Few things made Blake nervous.

He had always been quick on his feet and quick with his tongue. It had gotten him out of plenty of situations growing up, and it had set the foundation for what he would make his life’s work. He was a waiter. A watcher. He learned, evolved, and adapted to situations, shifting and changing himself in subtle ways to worm his way into the hearts of anyone and everyone. And throughout it all, the main thing that carried him forward was his unshakable confidence. He’d learned that as long as he projected confidence and conviction, people would be less likely to question him and more willing to trust him.

That, combined with his innate abilities with everything electronic, and Blake had the makings of the perfect spy, both from afar and for infiltration.

The only other thing a good spy needed was nerves of steel. Never let them see you sweat. Take everything in your stride and don’t let it shake you. Expect anything and fear nothing.

Nerves were easy to put aside when you were in the moment. They were usually overrun with adrenaline, quick thinking, and the need to keep playing out the action. He didn’t have time to dwell on his nerves when he was busy trying to keep his ass out of the fire. Nerves that derived from anticipation, the kind that ate away at you long before a dreaded moment arrived, were rarely something that plagued him. He pushed them aside. No use worrying about something when he couldn’t do anything about it, just to get himself worked up. It wasn’t helpful, nor was it productive.

He’d always been a pragmatic man. Confident. Moving forward with his head held high. Taking things as they come. Everything in his stride. He hated dwelling on things or being idle and restless.

And right now, he was all those things.

His foot bounced restlessly as the plane descended, eyes locked onto the window and the approaching ground, whitened with snow and ice beneath them. His thoughts were everywhere, scattered and unfocused. The flight had been long, nearly nine hours, and yet he hadn’t been able to do much of anything. He hadn’t been able to focus enough to read or work. Sleep wouldn’t come to him. His body was restless and agitated, his inner wolf pacing and urging him to move. He’d settled on watching movies but even then, he could barely pay attention to them. His thoughts were elsewhere, on what to expect when he landed, and on the fact that he didn’t know what was coming.

It had been months. Six, to be exact. Half a year during which he’d been absent, running away from his problems and shying away from the reality of his situation.

After he’d left, he’d gone back to the Adalaide’s coven, and stayed with them for another month. That first month he’d been restless and guilt-ridden. It had rolled around in his gut, knotted into a heavy leaded ball, and it had sunk deep into his chest. It weighed on his shoulders, lodged his heart and in his throat. He’d felt bad about leaving, but he’d also known it was probably for the best. His presence at the Shadow Pack was weighing far too heavily on both himself and Dylan. Their frustrations and anger were driving a wedge between them that he feared would stay even if he did regain his memories. That wouldn’t have been fair to any of them.

So he’d left, and had spent the first month attempting to keep himself busy until the witches ran out of ideas and ran out of spells.

Then he had gotten back to his life.

He may not have remembered Dylan or Lily or their life together, but he did remember everything else. He remembered his job and his love for it. So he got back to it. He picked up old connections and some new ones, and he used them to help people.

He started with the witches. They needed his help, and he was only too glad to get off his butt and do something about it. He traveled with a small party of ambassadors, acting as Arulean’s representative. They traveled to other covens around the world, convincing them it was time to come out of hiding and connect with the rest of the paranormal community. Witches were secretive, barely keeping up with other covens let alone other races. Some of them were reluctant but others seemed more interested. Blake did his best to charm them and weave stories of Arulean and the Shadow Pack, and how they were spearheading a time of peace for shifters.

After a while, he split off from the witches. Taking his direction from Arulean, he started visiting shifter packs with Cynthia and Malcolm at his side. Many of the shifters had heard of the Shadow Pack, but their knowledge had been muddled and mixed up with the conflict between them and Lyphnia’s old pack. Blake aimed to set the record straight, to build Arulean up as a leader of peace, living happily next to the humans, if not with them, and introducing a time of camaraderie between others in the paranormal community.

It was a lot of socializing and travel. He met many people, stayed with them for weeks at a time, and happily learned about them and their customs. It was tiring, but it was a good distraction. He rarely had time to dwell on the mate he couldn’t remember, or the family he’d left behind. He took the time to himself to be himself and take comfort in that familiarity. Instead of feeling idle and stagnant, he felt useful. He was connecting the paranormal communities around the world, and it went some way to thawing the frozen weight in his chest.

