked up at me, an unspoken question in his eyes. We had talked about this once, a long time ago, in the quiet dark of our bedroom.
“Annalise,” I said softly, my voice carrying across the quiet room. “Her name is Annalise p>
Rowan’s breath hitched. Annalise. His mother’s name. He didn’t say a word, but the profound gratitude that flooded through the mate bond was louder than any shout.
“Annalise, put the mouse down! No, do not eat it p>
I bolted across the grand living room, my swollen belly making me significantly less agile than I used to be. I was six months pregnant with our second—a boy this time, according to Brendan—and my body was entirely over it.
Two-year-old Annalise giggled, her silver eyes flashing with pure mischief as she dropped the field mouse and scrambled behind the massive armchair. She didn’t show any signs of vampire traits—no weird food cravings, no sun sensitivity, and her heartbeat was perfectly Lycan. But the worry never truly left the back of my mind. What if the hybrid traits skipped a generation? What if they hit her later?
“She’s fast,” a voice chuckled.
I turned to see Eric leaning against the doorway, holding a stack of mail and a beautifully wrapped box.
“Don’t just stand there, help me catch her,” I huffed, sinking into the sofa.
Eric grinned, whistling sharply. Annalise immediately popped her head out from behind the chair, cheered, and ran straight for him. He scooped her up, tossing her into the air before settling her on his hip.
“You have mail,” Eric said, tossing a few letters onto the side table. Then, he held out the wooden box. “This was left at the pack house. No courier name. No return address. The guards scanned it for magic and poison—it’s clean. It’s probably something for the princess’ birthday p>
I frowned, taking the box. I slid the lid open. Inside sat a delicate, perfectly preserved silver rose, and beneath it, a sealed piece of heavy parchment.
I broke the seal. The elegant, precise handwriting was instantly recognizable.
To the Luna of the Lycan Kingdom,
True to my vow at the feast, the cells underneath the mountain stand empty. The last of the captive wolves were returned to their packs last month. The vampire realm is quiet, and it will remain so. Consider this a token of ongoing peace, half-sister. May the gods favor you.
— Allister
My breath caught in my throat. I stared at the signature. Two years. Two years of absolute silence from the vampire kingdom, and yet, he had actually kept his word.
“Nyssa?” Eric asked, his voice dropping the playful tone as he noticed my expression. He set Annalise down on the rug, where she immediately began playing with a wooden block. “What is it? Is it a threat p>
“No,” I whispered, showing him the letter. “It’s Allister. He freed everyone. He’s keeping the peace.” I looked down at my pregnant belly, a familiar knot of anxiety tightening. “He called me his half-sister. Eric… It’s been two years, Eric, what if this is a sign? What if something happens? What if I can’t protect them from what I am p>
Eric sighed, walking over and sitting on the coffee table in front of me. He placed a grounded, brotherly hand on my knee.
“Listen to me,” Eric said, his tone unusually sentimental. “Look at what you’ve done. You went from a rejected Beta’s daughter who couldn’t even shift, to the fiercest Luna this kingdom has ever seen. You beat the odds, Nyssa. You always do. It doesn’t matter what’s in their blood. They have you, and they have the King. There isn’t a force in this world or the next that can touch them p>
I managed a small, watery smile, wiping my face. “When did you get so smart p>
“I’ve always been smart. You’re just finally noticing,” he smirked, standing back up and winking at Annalise. “I’m going to go check on Lena. She promised me those sweet rolls from the kitchen p>
As Eric strolled out, I picked up the silver rose, placing it carefully back into the box. I stood up, walking over to the grand hallway that led to Rowan’s private study.
On the main wall of the hallway hung a beautifully restored, gold-framed canvas. It was the unfinished painting Rowan’s mother had worked on before her death. Rowan had framed it exactly as it was, a testament to his mother’s memory. Annlise loved to hear about her, she wanted to know who she was named after.
I paused, touching the frame gently, before moving toward the open courtyard doors at the end of the hall.
Outside, the afternoon sun washed over the green grass. Rowan was out there, his heavy black combat boots discarded on the patio. He was on his hands and knees, his silver-white hair catching the light as Annalise squealed, climbing onto his back and gripping his shirt.
The ruthless, terrifying Lycan King was currently acting as a pack mule for a two-year-old, letting out fake, low growls that made her dissolve into fits of giggles.
I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest.
Rowan caught my scent, his head snapping up. His dark eyes softened instantly, the fierce, protective love in our bond washing over me like a warm wave. He gave me that signature, devastating smile, shaking his head as Annalise tugged on his ear.
We had survived everything life threw at us, and we were better for it. As I watched my mate and my daughter, I knew Eric was right.
We had beaten the odds. And we were stronger for it.