I didn't really notice when Ella left. I was too busy crying.

I think I scared Roger again when I started crying. It began with a few tears, but then I was suddenly blubbering against his shoulder. It felt like every single emotion I'd ever experienced was rushing through me at once.

"Cora," Roger whispered, concerned, pulling me closer. But when I didn't stop, he simply held me tight, shushing me and rubbing my back. When the crying continued, he slowly backed up until his legs hit the bed. He sat down, pulling me onto his lap, then lay back, taking me with him.

I began to calm down, curled against Roger's body, breathing in his warm scent. He made soft, comforting noises, kissed my head, and whispered that everything was all right and that I was lovely.

I was embarrassed when I finally composed myself. Seriously, the guy just found out he was going to be a dad, and all I did was cry about it for five solid minutes. But when I looked up at him, he gave me a gentle smile, as if he didn't mind at all.

"I'm so sorry, Roger," I murmured.

"What?" he asked. "Cora, I'm the one who grabbed you, freaked out, and spontaneously transformed into my wolf in a panic—"

"Yes," I conceded, nodding, but still feeling guilty. "But Roger, I didn't call you for five days."

"That's all right, Cora," Roger replied, dismissing it too easily as he stroked my hair. I shook my head. He was completely overwhelmed by his excitement about the baby—willing to forgive me anything because he wasn't thinking straight. But then his hand paused, and I saw him start to figure things out. "Wait," he said, hesitating and looking at me more seriously. "Cora, why didn't you call me for five days?"

"Because," I answered, holding his gaze but blushing, not wanting—at all—to discuss my other sexual partners with my mate. Especially now, when he was probably newly volatile and protective, his new father instincts primed to kill anyone who threatened to take me away from him.

"Because, Roger…until you came into this room and sensed our connection, I thought the baby was Hank's."

"Oh," Roger said, his eyes widening as he stared at me. Then, slowly, he rested his head back.

"I mean," I said, hesitating. "I didn't want it to be. It was just…the logical conclusion at the time. I can't smell the baby's bloodline and had no reason to assume that I—unlike literally any other human woman—could somehow carry a wolf baby…"

"No, I get it," Roger replied evenly, still staring at the ceiling, I think sorting through his own feelings.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I should have told you—I was a coward. I just…I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to face it, especially if it meant…" I bit my lip, unwilling to confront the possibility.

"Did you think I would leave you?" Roger asked, his voice quiet, now looking down at me.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "Would you have?"

"No," he replied instantly, but then hesitated. "I mean, Cora, it would have been…incredibly difficult for me. And I love you—I don't think I'd ever find another mate—but," he sighed, putting a hand over his face and shaking his head, admitting the truth to himself. "If you were carrying another man's baby….it would have put an incredible strain on our relationship."

I sat quietly, looking at him for a few moments. "But," I said after a long pause. "It's…not someone else's child. It's yours." The words were shaky, because I still couldn't believe it.

"Yes, that's right," Roger replied, moving his hand from his face and looking at me, a small smile on his mouth. "So…do we even need to…think about it?"

"Do you want to?" I asked, curious.

"Not…a lot…" he confessed, grimacing.

"I mean," I said, cocking my head. "Do you forgive me? For…sleeping with him?"

"Cora," Roger murmured, sitting up and causing me to sit up as well, considering I was lying on his chest. Then he took my face in his hands again. "There's nothing to forgive. I don't care if you've had a romantic past—we weren't even together when you slept with him. I didn't like it, but I'd never hold it against you."

I blushed, realizing I'd perhaps been feeling…well, a little slutty about sleeping with Hank two days before sleeping with Roger. But as I looked into Roger's eyes, I realized that was a completely human emotion—that wolves, unlike humans, weren't precious about chastity or prudish about sex. They were incredibly fierce about their mates, of course, but…we weren't mated when it happened.

"All I care about," Roger said, shaking his head slowly as he stared at me, "is our future. All right? Me, you, and this…weird little baby…" he murmured, looking down at my stomach.

"Is it weird?" I asked, looking down at my stomach, suddenly scared that Roger could smell something unusual about the baby.

"Well, yeah, it's weird," he said, but when he looked up at my face, he saw he'd scared me. "No, Cora," Roger said quickly, laughing and kissing me quickly. "Not like that—just…we didn't think it could exist. Right?"

"Okay," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Okay." Then I laid my head against Roger's chest as he lay back down, wrapping his arms around me. I closed my eyes and let myself feel…

Safe.

For the first time in days, I felt safe.

As I exhaled again, I heard Roger take a deep breath and hold it. I looked up at him, curious. "What is it?" I asked.

"Cora," Roger said, staring guiltily at the ceiling. "You've taken most of the blame for this whole Hank situation," he sighed, shaking his head. "But honestly…it's all my fault. I haven't been fair to you."

"What?" I asked, frowning at him. Roger sat up again, folding his legs and taking my hands. Unnerved but curious, I did the same, sitting across from him so I could see his face.

"Cora," Roger said, holding my gaze like a penitent man, although guilt was clearly written all over him, "you didn't call me for five days this week. But I…" he sighed, looking down at the bed and shaking his head. "I didn't call you for weeks when we got back to the capital, after our time in the desert."

"But," I whispered, frowning. "It's different," I pointed out. "We weren't mated."

"I know," he said, meeting my eyes and nodding. "But…I never told you why I stopped calling you."

I went a little pale. Honestly, I just thought he'd lost interest in me—or that he decided wanting to be a father was more important than his attraction to a human woman.

But now he said there was a reason? A real, concrete reason why he hadn't called?

And I held my breath, unsure if I actually wanted to know.