The Sigma Wolf

-"King Andreas, your son is coming…” One of my servants ran towards me, interrupting the urgent meeting I was preceding. -“It was a false alarm, it is too soon,” I said, knowing that my mate, Queen Stella, hadn't had an easy pregnancy, and there was no way the baby was due this early. -“No, Your Majesty… I was informed that she is in labor, and you are required at the hospital…” The messenger spoke with respect, but also with urgency. I could feel that, indeed, I was required to be next to my mate, something was not right, and I could feel it inside my heart. -“Gentlemen…” I stood up from my royal chair, making all of them stand after me and bow their necks. I am the King, the Supreme leader of all packs around. Our realm is ruled by us, wolves, but in our mixed society we also host humans, witches, merpeople, and many more. The Alpha leaders present in the room understood that I was required with a pressing matter, so they accepted my apologies and remained in the room working on a new set of accords with my Beta and Gamma. Those accords were important because they would benefit the less powerful packs, and would level the playing field, improving the living conditions of thousands. I quickly left the conference room and made my way to the waiting vehicle at the front of the Royal building. My driver circled around the traffic in the rush hour, while I anxiously looked out the window. My son, my baby boy, is coming early into this world. He is the first one, the one that will carry my legacy. A true-born Alpha, a leader, the one every single pack will look at for advice, guidance, and support. The one that will command attention, the one everyone will look up to… The vehicle stopped at the curve of the hospital, while my security detail rushed to open the door for me. -“Where is she?” I asked the receptionist in the front of the hospital. It was a main shifter hospital, and they knew pretty well who I was. -“Your Majesty, she is in the top floor delivery room…” The receptionist pressed a button, and a nurse walked out. -“This way, Your Highness…” The nurse said, making me follow her down a long corridor and into an elevator. We reached our floor, the top floor, reserved for royal family members. “The doctor instructed me to suit you, so you can come into the room… Your Majesty”, She said, handing me a sterile suit and pointing at an adjacent door. I quickly walked inside to discover an ensuite bathroom. I could feel her pain, she was delivering our child as we spoke, so I rushed to change my clothes and stepping out of the ensuite bathroom. -“Where is she?” I asked again, and she led the way for me to follow her. We passed several rooms and then stopped at a door. I could hear the screams of pain that Stella was emitting. I shivered in fear, the baby was too early, and she is in deep pain. I sighed and lifted a prayer to our Moon Goddess. “Please, Mother… save them both.” The nurse opened the door, and I rushed to stand next to Stella. “I am here, my love…” I cooed to her, and she scrunched her face in pain, and then nodded. I grabbed a couple of tissues and cleaned her sweat-covered forehead. She gave me a faint smile, while I caressed her forehead and then leaned forward to kiss it. “We will be alright…” I said, reassuring her, but mainly reassuring myself. -“Your Majesty, the baby is coming! We need her to give one last big push…” The doctor instructed. -“Ready, my love? Push!” I encouraged her. She grabbed my hand and gave a big push, her piercing scream told me she was actually exhausted and in a lot of pain. -“Our new king is here!” The doctor announced, and then he picked up my son and slapped his back opening his lungs. The doctor's face blanched, I could see it in his eyes, fear. -“Why is our baby not crying?” Stella said in a weak voice. It was then that I realized that my son was not alive. My firstborn was not breathing. I saw the doctor quickly move the baby to another area. My eyes focused on what he was doing to the tiny baby in his hands. He put on an oxygen mask and started pumping his heart. A couple of nurses were assisting him, while my eyes welled with tears. My baby boy is dead… I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the outcome. How can I explain to everyone that their future king, the hope of this realm, is gone? How am I going to support Stella while my own heart has been shattered? -“Please, Moon Goddess… Help him!” I pleaded with all my heart, Suddenly, a loud cry filled the room. “We got him back!” The doctor said triumphantly. After 3 minutes that felt like an eternity, our baby boy was brought back to us. Stella cried in joy and happiness, relieved that the next heir managed to fight for his own life and prevail. The nurse placed a small bundle in my arms. “Be quick, Your Majesty, we need to take him to the NICU…” She said, and I picked up my son and lowered him for Stella to kiss his small forehead. -“He is so little…” She mumbled, -“And yet he is destined for greatness… our little warrior…” I said, -“Welcome, Prince Ajax…” I kissed his forehead and handed him to the nurse. My little prince, the one that will defy every norm and every convention…