It Is Time

All of Gichi-Ziibi's borders had been accounted for. Giken and Asin informed me of the intrusion in the northern borders, so I sent both Jerell and Xui up north to assist in case Manji-Manidoo decides to attack.

"Has everything been prepared?" I asked.

"Yes, Alpha. Everything is going according to plan." Giken responded.

"The elders and the children, have they been relocated to the designated safe place?"

"Yes, alpha."

" Good. Food and supplies should last them at least six months, through this winter. OH…" I grunt at the tightening of my abdomen, then breathed through it for a second. Giken grabs hold of my hand, I can see how much he worries about me. "Giken, my love, I need to…" my voice changed into a whisper, "relieve myself again. I feel like the baby is resting all of my organs." Giken helped me to stand and immediately I felt a drop in my belly.

"Ouch, oh ou-ou-ou…" I tried to breathe through it, but this time the pain was different. "Help me, Giken." I pleaded. He quickly puts me into his arms and carries me as a gush of warm fluid spills onto the floor like a bucket of water. "Ou…" I moaned.

Giken's eyes widened after looking down at and seeing the wet floor.

"MOOJI!" Giken begins to panic, "MOOJI!" he calls out rushing me out of my shed and towards the infirmary while I groan in agony. "MOOJI! WAWA! IT'S HAPPENING! QUICK!"

We enter the infirmary and the healers begin boiling water and preparing their supplies for this birthing.

"My love, breathe" Giken's voice tries to soothe me. I can feel the sweating beads on my face drip down the side of my face. I follow his instructions but again and again I am hit with the contractions.

Giken sets me down gently onto one of the beds as the pain shoots from my spine down to my knees.

"Ugh, I ccccan't, Giken." I complained.

"You can. You can do this, my love. You can because you are so strong." Giken kisses my forehand as I grip his hands tightly. "Where is Mooji and Wawa?" He yelled.

"Mooji is on her way back from the western borders. She went to pray for Asin's safety. She should be back already." one of Mooji's followers says.

"What can I do to help Alpha in the meantime?" Giken roared.

"Be calm that it doesn't stress the baby." they all said insyncly.

Giken turns to me again, "It may be too early still. We both know it's only been eight moons~"

"Almost nine now. It's been almost nine months. I knew it was going to be any day now. The 11th month of the year is a good time to have our baby, Giken. UGH…" another surge of pain comes and I begin to push.

A healer quickly assesses my belly and removes my undergarments. "Hair and head. She is ready already." one of them called out.

The door abruptly opens and Mooji races in, her clothes all bloody and her hair a mess.

"Two healers, one on each side of the belly. Giken, I need you by her head. Calm her mind. Alpha, when I say push, you push, regardless if you think you're done or not. I say push you push. Got that?" Mooji took over the infirmary shouting commands at everyone.

"Giken, war has started. Western borders went down quickly with only Asin and his men guarding. Ansel and Jerell have brought in reinforcements, but we don't know how long they can hold off Manji-Manidoo and Niiganii." Mooji whispered to Giken.

"Are you alright?" Giken asked.

Mooji nodded yes.

"...and Asin?"

"He will be fine." Mooji replied. I groan in pain as another contraction comes. "Alpha, you are ready. Now push."

I take in a deep breath and push. I felt a sharp burning rip as the baby flowed out. Mooji quickly wipes the baby down, "Girl. Beautiful girl!" Mooji said out loud.

Everyone in the room cheered.

"Alright now push again." Mooji said.

"What? Why?" I ask.

"The baby's sac needs to come out too" said one of the healers.

"Just push, remember?" Mooji reminded me.

I take in a deep breath and push. A gush of blood and more body fluid rushes out and then I heard another baby crying.

"Two!" Giken yelled out in excitement. "TWO PRINCESSES!" Mooji hands the second baby to a healer.

"Push again." Mooji says.

Another contraction comes and I push once again, letting out a painful grunt.

"It's a boy." Mooji announces as she hands off the baby to another healer. "That is the last baby, I promise. Now I need you to push out the babies' sacs."

"You knew? You knew there were three this whole time?" I asked Mooji.

"I knew the first time I placed my hands on your belly. Three babies, it's already very rare in Ma'iingan to have twins such as me and Minaam, but to have triplets. I didn't want to say anything about it in case badluck's ears were open."

"What should we name them, mommy Alpha?" Giken asked me.

"I was thinking…"

"MOOJI!" Asin barges into the infirmary. "Alpha, Beta, Mooji… we need to go now. The Western borders have fallen. It was a surprise attack. All of Manji-Manidoo's followers are all together breaking down the west and the northwest borders. We need to make sure you are all safe. We need to evacuate. NOW!"

"No!" I replied. Giken gives me a puzzled look.

"Yes!" Asin demanded.

"No!" I rebutted, "I need to fight!"

"You've just delivered a baby!" Asin gestures to the babies, waving his hand and then notices that there are three. "You've just delivered three babies! You do not have the strength to f…"

"DO NOT TELL WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO!" I interrupt Asin. "I've just given birth to three babies, surely, nothing can stop a brand new mother from protecting her babies." The room darkens with her raging voice forcing Asin to obey.

