Chapter 214

[Third Person's PoV ]

"Alright, nobody panic! Nobody panic!" Cid exclaimed, his voice trembling as he looked around frantically.

"What's going on?" Akane asked, blinking in confusion.

Cid turned to her with wild eyes. "Didn't you hear what she said, woman!? My wife is giving birth!" He sounded both excited and terrified. His shadow pulsed and expanded, swallowing all three of them and pulling them into the shadow realm.

Akane gasped, stumbling slightly as she looked around at their new surroundings. "Where… where are we?"

"This is our husband's personal domain, the Shadow Realm," Gamma explained with a smile. Before she could elaborate, Cid's voice rang out in a tone full of urgency.

"DON'T WORRY, ALPHA! YOUR HUSBAND IS COMING!"

"Pfft…" Akane couldn't help but stifle a laugh as she watched Cid take off towards a towering castle in the distance, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

Gamma giggled too, then turned to Akane with an inviting smile. "Come on, let's go! We wouldn't want to miss it!"

"Are… are you sure it's okay for me to be there? I'm a stranger here, and this seems like such a personal moment."

Gamma chuckled, dismissing Akane's concerns with a wave. "Don't worry, we know who you are. Our husband has told us all about you. Now, stop hesitating!" With a sharp whistle, a broom appeared, hovering in midair. "Get on," she instructed, climbing on herself and patting the space behind her.

…

Inside the grand castle, Cid burst into a lavish room, where Alpha lay on a bed, her legs spread and raised as Eta, wearing a surgical mask and gloves, prepared to assist with the delivery. A flurry of other women moved around the room in a mix of excitement and nervous energy.

"Cid!" Alpha's face lit up with relief as she spotted him. Tears glistened in her eyes as she reached out for him.

Rushing to her side, Cid wrapped her in a tight embrace. Alpha melted against him, clinging as if drawing strength from his presence.

"I thought this wasn't happening for a while?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

Alpha smiled apologetically. "It's my fault. I was training, trying to understand the power of the sun like I was supposed to."

"In the shadow realm… where there's no sun?" Cid raised a brow, unable to hide his confusion.

Alpha giggled softly. "Exactly. The lack of sun actually helped me understand it better, it helped me understand it's importance and power. When I finally managed to do this…" She cupped her hands together, drawing her fingers slowly apart, and within the gap, a small ball of light began to form, rotating and glowing until it resembled a miniature sun. But as soon as it fully took shape, Alpha grimaced.

"Ugh!" she gasped, as the tiny sun flickered out. "That's when the contractions started," she said, breathing heavily and clutching her stomach.

"Well, that's certainly something," Cid muttered as Gamma and Akane entered the room, both covered in a fine layer of dust. Akane glared at Gamma, while Gamma gave a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck.

Cid snapped his fingers in their direction, magically cleaning the dust off them with a pointed glare.

Eta, observing Alpha's labor with half-lidded eyes, offered an opinion. "I say a C-section would be simpler," she suggested nonchalantly.

Alpha shot her a fierce glare. "We've already talked about this, Eta. You are not dissecting me!"

Eta looked away, clicking her tongue in mild disappointment.

Noticing Zeta's absence, Cid took it upon himself to summon her. Moments later, she appeared, her usual composed expression softening as she took in the scene. Though she and Alpha often disagreed on certain matters, Zeta still cared deeply for her; after all, they'd grown up together, training and fighting side by side.

With Cid by her side, Alpha took a deep breath, and together they began the breathing exercises they learned from other experiences.

"Arghhhhhh!" Alpha screamed, her face contorted in pain as she pushed, sweat beading on her brow. Beta, who stood at her other side, wiped Alpha's forehead with a wet cloth and held her hand firmly. Of all the women present, Beta had known Alpha the longest, and her face reflected a mixture of worry and anticipation.

Nearby, Aurora held little Celeste on her hip in the usual motherly stance, adjusting her hold as she glared pointedly at Cid. "Don't forget, you have the power to ease her pain."

Cid winced. "You're still holding a grudge on that?"

Aurora scoffed. "Focus on the woman giving birth!"

"Right, sorry." Sitting at Alpha's side, Cid kissed the top of her head, channeling his magic to soothe her pain, though it could only do so much.

Alpha's grip tightened on both Beta's and Cid's hands as another wave of pain surged through her. "AHHHHHH!"

After several more grueling minutes, Eta's voice finally broke through the tension. "I see a head crowning! Keep pushing!"

Alpha clenched her teeth, summoning the last of her strength. "Ughhhhhh!" she cried as she pushed, her scream echoing through the chamber.

Then, a new sound filled the room. "Waaaaah! Waaaaah! Waaaaah!"

A broad smile broke across everyone's faces as the baby's cries filled the air. Tears streamed down Alpha's cheeks as she gazed at her newborn.

"It's a boy!" Eta announced, gently passing the baby to Epsilon, who carefully cleaned him and wrapped him in a soft blanket.

When Epsilon placed the tiny bundle in Alpha's arms, she broke down into joyful tears, gazing in awe at her son. She kissed his tiny forehead and looked over at Cid, her eyes shining.

Before they could bask in the moment, Eta's voice interrupted them. "Hold off on the celebration! There's another on the way!"

Alpha nodded, handing their son to Cid. Although Cid had Celeste, he felt his own eyes sting as he cradled his newborn son. He rocked the tiny boy in his arms, murmuring soothingly as Alpha gripped his hand again, preparing for the next birth.

Eta glanced up with her usual clinical detachment. "The birth canal should be loosened now, so this one should come out more easily."

"Don't word it like that!" Alpha yelled, pushing again with all her might. "AHHHHHHHH!"

Moments later, a second wail filled the room. "Waaaaaah! Waaaaaah!"

"It's a girl!" Eta announced, beaming as she handed the baby to Epsilon for cleaning. The newborn was soon swaddled in a blanket and handed over to Alpha.

With tears streaming down her face, Alpha held her daughter, overwhelmed with love. Leaning toward Cid, she whispered, "Our babies… they're here."

Cid leaned in, their heads close as they held their newborns. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "You did amazing."

Alpha smiled back, murmuring, "Thank you…" They both stared at their twins babies, both had small patches of blond hair with purple eyes and small pointy ears. 

Gamma, watching the tender moment, asked softly, "Have you two thought of names yet?"

Alpha's smile grew as she looked at Cid. "You choose the boy's name. I'll name the girl based on your choice."

Cid chuckled, gazing down at his son, who whimpered softly in his arms. "I'll name you… Lorion."

Alpha's face softened as she looked at her daughter. "Then I'll name her Loriel."

Cid's eyes lit up, his heart swelling with pride and love. "Radiant Sun and Life's Light," he murmured, admiring the meaning behind their names. "It's perfect."

(A/N: Images in the comment section)