Outside the small wooden house at the edge of the village, snow drifted slowly down like silent flakes of cotton. The northern wind swept across the valley, carrying air so cold it nearly froze each breath. Small lights from the villagers’ hos glowed faintly in the distance, like fallen stars scattered across the earth.
But inside Lena’s house, the atmosphere was anything but calm.
The room was filled with the warm scent of herbs, freshly boiled water, and a tension so thick it almost felt tangible.
On the simple wooden bed, Valerie gripped the sheets with both hands. Her fingers had turned white from clutching the fabric too tightly.
Her body trembled.
Sweat dampened her temples despite the cold air in the room.
Another contraction ca.
Stronger.
Deeper.
As if her body were being forced open by a power far greater than herself.
"Ah—!"
Valerie’s scream broke through the room.
It was not rely the cry of pain.
It was the cry of soone fighting against the limits of her own body.
Around the bed, several witches stood with tense expressions. They carried bowls of warm water, clean cloths, and various potions prepared since the afternoon.
Yet even they looked worried.
Delivering a Morvex child was not sothing that happened often even for old witches.
Lena stood beside the bed, her face serious yet calm. Her wrinkled hands carefully checked the baby’s position.
She had helped bring many children into the world during her lifeti.
But this one was different.
She could feel it in the energy filling the room.
"Valerie," she said quietly but firmly.
Valerie opened her tear-filled eyes.
"I... can’t..."
Her voice was so weak it nearly vanished beneath her own breath.
Lena imdiately cupped Valerie’s face with both hands.
Her gaze was sharp.
"You must be strong."
Valerie shook her head slightly.
Tears stread down her cheeks.
"It hurts too much..."
Lena sighed softly, her voice growing gentler.
"A Morvex child is not born like an ordinary human child."
She lowered her head slightly so Valerie could et her eyes.
"Your body is fighting. But your baby is also fighting to co into the world."
Valerie closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing.
Then the next contraction struck like a crashing storm wave.
Her body arched.
Another cry tore from her throat.
"Now!" Lena called out.
Two other witches held Valerie’s shoulders so she would not lose her strength.
"Push!"
Valerie bit her lip until it nearly bled.
Her whole body trembled.
She pushed with every last ounce of strength she had left.
Ti seed to slow.
Each second stretched into sothing longer.
Then a small sound was heard.
A cry.
But the cry was different.
Rougher.
Wilder.
The room fell silent at once.
One of the witches assisting Lena slowly lifted the newborn child.
Her eyes widened.
She did not speak imdiately.
The other witches stared, holding their breath.
Valerie, nearly losing consciousness, forced her eyes open.
"My... baby..."
Lena carefully took the infant.
She wrapped it in warm cloth.
But when the cloth shifted slightly the old woman froze.
Her eyes narrowed in surprise.
Inside the bundle was not the human infant they expected.
The small body was covered in soft fur the color of silver-gray.
Its ears were small but pointed.
The face still held the shape of a baby’s features, yet sothing wild lingered in the lines of it.
Its tiny hands moved slightly and its nails looked a little sharper than those of a human infant.
Lena stared at it for a long mont.
Then the baby opened its eyes.
A pair of golden irises glead brightly beneath the lamplight.
The sa eyes as Demian’s.
The small cry sounded again more like a tiny growl than a newborn’s wail.
One of the witches whispered softly,
"Earth Goddess..."
The others simply stared without blinking.
Even for them won who had witnessed countless forms of magic in their lives the sight felt like a living legend.
At last, Lena let out a long breath.
Sothing rare appeared on her face.
Awe.
She turned toward Valerie, who lay weakly on the bed.
Valerie looked at her anxiously.
"How... is my baby...?"
Her voice was barely audible.
Lena stepped closer and showed her the child.
"He is strong," she said.
Valerie looked at the baby through half-conscious eyes.
When she saw him her breath caught for a mont.
Soft fur.
Small pointed ears.
And golden eyes staring at the world with a wild instinct.
Tears slowly slid from the corners of her eyes.
Not from fear.
But from sothing deeper.
She whispered softly,
"My child..."
Lena smiled faintly.
Then she spoke in a quiet voice filled with wonder.
"Valerie..."
She lifted the baby slightly.
"A Morvex child... truly is a wolf child."
The room fell silent once more.
Outside the house, the snow continued to fall.
And far away inside the great castle far from this village Demian suddenly opened his eyes in the middle of the night.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
As if sothing within his blood had just awakened.
He did not know what had happened.
He did not know where Valerie was.
But deep within his instincts he knew one thing.
Soone who carried his blood... had just been born into the world.
The chamber door burst open without warning.
Wood slamd against the stone wall with a sharp crack, shattering the silence of the night in Castle Morvex.
Demian turned.
He stood beside his desk, still dressed in simple night clothes. The fire in the hearth burned low, casting long shadows across the stone walls. For several nights he had not truly slept. His mind had been too restless and for reasons he couldn’t explain, his body had felt strange since earlier that evening.
As if sothing in his blood was stirring.
Or awakening.
Standing in the doorway was Vedseel.
The sorcerer looked as he usually did his black hair disheveled from the night wind, his long robe dusty as though he had just co from a long ritual. Yet sothing about his face tonight was different.
There was a glint of victory in his eyes.
Demian watched him, one eyebrow slightly drawn together.
"You never learned how to knock?" he said flatly.
Vedseel didn’t answer. He simply walked inside, closing the door behind him calmly, then stopped a few steps away from Demian.
For a mont he only stared at the duke.
Then finally he said,
"I found her."
The sentence was simple.
But its impact was like a stone dropped into still water.
Demian did not react imdiately.
He simply looked at Vedseel, as if making sure he had heard correctly.
"What did you say?" he asked slowly.
Vedseel let out a long breath, as though savoring the mont.
"I found her," he repeated. "Valerie."
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