He nods, but his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, but that’s my little brother’s grandkid,” he murmurs. “I had a whole life before the Convergence. A whole lifetime that feels…further away every day. And now here we are, starting families, having babies. It’s surreal.”
I cover his hand with mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You’re not losing your past, Reyes. You’re building on it. And look at what you’re building. This baby, this family…it’s all beautiful.”
He watches me for a long moment, his dark eyes softening. “It feels strange, doesn’t it?” he asks. “There’s so much…new.”
I look down at Daisy’s sleeping face, her tiny mouth opening in a soft yawn. She’s so new, so fragile. The thought of her growing up in this chaotic world fills me with equal parts hope and fear. “New is good,” I say after a pause. “It’s scary as hell, but it’s good.”
Reyes tilts his head, studying me like he’s trying to piece together what I’m not saying. “Are you about to tell me you want one of these to feel less old?” I tease, lifting Daisy a little for emphasis.
His eyes widen, his head shaking quickly. “I wasn’t going to suggest?—”
“I’m kidding,” I laugh, cutting him off. “Though…it’s been on my mind, a little. After seeing what Charlotte went through, I’m not exactly jumping at the chance to pop one out anytime soon. But she’s beautiful. Perfect, even.”
Reyes smiles at that, his hand brushing lightly over Daisy’s blanket. “She is,” he says softly. “It’s hard not to think about the future when you’re holding something so…tiny.”
I glance at him, my lips quirking into a smile. “Then let’s think about the future,” I say. “I’ve got ideas.”
His eyebrows lift. “Oh?”
“I was thinking,” I begin, “we could build out the den a bit. Expand the border fence, construct more housing, maybe widen the farm plot. And…I don’t know, maybe start scouting other lycan packs. See if there are wolves out there who need a home.”
Reyes hums, considering. “It’s ambitious,” he says. “But dangerous.”
“Everything worth doing is dangerous,” I counter. “We’ve got a strong foundation here. Let’s build something bigger. Something better.”
He’s quiet for a moment, his hand still resting on my knee. When he looks at me, there’s a flicker of wonder in his eyes. “You have the biggest dreams, Tilda Bingham,” he says, his voice warm.
“And you think too small and cozy, Reyes Garza,” I shoot back with a grin. “But I can’t take all the credit. You were the one who helped me crack my mind open to wider possibilities.”
His hand tightens slightly on mine, his thumb brushing against my knuckles. “You’re incredible,” he says, and there’s no teasing in his tone this time.
I lean forward, brushing a kiss to his temple. “And maybe, once we’ve got our little town up and running,” I say softly, “we can think about having a little one of our own.”
Reyes’ eyes widen slightly, but his smile is tender. “We’ve got all the time in the world, haven’t we?” he asks.
“We do,” I whisper.
He leans back, resting his head against the rocking chair as Daisy stirs in my arms, letting out a tiny whimper. I shift her gently, my heart full to bursting. “That’s right,” I say, my voice barely more than a breath. “We do.”
* * *
THE END…for now
