The darkness that had claimed Erin Volter's mind after the harrowing hours of labor slowly began to dissolve.
Sensations returned to her body in a sluggish, lingering wave. The sharp, tearing agony that had ripped through her lower abdomen for hours had subsided, leaving behind a dull, hollow ache. The quiet room smelled of damp moss, pine needles. Soft, violet twilight filtered through the wooden window shutters, casting gentle shadows across the small bedroom.
Erin's eyelids fluttered open, her long, pale lashes heavy with dried sweat.
For a few quiet seconds, her mind was beautifully clear. Then, the memory of what had transpired returned to her. She had given birth.
A sudden, overwhelming surge of warmth erupted deep within her chest—a instinctual emotion that completely caught her off guard. She felt a profound wave of relief, a sweet, fluttering pleasure, and a strange sense of quiet accomplishment.
