Sarah
Blake lifts his head from the carpet in the sitting room off the foyer, his chubby fingers gripping the carpet fibers as he whines, his mouth pulled in a frown.
“This is supposed to be good for you, honey,” I urge when he starts to fuss. Dalia, on her knees beside me, nods in silent agreement. “See? You’re learning how to push up with your arms. Soon you’ll be rolling over onto your back if you want it bad enough.”
In response, Blake turns purple with rage and lets out a howl that I’m sure can be heard in the village.
Dalia and I exchange looks, but she chuckles softly and promptly scoops him into her arms. “Bath time, then bed, I think,” she says, meeting my eyes for confirmation.
I nod, shrugging. I watch them walk away and feel a pang of guilt ghost through my chest. My milk dried up. It was my fault for being so stupid and reckless. Blake doesn’t n
Sarah“You look fine,” Sydney assures me, resting his hand on my thigh as he drives us toward the castle the next afternoon. Rain patters against the windshield, and the frigid landscape is suddenly changed–the silver glow replaced by deeper shades of brown, black, and red. Spring is nearly here.A few months ago, I was pacing in my apartment wondering how’d I’d survive alone, with an infant, with an empty refrigerator and barely any money left. Now I’m sitting beside my mate on our way to break the news to his family.I squeeze Sydney’s hand and look over at him. His blue eyes soften, but his brows are still pinched with a glimmer of anxiety. Last night, lying in bed together, we talked about what tonight needed to look like. Sydney is going to take the lead, making an announcement sometime during the dinner proceedings that we’re mates. He was excited as he talked about it, and I realized that this–me–was all he ever wanted–and all he told himself he could never have. I didn’t r
SydneyGuests are arriving–extended family I haven’t seen in years–when I meet back up with Ryan and Sarah on the second floor landing. I wave down to my great uncle Ben and his mate, Emery, the long-standing Alpha of Obsidian temple. Some of my grandma’s other siblings are here, too, bringing their mates, children, and grandchildren along. I realize why Mom insisted on setting up several long tables in the ballroom. There’s at least fifty people here.This isn’t going to be a typical family gathering. Not at all. And now, looking at my mate, who has gone so pale I’m wondering if she’s about to faint and fall down the stairs, I’m rethinking our means of sharing our news. I hold her steady as we linger at the top of the steps with Ryan.I missed whatever meeting Dad and Ryatt were having. I walked in right as they were preparing to go down to dinner. I formally pulled myself off the Sasha investigation, obviously, so I’m technically no longer included in these talks. Still, as an Alp
SarahMy heart pounds over Sydney's voice, his words clear and steady. “My mate,” he says proudly, and the rest of his words are drowned out by the thrum in the room. Some people stand in shock, but everyone is smiling, everyone is turning from us to Sydney’s parents, who are beaming with pride and I’m…In a dream. This has to be a dream because, suddenly, I’m on my feet and people I don’t know are hugging me, shaking my hand, raining blessings upon blessing on us. I look through a part in the fray and find Ella turning every so slightly to Maddy, her dark brows arched as Maddy mouths something that can only be, “I told you so.”They disappear as more people come up to us, the dinner forgotten entirely. This goes on for at least another twenty minutes. Eventually, Sydney sits me back down at our snug table, shoulder to shoulder with Kenna and Misty, and piles my plate high before walking off and dipping into conversations with excited family members whose names I still don’t know.
SarahSydney pulls a large book from a shelf in the massive, stately library. I leap back, muffling a shocked yelp with my hands covering my mouth as a trap door swings open, revealing a spiral staircase. “Come on,” he says jovially, excitement blooming behind his eyes. “Where are you taking me?” I let him take my hand and tug me into the cramped secret stairwell. He pulls a lever on the wall, and the door swings shut again in near silence. “My mom had this built for my dad when I was nine, for their wedding anniversary. It took nearly a decade to complete.”I follow him up the stairs. Up so high, my thighs are burning and my breath comes in rapid puffs. “Is this one of the towers?”“It is,” he says like this is nothing but a walk in the park. At the top of the stairs, he pushes open an old, wooden door, something I’m sure is original to the castle, and we’re met by total darkness. I follow his echoing footsteps, but I can’t see a damn thing in here. “Sydney?”A loud cranking soun
SarahWe’ve fallen into a normal routine at the manor. It’s been almost a week since the family reunion where Sydney announced our bond. While no formal announcement was made about Blake, it’s obvious who his father is.I run my knuckles over Blake’s chubby cheek, smiling down at him as he naps peacefully in my arms. His hair has grown thick and lightened up since our time in the manor, turning a soft chestnut brown. And his eyes?They’re just as rich and blue as Sydney’s. I often wonder what our next child will look like. Will they have eyes like mine? Like Sydney’s? A strange combination of both?I shouldn’t even be thinking about that right now. We’re still finding our footing, deciding the best course of action. Sydney is at his office right now, and to be honest, I’m starting to grow antsy about doing… something. Something outside of the house. Somethin
SydneyBlake babbles the entire late evening drive to Silverhide. He likes rock music, especially when it’s loud enough to send a tremor through the truck, and squeals with delight everytime I go over a bump or a corner too sharply.Sarah would kill me if she knew how loud the music was or how reckless I’m driving, but Blake notoriously hates his carseat, and he’s having the time of his life right now.I can’t lie. I really enjoy having a kid, especially a son. Lately, when my thoughts aren’t on his mother, I imagine what kind of life we’ll have together. What kind of sports he’ll want to play, whether he’ll go to Wellington to pursue academics or warrior training. I wonder whether he’ll continue to look like me or grow to resemble his mom. I wonder what our next baby will be like, especially since we’re not trying to stop that from happening.The idea of Sarah pregnant
Sarah“It really wasn’t that bad,” I explain, seated next to Hadley at the kitchen table. For the past half hour, I’ve been telling her about the dinner party and how Sydney announced our mate bond. Hadley’s been listening while picking at her food, nodding along and smiling when I explain the juicer bits.“Well, look at you, getting to explore the castle. One day, I want to see it.”“It sounds like we’re going to have a big wedding after all. I suppose the reception will be held there.”Hadley smiles and pushes her plate away. “How are you feeling?”“In general? A little overwhelmed, honestly–”“No, right now.”I look down at my plate. I’ve barely touched my food. In fact, my head hurts a little bit, and my stomach is in knots. “It’s been a busy week. I think I’m just tired.”I
Sarah“Where is he?” I pace around the kitchen table toward where James is sewing Cosette back together while Dalia sits at her side, her face colorless and eyes wide with shock. “Ryan, where is Sydney?”“I don’t know,” Ryan growls. He’s wearing one of Sydney’s T-shirts which is too small for him. It’s already ripping at the seams as Ryan takes a swig from the bottle of fine scotch I dug out of the bar in the dining room. Ryan is as drunk as a wolf shifter can be right now. His eyes are unfocused as he blankly watches James put another perfect stitch in Cosette’s side. She doesn’t even flinch as she stares at the ceiling. Her eyes are dry, and her expression is vengeful. “You told me he went after Gabriel. You need to take me to that den, right now!”“You’re not going anywhere, not until Evander–”“Where is my mate?” I grab his arm, shaking him violently. It’s been over an hour since… since Hadley died. My poison-addled brain is still trying to wrap itself around the cold, hard trut