"Mel—"
"Is it working? Is there a baby happening right now? Are you currently—"
"I don't know."
"YOU DON'T KNOW?"
"It's not certain. It's not every time. It's—the wolf increases the chance. That's what the lock does. Holds it. But it doesn't guarantee."
"It HOLDS IT?"
"Melori."
"Keer, you are very calmly explaining to me that your body has me PINNED for OPTIMAL—"
"Mel, I need you to breathe."
"I AM BREATHING."
"Slower."
She breathes. Slower. Stares at me.
"Okay. Okay okay okay. Let me think about this. Let me—I am thinking. Out loud. Don't interrupt."
"I won't."
"Okay. So. Possibility one—nothing happens. We had sex, your body did its wolf thing, no baby, life continues, I have a tooth necklace and a scar and a wolf-husband and that's that. Fine. Manageable."
"Okay—."
"I said don't interrupt."
"You were just talking. I was confirming."
"Don't."
"Okay."
"Possibility two. There IS a baby. Currently. As we speak.Your wolf has efficiently—we don't need to revisit that part—"
"Okay."
"—and I am, hypothetically, with child. Right now. In which case." A pause. "In which case."
She's quiet.
I don’t dare interrupt this.
"In which case it's a small wolf-baby. Half wolf. Yours and mine. With your eye and my hands and probably a TERRIBLE temper—"
"Mel."
"—and an extremely opinionated mother and a father who pulls his own teeth out for people, which is honestly excellent stock, that is strong stock, I would absolutely choose that stock—"
Her voice catches.
"—and I am—I am crying. Why am I crying. I didn't plan to cry."
