We took turns spending a little bit of time with Aida, Field, and their newborn baby, since the birthing room wasn’t big enough to hold us all. The waiting room had barely sufficed. We were a big family.

Vivienne and Xavier joined us in the room, shortly after Jovi, Dmitri, and the Hawk brothers presented their congratulations and best wishes—as well as the many parenting jokes they’d been holding on to since Aida had first broken the news about her pregnancy.

“Oh, my…” Sofia gushed, unable to take her eyes off the little one. “He’s absolutely gorgeous!”

Aida held her newborn close, wrapped up in soft linens. He was tiny, his skin still flushed from his journey into the world. His eyes were closed, but he sure loved making noise, calming himself whenever he heard Aida’s gentle, loving voice.

“Congratulations, baby,” Victoria breathed, then kissed Aida’s forehead and hugged Field.

We gathered around the bed, watching the couple as they gazed at their son. My heart swelled, barely contained by my ribcage. My very soul was soaring, and I could only imagine what was going on in Xavier’s and Vivienne’s heads. It seemed like only yesterday we’d cracked the first jokes about them becoming parents… then grandparents… and now, great-grandparents.

“He’s the cutest little pink raisin I’ve ever seen.” Xavier chuckled.

Aida was glowing—not as brightly or as literally as Bijarki, but she wasn’t far off, either. She looked tired, but alert. I recognized the look on her face. It was a mixture of unending love, exploding joy, and heart-filling pride. I had seen it on Sofia when Rose and Ben were newborns (well, after we’d gotten Ben back from Aviary).

“Congratulations, Aida,” I said, moving closer to get a better look at my great-great-nephew. “You did it.”

“Welcome to the Novak parents’ club,” Sofia added, laughing lightly.

“I’m exhausted,” Aida replied, then smiled at her little bundle of joy. “He’s so… weird.”

We all chuckled. We’d heard that before.

“Don’t worry, sweetie. You were just as red and crinkled when you first popped out!” Victoria said, laughing.

“Jovi, too, huh?” Aida asked, grinning.

“Oh, yes. And out of the three of you, Dmitri was the loudest!” Victoria replied.

“Chances are he’ll be one of the most devastatingly handsome Blackhalls,” Bastien chimed in, beaming with pride as he crossed his arms.

“And the Novaks,” Field chimed in.

“What name have you picked for him?” I asked, looking forward to adding a new member to our ever-growing family tree.

Aida took a deep breath, then exchanged a quick glance with Field, and smiled at us.

“We’d like to introduce you all to Voss Blackhall-Novak,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

“Hi, Voss.” Bastien addressed his grandson, who squirmed inside his linen swaths.

“It’s a beautiful name, Aida,” Sofia replied. “You’ve chosen well.”

I couldn’t help but tear up. My vision was hazy, and my throat was burning up. It wasn’t in my nature to get this emotional, but I’d been around long enough to understand and cherish the value of life, especially when a new one made its way into existence.

“Oh, honey,” Sofia murmured, then slipped an arm around my waist and pulled herself closer. I welcomed the feel of her figure against mine and pressed my lips against her temple before I shifted my focus back to the young parents.

“The Novaks are more powerful and richer than ever, now that they have Voss,” I said. “May he fill your hearts with nothing but love and joy. May he bring you light and happiness, and may he grow up to become the very best of you both.”

“Thank you, Grandpa,” Field replied, giving me a faint nod.

“He’s going to break so many hearts when he grows up,” Vivienne said, gushing over the little one.

“Yeah, I think I should start writing an apology letter template, for the parents of all the girls who will fawn and sob over him,” Field replied, chuckling softly.

“How does it feel to be a grandad?” I asked Bastien, grinning.

He scoffed, then scratched the back of his head. “Honestly? I have no idea. It’s weird as hell,” he said. “But it’s amazing. I can’t wait to spoil him rotten.”

“If you want access to him just once per year, by all means, Dad,” Aida retorted. “Spoil him, make my life hell, then see what that gets you.”

We all laughed, while little Voss wrinkled his nose and cried out a couple of times. Aida shushed him gently, then kissed his perfect little nose. He instantly relaxed. The effect she had on him was incredible. I’d seen the same in Victoria when she’d first given birth to Jovi, then Aida, then Dmitri. Every single time, the little ones made noise until their mother’s lips found them.

“You’re a baby-charmer, just like your mother,” Bastien told her.

“Took the words right out of my mouth,” I replied, chuckling.

