Freeing Starr

Starr’s POV

A year and a half later...

“This is ridiculous.”

I looked at the pacing woman in front of me with a raised eyebrow, a teasing smile tilting my lips.

Lorena grumbled to herself and cursed. “That mother of mine will be the death of me. Do you know what she did!? Do you Starr!?”

I entertained her. “What did she do?”

“She came and crashed the party! I finally managed to sneak out and attend a normal, young adult function with cute men to flirt with and she dared to follow me! Can you believe it!?”

“No,” I said dramatically, placing a hand over my mouth. “Stacia really went that far?”

“She did! I am so annoyed with her! I wasn’t trying to hook up with anyone! I just wanted to have a little fun, y’know? Being a princess sucks.”

My hands caressed my protruding stomach tenderly as I nodded along. “Yes, it really does suck.”

“Right!?” She threw her hands up and fell back on the sofa. “Finally, somebody gets me.”

“Of course. We’re all suffering.”

She glanced at my stomach and grimaced. “Some more than others.”

I laughed and shrugged. “It’ll be your turn when you find your mate. I’m sure Stacia will stop bothering you then.”

She snorted. “That’s not going to happen anytime soon... wait.” She quickly sat up and looked over at me in excitement.

“What?” I asked.

Her lips pulled into a large grin as she looked at me with puppy dog eyes. “You’re the queen, Starr. You have just as much authority as my brother. If you can host a party for me and my friends in the castle...”

I grimaced and raised a hand before she could go any further. “You’re just dying for your brother to strangle you, aren’t you?”

She pursed her lips. “He would, wouldn’t he?”

“Without a doubt.”

She deflated and slouched back in her seat. “I give up.” She waved her hand above her. “This is my white flag surrendering to the sufferings of a princess.”

I chuckled then winced when I felt a slight pinch of pain in my stomach. My hand caressed my stomach as I whispered. “Are you trying to tell mommy something, little one? I’m here.”

I smiled when I felt the movement under my skin then cringed again when another spark of pain ignited. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably.

“Peach,are you alright?” Leon’s voice sounded in my mind.

Ever since I’d gotten pregnant he made me promise to always leave our link open so he could hear and feel everything that was going on. He probably sensed my discomfort and chose to check up on me.

“I’m fine,” I reassured him as I struggled to my feet from our living room sofa. Lorena came to my side and helped me up.

I pulled my shirt that had risen down and cleared my throat. “Where’s Stacia anyway?” I asked Lorena.

“She’s in the training room watching Father train Lomar.”

After the war with Glacial City, Lomar chose to stay behind as his grandparents left the kingdom again to continue their travels around the world. From what I’ve heard from Leon, he was probably the reason Lomar chose to stay.

In his agitated state after losing me, he said a few things to Lomar that probably struck a bit too close to home. Though he didn’t say what it was exactly, he just told me that it was a mistake that threw the whole kingdom into chaos and almost cost their father his life.

Almost everyone in the kingdom blamed him for it. Because he couldn’t handle the criticism, he ran away with his grandparents and never looked back. Now that he had decided to stay and rectify his relationship with his family and the kingdom, his father was training him so that he could be a commander in the royal army.

Stacia often went to watch their matches and then had lunch with them afterward. She wanted to make up for whatever lost time she and her son had.

I closed my eyes and tried reaching out to her over our pack link.“Stacccc.”I hissed and clutched my stomach in pain.

“Starr!” Lorena exclaimed and quickly came to my side. “Are you alright!?”

I nodded and grimaced. “I should be. It’s just a few cramps. They come every once in a while.”

“Are you sure?” She asked worriedly.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Starr? Did you call for me?”Stacia’s voice echoed in my mind.

However, I couldn’t pay attention to her at the moment. I looked down when I felt the water that trailed down my legs and gasped.

Lorena sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s...”

“My water broke,” I murmured.

Lorena stuttered. “Why are you saying that so calmly!? Oh my god! I have to tell Mom! Call the doctor! Where’s Leon?”

“Peach?”Right on time as usual.

“My water broke,”I informed him.“I’m going to go to the medical room that you prepared for me.”

“What?”I could hear the shock and excitement in his voice.“You’re going into labor!?”

