The walk back to their cabin felt longer than usual, the magical path now fading as they navigated by moonlight.
"So..." Kai finally broke the silence, his wolf senses picking up the tension. "Three months of potential supernatural parenthood. That's... something."
Samantha glanced at Marcus, who hadn't said a word since Pip's revelation. His expression remained unreadable as he walked slightly ahead of them.
"Kai?" she prompted softly. "What are you thinking?"
"Honestly?" He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm terrified. And excited. And wondering if our kid would howl at the moon or drink blood or both. But mostly..." He paused. "I want you both to be sure. Really sure. Because this isn't just some magical party trick we can laugh about later."
"Marcus?" Samantha called ahead. "You haven't said anything."
He kept walking, his silence growing heavier.
"Look, if you're not ready—" Kai started.