“Well, she did charm Field first!” Jovi’s voice cut across the room.

“What are you three still doing here?” Field asked, watching Jovi, Anjani, and Dmitri as they stood in the doorway.

Jovi shrugged. “Sorry, man! Your kid’s just so darn cute, we can’t stay away!”

“Plus, he’s an uncle now. He can’t get over that. I don’t think he ever will,” Anjani chimed in, smiling.

Aida giggled, then looked at Voss. “Did you hear that, baby? You’ve got an uncle. No, wait, you’ve got two uncles! No, wait… the Hawks, too… Voss, you have so many uncles!”

“Yeah, he’s going to get spoiled out of this world.” Dmitri chuckled.

“Well, we could always spread the spoiling around a little bit,” Anjani replied. “Jovi and I could make you an uncle, too.”

Jovi froze, his cheeks turning red and his eyes nearly popping out of his head. “Wait… what?”

Anjani shrugged, while the rest of us were suddenly on edge. She was a succubus warrior, and she’d never hinted at wanting to have a baby before. We’d simply assumed that it wasn’t something they were planning for, at least for another decade or so.

“I’ve been thinking about it lately,” Anjani said quietly. “And seeing how ridiculously happy you are with a nephew, I can’t help but wonder what a son would do to you.”

“I’m totally on board with that,” Jovi replied, lovingly staring at her.

“Did you hear that, Dad?” Dmitri chuckled, looking at Bastien. “The Blackhall clan’s bound to boost its numbers again.”

“All I ask is that you don’t rush and give us a third grandchild too quickly,” Bastien replied. “My heart wouldn’t take it. Give me an adjustment period first.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Dmitri said, smiling. “As much as I love this whole family thing we’re into, I’m way too happy as a single half-breed,” he added. “I doubt I’ll consider settling down anytime soon.”

Victoria frowned slightly. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

“Mom, he’s free to do whatever he wants,” Aida cut in, giving Dmitri a friendly wink. “Besides, we never plan for love to happen. When it does, it hits us over the head like a sledgehammer. Usually, the more we avoid it, the harder the blow.”

“By that logic, shall we assume Dmitri will get his brains splattered all over the place by… love?” Jovi replied, a grin slitting his face from ear to ear. Dmitri replied with a brief growl. “That’s what I thought.”

Laughter made us all shudder, until Anjani, Jovi, and Dmitri moved inside the room, by the wall, so that Lumi, Corrine, and Viola could come in. They’d changed into their usual garb, wearing warm smiles on their faces. It was always a pleasure to see them together—such different creatures, so powerful, yet so kind and so much alike.

“How are you feeling, Mommy?” Corrine asked Aida, who gave her a bright grin in return.

“Worn out, but good,” Aida replied. “Thank you. All of you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Pish-posh!” Lumi scoffed. “You were fantastic, Aida. You nearly broke my wrist in the process, but you pulled through. We barely did anything.”

“Sorry about that.” Aida sighed. “The pain…”

“I know, honey,” Lumi replied. “Trust me, you weren’t even half as bad as my first lamia delivery. She was seconds away from choking me to death.”

“You’ve helped deliver babies before,” Sofia concluded, as if she was seeing Lumi through different eyes, all of a sudden. We’d all thought of her as the secluded and sharp-tongued swamp witch, the last of her kind. Thousands of secrets hid behind her white eyes and their bluish edges.

Lumi nodded. “Back when there were more of my kind, yes,” she said. “They used to call us out for high-risk pregnancies because of our magic.”

“And, speaking of magic, we have a gift for little Voss,” Corrine added.

They reached the foot of the bed. Corrine took out a small ring—a band, in fact, made of three rings, each forged from a different metal. She handed it to Aida, who took it and brought it up to get a better look at it.

It was simple but elegant, with tiny engravings both on the interior and exterior.

“This is beautiful. And so tiny!” Aida giggled.

“It’s for Voss to start wearing as soon as today,” Viola replied. “It’s made of three different rings, each imbued with a special charm. The silver one is from me. It will help his wounds heal faster, much like a vampire.”

“The gold one is from me,” Corrine said. “It will act as a beacon. You’ll be able to find Voss anywhere in this world and the others.”

“Oh, gosh,” Aida breathed, tearing up. “Thank you all so much…”

“The rose gold one is my little gift to you,” Lumi said. “It amplifies his abilities. Think of it as a little booster of sorts, just enough to give Voss equal standing among his vampire and werewolf peers.”

