Tears welled in my eyes as I emerged from the memory, the potent drug still swirling through my senses. Forgetting I wasn't alone, I struggled to process the recalled conversation. My mind felt as if it might shatter under the weight of the astounding revelations. I had met the Goddess, and though too young then to understand her explanations or realize I was the child in her story, I was certainly old enough now. I had a family. "The Goddess's power runs through my veins," I thought dazedly.

The heavy silence broke. "Holy shit," Gabriel breathed in amazement.

"Did that… was that…" Roger stammered, glancing at the other men.

"I can't believe it," Henry concluded, his expression solemn yet reverent as he stroked my brow.

"Was that… was that real, or a dream?" I asked nervously, my wide eyes on my father-in-law. It felt real, but years of dashed hopes had taught me never to trust such things.

"No, Ella," Leon replied stiffly, seeming unsure how to address me. "That was very real."

I squeezed my eyes shut, tears streaming down my cheeks. "They wanted me," I murmured in awe. "My parents wanted me."

"Of course they did," Henry chuckled fondly, wiping away some of my tears. "How could they not?"

My brother-in-law watched us as if we were mad. "Um… is that all that stuck out to you because—"

"Put a sock in it, Roger," Gabriel growled.

"Sorry, it just seems like she's burying the lead," Roger mumbled sullenly, crossing his arms. "I mean, we just found out secrets about the whole damned universe and—"

"And Ella just found out she wasn't willfully abandoned by her parents," Leon interrupted. "Let her have this moment before we start digging into the rest."

"You all are being very calm about this," Roger grumbled. "But I'm the crazy, insensitive one."

Henry glared at his eldest son. "Why don't you make yourself useful and call your brother."

Glaring, Roger obeyed. A minute later, a tablet was pressed into my hand. Dominie's handsome face filled the screen, and I experienced the joy of seeing my mate while still under the influence of the ether. "Hello, trouble," he greeted me with a wide, though concerned, smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I met the Goddess," I reported dreamily, my gaze lingering on the rugged planes of his cheekbones and jaw. They seemed sharper under the drug's influence, his emerald eyes even more striking.

"You're so beautiful I want to lick your face," Sinclair chuckled, the worry lines in his brow smoothing out. "Well, right back at you," he replied warmly. "What's this about the Goddess?"

"Oh, she was prettier than you," I admitted reluctantly, recalling the enchanting woman with her starlight hair and cosmic eyes. "But not nearly as cuddly… I mean, her cuddles were nice, but yours are so much better." I paused, distracted by thoughts of my mate's arms. It took a moment to refocus. "But you wolves have had it wrong. She's not even the Goddess of the moon, but of all light—and she has a partner."

"Though honestly, he sounds like a bit of a downer."

"Well, isn't that fascinating?" Sinclair said, in the tone one might use with a drunk toddler. He cleared his throat. "Dad?"

"Yeah, she's still pretty high," Henry muttered, eliciting an affronted scoff from me. "Here, dearheart, listen to this while I explain to Dominic." My phone lay ready, a recording of Sinclair's purrs cued up to calm me if needed. He pressed play, the sound filling my ears, sending ripples of warmth through my body.

I could hear Henry recounting the entire tale to Sinclair in the distance, but I found myself drifting toward sleep, lulled by the drug and my mate's purrs. I heard their astounded discussion—about the God of darkness, the unknown history of wolves and humans living together openly, and my role in this war—but the details were too numerous to focus on. The conversation flitted erratically. I sighed and snuggled deeper into the sofa cushions.

"Can I have a blanket?" I mumbled softly after a while. "And maybe a cupcake?"

A warm weight settled on my shoulders. "You can have as many cupcakes as you want when you wake up, angel," Henry promised, though I could hear Sinclair complaining about such an unhealthy prospect in the background.

"Stop being bossy," I told him, interrupted by a yawn. "Sugar comes from plants… that makes it salad."

Sinclair laughed, and I realized they'd brought the tablet closer. "Stop sassing me and go to sleep, little mate."

"You can't make me…" I mumbled weakly, met only by purrs from both the recording and the video call.

At some point, I heard Leon protest. "What about the therapy?"

"Let her rest," Sinclair's deep voice instructed. "I'll go after her, and when she wakes, she'll come see—"

The next thing I knew, I was in the dream forest, Sinclair walking toward me through the trees. It was the first time I'd found my way there alone since delving into my past, and I ran into his open arms. "I did it! No nightmares!" I exclaimed, wrapping myself around him.

"I see!" He exclaimed, hugging me close and showering my face and hair with kisses.

"Are you sleeping in the middle of the day?" I asked, nuzzling against his chest, where his scent was strongest.

"I am," he confirmed, his large hands moving over my body. "I figured it was worth making an exception today."

"You should do this every day," I suggested eagerly, nibbling his shoulder and licking his clavicle. "In fact, if we both slept all the time, we could just be together here until you come home!"

"That might cause a few problems with the summit," Sinclair remarked wryly, reclining and adjusting my legs so I straddled him comfortably. "You know, for someone so exhausted a second ago, you're awfully hyper now."

"Because I'm excited!" I announced, sitting up. He took my hands, and I intertwined my fingers with his, playfully pushing against his palms and grinning. I didn't know how much of my euphoria was the drugs or the secrets I'd learned, but I wanted nothing more than to be lighthearted. "I have a family… one who loved me. I've been dreaming about this since I was a pup."

"I'm so happy for you, sweetheart." I leaned down to kiss him, and Sinclair held me close, exploring my mouth with his tongue and lavishing affection on my body with his skilled fingers.

Just before our lips met, however, I sensed him suppressing an unpleasant emotion. I pulled back. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he lied. "Just let me love you for a while." He kissed me again, my hips instinctively moving against him, but I wriggled free.

"No," I insisted stubbornly. "Tell me."

He grumbled, moving his mouth to my neck and nibbling. "Don't you want to enjoy this for a while? Come on, let's leave reality for after the drugs wear off."

"If you don't tell me now, I'll just build it up worse in my mind," I declared fiercely.

Sinclair sighed and dropped his head back against the mattress. "Alright, I need to tell you something about your family."

I froze, my instincts on high alert. "Do you know who they are? My parents?" I asked, unsure how it would be possible given the Goddess's limited information.

"Baby, the couple the Goddess described—a powerful Alpha King from an ancient bloodline, with a tender-hearted wife who couldn't bear children… around the time you were born… there's only one couple in the world who fits that description," Sinclair explained gently.

My heart stopped. "Who?"