Chapter 71
I woke up, suddenly feeling really sick. I rushed to the bathroom as fast as I could, Xander was quick to enter and hold my hair, rubbing my back.
“Aurora, are you alright?” Xander asked in a very worried tone.
I nodded very slowly. “I’m fine,” I whispered. “I must have eaten something bad.”
But when I stood up and smelled Xander’s cologne – which I usually liked – I felt sick again. I turned back to the toilet, feeling my stomach twist.
Xander looked very concerned. “This isn’t normal, Aurora. Maybe we should see the pack healer.”
I wanted to argue, to insist I was fine, but the worry in Xander’s eyes made me reconsider. “Okay,” I agreed. “We’ll go after breakfast.”
But breakfast was another challenge. As soon as I went into the kitchen, the smell of the coffee-one that usually is my favorite morning smell made me nauseous. I couldn’t even finish a piece of dry toast before having to push my plate away.
Xander watched me with more and more worry. “That’s it,” he said strongly. “We’re going to see Zara now.”
I didn’t have the strength to argue. As we went to Zara’s house. She welcomed us with a knowing smile, and I could tell she already knew why we were there.
“Aurora, Xander,” Zara said warmly. “Come in. I’ve been expecting you.”
As we settled into her cozy living room, Zara began her examination. She checked my vital signs, asked about my symptoms, and then did a special aura reading. As her hands moved over me, her eyes got big, and she smiled really wide.
“Well,” Zara said, her eyes shining. “I think you have something to celebrate.”
My heart raced. “What do you mean?” I asked, though deep down, I think I already knew.
Zara took my hand and Xander’s, joining them together. “You’re going to have a baby, sweetheart.”
Everything felt like it paused for a second. I looked at Xander, his eyes wearing the same expression of surprise and overjoy.
“We are going to be parents,” Xander said in a soft tone of voice, full of emotion.
I nodded, too emotional to talk because of my happy tears. We stayed close for a while, both of us feeling the big news and the love we shared.
When we walked out of Zara’s house holding hands, it started to feel real. “Let’s keep this between us for now,” I suggested. “At least until we can tell our closest friends and family.”
Xander agreed, and we spent the rest of the day in a happy daze, stealing glances and secret smiles whenever we could.
That evening, we invited Selene, Zara, Luna, Aiden, Jaxon, Asher, and Lily over for dinner. As our friends arrived, their curious glances told me they sensed something was up.
“Okay, you two,” Selene said as soon as we were all seated. “What’s happening? You both look really happy.”
I turned to Xander, who nodded for me to do my thing. Taking a deep breath, I stood up. “We have some news,” I started, smiling widely. “I’m going to be a MOM!!.”
The room filled with cheers and congratulations. Selene and Lily quickly got up to hug me, already talking about planning a baby shower. Aiden clapped Xander on the back, while Zara started rattling off protection.
As the excitement died down and our friends left, Xander and I found ourselves alone, the reality of our situation setting in.
“How do you think this will affect our roles in Moonstone Hollow?” I asked, voicing the concern that had been nagging at me.
Xander pulled me close. “It will change things, But we’ll handle it together, just like we always do.” he admitted.
I nodded, hiding my face in his chest. “I’m concerned about possible dangers,” I admitted. “Our child will be special. People might see them as a threat.”
“Then we’ll protect them,” Xander said firmly. “We’ve faced worse odds before, Aurora. We can handle this.”
The next day, I visited the Academy. As soon as I walked in, I noticed my students staring at me with curiosity. Not long after, a young witch named Fae spoke up.
“Professor Aurora,” she said hesitantly. “Your aura… it’s different.”
I smiled, realizing I couldn’t hide this from them even if I wanted to. “You’re right,” I said. “I have some news for you all. I’m pregnant.”
The classroom was filled with happy talking. My students gathered close, giving me praise and asking questions so quickly that I couldn’t keep up.
As the day continued, word about my pregnancy quickly spread through Moonstone Hollow. Different magical creatures came by to say well done and gave me special items to keep me safe.
Even Cyrus and the Awakened paid us a visit, presenting us with a beautiful artifact – a small, intricately carved crystal that glowed with a soft, pulsing light.
“This is said to protect unborn children,” Cyrus explained, placing the crystal in my hand. “We want you to have it.”
I was really moved by the gesture and felt a lump in my throat. “Thank you, Cyrus,” I said. “This means more to me than you can imagine.”
That night, I had my first cravin’ big time preggo. I woke up in the middle of the night really wanting some chocolate chip and pickles.
“Xander,” I said softly, trying not to startle him as I woke him up. “I need something.”
Xander blinked at me sleepily. “What is it? Are you okay?”
I explained my craving, watching as Xander’s expression changed from concern to amusement to determination.
“I’ll be back soon,” he told me, giving me a kiss on the forehead before putting on his clothes.
I watched him go, filled with love for this man who was ready to search through Moonstone Hollow in the middle of the night just to fulfill my strange cravings.
