*Eva*
A harsh gasp flew from my lips as I was jolted awake by sothing that I didn’t think I would feel for at least a couple more months. I stayed still, listening and feeling our baby inside of , wondering if that had just been the most realistic dream in the world or if it was truly happening.
Jasper stirred. He blinked when he saw awake and instantly beca alert, sitting up beside and reaching for .
“Eva?” he asked, his eyes widening when he saw the look on my face. “What is it? Are you hurting?”
I felt my eyes round as a contraction started. I gasped and gripped my stomach. I swallowed hard and looked at Jasper. “I think I’m going into labor.”
“What?” Jasper gasped. “It’s way too early, isn’t it?” he asked.
But he was already jumping out of bed and starting to rush around our bedroom, throwing our closet open and retrieving the bag we packed for this occasion. Thankfully, we thought to pack early thanks to Jasper’s attentiveness.
I still couldn’t believe it myself. Jasper dropped the bag on the floor and helped sit up, my legs dangling over the edge of the bed. I could hear his rapid heartbeat as he bent over , his hand on my stomach.
“It’s way too early,” I said, trying to swallow the growing lump in my throat as panic started to go through .
Jasper kneeled in front of as I sat on the bed and we waited, both of us gasping quietly when another contraction shook not too long after the last.
The baby was definitely coming.
Jasper gritted his teeth hard in concern, but he looked at and kissed my forehead tenderly. “Let’s go,” he murmured urgently.
We mind-lined Rion and Daphne, who imdiately ca to watch the boys while Jasper rushed to the pack’s healing center. Both of them were obviously extrely concerned when they arrived at our place right as Jasper and I burst through the front door.
“Good luck,” Daphne told , brushing so sweaty bangs away from my face. “You’re going to be fine.”
Rion clapped Jasper on the back and gave him a hard knowing look that I read as, “You better take care of her.”
I thought I was panicking plenty when it was just Jasper and in our bedroom learning I was going into labor, but the panic seed to nearly triple when I was settled into a birthing room. About half a dozen healers surrounded , running so tests and monitoring my vital signs.
“It’s a good thing you ca when you did,” Althea, the head healer told Jasper and . “Due to your underlying health concerns, it’s best that we monitor you as early in the delivery as possible.”
I didn’t like the sound of that, and neither did Jasper.
The old healer noted our look and softened her expression. “Don’t worry. We’re going to be monitoring everything very closely. You’ve still got quite so ti before the baby is here. Try your best to relax.”
That was about when I lost track of ti. The hours following were excruciatingly painful as the contractions strengthened and beca more frequent. I gritted my teeth hard against the pain, not wanting to cause Jasper any unnecessary stress.
I wasn’t doing that good of a job, judging from the look on Jasper’s face. He was being extrely tender and supportive, stroking my hair and holding my hand. He murmured soothingly into my ear as I tried to ride through the pain.
He was being so strong for , but even through my tears, I could see the underlying worry on his face. It was evident in the crease between his eyebrows and the hardening of his jawline.
I knew he was trying to comfort , but it was impossible for not to take note of his anxiousness and for it to rub off on even more. I understood his side. While I had mostly recovered from my dical issues back in Celestial City, I still wasn’t as strong as I used to be.
I knew that, and I hated that it could affect my ability to bring our child into the world.
I had to be strong, not just for the baby and the boys, but for Jasper too. As he held and stroked my hair, I could push the pain down enough for my gratitude for my husband to spill over.
“I love you,” I told him between gasps.
Jasper tenderly wiped away so sweat from my forehead with a moist wipe. “I love you too, Eva, so much. Hang in there, angel. You’re doing so well!”
I loved it when he called an angel. It was a pet na that was fairly recent, and I honestly didn’t agree with it at first considering my dark past, but the more Jasper started to use it, the more I loved it.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for , Jasper,” I murmured, getting emotional as the gravity of our whole relationship suddenly hit at that mont. “And for the boys as well. They love you so much too. Please promise that you’ll always be there for them, no matter what happens to .”
Jasper’s expression darkened, but the ntion of Aster and Tarik softened his look just as quickly, though he gritted his teeth a bit. “I promise to always be there for Aster and Tarik. I love them too. I really do think of them as my own, Eva.”