Asin's eyes quickly looked around the room and at the three babies. "Right, and while you fight, who will watch these babies?" he asks softly.

I turned my attention toward Giken and announced, "Giken will. He is Beta and he is the father of all these pups." Giken began to protest, but I quickly shut him down. "Giken, I trust only you to keep our pups safe. We both know I can handle this." I stared into Giken's eyes and at that very moment, a sincerity overcame the both of us.

We both knew this was the best option and we both knew it could be the last of either of us. I watched him as he watched me. For a long pause, I waited until he gave me a nod of understanding.

"Giken, promise me you will do everything in your power to protect our pups. Promise me."

"I promise." Giken replied as he quickly grabbed the three babies, gave me a long 'I love you' kiss, right before running out of the infirmary. I felt as though my whole heart was torn right out of my chest, as I lay bloodied on the bed.

Tears well up in my eyes as the feeling of newborns being ripped away from their mother's teats begin to take over my thoughts. I rubbed my eyes and dried away the tears telling myself that now is not the time to be sentimental.

I quickly turned my attention to Mooji.

"Alpha, the bleeding has stopped, but I'd advise that you rest a little. I know~"

I raise my palm up to quiet her.

Asin and Mooji rush to my side to help me stand, but I stumble a little as I try to straighten myself.

"I have an idea," Asin suggested, "but you're not gonna like it very much."

*

The Western borders are full of bloodshed. Man versus wolves, wolves versus wolves, and bodies laid spread out and dead on the cold muddied grounds.

"Do not let them through!" voices roared, "HOLD THE BORDERS"

Only a few of Asin's men were left, trying to contain the borders. Hope seems far-fetched and as one by one, they fall down to join their brothers and sister's corpse.

Manji-Manidoo howled, "KILL EVERY LAST ONE! NO SURVIVORS!"

Asin and Mooji raced in their wolf forms to reach the Western Borders and upon their arrival, new hope seemed to have given strength to the fighting men.

All eyes turn to look at Asin in his large and intimidating wolf form. Slowly, Asin bows his head down to reveal something on his back, or rather, someone… me.

"Alpha!"

"Look, it's Alpha!"

"Alpha is here!"

Asin's followers began to cheer as they fought. Their new enlightened hope distracts Manji-Manidoo and they begin to glance over at me.

"Bloodshed of your brothers, your sisters, your mothers, your sons!" I announced. "Is this what Ma'iingain is about? War against themselves? Is this what you want? Does this make you happy?"

My voice rang loud and clear and all the fighting ceased. All eyes stared up at me.

"We are Ma'iingan!" I declared. "We are Ma'iingan!"

"MAYAGWEWININI! YOU ARE A FOREIGNER! YOU WILL NEVER BE MA'IINGAN!" Manji-Manidoo's voice overshadowed mine.

"Manji-Manidoo, does it make you happy to see the Ma'iingans that you once shared a home with dead on the ground, knowing you led them here? Does it make you proud to kill your own kind?"

"YES! WE MA'IINGANS DO NOT ALLOW FILTHY MAYAGWEWININI LIKE YOU TO DIRTY OUT SACRED LAND!"

"Foreigner or not, I am a skin changer just like yourself. We are NOT that different."

Manji-Manidoo gave out a deafening malicious laugh, "Skin changer? YOU?" he laughs again.

"Do NOT listen to one such as she." Niiganii finally shows herself, "she is the root of all Ma'iingans problems. We were just fine before she came into our lives and now look, she has ruined us all." Niiganii tried to sway everyone.

I aimed my hand outward as though I am gripping Niiganii's throat and as I squeeze to close my palm, lightning bolted out of me in a blue ultra violet spark, imitating my dragon form and shooting straight out towards Niigani.

Everyone watched as a mere image of my dragon form rendered Niigani helpless.

"Niigani, you have done way too much damage amongst the Ma'iingan. You will burn in hell for all of eternity after your suffering on this Earth has completed." In one quick gesture, I shoved her out of the way and dissipated my powers.

A loud "awe" whooshed through the western borders, as Manji-Manido's followers began to switch sides one by one.

"What are you doing? Fight, you worthless chicken shit, FIGHT! I command you to fight!" Manji-Manidoo demanded, but no one listened to him.

One-by-one they transfigured into their human form, and one-by-one they dropped their weapons to embrace one another.

"I AM YOUR ALPHAAAA~" Manji-Manidoo's last words ended with a loud agonizing grunt, as Minaam's spear pierced through his back, half sticking out of his chest.

"GO TO HELL!" Minaam yelled, pulling out the spear and watching Manji-Manidoo drop dead.

"Minaam!" Mooji called out. "What are you doing here?"

"We heard about the attack. I came down with Xui to help Alpha and my sister. You think I will let this bully hurt you again?" She shouted back to Mooji.

"Minaam, watch out!" Mooji called, but it was too late.