I arrived at the camp full of bloodshed on my military uniform and in my face. I didn’t mind it as I approached Claude who was sitting comfortably at the war table eyeing the tactical map. I suddenly felt scared now that he was here.
Unexpectedly.
I didn’t expect that he would come here after almost three months that I hadn’t seen him. But I knew that something was going on.
Especially now that Cherish was freed by Claude himself.
It means, he already knew…
“Hmm… So, this is the latest progress of the war that I am not aware of,” Claude said meaningfully as he had one of the pawns before he smirked. “I am truly disheartened that not one of my intel returned to report to the palace. I wonder what happened to them…” He hummed as he, one by one, overturned the pieces. “Did someone sabotage them, my dearest Luna Queen?”
As our eyes met, I shivered when I saw the coldness in his hazel orbs. The last time I saw that kind of cold expression from Claude was the one that we were acting detached from each other. It was one of the worst moments when I had to endure seeing him so hostile at me.
Even the tone of his voice… It was as cold as the winter. It was making me shiver in fear.
Claude looked so frightening right now. He came here for business.
“Claude, why are you here?” I thanked myself for finally finding my voice. I didn’t know why but my voice quivered in fear right now but it appeared that I wasn’t frightened by his presence right now.
He blinked, looking at me innocently before he tilted his head a little. “Visiting my Luna Queen who is leading the war. Isn’t that bad?” The moment he took strides towards my position, I immediately stepped back. My heart was hammering inside my chest. “Why are you stepping back, Rachelle? Aren’t you supposed to greet and kiss me just like our old times, hmm?” he asked, then he gasped when he was in front of me and caressed my cheek. He showed his hand that was full of blood. “Why don’t you take a quick bath, love? It seems that you have been busy risking yourself already,” he said meaningfully.
I clenched my hands. His tone sounded threatening already. He looked like he was pissed right now. I felt like if I dared to displease him, he would snap at me without a warning. This was difficult… and odd to see him like this.
“Now, Rachelle,” he ordered calmly.
I felt goosebumps as I gasped, gulping. “Y-Yes…” But before I turned my back, I remembered something. “A-About Cherish-”
He cut me off. “Now!” I flinched when he raised his voice.
I bit my lower lip as tears were forming in my eyes. Damn it! My pregnancy hormones are kicking in right now. I couldn’t be so easily emotional right now… This could be the worst case scenario that I had to experience.
“I-I will be right back,” I said, sobbing already.
Claude’s expression softened immediately as soon as he saw me crying already. But he didn’t move to gather me in his arms and watched me only. I did my best to stop my tears before I immediately stormed out of the tent to take a quick bath.
I didn’t allow anyone to come inside my tent and took a bath on my own. I even got a new military uniform while I was hearing the shouts and screams from the outside.
But before I could even button my uniform, Claude stormed in. I immediately hid my bulging stomach as soon as he was there. But his expression darkened before he took strides towards my direction and snatched the uniform away from me.
“Claude!” I panicked as I snatched it back and covered my stomach as soon as he saw what he wanted to see from my stomach.
Damn it… He caught me now to confirm it.
He smiled bitterly, clenching his hands. “We are returning to the palace immediately,” he said calmly and sternly.
I gasped in horror. “N-No. Claude!” I immediately wore my uniform and fastened the buttons when he was about to leave. “Claude, hear me out, please! I cannot return! Not now!”
He halted. “Are you hearing what you are saying, Rachelle?” His head turned at me. I immediately stepped back and entered my tent again when he was looking and towering at me dangerously. Then he grabbed my arm, tightening his hold on me. “What did we agree on before you left the palace?! Why did you not tell me the truth?!” he asked angrily with a glare piercing through me.
“Y-You’re hurting me!” I barked and tried to release his hand from my arm but Claude wouldn’t budge. “Claudian!” I clenched my hands, preparing myself to punch him.
But his hold tightened more as he drew me closer to him. I suddenly felt intoxicated upon smelling his masculine scent with him wearing his royal knight uniform. Despite that I was hurting, I found it hot looking at me coldly.
“You are pregnant with our pup, Rachelle!” I flinched when he raised his tone. “How selfish are you for putting your life and our pup’s life in danger?! You said that you will be careful! Why did you lie to me that you are pregnant?! If Cherish did not send an envoy, I wouldn’t have to know your real situation! You are also carrying my next heir, woman! How dare you, Rachelle! I trusted you!” Claude barked at me.
Tears were streaming down my cheeks after I punched him on his face. When he released his hold, I immediately stepped back and covered my stomach with my hands. Claude shot me a glare as his eyes were burning with anger.
“I was really planning to go back to the palace, Claude. Please, listen to me! I can’t… I can’t just leave. This is the brigade that I’d been dreaming of! You know that!” I pleaded and leaned to the table when I felt a faint pain in my stomach. I only hissed softly after that.
Claude growled. His growl indicated that he was mad right now.
“Fuck that brigade! We are returning to the palace whether you like it or not! Cairo will take over your position! I am not going to allow you to risk your life again! For Moon Goddess’s sake, Rachelle! You have gone to the battlefield so many times while you are pregnant?!” he asked in disbelief. “You are fucking unbelievable! What if something happens to you and our pup?! Can’t you-”
“But I am perfectly fine, Claude! I am alright! If I am in a bad condition, I wouldn’t be here in front of you!” I retorted back by raising my voice. “I know how to protect myself! I cannot just leave because of the brigade… The brigade needs me, Claude!” I reasoned out, pleading that he would forgive me for my selfishness.
“Don’t give me that fucking reason that you are perfectly fine, Rachelle!” Claude slammed the piles of wooden boxes that were beside him. I gasped because those contain the military tactic books from the royal library. “I am not going to forgive you if something happens to my heir!”
