Marigold shook her head right away. "No. Only in the pack. Sometimes I miss her and when I try really hard to think about her, I begin to shake."

It was clear that Marigold’s attempt to communicate with the moon goddess in the city was the reason for the seizures.

Seraphine took that in without showing much on her face. Most people would have smiled and brushed it off but Seraphine didn’t.

A child with that kind of connection, only appearing on sacred pack ground, the physical trembling when the link got strained, wasn’t imagination or a random dream.

That was a gifted child. A seer, maybe. A shaman in the making. The kind of soul born already standing close to something most people spend their whole lives trying to touch.

Seraphine tucked it somewhere close to her heart. She also kept the DNA test idea tucked in the back of her mind, not because she doubted what she felt when she looked at this little girl, but because she was a doctor first, and she needed real answers.

She brought her hand up and cupped the side of Marigold’s small face. "Now that I’m here," she said quietly, "I’m going to take good care of you. That’s a real promise."

With her daughter here, she wasn’t going anywhere. Whatever she lost being separated from her, it was time to begin filling the gap.

Now it all made sense, just as Corvine said. Who knows, Marigold might have fallen into the house of a good family who cherishes her. Indeed, she fell into the right hands and Voren would kill to keep her safe.

Marigold leaned into her palm and looked up at her with those serious blue eyes, sitting with the words for a moment the way kids do when something actually matters. Then her expression changed into something wide open and completely direct.

"Are you going to marry daddy?" she asked, eyes as big as they could possibly get.

Seraphine looked at her. She couldn’t look away. She tried, but she simply couldn’t.

The wild hair. The bright blue eyes. The total lack of any clue that this was a huge, complicated question asked with the same casual confidence as wondering what was for breakfast.

She was just too damn cute.

"That is such a big question for a little girl," Seraphine pulled Marigold’s nose playfully before turning serious. "I really don’t know yet, but I promise to be your mommy for real."

Marigold did not look pleased. She knew things bigger than her age. "Mommy, marry daddy before the blood moon festival," she said seriously, Seraphine was confused by how she could know about that too.

"Did she tell you about the Blood Moon festival too or did you hear it from daddy? Do you have any idea what’s going to happen?"

Before Marigold could open her mouth, Voren had entered the room with a tray so Marigold embraced Seraphine and headed out. "Mommy, have a good rest, and give me a baby brother."

Seraphine could feel the heat climbing to her cheeks as the little girl ran out of the room.

Her face burned even hotter thinking about it, her body already tingling from the innocent words that carried way more weight than they should. Voren offered her a soothing tea. "Drink this."

She did not refuse but her mind kept going back and forth to everything Voren had said and what Mari had told her.

The warm liquid slid down her throat, but it did nothing to calm the sudden rush of heat pooling between her thighs.

Her hopes had just increased once more, as she was determined to find the mark or to have a DNA test done.

She couldn’t afford to stay in bed for four days when a lot of things needed her attention, but right now all she could think about was the way her body was reacting, aching in ways that had nothing to do with the cramps anymore.

"Voren, I...." she was saying when Voren took the cup from her and pressed his forehead against hers, his breath strained and hot against her skin. "Sera, I hate to see you in pain. Let me help you, okay?"

Seraphine swallowed whatever she was about to say and nodded instead, her pulse racing as she felt the solid warmth of him so close.

Voren smiled, that deep, hungry smile that made her stomach flip.

He thought he’d lost her forever when she got married to Ravyn but now, he felt strongly that she was his again, except he didn’t know if he could have the same patience as before.

The need to claim her, to bury himself inside her and remind her exactly who she belonged to, was burning through his veins like fire.

Having lost her once was enough to push him to hasten their relationship.

Voren’s lips pressed against hers, and Seraphine responded with equal passion this time, their lips fighting for dominance in a wet, messy kiss that left them both breathing hard.

Seraphine’s tongue tangled with his, tasting the raw hunger there as his big hands roamed down her back, pulling her closer until her breasts were crushed against his hard chest.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, eyes dark with lust, before he began to slowly unbutton the shirt he gave her.

Each button coming undone felt like a tease, exposing more of her smooth skin to the cool air of the room. She froze for a minute as Voren pulled away, his gaze dropping to her body like he wanted to devour every inch.

"It might feel odd but there’s always a first time," he murmured, voice low and rough.

Seraphine nodded but her face had paled once more, meaning she was in severe pain but was trying her best to put it all together.

Even through the discomfort, her body was betraying her, nipples hardening under his stare, a slick warmth growing between her legs despite everything.

Voren was fighting his emotion, not wanting to betray her trust because the woman before him, was too attractive and feared his inability to stop at the right time....