Page 168 of Alastair

And then, I showed him.

***

Everyone sat around the table as rain tapped against the windowpanes of Ravenwood Mansion. Winter was making way for spring, but in Echo Bay, if it wasn’t snowing, it was raining. I didn’t mind. It certainly didn’t dampen the mood as we dug in to the chili and sweet cornbread Raiden had cooked.

“How are things up in the celestial realm?” Galen asked me. “Get into any fights?”

“Oh yeah,” Castor said. “Like popping Uriel in the mouth? If so, please recount it in detail.”

“No. There have been no fights.”

Lazarus smirked. “Unless you count the times he tried to boss me around and I reminded him of who’s in charge.”

I scoffed. “Says the one who was at my mercy this morning. Or have you forgotten?”

“Aww.” Bellamy draped his arm across the back of Phoenix’s chair. “Still in the honeymoon phase, I see. Sex every morning, afternoon, and night.”

Gray crinkled his nose. “Gross.”

Clara snapped a finger at him. “Hey, you have no room to talk, little mister. You’ve attacked your husband on every surface of this house.”

“Gotta mark my territory,” Gray said with a grin.

“Mark it somewhere else.”

Mason coughed into his fist. The poor guy’s cheeks were bright red.

“Stop embarrassing your mate,”I told Gray.

He responded by sticking out his tongue at me. Some things never changed. But I didn’t want them to. The war had taken so much from all of us. I was glad to see it hadn’t taken his playful spirit.

I looked at Kallias. He sat close to Elasus, softly smiling as he fed his mate a piece of cornbread. I never thought I’d see a day where he smiled so much—where he was so happy.

The two of them had moved into the bungalow Lazarus had stayed in on the island. Baxter called me every so often and had said Elasus started training with the bladesmith. Making weapons instead of using them. Kallias now worked at the coffee shop. An interesting thought of my warrior of a brother making lattes, but he enjoyed it. It helped calm his mind, much like cooking did for Raiden.

“So.” Daman cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “War and I have news.”

Warrin instantly broke out into a smile and took Daman’s hand on top of the table.

“We’re pregnant,” Daman said, blushing a little.

“Our surrogate told us the news yesterday morning,” Warrin said, his smile the biggest I’d ever seen. “Kotya and I will be parents to a baby girl or boy. I care not the gender. I only wish the babe to be healthy and strong.”

Daman looked at his mate, and a wave of elation came from him. His happiness was palpable.

“Congrats!” Gray leapt up and pounced on Daman, then did the same to Warrin. “Can I name the baby? Pete for a boy. Petra if it’s a girl.”

Warrin nodded. “I like the name Petra.”

“No,” Daman said. “Because I know why he chose that name.”

Mason barked out a laugh. “Get your cute ass back over here, angel. They’re not naming their child after Dino-Pete.”

Gray pouted at him.

By Bellamy’s small smile, it was clear he’d already known. Daman had probably called him right after he and Warrin received the good news. “I’m so goddamn happy for you, D. You’re gonna be a great dad. And I get to be the awesome uncle who spoils them rotten.”

Phoenix rested his head on Bellamy’s shoulder. “You holding a baby might be the thing that kills my black heart. I’ll officially be one of the good guys. The sweetness will be too much.”