Page 47 of Monster Daddies

"Maybe we did something wrong," I whisper, though it twists my gut to say it.

Viraat looks over his shoulder at me, eyes shadowed. “Or maybe the universe doesn’t believe we deserve this.”

I move to him fast, smacking his arm with a glare. “Hey. No. Don’t do that. Don’t make this about punishment.”

Jodrick lifts the book gently from my hands and closes it. “We gave it our all, Avalon. Let’s rest. We’ve still got the guests to prepare for. We’ll face whatever comes, together.”

My heart aches with the weight of that word—together.

We clean the circle up in silence, the three of us moving like clockwork, subdued but still orbiting around each other like the little family we’ve become.

That night, I fall asleep between them as usual, tangled in their arms, my heart still bruised with uncertainty.

I wake to birdsong.

Warmth.

Weight.

A slow blink brings Viraat’s broad chest into focus, rising and falling with steady breaths. His arms are still wrapped around me. Jodrick is curled behind me, one hand splayed across my belly, thumb tracing absent circles against my skin.

And...they’re still here.

Still breathing.

Still soft.

Still warm.

And temptingly human.

The sun is streaming in through the curtains.

“Oh,” I whisper, heart hammering.

Viraat stirs at the sound. His eyes open slowly, confused for a moment, then focused entirely on me.

“You didn’t turn to stone,” I breathe.

He lifts his head. Looks down at his hand. Flexes it. His mouth parts in disbelief.

“I didn’t,” he echoes.

Behind me, Jodrick groans awake. “Are you two usually this loud in the morning—wait.”

He jerks upright, staring at the sun-soaked room, then at his own hands.

A beat of stunned silence.

Then Viraat laughs. A broken, startled sound that shakes the whole bed.

Jodrick whoops and pulls me into his arms, covering my face in smacking kisses. I squeal and try to bat him away, tears streaming down my face even as I laugh and cry at the same time.

“We did it,” I sob. “Itworked.”

Viraat leans in, pressing his forehead to mine. “Looks like the universe got it right after all.”

“Damn straight it did,” I sniff.