For that one brief mont, I was able to relax, knowing that my boys would always be taken care of, no matter what.
My eyebrows flew upward when Jasper squeezed my hand and gave a firm look. “You should know that I’m also promising not to let you go anywhere without and our children there with you,” he said fiercely.
My heart fluttered at the way he called them “our children.” It wasn’t the first ti he’d referred to the boys that way, but it still made want to cry happy tears.
As another wave of pain fell over , I couldn’t help but fear for our unborn child. I forced myself not to think of the “what-ifs” that were threatening to surface. I needed to be strong. My resolve to pour all my energy toward bringing our baby safely into this world hardened.
“It’s ti, Ms. Eva,” Althea announced, coming toward with a couple of healers flanking her on either side.
I nodded as Jasper gripped even more firmly.
I was grateful as the healers started to encourage to start pushing. I felt as if I was holding on to my last shreds of strength. I struggled to bring our baby into the world, each push more excruciating than the last. I felt my breathing becoming more labored as well with each spasm.
My brain beca foggy when monts later, a lusty newborn wail pierced the air around . My chest tightened, and I felt so much lighter hearing my child for the first ti.
“A healthy baby girl,” Althea said, her voice full of awe.
Tears stread down my face as the head healer stepped forward and placed my squirming daughter against my bare chest. I stared down at her in amazent, marveling at her tiny hands and smooth head. A celestial light seed to surround her as she curled up against my chest.
“Lumina,” I murmured.
“Yes, I think that’s the perfect na,” Jasper agreed, bending to kiss my temple. I could feel him trembling from elation and relief. “I have no doubt that she will always be a beacon of light in our family.”
He kissed tenderly on the lips and I returned it before settling heavily against the pillows. Jasper ca and carefully sat on the bed beside , stroking my hair and gently brushing little Lumina’s cheek with his finger.
As I stared down at our daughter, I started to notice that my body seed to be growing weaker. My head was spinning, and it felt as if I was going to pass out at any mont.
I forced myself to focus on Lumina’s face to stay awake. I wanted to enjoy this ti with my husband and our new daughter. I leaned heavily against Jasper, who decided to take a turn holding Lumina.
That was a sight I would always rember and hold onto dearly. Jasper’s face was so tender as he cradled Lumina against his chest.
Concerns about myself seed to fade into the background as I gazed at my little family. I wanted to hold onto this feeling forever, this feeling of new mother bliss.
I wasn’t sure how long the three of us were cuddled close, but much too soon, Lumina needed to be tended to by the healers and then put down in a small bassinet for a nap.
She would need to be fed every couple of hours, and the healers suggested I get as much rest as possible too. I was given so heavy dication to help with the pain and to give so strength back, but it appeared to be doing very little in terms of the latter.
I dozed off at so point after Lumina was taken from . I wasn’t sure how long I was out but when I opened my eyes, I could just barely make out Jasper’s silhouette right outside my hospital room door.
“So, what needs to be done then?” Jasper asked, his voice strained with concern.
I heard Althea’s low voice answer. “The birth put a lot of stress on Ms. Eva’s body, I’m afraid. We detected internal damage that could lead to so complications. We’ll continue to monitor her closely. It could be so ti before she can be discharged.”
Fear gripped at the old healer’s words. Internal damage? What kind of internal damage?
Thankfully, I didn’t have much ti to ponder it before Rion and Daphne showed up. Daphne hugged carefully before going over to the bassinet to coo at Lumina, who was sleeping peacefully.
Rion dropped a kiss on my forehead before punching Jasper in the arm.
“Congratulations, man,” he said, grinning widely at my husband. His eyes softened when he turned to look at . “I’m giving you more of my blood to help you heal faster, Eva, and I don’t want to hear one argunt about it.”
I nodded weakly, ready to try anything to feel better. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I needed to see the boys.
Jasper and Rion glanced at each other in concern, probably because I agreed too quickly when I normally would have put up a fuss about Rion donating blood to .
Rion’s blood helped a little bit, enough for to be able to sit up in bed with so help from Jasper, but I still felt incredibly weak.
Later, as I held Lumina and leaned against Jasper’s side in the hospital bed, I prayed to the Moon Goddess for the first ti ever, asking for enough strength and life to be able to watch my children grow.
I had to believe that she would hear and grant my prayer.
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