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Alright, so maybe I go a little overboard every time Andromeda gets pregnant, but hey, can you blame me? The last time it happened she got kidnapped and some part of myself seems to be utterly convinced it will happen again. Hell, I still have nightmares about it, more than once I’ve woken up in the dark and nearly trampled my own sons to death in an effort to get outside under the false pretence that she is missing. It affected me in a way I cannot even begin to describe, some wound left on my soul that still bleeds or rips open at the slightest provocation. For some equally unknown reason I also seem to have formed some ridiculous and obsessive need to know where Meryl is at all time. My supposed eldest son, though I am still not comfortable referring to him as anything other then Meryl, has become rather valued of late for his healing skills and after Stella nearly died the last time she gave birth I refuse to take any further risks, having taken up a position just outside the den where I can keep an eye on all of my boys and make sure Meryl doesn’t dare wander off when he could be needed at any moment. Then again, my towering, heavy form seems to be enough to make sure he stays within sight of my violet blue eyes. I had, by some miracle, managed to have a day off seeing as Heyel was too busy yelling at Malina and Ava about their pregnancies and honestly I can’t half say I blame him. He went to all that effort to explain how to avoid getting themselves knocked up and they both went and did it. Malina I can see I suppose, although she always did seem to be the most law-abiding of us all which is surprising, even so, she is still, well, normal and apparently winter affects her to. Ava was the real shock. Miss ‘no boy will ever be on top’ seems to have changed her tune and to be perfectly honest I damn well want to know who the father of the pups is. I’m half inclined to shake his paw, must have been a bit of an effort to get the job done and really that deserves some accolades, whoever his is. Hmm, maybe when I actually get a look at the pups I can work it out, I’m sure it can be any Pack wolf, she’s never shown any favour to any of them. We’ll have to wait and see what the little ones look like.

I shifted slightly, turning my snowy back to the sun as Meryl, Guardian and Starfall played about in the shade of the single tree near the hill our den rested on. For a boy so hot-headed sometimes, Guardian never lost patience with his older brother and his ramblings, the black pups tumbling over each other, although pup was hardly the word. They were yearlings now, gangly, un-coordinated, irritating and entirely too big to live at home anymore yearlings. I was also rather mildly annoyed to note the size of their feet, some part of myself prone to the feeling that there was a chance both would be taller than myself and, petty or not I found that displeasing. For this moment however, I was content to let it slide as Guardian aimed to crash tackle Meryl to the ground, eyes rolling in my head although I have to say there is something to take pride in when one’s own son is clearly a potential Battle Master. Honestly I was rather thrilled to know he’d already won the favour of Achilles, that he’d have a decent enough position in this life. Meryl too, I suppose, I was begrudgingly proud of. I never really know how to be around that odd young male and yet I am entirely content to tolerate him, to be in his company even if his career choice is kind of girly in my opinion. I blame Andro for that, he could have made an excellent scout, or Assassin. I would have rather liked one of my sons to follow suit, maybe Starfall can be persuaded, nobody would tell an Assassin he was crazy and hell, if he was, what would it matter? It could surely be explained by way of post-traumatic stress or something equally ridiculous. I shrugged the thoughts off, eyes still lingering on my black and red boys, a mild smile touching my lips as Meryl joined in. He was alright that one. Yeah.

Andromeda’s sudden shout drew my attention, large paws tumbling over themselves in an effort to get to her, eyes narrowing slightly towards Meryl as I passed, a silent command not to go anywhere or attended to anyone else when he was clearly needed here before I slipped inside the den, eyes finding those of my mate. I had, after all, decided to make Andromeda mine in every possible way, just so there was no confusion in the matter, that any other male who came along would be well and truly of the understanding that she belonged to me and only me. Yeah I’m possessive, runs in the blood. My muzzle reached towards her, anxiety already turning within myself as she licked at it. What if the same thing happened like last time? What if she was sick again? I might have been breathing slightly fast and yet I suppose that’s what happens when two souls are connected, she’s in pain and I go out in sympathy with her, a whine coiling in my chest before she spoke again, ears pricking forward. Girls? I scowled slightly, the delicacy of the situation apparently forgotten as my lips twisted in mild disdain, I never was good in sensitive situations, but she wouldn’t have married me if she didn’t find it at least a little endearing.

"Girls? Well is he sure? Can we exchange them if that happens? I think I’d much rather have….er…..I mean, how lovely."

I managed a rather awkward smile, looking somewhat guiltily away as if the side of the cave wall was apparently needing my whole attention. My preference for boys has never really been a secret I suppose. Another spasm within her frame removed any thoughts of any preference from my mind as I whined again, nervous tension coiling within my frame. Alright, maybe I didn’t care, maybe I just wanted them all to live. A brush at my side drew my attention, the tall, gangly form of my youngest son appearing as Guardian leaned into me, his blue gold eyes bright with what I hardly know as he looked at his struggling dam.

“Papa, what’s she doin’ eh?”
"She’s having pups."
“Oh, s’alright I spose, but where they comin’ from?”
"From inside her."
“Well how they be getting’ in there?”
"I……I…..don’t ask so many questions your upsetting your Mother!"

I finally snapped at him, pelt bristling slightly as the black boys Angel-Marked ears folded back in mild hurt before I sighed with exasperation at his endless questions, tongue running over my teeth before returning my attention to Andromeda, my paws shuffling against the earth of the den, worry clear within my gaze.

“S’alright Papa, Star says it all be bein’ fine”

Apparently Star had a lot to say about a lot of things. So I’m a little stressed, shoot me. I shoot a glance towards my middle son, seeking Star’s gaze a moment, hoping that what Guard said was true before the first glimpse of a puppy became clear, my form rocketing to it’s feet with astounding speed, ready to save it as I had done for Guardian, paws kneading tensely at the earth as Stella moved to clean it. White! White! Ha. I knew I could do it. I managed a yap of delight before I realised I was supposed to be setting a mature example, sitting down again quickly as Andromeda placed the grey and white girl between us. A daughter, my daughter. Celeste.

“That is bein’ da most yuck thing I ever been seein’ and I’m thinkin’ me eyes are all hurtin’ from seein’ it. Put her back, she’s all…..dirty.”

Leave it to Guardian to ruin the moment. I snapped at him, warding him away as I bent to nuzzle my tiny daughter, licking at her soft for. So tiny, so small. The hour in-between her birth and that of the second child barely registered within my mind as I lay beside my daughter and my mate, watching over the both of them, licking at Andromeda’s cheek each time the pain took her though indeed my eyes remained held against the girl, the tiny little girl who had become my world in a way no son ever could. That I should be gifted with another seemed entirely impossible, the white and red Angel Marked second girl cleaned and placed beside Celeste, the stars, as Andro spoke once more, my eyes still on my daughters, white and perfect, one even baring the marks of my bloodline.

"Yes, she is Angel-Marked."

I spoke softly, quietly, as if I feared to wake what couldn’t hear.

"I want to call her Iophiel, for the Angels she takes after."

And sometimes, the world is perfect.






AZRAEL

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"6 years ~ Andromeda ~ Heyel x Zeivah ~ 41in 177lbs ~ Sire of Meryl/Starfall/Guardian/Celeste/Iophiel ~ Diveen "