“I kinda wish I knew what Rafe’s power will be,” I murmured as we lifted his carrier from the car early the next morning.

Cora and Roger had stayed in their room a few more minutes, but came downstairs much cheerier, ready to celebrate. I watched them carefully for a long time, checking if they were merely putting on good faces for their guests—but honestly, they seemed to have genuinely embraced the Goddess’s good news.

It had been a wonderful night and a brilliant morning.

But now? Now I wanted to sleep.

“I already know what his gift is,” Sinclair said, slinging an arm around my shoulders as we entered the palace.

“You do?” I gasped, looking up at him. I scowled when I saw his smirk and realized he was kidding. “Oh, you liar.”

“No, really,” he said, raising his eyebrows. “His goddess-given power is…handsomeness.”

“What!?” I squeaked, aghast, my mouth falling open.

“Come on!” Sinclair said, laughing and grinning down at our son, who slept in his carrier, drool dribbling from his mouth. “Look how good-looking this kid is!”

“Oh my god,” I groaned, quickening my pace to get ahead of my ridiculous mate.

“I’m serious!” Sinclair pushed, easily catching up with his long legs. “Didn’t you see him in that vision, all grown up? He’s a handsome guy—it’s got to be his power.”

“Stop flattering yourself, Dominic,” I muttered, stepping into the elevator and pressing the up button. “He looked just like you.”

“Precisely my point!” Sinclair said, wrapping an arm around my waist. As the elevator ascended, he continued, “He’ll bring nations to their knees with his smoldering gaze—”

“Cover your ears, baby!” I called to Rafe, rolling my eyes at Sinclair. “Your dad’s going to raise you to be vain and self-satisfied—”

“I want the child to know the full extent of his power! He has to be prepared! Demigoddesses will be falling all over him!”

I burst out laughing. “Stop it!” I gasped, smacking Sinclair’s chest. “We’re trying to raise a nice boy, not an egomaniac!”

“But you’re not saying I’m wrong,” my mate said, smirking and cupping my face in his large hand.

“Well, I don’t think it’s his gift,” I said, narrowing my eyes as the elevator doors opened. I bit my lip. “But he was handsome in the vision.”

“I’m telling you, Ella,” Sinclair said, grinning as we entered our hall. “If it’s not a gift, it’s a curse. He’ll need a fly swatter to keep the girls away—”

I burst out laughing at the mental image, leaning heavily against my mate. We passed a few staff who smiled happily at us as we walked to our door. Sinclair opened it, pressing a warm hand to my back as I went inside.

“Honestly,” I said with a happy sigh, looking down at our son, “I think maybe his Goddess gift is…sleeping soundly through everything.”

“He’s just used to his loud mom,” Sinclair sighed, kissing my cheek before I lifted the baby from his carrier.

“Don’t listen to anything Daddy says,” I murmured to my baby, gathering him in my arms. “He’s a big, ugly liar tonight—”

“I’m not ugly!” he called from the closet, his alpha hearing having picked up our private conversation.

“He is,” I whispered, grinning at Rafe as I carried him into the closet to change him into pajamas. “And you get your good looks from me.”

“Well, that I won’t contest,” Sinclair said, pulling me to his half-naked body the moment I entered.

“Wise man,” I said, kissing him. Sinclair gave me a long, lingering kiss, then patted my behind before reaching for some pajama pants.

A happy silence settled in the closet as we got ready for bed, even though it was only seven in the morning. These baptisms were exhausting, but it was nice having a whole day of rest afterward. The baby’s big day gave us all a respite to reflect on our world and our lives.

When we were ready, Sinclair and I kissed Rafe and tucked him into his crib. I sighed after putting him down, crossing my arms. “Maybe we should take him into the nest tonight,” I murmured. “Keep him close while we can.”

“You can’t sleep with them every night,” Sinclair said softly, kissing my head.

“Just try to stop me,” I growled. “Maybe I’ll keep all the children in bed with us until they’re sixty—”

“That’s a bad idea,” my mate said, wrapping his arms around me and walking backward toward the bed, pulling me with him until we fell onto the mattress. “You’ll traumatize them.”

“Fine,” I sighed, curling up with my mate in our cozy nest. “Just until they’re twenty, then.”

“Okay,” he agreed, resting his head on my shoulder and playing with my hair. His other hand moved down my side to caress my baby bump. “How’s this one doing?”

“I think she’s okay,” I said, sighing happily. I bit my lip, focusing on my daughter for the first time that morning. “It was amazing to see her, wasn’t it?”

“It was,” he murmured. “What a gift it was to be Jesse’s godparent.”

“She’s so pretty,” I whispered, my voice squeaking with excitement.

“She looks just like you,” Sinclair whispered, laughing.

“I know,” I said, giggling. “Just think, she’ll have kings falling at her feet, nations collapsing under the weight of her smolder—”

“Girls don’t smolder,” he murmured, laughing.

“This one will,” I said, placing my hand on his on my stomach. “I think she’s going to be really special, Dominic,” I whispered.

“I think so too,” he whispered back. Smiling, I snuggled against my mate, and wrapped in each other’s arms, we fell asleep.

In my dream, I was my wolf, running breathlessly through the forest, the wind rippling through my fur. I tossed my head back, sprinting for the joy of it. Sinclair was by my side, his own gigantic wolf keeping pace, and I nipped at his side, teasing him, urging him faster.

He playfully snapped his teeth at me and obeyed, speeding up to pass me. At his heels was a little brown pup, yipping with joy as it chased its father’s tail. I laughed inwardly, joy racing through my heart, watching Rafe and Sinclair.

But I didn’t chase after them, because pressed close to my side was my little charge. She was barely there, half-visible, half-substantial in the morning light filtering through the trees. But I could feel her—in my heart and down our bond. My own little twin, a rose-gold pup, raised her snout to the sky and howled with joy.

I dipped my snout and licked her head. She peered up at me with happy, squinting eyes.

And then I ran, with my daughter by my side, all morning long.