I couldn’t help crying seeing his stern and furious expressions. “Claude, I am sorry…” I sobbed. “I-I was really planning to tell you but I don’t want to leave the military camp. The war is here… I cannot back down.”
“I don’t want to hear any of your explanations!” Claude gritted his teeth. “Do you have any idea that what you are doing is treason against the royal lycan family?! You are harming yourself while pregnant with our pup who has a royal bloodline! Do you wish to be executed?! You are fucking selfish, Rachelle!” He howled in pain when his words pierced through me. “This is always you hurting me always! You are not trusting me enough! You always act on your own accord! You are only thinking of yourself! You even set aside my feelings! What did I do for you to do this shit to me, Rachelle?!”
I held my stomach when there were pain strikes again but I ignored it when I saw how hurt Claude was with my action. His painful expression was unbearable as it pained me as well. We marked each other so I knew how to hurt he was.
I felt so bad for Claude. I hurt him so much until he exploded.
“Claude…” Sobbing, I stepped forward, wanting to approach him but he summoned his hand to halt me.
“Stay right there. I do not wish for you to take another step. Pack your things and we will leave now,” he said coldly and turned his back.
“Claude-” I gasped loudly when I felt something liquid gushed in between my thighs. I looked down as my eyes widened upon the realization. This couldn’t be… “Claude! My water broke!” I screamed in horror.
Claude angrily looked at me but then his eyes widened upon seeing me in my condition. “Rachelle!” He immediately tended to me and scooped me in his arms. “Summon any military doctor there!” Claude commanded hastily.
I was inhaling and exhaling as I held my stomach when he put me in the bed. “I-I think I am going to give birth already…” I cried when the pain surged again.
I looked up when Claude held my hand. He had a worried expression. “Rachelle, hang on. Breathe in… Breathe out…”
I tightly held his hand as I nodded and followed his advice. “I-I made a name for our pup…” I said through crying.
“Sshh… You can tell me that later. Not now. We cannot go back to the palace…”
“Your Majesties!” We turned our heads when Gilbert entered. His eyes widened upon seeing me in labor right now. He rushed to me and checked my vital signs before he turned his head to his assistants. “Tell the cooks to boil some water! I need it! Luna Queen Rachelle is in labor! Quickly!”
“Our pup will be alright, right?” I asked, panicking when they laid me properly in the bed. “My pup won’t suffer, right?” I asked as I held my hand tightly at Claude.
“Tell us if she will be alright,” Claude said in a stern voice.
Gilbert nodded as he started sanitizing the things he needed and covered his mouth with a mask. “Luna Queen will be alright. As long as she manages to deliver her pup.”
I turned at Claude as I tried to get up but he didn’t let me. “D-Don’t leave me, Claude… I-I’m scared. I-I didn’t prepare that I will give birth to our little Cloudy today,” I begged.
Claude nodded and kissed my forehead. “Yes. I will be here with you, Rachelle. I will not leave you. We will return to the palace after this, alright?” His voice was shaky but he tried to remain as calm as possible.
I nodded my head. I was panting when I had my contractions. I felt like I was having dysmenorrhea but most likely to be ten times more painful than before.
“Claude…” I looked at him, frightened.
He combed my wet hair. “I’ll be here, love… Have no fear…”
He started whispering to me with sweet nothings while having contractions. As soon as the things Gilbert needed were here in my tent, he made me push now when my cervix dilated enough for our pup’s head to get through.
“Push, Your Majesty! Push it harder!”
“What…?” My eyes were feeling heavy as I couldn’t take how tired I was. Also, I had just gone to the battlefield so I was already exhausted. I didn’t expect that I would give birth today.
I felt someone tapping my cheek. I turned at that person to see that it was Claude with a worried expression. “Don’t sleep yet, Rachelle. Don’t. Not now. You need to give your best push. Alright?”
Panting, I whined. “But I am sleepy. I am tired…”
“Love, I am here. You need to be awake… Please… For our pup…” Claude pleaded and kept tapping my cheeks so I could wake up. “Please?”
I contemplated and nodded my head, jaded. “I-I will try my best…” I felt him kissing my temple while I was focusing on the count of Doctor Gilbert.
“One… Two… Three… Push, Your Majesty! Push!”
I inhaled and exhaled before I screamed at the top of my lungs. I gave my best push and my strength so many times until I finally heard a loud cry coming from a little creature that stayed on my cervix for three months.
“It’s a boy, Alpha King, Luna Queen!” Gilbert announced.
I weakly collapsed on the bed while trying to stay awake, feeling exhausted. I cried when Gilbert put our baby pup on top of my chest. I couldn’t help getting emotional right now.
“Claude…” I looked up at Claude who was crying in happiness when he kissed my forehead and focused his eyes on our baby pup whose cries gradually tamed when I held his frail little hand.
“He’s a beautiful creature, Rachelle…” He turned at me. “I’m so proud of you…” With that, we kissed each other. But only for a moment as he leaned his forehead to mine. “What did you name our son again? I heard you say Cloudy, love…” he said softly.
I nodded and pecked his lips. “That’s…” I felt my eyes getting droopy as I laid back my head to the pillow. “Claudian V…” I said softly. “His nickname is… Cloudy… I…” I slowly closed my eyes. “I promise… to give his prince title to Auritaurie, Claude…” I tried to open my eyes and looked at Claude who was patiently waiting for my words but I slowly closed my eyes when I couldn’t wake up as the slumber succumbed to me.
I felt Claude’s lips on my forehead as he uttered the words, “Then that shall be our son’s name. Claudian Alexander V, Prince of Auritaurie. Welcome to the world, our little Cloudy.”