Page 66 of Sun's Roar
Dr. Lyra met them at the birthing suite, a warm, welcoming room they’d transformed from one of the castle’s chambers. The walls were painted in soothing earth tones with special flame-resistant materials that Helena had insisted on after a particularly emotional prenatal appointment had resulted in spontaneous fire bursts.
“How are we feeling, Luna?” Dr. Lyra’s calm voice immediately soothed Helena’s frayed nerves.
“Like I’m about to push two wolf pups out of my body,” Helena quipped, wincing as Sol placed her gently on the bed.
Sol didn’t leave her side for a moment as she changed into the soft nightgown Deina had laid out. His steady hands supported her through each movement, his eyes never leaving her face. Helena caught glimpses of the fearsome alpha in the tight set of his jaw, and in the way he snapped commands at the servants bringing additional towels and water.
When the next contraction hit, stronger than before, Helena gasped and reached for Sol. His hand enveloped hers instantly.
“Breathe with me,” he commanded, demonstrating the pattern they’d practiced for months. “Like this.”
Helena followed his lead, locking her eyes on his. This man, this powerful shifter who had lived for centuries, looked genuinely terrified despite his efforts to appear in control. The thought that she could rattle an ancient alpha wolf brought a small smile to her lips between breaths.
“Something amusing you?” His eyebrow arched, but his thumb never stopped its soothing circles on her palm.
“Just thinking how the great Alpha of the Sunflare pack looks like he might shift and run for the hills.”
A ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Never. My place is here with you.”
The hours that followed blurred together for Helena—waves of pain punctuated by moments of clarity. Sol remained her anchor, his strength flowing into her through their mated bond. He coached her through each contraction, his voice a steady cadence in her ear.
“You’re doing beautifully,” Dr. Lyra encouraged as she checked Helena’s progress. “The first pup is ready to make an appearance.”
Helena felt an overwhelming urge to push, her body taking control. The primal force of childbirth consumed her, and she channeled her fire magic inward, using it to strengthen herselfrather than letting it burst outward. Sol’s face remained inches from hers, his forehead pressed against her temple.
“Push, my love,” he whispered fiercely. “Bring our son into this world.”
With a final, powerful effort, their first child slipped into Dr. Lyra’s waiting hands. The room filled with the strong, indignant cry of a newborn wolf pup in human form.
“A son,” Dr. Lyra announced, placing the red-haired infant on Helena’s chest. “With his mother’s fire.”
Tears streamed down Helena’s face as she gazed at the tiny perfect being—his father’s green eyes blinking up at her from a face framed by wispy red hair. Sol’s hand trembled as he touched his son’s cheek with reverent gentleness.
Before Helena could fully process the miracle in her arms, her body reminded her that they weren’t finished. Their daughter arrived minutes later, her dark hair and fierce grip making Sol laugh through his own tears.
“She has your strength,” Helena whispered as their daughter clutched her finger with surprising force.
Sol cradled their son against his chest, the powerful alpha reduced to awed silence by seven pounds of newborn. “And he has your fire,” he murmured, gazing at the downy red hair. “Perfect balance.”
Helena looked from her daughter’s face to her son’s, then up at Sol. The fierce love that flooded her bond with him nearly overwhelmed her senses. After a lifetime of searching for belonging and happiness, she had finally found her true home—not in a place, but in the family they had created.
“Our little pack,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Sol leaned down to press his lips to hers, their children nestled safely between them. “Our everything.”