“You can put it on now,” Viola added.

Aida nodded, then slipped the little ring onto Voss’s tiny finger. The band settled and gently reshaped itself to fit perfectly.

“It can only come off with the help of one of us,” Lumi said. “There’s no risk of him swallowing it. It will grow with him, too.”

“That is so cool.” Field smiled at the three ladies. “You’re like the fairies from the earthly fairy tales.”

Corrine laughed. “I guess you could say that,” she said. “We figured Voss deserved something truly special. It’s a little trinket, something to make his life easier.”

“Can I get one?” Dmitri asked, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

“What for?” Lumi replied.

“To amplify my abilities…”

Lumi chuckled softly. “Oh, sweetie. It doesn’t work like that. First of all, it’s a unique gift, made especially for Voss. You go ahead and have your own kids, and they’ll get a special present, too. Second, if you’re thinking a ring like this will amplify your nature and enable you to turn into a wolf, like your father… well, you’re wrong.”

Dmitri was suddenly deflated, his shoulders dropping.

“The wolf is inside you already,” Lumi added. “It’s been inside you all along.”

“But I can’t go full wolf,” Dmitri replied.

“Yes, you can,” Lumi insisted. “And so can Aida and Jovi. You thought you couldn’t, but you can. You just don’t know how. You’re half-breeds, so it doesn’t come as easily, that part is true. The process takes some time, and it requires plenty of willpower, but it’s in your hands. I can smell the wolf all over you three.”

Silence settled over the room for a few moments, as the new information sank in.

Because Aida, Dmitri, and Jovi were only half-wolves and had yet to experience a complete transformation, we’d all assumed the wolf gene was watered down through the family tree. But I was more inclined to believe Lumi.

“How do you know?” Dmitri asked, frowning slightly.

“Didn’t you hear me just now? I can smell the wolf inside you,” Lumi replied.

“Yeah, but I can smell Aida’s and Jovi’s wolves, too,” Dmitri said. “But they’ve never been able to turn.”

“That’s because they’ve never tried hard enough,” Lumi explained. “It’s different with half-breeds.”

“You seem to know a lot about werewolves,” Bastien said, genuinely intrigued. “More than me, for that matter.”

Lumi shrugged. “I’ve come across your kind before,” she said. “I’ve traveled through the In-Between. I’ve met creatures that slipped through the cracks from the Supernatural Dimension. Werewolves, harpies… all kinds of fiends. You all carry the same genetic packaging, in a way. The same features. The same heritage along generational lines. A full wolf takes seconds to turn. A half-wolf will need to put in the extra effort, and I’d be more than happy to help with this.”

Dmitri straightened his back and nodded feverishly. “Hell, yes, please!”

“That’s fine, I’ll make time for you. I suppose your siblings will want to join in, too,” Lumi replied, “so it’s best if you all agree on a group session.”

Aida and Jovi were beside themselves already. Not that I could blame them. They’d grown up thinking they couldn’t shift. They’d probably forced themselves to try hard before, but not to a level even remotely close to what Lumi was referring to. I had to admit, I was intrigued and grateful that Harper and her crew had managed to rescue Lumi from the Exiled Maras. She was an absolute treasure.

“You’re amazing,” Jovi murmured, staring at Lumi. “I never thought it was possible.”

“It’s okay, wolf-boy,” Lumi replied, smirking. “It’s practically no effort on my part to help you, and it’s barely a fraction of what I’m willing to do to repay the Novaks for saving my life,” she added, then shifted her focus back to Aida and Voss. “And, when the time comes, I will do the same for Voss. Technically speaking, he’s a quarter-wolf. Even with the triple ring, he will need some help to summon his inner-wolf.”

Aida smiled, filled with gratitude.

“Thank you, Lumi. Thank you all, for that matter,” she said, her voice trembling. “I… We’re so lucky to be a part of this family… a part of GASP. I can’t think of a better world for me and Field to raise our son in.”

“Yeah, our little tyke is in good hands,” Field replied, smiling as he inched closer to his wife and child.

Voss Blackhall-Novak was in good hands, indeed. He had us all on his side. Each of our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, our nephews and nieces… every single creature that came into our family had all of us, in one way or another. The Novaks looked out for one another.

On top of that, the Novaks had come to look out for everyone else, too. GASP was an extension of us, officially transcending space and dimensions. So, yes. Voss was going to be a part of it all. Greatness had already been written in his life, from the moment he was conceived. With parents like Aida and Field, he was bound to flourish.