The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 289

-Grayson's POV-

Six months later

"We came as fast as we could!" Isabella burst into the waiting room, panting as if she had just run a marathon.

Rickon appeared seconds later, slightly disheveled, his shirt buttoned wrong, and his hair looking like someone had aggressively tugged at it.

Everyone stared.

There was no hiding what they had been doing before getting here.

But honestly? I didn't care.

I didn't care about anything right now except the fact that Ava was in labor, and I was about to meet my children.

Daniella, as if sensing just how tense I was, started crying in my arms. I had been holding her for the past ten minutes, but the moment the shrill wail hit my ears, I knew I was done.

Elaine, who had been extremely helpful over the last few months stretched her hands toward me, and I handed Daniella over without hesitation.

Isabella, still catching her breath, looked around, "Are they here yet?"

Silence.

Then Evelyn, who never ever missed an opportunity to be passive-aggressive toward Isabella, narrowed her eyes at her, "If they were here, would we still be sitting out here waiting?"

"Hey, don't start-"

"Not now," I cut in before things spiraled, and to my relief, they both dropped it- though Isabella did huff dramatically before extending her hands to take Daniella from Elaine.

Rickon sighed beside her, "Oh great, the fight over who gets to hold the baby begins again."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. No one had told me that having a baby around meant every adult would suddenly become obsessed with holding her. The moment I handed Daniella to one person, another would stretch their hands like an eager beggar, waiting for their turn.

It was exhausting but I really hoped they extended the same to the twins because again no one told me just how exhausting babies were.

I don't even remember the last time I slept and I guess I couldn't push all the blame to Daniella, a heavily pregnant Ava could be likened to an evil monster.

Evelyn, who had taken on the role of self-appointed child-handling expert, crossed her arms, "Hold my granddaughter properly, and-"

Luther, who had become remarkably more patient in the past months, shook his head before Evelyn could launch into a lecture. Begrudgingly, she looked away. This was the new normal.

Evelyn needed someone to scold-it was just who she was. And since she couldn't do it to Ava anymore, that energy

had to

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Chapter 289

be redirected.

Unfortunately, that meant Isabella had become her new favorite target.

To be fair, Isabella had earned that spot by being naturally and intentionally annoying, so I wasn't particularly sympathetic to her complaints.

Rickon, who had been unusually quiet until now, turned to me, "Aren't you supposed to be in there with her?"

Before I could answer, a loud, blood-curdling scream rang through the hospital halls.

Ava.

This was followed by an angry burst of Italian, laced with a string of curses.

Rickon blinked, "Well, that doesn't sound good."

Then another scream.

Then Ava's voice, sharp and furious:

"CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT I AM PUSHING ALREADY?! STOP TELLING ME

WHAT I ALREADY KNOW!!"

Everyone in the waiting room went silent.

a moment, there was nothing but the distant sound of Ava

of cursing,

his throat, turning

deep breath and

-Silence again.

turned to Rickon

One of those is never

without missing a beat,

for a second,

this. Not just the waiting, but the fact that Ava was in pain, and there was nothing I could do. Every scream that came from

uncharacteristically quiet, was

her and Luther. "Wait a minute-you own this hospital. And

learned how to let most of Rickon's

narrowed his eyes, "Still seems

a long, tired sigh. "She also told

Rickon stared, "You're kidding.",

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Chapter 289

scream rang out from the

and yet another string of wildly creative

all went

Rickon muttered, "Yeah,

my eyes amd let out a sigh and hoped this would be over

we were

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eased a little-well, as much as it could when someone was giving birth just a few

who had been sitting beside me,

long?"

without looking up, "Sometimes, it takes a

A whole day?

swallowed down my

had tried to sit still.

was still in there,

let out a breath

looked up. "Where are

just need a

stopped me as I walked out of the

going-I just knew I couldn't sit there

the hall, my hands in my pockets,

didn't know where I was going-maybe just away

from the

in this wing, a stark contrast to the chaos I had just left behind. The walls were too white, too sterile, too cold. I wasn't sure if I

there, bringing

Our children.

moment. Six months of reading parenting books (that were a complete waste of time, by the way). Six months of watching Ava grow rounder, more beautiful, more exhausted. Six months

this.

truth was-I wasn't sure if I did have

one thing. It had been...

made me

too, in every way that mattered. I had

halls when she wouldn't stop crying, fed

her, held her when she whimpered in

these babies...

different. were

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Chapter 289

Ava's

had made

They were pieces of

if I

I was-and for the first

was.

still the same

I failed

so badly

if I lost my temper one day, and instead of being

like he did?

stopped walking, pressing my hands against the nearest wall, breathing

deeply.

I am not him.