But after six months, Arulean had asked him to come back to the Shadow Pack. Blake needed a rest, he knew that much. He needed time to recover and relax, and they needed time to assess the situation before Blake went out on any new missions. Arulean decided his ambassadorial duties for the Shadow Pack had been fulfilled for now.

He could, of course, find other jobs to do. He had plenty of connections, and he’d never had trouble finding jobs with private companies and hidden sections of governments before. Some of his employers wanted simple jobs done, not even knowing he was a shifter but needing his hacking talents. If he sent out word that he was looking, someone would send back word that they were buying.

Still...he had to admit the thought of relaxing back at the Shadow Pack held some appeal. He had friends there, and as much as it twisted him up inside, he had family there, too. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel drawn to Dylan. Despite all his conflicting feelings, the guilt and frustration, he was drawn to him. Like a goddamn moth to the flame that could burn him, could spell out his demise, yet he found himself drawn to it all the same.

It was an itch beneath his skin, and a shadow haunting the back of his mind. It was always there, and always waiting. In moments of stillness, he found his thoughts drifting back to Dylan, the omega he’d left behind. They weren’t always fond thoughts, or happy thoughts, but they were thoughts all the same. And whenever he thought about being at the Shadow Pack, it was Dylan’s face that appeared in his mind, making his heart race, his chest tighten and his stomach roll. It wasn’t an entirely positive reaction, but he didn’t think it was entirely negative either.

So despite all the uncertainty and nervousness he felt whenever he thought about being at the Shadow Pack again, there was also a level of excitement. There was a primal something inside him. His inner wolf, his alpha, reacted to it. The thought of being there again of being near Dylan made him restless, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

It left him torn, nervous, and uncertain. It made him feel like he didn’t know where to put his feet, like his balance was off and his knees were shaky. It made his unshakable confidence waver, and that made him feel vulnerable.

He wondered if Dylan had always made him feel this way, or if it was a new thing. He wished, not for the first time, that he could remember.

The landing was rough, wheels bumping along the cleared out and flattened field used as a landing strip. Blake felt his stomach roll at the first wavering bump, but he knew it had nothing to do with the landing itself.

When the plane finally came to a stop, he closed his eyes briefly, heaving a heavy breath to steady himself. He built up his walls, reinforced them and forced his shoulders to relax, his bouncing leg to calm. Confidence was key. Hide uncertainty away. He was good. He was golden. He could face this. He could face Dylan.

He was certain that what scared him most was he didn’t know what Dylan’s reaction to him would be after six months without any contact. And worse than that: he didn’t know what his own reaction to Dylan would be.

A hand came down on his shoulder, and he opened his eyes, blinking up at Cynthia smiling down at him. He hadn’t even heard her unbuckle her seatbelt. “Ready to go?” she asked, as calm as ever, but there was a shadow of worry in her eyes.

He gave her a reassuring smile, unbuckling his own seatbelt. “Of course.” He stood, stretching his arms high over his head and groaning when his back cracked. “It’s like coming home.”

“Coming home isn’t always a pleasant experience.” Malcolm said from nearby, where he was pulling their luggage down from the overhead compartments.

Cynthia shot him an exasperated look, lips twisting into a small frown. “Well, let’s hope this time it is.” Malcolm caught her gaze and just shrugged.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Viv said as she stood, stretching like Blake had, her lithe form flexing. “Everyone has had months to cool off and return to normal.”

“I’m just worried what normal has become.” Blake muttered, reaching for his own bags and slinging the strap of one over his shoulder.

“There’s gotta be something you’re looking forward to,” Lux said, slipping past her mate with a brief lingering touch to Viv’s back. It was such a casual touch, one that neither of them seemed to even notice, but both leaned into all the same. It made Blake’s gut twist. Had he and Dylan been like that?

Ben groaned as he stood, slumping over the back of one of the seats. “I, for one, am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed for once. No one knows how to buy beds like Arulean. I swear to God, it’s like sleeping on a cloud.”

The two fox shifters and the falcon shifter had been part of the party Arulean had sent with Blake as part of his ambassador group. They were there at Blake’s request, being three of his closest friends in the Shadow Pack, and he’d gone on several missions with them throughout the years. Close confidants with bonds that had been forged during their first mission together: infiltrating Lyphnia’s pack to rescue Rajiah.

