Once Upon a Temptingly Ruinous Kiss - Bree Wolf Page 0,135

her brother had been much closer. Although she still could not understand the way his mind worked, the way he saw the world, she could see now how hard he tried to be a good brother, how much he wanted to protect her, how much he loved her.

All of them had come closer as a family.

If only she could keep her son.

Why, Claudia could not say, but in her heart she always pictured a little boy, and she had to force herself to ignore the names that rose in her mind. No, she would not name him. She would not be his mother, and so she would not name him. If she chose his name, would she be able to say goodbye?

Her days were filled with dread as she awaited the day that life would rip them apart and send them down different paths.

And now that day had come.

Another contraction gripped Claudia and the pain held her in its iron fist. And yet, it was not her body that suffered the most, but her heart, for she knew that each contraction brought her closer to the moment she would have to give up her child. Do not look at him! Something deep inside her whispered. Not even for a moment. Do not look at him!

When the contraction released her, Claudia sank back into the pillows, her mind closed to everything around her. She barely heard her mother’s voice or noticed the doctor−whoever he was−tend to her. Was it day or night? She could not tell. All her heart had to cling to were the last final moments with her son. Still, there was no joy in it, no happiness.

Only dread.

And sorrow.

And then something changed.

The next contraction had Claudia reaching for her knees as instinct took over. Bearing down, she gritted her teeth, trying with all her strength to bring her son into the world.

This was it. The moment she had been dreading for months was upon her.

Tears streamed down Claudia’s face as she forced herself to close off her heart. She pinched her eyes shut, feeling the pain tear through her, and then…he was gone.

Panting, Claudia lay back, exhausted in every way. A new emptiness filled her heart as she kept her gaze fixed on the ceiling. Do not look at him!

For a moment, silence fell over the room before soft wails echoed to Claudia’s ears. “It’s a boy,” the doctor exclaimed, lifting up the child.

Claudia pressed her lips together tightly against the quiver in her jaw, her hands curling into the mattress, holding on as though for dear life.

“Would you like to hold him?” the doctor asked, immediately stepping forward, holding the child up for her to see.

In that moment, two instincts collided. Self-preservation urged her to turn her head, to close her eyes, to not see while her mother’s heart pushed her to look upon her child, to hold him, to nurse him.

“Mary, will you take him?” Claudia’s mother said beside her, her voice filled with sorrow and regret, but also with understanding as her hand continued to hold her daughter’s. “You know what to do.”

With her gaze still fixed onto the ceiling, Claudia heard the maid’s quiet footsteps approach. She heard the soft rustling of clothes as the doctor lay the child into her arms. She heard Mary’s gentle voice as she whispered to the softly-wailing child.

In a moment, he would be gone. Mary would take him away, and he would be given to a good family. Claudia would never see him again, but he would be safe. She was doing the right thing. Do not look at him!

And then her head moved, and before Claudia knew what was happening, her eyes came to rest on her son’s little face.

He was perfect.

Heartbreakingly perfect.

His small round face was scrunched up in complaint as he waved his little fists. His mouth stood slightly open while his eyes were pinched shut. His skin shone warm and soft as the early morning sun reached in through the windows and touched him. For a split second, he opened his eyes as though looking for her, and Claudia could see that they shone in the same brilliant blue she had seen in her dreams.

And then Mary turned and walked away.

He was gone.

Only his soft wails still echoed to her ears, and Claudia turned away, burying her head in the pillows as her heart broke into a thousand pieces.

Aiden!

As her mind screamed his name, loud sobs tore from her throat, and she knew in