The labor lasted twelve grueling hours.
Alissa’s cries echoed through the private healing wing of the Avila mansion as another contraction tore through her. Allen never left her side, his hand crushed in hers, whispering words of love and encouragement even as sweat dripped down his own face.
“You’re doing so well, my love,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her damp forehead. “Our daughter is almost here. Just a little more.”
Luna Kiera and the healers moved with practiced calm, guiding Alissa through each wave. The entire pack waited anxiously outside the wing, the air thick with anticipation and worry. Word had spread quickly — the future Alpha’s sister was giving birth.
Claire should have been here.
That thought lingered in everyone’s minds, unspoken but heavy. The absence of Claire
