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“I—“ I cannot think of what to say.

“You should just tell him because it might make him break a little more and fix whatever’s going on with him right now,” Vex says, walking closer to the bed and sitting next to me.

He puts a hand on my forehead, touching it like he does to the human females when they are not feeling well. He has told me many times he has no idea what they think he’s doing when he does it but that it makes them feel better.

“I am not broken,” I mumble, finally able to move my limbs.

I lean back until I’m sitting on my knees and eye Simone suspiciously as she spreads her legs in front of me, all but showing off how she is ready to take me again. I place a hand on her abdomen, wanting to see it swell with my young. It would be the greatest honor. One I would cherish.

“Did you mean it?” I ask, tilting my head to the side and hoping my mate knows I cannot take her teasing in this. I can handle it in most things, but this would hurt me greatly if it were turned into a jest.

“Oh, now you have to tell him. He looks so sad,” Vex laughs and pats me on the shoulder before leaning back against the headboard and crossing his feet at the ankles. “Come on, I have appointments to make, and I want to see what he does.”

“See what I do when?” I ask. I look between Simone and Vex as I try to figure out what they are talking about.

Simone grabs my face between her palms stroking my cheeks as she forces me to look deep into her eyes. “I want your young, Rallan.”

Her hand moves to cover mine on her abdomen. I swallow deeply, wanting to take her again and make sure she is carrying my young before the day is over. She is smiling at me right now, though. A mischievous smile that tells me there is something she has been keeping from me.

She tilts her face up toward mine, and I bring my lips down for her to kiss. “I’m going to have your young, Rallan.”

A hiss burns through my chest at her statement, and I can’t help but turn my eyes to Vex for confirmation. “How long?”

“She had me run tests last night,” Vex answers, not hiding anything more from me. “She told me she was telling you this morning.”

I look down at my little mate, who will soon be swollen and round with my young. She smiles up a me like she is blessed to be carrying my babe when it is me who is the most blessed.

“You deserve a reward for this,” I murmur before grabbing Vex by the shoulder and dragging him to take my spot between our mate’s legs. “Do the thing where she forgets her name.”

Simone opens her mouth to argue, but Vex beats her to it. “It would be my honor,” he says as he turns into a wriggling mass of glowing energy that brings our mate the most amazing of pleasures.

“Fuck, I love you,” Simone groans before she loses the ability to speak. Her eyes flare open, looking straight into mine. “Both of you. I love you both so much.”

“Shh.” I stroke her cheek as Vex’s body covers hers almost entirely. “We love you too. Now let Vex show you how much.”

She throws her head back as Vex’s body begins to vibrate. When he finishes with her I’ll hold her until she remembers the world, and then I will tell her how happy I am to have a young with her.

20

Simone's Epilogue

5 Years Later

Iwaddle more than walk toward the great hall. Technically, I’m supposed to be in bed resting since I’m so close to going into labor. I haven’t even felt a fake contraction yet, and I know what they feel like after I almost murdered Rallan for getting me pregnant with Savi.

The pain of that first birth seemed to disappear when I thought about having a second, but now that this baby is about to be born, I’m remembering with brand new clarity just how much I hated being in labor for almost two full days.

I push those thoughts out of my head, determined to find Rallan, Vex, and Savi because I need to see my boys right this second. I knew I was going to be alone in the house when Itold them I wanted to read and have alone time this evening. I got bored of that after about five minutes and wanted my boys back. Unfortunately for me, it’s Rallan’s turn to help out in chaperoning the mating ceremony. Vex told him he would help so I could have the alone time I thought I wanted.

The great hall is filled with humans and demons when I enter. Normally, on the first day of the mating ceremony, there are fewer people inside, but it’s a particularly cold night. Well, as cold as it can be on a planet whose lowest temperature is like eighty degrees.

I smile as I look around, one hand on my abdomen, rubbing soft circles to soothe my babe as I look around and enjoy seeing so many happy couples and throuples and, well, whatever groups of four or more are called.

“Simone!” Olivia comes walking over to me, her daughter clinging to the back of her skirt and tugging on it for her mother’s attention. Olivia bends down to grab her and hefts her into her arms. “Are you looking for your mates? I think they’re still back there with the males, but they haven’t started yet if you wanted to go talk with them.”

“Who’s with the women tonight?” I ask, not wanting to step on any toes if I interrupt the mating ceremony. It isn’t a very formal affair, but the ones in charge of it take it seriously and want the males who go through it to take it seriously, too.

“It’s Nia tonight, so she’ll be happy to see you.” Olivia looks around until her eyes snag on someone that she waves over. “Go with your father. He’s stronger than me, and you’re getting heavy,” Olivia says to her daughter as she nuzzles her face close to hers and places a kiss on her forehead. Ralleth takes their daughter easily with one arm and wraps Olivia up in his other. “Need me to show you, or are you good to go on your own?”