THE LUNA'S CAMP: CROWN OF THE FORGOTTEN MATE

Celestia's voice.

"Push Luna! push!!" The midwife's voice vibrated into a guttural growl.

Thickened sweat rolled down my forehead, my insides stretched with a hurt that rivaled my first shift. 

My jaw tightened so hard and the fluorescent lights above me flickered.

"This isn't working, we'll need to perform a C-section," I heard the doctor say through a blur of pain.

"But the Alpha isn't here yet, we can't do anything unless he signs off on it," 

"He still isn't here yet!" 

I swallowed.

Raphael wasn't here yet...what..what could be more important than this? Then the birth of our first child? 

He wouldn't... no...no...I'm sure that woman has her limits, she wouldn't keep him away.

With my draining strength, I contacted him through mindlink, mates could contact each other through any distance with mine link.

"Raphael, where are you? Our pup..." 

"Medea is also in labor, she needs me right now." 

I sucked in a deep breath.

"But I'm your mate, this is our baby I'm talking about." 

"My parents will be there for you but Medea is an orphan with no one, she needs me more than ever. I can't leave her now." 

Tears welled in my eyes, I knew nothing I said would make him choose me over his first love.

Another wave of contractions hit me.

I screamed, and the doctor yelled out a skewed push.

I inhaled deeply, every inch of me trembling.

This wasn't the time to exchange words.

"Raphael, the doctors say I need a C-section-" 

"No," He whipped back before I could finish, "You will not humiliate me by getting a C-section. All Alpha children are born through natural birth that's how it has always been, you're not the exception," 

My tears pooled up.

"I'm in so much pain...Raph..please..."

"My mother did it, so did my Grandma. I will allow you to spit on the Ashen Alpha family name. Give birth the normal way or else I won't acknowledge that pup as my own," 

After that he cut off the connection, blocking me from his mind while my body was wrecked with contractions 

Through heavy breath, I told the doctors that we should continue with the route of natural birth.

"I want to have my pup the right way," I said, fighting back tears.

With doubt clouding his eyes and that of the nurses aiding her the doctor reluctantly agreed.

Three more hours of screams, sweat, and blood as I drifted between life and death were broken by the wet cry of my pup.

His cry bounced off the walls of the delivery room, and my heart swelled with pride. That was a strong sign of a healthy powerful pup.

"May the moon goddess light remain on you," the doctor said to me.

Soon my baby was placed in my arms.

He had been sniffling before but he calmed after he was placed on my chest.

My whole body felt like jelly, but I was drenched with joy seeing my pup.

"What will you name him?" A young nurse asked curiously as he peeked to look at the pup, the Doc chastised him.

"Mind yourself, she is still the Luna," 

"It's alright," I said understandingly, my eyes still on my precious little bundle of joy.

"His name will be Asher-" 

"I think Jaxon packs a punch to it," 

My whole body stiffened as I looked up and met the eyes of Eclipse, Medea's younger sister.

She had once been my personal maid, a long time ago.

"How dare you barge in here?" The doctor snapped at her, Eclipse just rolled her eyes, shoved the doctor as if she were no more than a straw man then matched over to me.

I wrapped Asher protectively and she sneered.

"What you're not even going to let me get a good look at my nephew?" 

My entire face bleached.

"What nephew?!" I blurted back in her face. "Get your eyes checked, this is my son," 

"But he has blonde hair, just like my sister." 

I can't believe I'm even having this insane argument.

"So what? Get out of here! Guards drag this wench out of my sight!" I screamed ignoring the strain running through my body.

"A pup thief calling me a wench, what an irony, I came here because of our past to lend you a hand after you dug yourself into a pit ..." 

"Guards!" 

The guards finally came.

But not for Eclipse.

They pulled me from the hospital bed despite the protests of the doctor.

My pup was torn from my arms and placed into the hands of a traitor, my eyes bulged with rage and panic mixed.

If I weren't weakened by twelve hours of labor I could take these two guards without sweating.

My pup broke into a cry as soon as he was taken from my arms and the volume spiked up when Eclipse held him.

"Eclipse," I warned, "Return my pup...and I'll spare your life," 

She laughed, the sound an aggravating chuckle.

"I'm shaking in my boots," she waved to the guards, "Take her away," 

"Let me go! That's MY pup!" 

But hours of labor ending with insane bleeding had drained me, my outburst didn't help.

Gradually my surroundings were being swallowed by a shadow starting from the corners of my vision.

Frantically I reached out to Raphael through a mind link.

"Raphael...our pup, Medea...please...please respond...the guards-" 

"Don't bother." He cut me off. "I'm so ashamed of you, Celestia. I asked you for only one thing when we became mates-don't humiliate me or the Ashen name. Was that too hard to grasp?" 

"Raphael...I don't...." 

"Don't play dumb, I knew you hated Medea but I couldn't dream you would have gone so far. Don't worry, you'll get what you deserve for everything, and promise you that you'll never place your eyes on that you'll never see that pup again," 

My heart sank.

"No! Raphael, I don't know what they've told you but...the pup is mine I-" 

He might have responded.

But I lost consciousness before I could hear it.