Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 571: Chapter 571

The birthing chamber was quiet now. The chaos that had consumed it for a full day had finally passed. Everyone else had left the room, aware that this moment belonged to the new parents to bond with their baby.

Circe rested against a pile of pillows, exhaustion lingering in every muscle of her body. She still felt drained to her very bones. Yet despite her fatigue, she had found herself unable to sleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, she ended up opening them again moments later to look at the small bundle nestled against her chest.

Their son.

Even now, hours after his birth, the reality of it felt almost impossible to comprehend.

She glanced down at his sleeping face and felt the same bewilderment she had experienced since the moment he had entered the world. He was so perfect. His tiny fingers curled loosely against the blanket while his chest rose and fell with soft, steady breaths.

An entire person.Her body had somehow created an entire person. That fact alone was more baffling to her than her ability to control souls.

A small smile found its way onto her face as she brushed her fingertips gently through the wisps of dark hair atop his head.

Across the room, Ragnar sat watching them. He had spent hours doing exactly that and he had scarcely looked anywhere else.

Circe lifted her gaze and found him staring. Again.

The sight made her smile widen slightly.

Immediately, suspicion entered his expression.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You are smiling at me."

"Because you keep staring."

His lips twitched. "I believe I’m entitled to stare at my wife and son."

"You’ve been staring for hours."

"I nearly lost my mind waiting outside this chamber. Forgive me if I wish to look at both of you while I can."

The answer softened her expression instantly.

The memory of his face when he had finally been allowed inside was still fresh in her mind. The relief she had seen there as he came to stay by her side had nearly broken her heart.

Her gaze drifted back to the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms.

Then she looked at Ragnar once more.

"Do you want to hold him?" She asked.

The question caught him completely off guard, especially considering the way she had behaved after the birth. Circe had been reluctant to part with the baby from the moment Morana placed him in her arms.

For a moment, he simply stared at her.

Then his eyes dropped to their son and something changed in his expression.

For perhaps the first time since she had met him, Ragnar looked genuinely uncertain.

Slowly, he rose from his chair and crossed the room.

"Yes," he said quietly. "I do."

He stopped beside the bed and held out his hands.

Circe’s heart melted slightly at the sight.

His arms were enormous compared to the child. His hands scarred and callous from years of whittling and swordsmanship, roughened by countless battles and training sessions. They were hands that had wielded blades, broken shields, and led armies.

"You look nervous." She commented lightly, staring up at him. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"I am nervous." The admission came easily. With her, he didn’t feel the need to hide anything. Ragnar glanced down at his hands before looking back at the baby. "I’ve never held something so fragile before."

Carefully, she shifted the sleeping infant and guided him into Ragnar’s waiting arms.

The moment the baby’s weight settled against him, Ragnar froze.

Circe had never seen him become so still, afraid to move even an inch.

An overwhelming wave of emotion swept through him.

He had known he would care for the child.

Nothing, however, had prepared him for the depth of what he felt the moment he looked at him. It swept through him like a tidal wave, fierce and absolute, leaving him struggling to draw breath.

This tiny person was his.

His son.

His blood.

His family.

A few months ago, this baby had been little more than a distant hope. Now he was here, sleeping peacefully in Ragnar’s arms as though he had always belonged there.

Gods. He had never imagined loving anyone this quickly. This completely. Yet somehow, he already knew there was nothing he would not do for this child.

His thumb gently brushed the edge of the blanket.

Then, lowering his head, he pressed a soft kiss to the baby’s forehead. freewebnσvel.cѳm

"My son," he murmured, his voice low enough that only Circe could hear. "My heart. My life. Khamsin. You will never question your place in my heart and I will never give you a reason to doubt the love I have for you. This is my vow to you."

He would never allow his child to face even an ounce of what he had to endure. He would be his child’s shield because he himself never had that while growing up.

Across from him, Circe felt her chest ache.

She watched the tenderness on his face and felt herself falling in love with him all over again.

"Khamsin?" she repeated softly.

Ragnar lifted his gaze and nodded.

"Khamsin."

She tested the name quietly.

"Khamsin."

The more she said it, the more natural it felt. As though it had always belonged to him.

"I like it. Why Khamsin?"

"It was my great-grandfather’s name," he answered. "He was one of the finest men our family ever produced. People remembered him because he was fair. Because he listened to his people. Because he carried the weight of the crown without allowing it to harden him. When I was a boy, I used to hear stories about him constantly. Every person who spoke of him seemed to admire him. Not just as a king, but for the man he was. I want our son to grow into someone like that. Strong enough to protect those under his care and honorable enough to deserve their trust."

At the moment, Khamsin’s greatest achievement was sleeping.

Yet somehow she could already picture the great man he would one day become.

***

Several days later, Ragnar quietly pushed open the nursery door. He had intended only to check on his son before returning to his duties.

Instead, he stopped in the doorway and remained there.

His mother stood beside the crib. Or rather, beside the crib that currently sat empty.

Khamsin was safely nestled in her arms.

Morana hadn’t noticed Ragnar’s arrival. All of her attention was fixed entirely on her grandson as she gently rocked him back and forth.

A bright smile illuminated her face.

It was a smile Ragnar had not seen before. The look in her eyes was pure affection. Pure love.

"Oh, there you are, my little ember." Morana cooed.

She gently touched his nose and her smile widened.

Ragnar felt warmth spread through his chest.

He remained where he was, watching the scene unfold through the partially opened door.

"My little ember," Morana repeated affectionately. "You are going to be your parents’ pride and joy. I can already tell. You will do wonderful things, achieve incredible feats. Just like your father."

A smile tugged at Ragnar’s lips at the sheer ordinariness of the moment. Simple as it was, he treasured it deeply.