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The knowledge that Tomas was still out there hung over me at every waking moment, haunting me like an unwelcome specter. Even as I marveled at the miracle we'd created, I couldn't shake the grim reality that this child was also a liability. Tomas had already taken so much from us. I didn’t doubt for an instant that he might target our unborn child if he discovered its existence.
Mariah rose from the couch.
“Mariah.” I stood and reached for her hand, forcing a smile for her sake, already sensing I’d screwed up here. “Things are complicated right now,” I finally said, trying to choose my words carefully. “We've got so much going on. So much I still have to handle. Tomas is still out there, and I have to avenge Sebastian. Adding a baby to the mix is the last thing we need.”
The moment the words were out, I regretted them. It was like watching a glass shatter in slow motion. I could see it happening, but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it. Her expression shuttered, her eyes losing that light I loved so much.
“I see.” Her voice was devoid of emotion. She took another step back, distancing herself from me.
I realized the gravity of my mistake too late. I hadn't reacted the way she'd hoped or the way she’d needed. I hadn’t thought about her feelings. Not only was she still adjusting to being turned into a dragon, she was now the one unexpectedly carrying our child. Her body had been through so much already, and she didn’t need me to tell her how much of a threat Tomas was. She’d experienced it firsthand.
“Mariah, I didn't mean—” I took a step toward her when she raised a hand to stop me.
“It's fine, Evan,” she said, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her. “You're right. The timing is terrible. There's too much going on. Too much danger. A baby is the last thing we need right now.”
Her words were a mirror of my own, but hearing them from her lips twisted something inside me. Guilt and regret washed over me. I wanted to reach out, to pull her into my arms and take back everything I'd said. To redo the last five minutes.
But Abi chose that moment to reappear, rounding the corner into the family room with a big smile on her face. It immediately faded as she looked between the two of us. “Is everything okay?”
“Evan isn’t happy about the baby,” Mariah blurted out in a rush.
My heart lurched as I gaped at her. “That’s not what I said.”
Mariah crossed her arms beneath her chest and clenched her jaw. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and I took another step toward her, reaching out, needing to fix this.
“It's just that the timing complicates things,” I said. “You still haven't shifted, and we need to figure out what that means. We don't even know why the serum worked on you.”
There was so much we didn’t know. Tomas had mentioned Mariah’s parents and something in her DNA, but what did that truly mean? Had she somehow carried dragon blood prior to Tomas injecting her with the serum?
Mariah's eyes met mine, and for a second, I thought I saw a glimmer of the understanding and deep connection that'd always been the bedrock of our relationship. But it was gone in an instant, quickly veiled by the guarded expression she'd worn earlier.
“We have a lot to figure out,” she said, her voice more subdued than ever before.
“Yeah, we do.” I gripped her hands. “I’m sorry. I have so much on my plate right now, but the last thing I want you to think is that I’m not excited about our baby.”
Mariah nodded, avoiding my gaze as she pulled her hands away, then simply turned and walked out.
“Mariah, wait,” I called, hardly able to believe how badly I’d just fucked up. The ache in my chest made it hard to breathe. I took a step toward the arched doorway, but Abi blocked my path.
“Maybe I should talk to her,” she said. “I don’t think she wants to see you right now.” But the look on her face clearly said this was my mess to clean up.
I turned and thrust my hands into my hair when she left the room. I nearly released a string of curses until I looked over at Sofia, who had crawled over by the window to play with her blocks.
I felt like shit. There was no other way to put it. Was there any way Mariah could forgive me for being such an ass? All she’d ever wanted was to have a baby, to be a mom. In a matter of minutes, I'd managed to take something that should have been beautiful, a miracle, and turned it into an ugly mess.
I sighed and walked over to Sofia. She looked up as I approached, her bright hazel eyes so wide and innocent.
“Dada.” She reached up for me, her chubby fingers opening and closing, so I picked her up, savoring the feel of her tiny arms wrapping around my neck as I pressed a kiss to her cheek. Even when regret overwhelmed me, my little girl still managed to bring a smile to my face.
“Hey, little dragon,” I murmured. The simple, pure love of a child. It was grounding, comforting, and in that moment, exactly what I needed.
Sofia had been unexpected, too—a surprise that'd turned my world upside down in the best way possible. She’d brought love and joy into my life, and without her, I never would've found Mariah. I didn’t regret Sofia or the circumstances that brought her to me one single bit. Not when this was the life I got to have, the love and family that were now mine despite the risks we’d faced along the way.
And this new baby? I knew deep down that I'd feel the same way once it was here. There'd be no regrets. How could there be when the woman I loved was carrying my child? Yet the fear remained, gnawing at the edges of what should have been pure joy, tainting it with doubt and worry.
My phone buzzed, and an anonymous number flashed on the screen. I answered cautiously, never sure what to expect anymore.
“Yeah?”
