Chapter 64

“You guys are going to be the best dads ever and this baby is so lucky to have you love and care for them.” She blubbered, losing control over her emotions.

Justas nodded as he sniffled, the only dry eye among the three of them.

“And you’re going to be the best Godmother this little one could ever ask for.”

Her lips quivered slightly as she nodded her head, unable to process such a compliment while in such a delicate state, especially as another contraction hit and she squeezed both of their hands to help ground the pain as she clenched her jaw and ground her teeth, groaning loudly.

Even though she was giving birth to a child that was not hers, Anastasia couldn’t help but wish that Marcellus – the man that she had just discovered to be her mate – was by her side to go through this with her but alas, she had sent him away in a fit of rage. Not that he hadn’t done anything to warrant such behaviour.

Refusing to have this beautiful memory tainted by her mate’s betrayal, Anastasia pushed all thoughts of him and what he had done out of her mind. Instead, she glanced at both Raphael and Justas who were holding each of her hands, tears streaming down Raphael’s face as the pack doctor informed them that it was now time to start pushing.

The longer she remained in labour, the harder she pushed, but it appeared the baby wasn’t ready to come out yet.

As the third hour came to an end and there was still minimal progress, Anastasia groaned in a mix of pain and frustration as she leaned back and buried her head into the pillow, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she believed herself to not be able to go on any longer.

“I need a big push from you this time.” The doctor encouraged her gently, patting her leg gently to indicate that it was time to try again.

“I don’t think I can do this.” A few tears streamed down her face as she groaned, currently suffering the most amount of pain that she had ever experienced before.

Words of encouragement sounded from all around the room but only when her mate flashed before her eyes was Anastasia able to lift herself up and follow the doctor’s order, waiting for him to countdown before she tried pushing again.

By the end of the next hour, the sound of a baby crying filled the room and finally, she dropped herself down on the pillow behind her.

“Ana,” Justas called out to her in her post labour induced haze. When she hummed quietly to indicate that she had heard and acknowledged him, he continued. “Raphael and I have discussed this before and we want you to be the first one of us to hold him.”

“What? Are you sure?”

“It’s what both of us want.” Raphael grinned from beside her as the nurse joined them and leaned down to hand her the baby.

Holding the little bundle of joy wrapped up in a fluffy blue blanket for the first time and glancing down at his cute little red face even though his mouth was wide open as he cried, she had never seen a sight more beautiful or pure before.

“Have you guys decided on a name?”

“Alistair.”

“That’s such a beautiful name.” She couldn’t help but coo as she glanced down at baby Alistair, the regal name suiting her perfectly.

“You want to hear his full name?”

Anastasia was barely able to nod her head with how entranced she was with the baby in her arms.

“Alistair Mulberry Branover-Constantine.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she lifted her head to glance between them both in disbelief.

“Mulberry?”

“We wanted to honour you because just as we’re a part of his life, you are too.”

“I love you guys, so much!” Anastasia gushed as a new set of tears streamed down her face at the thoughtful gesture, having not seen it coming.

“We love too, babe. Always.” Raphael leaned down to press a kiss to the crown of her head before doing the same to little baby Alistair, turning their trio into a quartet.

Once they had cleaned up both her and the baby, they were moved out of the delivery room and into a private room where Justas and Raphael sat on the edge of the bed while little Alistair slept in his cot without a care in the world.

Taking his lead, Anastasia decided that after everything she had been through these past couple of hours, she deserved a nap. She wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep or what time it was and when she woke up, all she could think about was that wretched mate of hers whom she was still yet to decide what to do with.

“Where’s Marcellus?” She was barely conscious enough to ask in a quiet whisper.

As Justas worked on changing baby Alistair’s diaper and Raphael helped him with it, their sole attention on him, neither of them paid her particular attention as they answered her question without a second thought.

“He’s in his office, I think.” Raphael murmured back with a goofy grin on his face, pulling faces at the baby who stared back at curiously, barely able to understand or recognise what was going on around him. “Rumour has it that he’s got some females over to pick which one of them would become his mate and the next Luna.”

While she had wanted to know where he was, she now wished she hadn’t asked the question in the first place after the answer that she had just received.

Anastasia wasn’t sure if she was more hurt or angry with him but what she was certain of was that they were mates and something needed to be done about; even if he refused to acknowledge it or had already moved onto other females.