Epilogue

If Dakgorim had his way, Rosetta and their new baby would be off-limits to everyone but him. His protective nature went into overdrive when Rosetta got pregnant, ratcheting even higher when their orcling arrived. Delivery by home birth, and if not for having a female physician available, Dak might've insisted on playing doctor in addition to head of security.

That was a week ago. It's taken Rosetta seven days to convince Dak to let us visit.

Natalie has been climbing the walls at being kept away. No amount of cute pictures would satisfy her—and by gods, there've been a lot of them.

But we're here now, bearing more gifts than any single baby needs. Dakgorim will undoubtedly scowl at the sight of so many bags and boxes. Orcs are minimalists by nature. Pretty sure Rosetta wouldn't give a damn if we brought a truckload or came empty-handed. She just wants to see Natalie.

My mate is practically vibrating beside me by the time I knock on the door of the small wooden home in the forest. Her smile falters a bit when Dak opens the door. They don't dislike each other, but he's not the easiest person to get close to, whereas Natalie is warm and open to everyone. Including Dak. Even now, while he's scowling and sniffing the air around us, giving us the orc equivalent of a black-light check over.

"You may enter," he says, stepping aside.

"Congratulations!" Smiling—genuinely, too—Natalie offers him a light-blue envelope, which he takes after an awkward moment of silent glaring.

"You may leave the packages out here." He points toward an empty corner. "No clutter in the nursery."

"Okay, sure," Natalie says, as the two of us set our armfuls of gifts in the designated space. "Is Ro going through another feng shui phase?"

Dak's thick black eyebrows draw together, then he jerks his head toward the addition he built last summer. "Follow me."

Natalie catches my hand, squeezing it while opening herself to me. She must love him for his huge dick.

My body shakes with silent amusement at the thought she sends me. I know she doesn't really believe her cousin is with Dak for his cock. In the eight months she's been in Fate's Falls, she's witnessed the bond between Dakgorim and Rosetta many times. She's seen how naturally they click, despite their many obvious differences in personality. Fate chose well for both of them. And now they share more than their mate bond. The urge to have that with Natalie has been there since our first night together. Maybe one day, when she's ready.

Dakgorim enters the nursery ahead of us, moving to stand behind Rosetta where she's lifting the swaddled baby from the crib Dak made. The orc's facial expression softens as he looks at his wife and child. He even smiles, as much as an orc can.

A soft gasp leaves Natalie's lips as she moves toward them, tilting her head to get a better look at the sleeping green orcling in her cousin's arms. "Oh, Ro, he's so beautiful."

"Want to hold him?" Ro asks.

"Of course, I do." Instead of taking the babe from Ro's arms, she looks up at Dak. "I will be as careful with him as I would with my own child." Not asking permission, per se, but an offer of respect. She really has gotten to know the big orc.

"I know you will," he says, nodding.

Happy tears roll down my mate's face as Ro places the infant in Natalie's arms, arranging his blanket just so. "Oh, Ro… he's utterly perfect. And he smells so good."

"Come back when his diaper's full." Ro snorts. Then sighs, stroking the red hair that lies across his small forehead. "I'm kidding. Even his toxic-level poop doesn't bother me. I love him so much, Nat. I can't even describe it."

I move closer, pressed to Natalie's back, one hand on her hip, the other on her shoulder. I offer congratulations to Dak and Rosetta, keep my focus on the baby in Natalie's arms, but ignoring her scent is impossible. Arousal. Love. And…ripeness?

I stopped taking the pill. And I'm ovulating.

It takes conscious effort to control my Minotaur physiology. To hold my tail and hooves still. To prevent my breath from huffing out.

My mate feels it all, though. Her soft laugh rings in my mind, as clear as if she released it in the room.

Take me home and put a baby bull in me.

My cock feels hard enough to break down the walls. My heart, so full it could burst. But this could be an impulsive decision made in a moment of baby lust. As much as I want to see her grow round with our baby, I don't want her to have regrets. Are you certain you're ready?

Tipping her face up to look at me, she smiles. I'm ready for everything with you.

And that's what I will always give you, my mate. Everything.