48

~Lou Storm~

It had been an agonizing week during which I spent most of my time with my daughter. My surgical scar was almost completely healed by the Werewolf's healing powers, so I didn't feel any more pain in that regard. My whole attention was now on Mathilda, who until now had done nothing but sleep and breathe.

She was still so small, but what did I expect? I just couldn't put aside the worries I had about her. Still, it got a little easier every day.

In the meantime, many people had visited me against Arian's will. Arian in general has changed a lot in one way. He has become extremely jealous or protective and would prefer not to let anyone get close to me or Mathilda.

Only Zara, Anna and Elvira have been allowed to come near me and only because they were women and they are my friends.

However, right now I was due to rest again, so I lay in the hospital bed but couldn't really switch off because I really wanted to be with my little one.

I just stared at the white ceiling, lost in thought.

Why is Arian always allowed to stay with her for so long and I can't? He needs to rest sometimes too.

On the other hand, I was glad that he was there most of the time, looking out for Mathilda.

Suddenly the door opened, which startled me out of my thoughts.

Arian walked in with a big grin. But before I could ask what made him so happy, I saw the incubator behind him, being pushed in by the plump little nurse.

What are you up to?

They pushed the box to my bed so that I wanted to get up straight away, but Arian gently pushed my upper body down again.

"What will that be?" I asked, surprised and overwhelmed at the same time. Shouldn't Mathilda be in an isolated area? What if she gets sick? Her immune system is still far too weak.

"Just wait." With a meaningful grin, Arian leaned down and kissed my forehead. I felt his hands slide to my pajama top.

Arrived at the hem, he pulled on it and lifted my upper body so that he could take it off me.

Now I was sitting here shirtless, which made me a bit uncomfortable. Out of reflex, I covered my breasts with my hands, but luckily the nurse was a woman, so Arian didn't seem concerned either. If there had been another man in here, it would certainly have looked different.

"What are you doing?" I asked again, my cheeks blushing because I didn't like being exposed like that, even though there's a lot of walking around naked after the transformation.

Arian didn't answer, instead he looked meaningfully at the sister. She opened the lid of the incubator and carefully picked up the little creature.

I watched the process with wide eyes and couldn't believe what she was doing.

She came towards me and carefully placed the much too small creature on the warm skin of my chest. Now I also noticed that she no longer had a tube in her nose, but had finally been freed from it.

My heart was beating with excitement as her soft skin touched mine. Arian leaned next to my head and looked down at Mathilda just as curiously. The nurse left the room, leaving us alone for a moment.

That moment was so magical. Mathilda moved a little and made cute noises while pursing her lips.

And then something sweet happened that made Arians and my heart leap.

Mathilda opened her eyes sleepily and looked at us with big blue eyes. It was amazing how cute she looked doing it. I wish I could just look at them for the rest of my life.

"She clearly got her eyes from you," I whispered softly. Even though she still had the typical blue baby eyes, you could still see a hint of the ocean blue color of Arian. They were beautiful.

"Yet she looks so much like you," my mate whispered at my side, unable to take his eyes off our little one himself.

We just sat there for ages and watched all their movements. How she sometimes sighed loudly, pursed her lips and followed us with her eyes.

It was magical.

"Linus said we should try to put it on your chest today." Arian pulled me back to reality at some point.

"O-okay," I said nervously, since I've never done this before. Will it hurt? On the other hand, my boobs hurt all the time anyway.

Carefully, as if she was about to break, I put Mathilda in such a way that she could easily reach my nipples. Guided by nature's instincts, she found them too and began drinking, which made my heart swarm again.

Unbelievable stuff.

Arian could probably never fully understand this bond that already existed between me and my puppy. Just the many months that I had it in my stomach and carried it right under my heart. At least now I understood all the mothers in the world who developed bear powers for their own flesh and blood. To see her depart from this world would probably be my downfall, the rejection of Arian would be nothing to that.

Eventually Mathilda fell asleep while drinking, but I kept her close to my heart the whole time. I missed her so much. All this time I carried her close to me, but soon I will have to put her back in the warm incubator.

But until then I will enjoy every second.

Even the knock didn't tear me out of my own little world. Only when the door opened and Arian started to growl did I take my eyes off Thilda to see who came in.

And immediately the next tears came to me.

"Mum?" I immediately cried when I saw the middle-aged brunette woman enter the room. Her eyes were only on me. She didn't even notice the snarling Arian. Instead she had tears in her own eyes.

"I'm so sorry, my little one," she cried as she approached. "I should have been there for you much sooner, especially now that I don't have as much to do as Luna."

She walked up to my bed and lightly pressed my head against her torso as she kissed my hairline.

Luckily, Arian had stopped growling when he realized who the woman in front of him was.

"You don't have to be sorry, mum. I just missed you so much." I cried into her chest. I felt the warm weight lift off my chest and out of the corner of my eye I saw my mate take our daughter out of the way.

It's safer before Mum crushes me because she hasn't noticed her granddaughter yet.

"I missed you so much too, sweetheart." My mum pulled me even further into her motherly hug that I missed so much. It felt good to be in her arms. I felt like I was a child and was again at home, safe from all the trouble in the world.

Suddenly Mathilda gave a sweet squeak that made my mother flinch immediately. She immediately looked up and at our daughter in the arms of her father who looked like he would never let her go.

I used the moment when she was so distracted to quickly put my shirt back on.

"Is that her?" Mum said, entranced.

Arian nodded, but didn't take his eyes off Thilda.

"How cute she is. I still can't believe I'm grandma." She enthused and walked around the bed to get a closer look at Mathilda. "May I hold her?"

Arian's reaction was a growl.

"Arian!" I scolded, after all she was my mother. The one who gave birth to me. If anyone was allowed to hold her, it was her.

With a grunt, he handed Mathilda over to my mother, but stood close to her side, arms outstretched, as if afraid she might fall off her.

"Your dad and brothers are all there to meet their new family member, too, by the way," my mum casually managed. It only sounded minor since she was so distracted and enchanted with her granddaughter.

"Really?" I said immediately. "I'm glad to finally see her again." I wanted to jump out of bed to say hello to the rest of my family, but I also wanted to stay here with Mum and Mathilda for now. The rest could wait a little longer.