“Finally, right?”

“I’ll be right there!”

I started waddling towards the door with an anxious Lorena trailing behind me.

“I already told Mom. She’s on her way right now.” She said.

“Tell her to meet us in the medical room. There’s no need to panic-gah!”

“Oh my god!” Lorena freaked out when I bent over a bit. I gritted my teeth through the pain.

“It’s fine. I’m fine. Let’s go.” I continued towards the medical room.

Six hours later, my screams reverberated throughout the room as I clutched Leon’s arm and tried my best to push like my life depended on it. Well technically, it did.

The pain was unbearable. Tears ran down my face as I cried and sobbed, begging for all of this to be done and over with.

“Deep breaths your highness, you’re almost there.” The doctor soothed me as she settled between my parted legs, waiting for my baby to push its head out.

“What’s taking so fucking long!?” I growled, trying to do as she said and calm my pounding heart.

Leon took a damp cloth and wiped the sweat from my brows as he murmured. “Don’t worry, Peach. Just a little further and we’ll see our son or daughter.”

I cast a dark look at him and said. “Please don’t talk to me.”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise and looked over at Stacia who chuckled to herself. She shrugged. “I was worse than that when I first gave birth. I tried to claw your father’s face off. It was his fault I had to suffer through all that pain and all he did was whisper sweet nothings in my ear? Who wants that!? I just wanted your big head out of me.”

“Gah!” I cried again when another wave of pain hit. “I need painkillers goddammit!”

“Alright, your highness. On the count of three, I want you to push.”

I nodded my head through my blurry vision and prepared myself for this. I wanted all of this to be over already. My uterus cried for relief as my muscles tensed up.

“One T-”

“Ahhh!!!” I pushed as hard as I could. My claws came out to dig into Leon’s arm. I watched as he winced but bore it nonetheless. He watched me encouragingly, not daring to utter another word.

“I see the head!” The doctor cried excitedly. “Just a little more, your highness. You’re doing great!”

I pushed again, spurred on by the fact that I was almost there. I screamed through the pain and could feel myself tearing as the baby made its way out of me.

A few more minutes later, the cries of an infant resonated around the room. Tears sprung to my eyes as I collapsed in bed.

Finally, my baby was here.

I looked over at Leon whose eyes were trained to the doctor who cradled the little bundle in her arms. There was a gentle smile on her face as she looked over at us.

“It’s a healthy baby boy.”

Stacia clapped her hands in excitement and went towards the doctor to peer into her arms. “I have a grandson. Oh my god! He’s so beautiful!”

My lips trembled as I willed myself not to cry. The doctor brought our son over to us and Leon helped me sit up so that I could properly hold him.

The doctor placed the squirming infant into my arms. I carefully brought him closer to my chest and gazed at his eyes that stared up at me curiously.

In those eyes, I saw a little pup curled into himself. He was tiny, his weak body trembling as he poked his head out to gaze around him curiously.

My heart melted right then and there. I cuddled him to my chest and murmured. “My baby. My son.”

Leon’s finger came to brush a little strand of hair on our son’s forehead and smiled. “Our son.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“What are you naming him?” Stacia asked as she approached us.

Leon and I glanced at each other and smiled. We had already come up with the name months ago.

“Tell Lorena and the others they can come in now,” Leon told his mother, who quickly disappeared out the door and came back with Leondro, Lomar, and Lorena trailing behind her.

As everyone gathered around Leon and me, I smiled and introduced our son.

“Everyone, this is Elias. He’s named after my mother Elizabeth.” A big smile stretched across my face when I mentioned my mother. My mother’s name was Paige Elizabeth Grayson.

Even though she wasn’t able to be with either her daughter or her grandson, I hoped that wherever she was right now, she’d see this and know that I loved her dearly and that even if I don’t remember her, I’ll never forget the sacrifice she made to bring me into this world.

Everything fell into place perfectly.

All the choices I’ve made, all the things I’ve been through, they all guided me to this very moment. This moment of happiness.

I had a family.

I had a home.

I had a mate who loved and adored me.

And most of all...

I could finally lift my head and face the world without fear.

This was the life I wanted and this was the life I would always choose.

~The end~