“You’re far too kind to me, Ariel,” Jackson whispers, his throat tight.“No, I’m not,” I sigh, slumping against him as his wolf curls up around mine, giving her a long lick on her cheek and then resting his nose again over her neck. “I’m sorry I wasn’t nice and yelled. I think I freaked her out.”“Y
Marigold studies me for a long moment and I feel Jackson step close, feel him settle down on the ground behind me. The little girl flicks her eyes to him and then back to me.“Ariel,” she whispers, and my name said in her tiny voice makes my heart seize. I smile at her – a big, rich smile – even as
“Um,” Mark says, running a hand through his hair, his eyes again straying to the exit. “I think I want a walk.”“You okay, baby?” I ask, turning to him with a frown. Mark – why is he being weird now? Honestly, with all of these developments, I’m not sure I can handle anything new from Mark too.“I’m
“Hey,” I growl, pointing my finger between Rafe and Jesse, starting to get pissed. “I am here for Jackson – I have been very kind throughout all of this huge, insane surprise tonight –““That boy has been there for you, Ariel,” Rafe interrupts, still very, very serious. “And you dragged him through
“But,” Jesse says, raising his glass again to me in toast. “I think that you’re going to be great, Ari. I think this is weird, and challenging, but that…I don’t know. I think that it could be really good.”“Mom always says babies are a blessing, however they come,” I say on a sigh, looking down into
The room is dark when I step inside, but my eyes focus immediately on Jackson sitting on the ground at Marigold’s side, both of them lit by the light of a tiny nightlight shaped like a unicorn. Jackson looks up at me and smiles when I come in, even as a little request for quiet comes down the bond b
“Thank you,” he replies, dismissing my point. And I smile, opening the bond again, passing a constant stream of love and reassurance down the bond to my mate. Because it’s not that I’m not freaked out, or scared, or shaken by all of this –It’s just that Jesse and Rafe are right. Jackson needs me ri
About forty-five minutes later Jackson and I leave the bedroom with a damp and happy little girl between us, one of her hands in each of ours. She trots happily forward and we both grin down at her, I think both of us still buzzing from the happiness of bathtime.To say that Marigold was happy with