The next day, during a pack meeting, Kara insisted on performing an ancient werewolf blessing ritual for me and the baby. The entire pack sat in a circle around me, and their voices rose into a mesmerizing, beautiful howl that touched something deep within me.
As time passed, I became increasingly concerned about how I would handle being both a leader and a mother. One night, while lying in bed with Xander, I expressed my worries.
“What if I can’t handle everything?” I asked, my voice small in the darkness. “What if I let everyone down?”
Xander pulled me closer. “Aurora,” he whispered softly, “you are the most powerful and capable person I know. You have united the supernatural world, defied unbelievable odds, and come out even stronger. This is just another adventure, and we are going to handle this together.”
His words soothed me, and I slept more at peace.
The next big moment came when we went for our first prenatal appointment with Zara. As she moved her hands over my still-flat belly, a soft, steady sound filled the room.
“Is that…” I started, my eyes wide.
Zara nodded, smiling. “That’s your baby’s heartbeat.”
I held Xander’s hand, my eyes filled with tears as we listened to the special rhythm-a mix of human and wolf heartbeats that was completely our child’s own.
As my pregnancy continued, we began getting the nursery ready. We wanted it to show all parts of our child’s background, so we added things from werewolf, vampire, and witch traditions. Lily offered to put a spell on the room for extra safety and comfort, which we happily agreed to.
One night, I had a clear dream about our child’s future. I saw flashes of a powerful young werewolf, with Xander’s eyes and my smile, bringing further unity to the supernatural world. When I woke up, I felt hopeful.
But, things didn’t go perfectly. As my pregnancy continued, I noticed my magic becoming more and more unpredictable. Simple spells that I had done many times before now had unexpected outcomes – like the time I tried to make a book float and instead turned it into a swarm of butterflies.
Thankfully, Selene was there to help. She spent hours with me, helping me adapt my spells to my changing body and magical core.
“Your magic is adjusting to nurture the life growing inside you,” Selene explained. “It’s perfectly normal, but it does require some… creative solutions.”
One day, while I was teaching at the Academy, my students gave me a wonderful surprise. They handed me a lovely baby book they had made themselves. Inside, there were kind wishes, promises, and special protections for our baby. Each student had added something special-a magical spell, a drawing, or a sweet message. As I looked through the pages, I felt like crying.
“This is so beautiful,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “Thank you all so much.”
As my baby’s due date drew near, Xander and I started to take more and more evening walks in the woods.
One evening, we were walking together under the stars, he and I were sharing hopes and dreams for our baby.
“What do you think he or she will be like?” I asked, placing my hand on my growing belly.
Xander smiled, placing his hand over mine. “I think they’ll be extraordinary,” he said. “Just like their mother.”
I laughed, leaning into him. “And brave and kind, like their father.”
As we stood there, basking in the moonlight and the joy of our growing family, I felt the Key of Harmony at my side begin to glow softly. It felt like it was giving our child its own special blessing.
At that moment, surrounded by the forest’s enchantment and the love of my partner, I felt a strong sense of peace and confidence.
The next few months passed quickly with a lot of preparations and excitement. My body changed a lot, and so did how I saw the world. I started noticing things I hadn’t before – like how sunlight shines through the trees in the forest, the sound of kids laughing in the town square, and the gentle moments between couples from all kinds of supernatural backgrounds.
As my due date got closer, everyone in Moonstone Hollow seemed to be waiting with bated breath. The impending birth of a child that represented the union of multiple supernatural bloodlines was seen as a symbol of hope for our new, unified world.
One evening, Xander and I sat on our porch watching the sun set. Then I suddenly felt a very strong kick from our baby.
“Xander,” I said, taking his hand and laying it on my belly. “Feel this.”
His eyes widened as he felt the strong movements beneath his palm. “That’s our child,” he said in awe. “Our little miracle.”
I nodded, overcome with emotion. “Our little miracle,” I repeated softly.
As the sky darkened further and the stars began to appear, I melted into Xander’s embrace, completely contented. Whatever lay in store; however, rocky things might get for the two of us, at least for now, I knew this-this love, this family, this community we’d built-was worth all the effort.
And with a baby growing inside me, that sense of purpose continued to grow, grow stronger. We weren’t just making a family; we were helping to raise the next group of people who would bring hope to Moonstone Hollow and the whole supernatural world.
With Xander by my side, our friends and family helping us, and the love for our unborn child filling my heart, I knew we were ready for whatever the future might hold. The path ahead would surely have both happy and difficult moments, but I was ready to handle it all.
As we sat there, surrounded by the gentle light of the evening, I quietly promised our unborn child and the future we were creating:
“We’ll handle everything as a team, little one. Together, We will build a world together, in which you will grow and learn to love with abandon. Welcome to our family, welcome to Moonstone Hollow, welcome to a place full of endless chances.”
And just like that, I felt another strong kick, as if our baby was saying, “I’m ready. Let’s start this journey together.”