Knotted By The Three Feral Alphas

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: The Baby Is Born

We rode back to Frostfang and entered the gates just as the sky began to lighten.

Our baby slept against my chest, wrapped tight in Rylan’s cloak, her tiny breaths warm through the fabric.

My body felt wrecked, every muscle screaming from the birth and the long ride, but I kept my back straight and my hand on her back.

The witch’s mark on my chest had faded to a faint scar, still there but no longer burning like a brand.

The bond hummed steady between the four of us now, warmer than it had ever been, but I could still feel the shadow of the curse at the edges, waiting for the next full moon to test us again.

The pack lined the bailey in silence at first. Then the cheers started, low and ragged, growing louder as they saw the small bundle in my arms. A woman near the front dropped to her knees. Others followed. The beta who had questioned me twice stepped forward, eyes wide on the baby.

"She’s here. The child is born." freēwebnovel.com

I nodded once. "Her name is Lila. After my sister. And she’s staying right here with us."

Darius dismounted first and lifted me down carefully, one arm around my waist, the other supporting the baby. Kane and Rylan closed in on either side, their bodies shielding us from the wind and the stares. The bond wrapped around the four of us tighter than ever. I felt their exhaustion, their relief, and that fierce protectiveness that had grown teeth since the birth.

Inside the great hall the pack gathered closer. Some faces still carried doubt, but most looked at the baby with something closer to awe. A young mother pushed forward, eyes shining. "Can I see her, my queen?"

I let her look. Lila stirred, tiny fist waving, and the woman smiled. "She has your eyes. And the kings’ strength already."

The beta cleared his throat. "The southern scouts report your father is pulling back. He lost too many men tonight. But he’s not finished. He’s regrouping at the border with fresh silver."

I handed Lila to Darius for a moment so I could stand on my own. My legs still trembled, but the latent alpha blood kept me upright. "Then we don’t give him time to regroup. We send a team south at first light. Burn what’s left of his supplies. Make sure he understands that threatening pups means he loses everything he has left."

Kane nodded. "I’ll lead it."

Rylan’s grin returned, sharp and ready. "I’m going with him. We’ll make it quick."

Darius held Lila close to his chest, his ice-blue eyes softening for the first time since the birth. "I stay here with Elena and the baby. The pack needs to see us together."

The hall murmured approval. The crack in the pack was still there, but it felt smaller now, like the birth had patched part of it. I took Lila back and felt her settle against me, warm and trusting. The bond wrapped around the four of us tighter than ever.

Later, in the chambers, the fire burned low. I lay on the bed with Lila tucked between us, nursing her for the first time. The pain in my chest had eased to a dull ache. The mark was still there, faint and scarred, but it no longer burned like a brand.

Darius sat on one side, watching us with quiet intensity. Kane took the other, his scarred hand resting gently on my thigh. Rylan stretched out at the foot of the bed, axe within reach, but his eyes stayed on the baby.

"She’s going to be trouble," Rylan said softly. "I can already tell."

I smiled despite everything. "Good. She’ll need to be."

A knock sounded on the door. Kane rose and opened it. The scout stood outside, breathing hard.

"My kings. Urgent word from the southern border. Gamma Voss is retreating, but he left a final message. He says the witch has promised him one last favor. If he can’t have Elena, he’ll make sure the child never sits on any throne."

The bond tightened again. Darius’s hand found mine. Kane’s knife was already back in his grip. Rylan sat up, axe ready.

I looked down at Lila. She had fallen asleep, tiny mouth still parted. The flutter I used to feel was gone, replaced by this real, living thing in my arms.

I met the brothers’ eyes one by one. "Then we make sure he never gets the chance. Tomorrow we send the team south. The day after that, we start changing the laws. No more women sold like meat. No more pups used as threats. This pack becomes ours completely."

Darius nodded. "And the witch?"

I pressed a kiss to Lila’s dark hair. "We deal with her when the next full moon comes. For now, we protect what’s ours."

The scout left. The door shut again. The four of us stayed tangled on the bed, the baby between us, the fire crackling low.

The full moon had passed.

The curse was broken enough to let us breathe.

But the war with my father was far from over.

And the North was finally going to learn what a queen with a newborn and three feral kings looked like when she was done being nice.

I closed my eyes and let the bond wrap around all four of us. Lila’s tiny hand curled around my finger. Darius’s palm rested on her back. Kane and Rylan stayed close, their presence solid and warm.

For the first time since I woke up in that prison cell with my sister’s blood under my nails, I felt like I belonged somewhere.

And I would burn the entire world down before I let anyone take that away from us.

* * * * * * * * * *

The next morning came too soon. I woke to Lila’s small cry and the sound of boots in the hall. Darius was already up, feeding the fire. Kane stood by the window, watching the southern ridges. Rylan was sharpening his axe, the steady scrape of stone on steel filling the room.

I sat up slowly, my body aching in ways I didn’t know were possible. The birth had been fast, too fast, but the aftermath was brutal. My breasts were heavy, my legs weak, and every movement reminded me I had just brought a new life into this violent world.

Kane turned from the window. "The team is ready to ride south. We can leave within the hour."

I nodded and lifted Lila to nurse her. She latched on greedily, her tiny hand pressing against my skin. The bond hummed with quiet contentment from the brothers as they watched us. It was the first peaceful moment we had shared since the birth.

Darius knelt beside the bed. "You should stay here today. Rest. The pack needs to see you and the baby safe."

"I will rest," I said. "But I’m not hiding. The pack needs to see me leading too. Bring the beta who questioned me. I want to talk to him before the team leaves."

Rylan set the axe aside. "You’re not going to let them doubt you again."

"No," I said. "I’m not."

The meeting in the great hall was short. The beta stood in front of me, eyes on the floor. The pack watched in silence.

"You questioned whether I was worth the blood," I said quietly. "I understand the fear. But fear is what my father wants. He wants you to hand me over so he can put silver on your children next. I won’t let that happen. Lila won’t let that happen."

I held the baby up so everyone could see her. She waved a tiny fist, her dark eyes blinking at the hall. A few wolves smiled. The beta finally looked up.

"You’re right," he said. "She’s worth it. We all are."

The hall murmured in agreement. The crack was still there, but it felt smaller. The pack was starting to choose us.