They’d informed him that particular mission, the whole reason Blake had gotten caught up in it to begin with, had been because Dylan had also been held prisoner in Lyphnia’s dungeons after one of his navy SEAL missions had gone awry. It was strange, knowing he had gone there to rescue his mate, but having no memory of doing anything other than pulling Rajiah from the prison cells.

During their most recent travels, Cynthia had clicked with Viv, Lux, and Benjamin instantly, melding into their dynamic and making it hard to believe they hadn’t known each other beforehand. Malcolm had taken a little longer, but that had been mostly because the shifters had been intimidated by the large, stoic, quiet witch. Until one day Ben had woken up hungover with a mustache drawn on his face in permanent marker, and they had argued for an hour over who had done it until Malcolm had finally broken and laughed. He fitted in well after that.

“A soft bed and some relaxation sounds nice,” Blake said, checking his bags once more. “That and a long, hot bath with some mulled wine.”

Cynthia raised an eyebrow. “What’s mulled wine?”

Lux gasped, gaping at her openly. “You’ve never had mulled wine?”

Cynthia just gave her a blank look, shrugging as she pulled up the handle on her suitcase.

Ben shook his head, shouldering a large duffle bag and swinging an arm over her shoulder. “Man, we’ve got so much to teach you about winter at the Shadow Pack. It’s just too bad we missed Christmas, because that’s a feast you’d never forget.”

The three of them gathered up their things and trudged out of the plane, thanking the pilot and staff as they went. They were humans under Arulean’s employment, but humans who, for one reason or another, knew of the paranormal community. There was a car waiting to pick them up: a large black SUV that could easily fit all of them and their luggage. Thankfully, all of them knew how to pack light when traveling.

Blake slipped into the far back seat without a word, pressing up against the window and gazing out at the white landscape. The others chatted while they drove, but he listened with half an ear. None of them pushed him into conversation, knowing full well Blake putting himself into a corner meant he was not inclined to talk. They let him be, but Lux pressed wordlessly into his arm where she sat next to him, silently offering comfort and support.

It didn’t take them long to drive from the landing strip to the Shadow Pack castle. When they broke through the trees and out into the main field, the sight was breathtaking. The field was coated in white, surrounded by snow dusted trees and mountains rising far beyond in the distance. The castle and adjacent compound was beautiful, flecked with snow. It looked magical, which Blake supposed was fitting for the home of dragons and other beasts.

The gravel drive was shoveled for the most part, the remaining layer of thick snow packed down with the gravel peeking through. The car stopped in front of the main steps, and Blake felt his stomach roll as everyone began to unbuckle their seat belts, doors thrown open and bodies slipping out. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, ready to face the unknown.

The air was cold, crisp, and refreshing. He felt it bite his cheeks, sinking in but not quite able to numb the inner heat inherent in all shifters. It grounded and steadied him, and cleared his head for the awkward confrontation he knew was inevitable. He stepped out of the car opposite the castle, taking a deep breath before walking around the back where their luggage was already being unloaded, the crunch of packed snow soft beneath his feet.

As he rounded the car, taking a bag that was handed to him and slinging the strap over his shoulder, he let his eyes roam the small crowd gathered on the steps leading up to the main doors of the castle.

Confusion surrounded him like a bubble, a slow build-up of rising tension. He looked over the group once, twice, and a third time just to make sure. But Dylan wasn’t there. That mop of copper hair and strangely familiar stern scowl were nowhere to be seen. The bubble in him popped, letting out a wave of relief that rolled through him, easing the tension out of his body and leaving nothing but ease and confidence in its wake.

He hiked his backpack, heavy with his laptop, tablets and electronic gear, onto his back and grabbed his suitcase, shuffling with the rest of his group toward the front steps. He held his chin high, body relaxed, and a certain swagger to his hips that came from the endorphins of relief swimming through his veins.

Arulean and Rajiah were waiting for them, poised at the top of the stairs. Rajiah beamed down at them, Remi at his side with his hand in Rajiah’s. Arulean towered over them all, hands clasped lightly behind his back. He didn’t smile, not outwardly, but there was a lift in his cheeks and a crinkle at the corners of his eyes that was as close to a casual smile as they’d get.

There were several others, family and friends eager to see the six of them for one reason or another. The shifters started down the steps to greet them, but none so fast as the small bundle of energy that bounced at Remi’s side.

Lily was bundled up in a thick jacket, a hat perched squarely on her head, as she bounced on her toes. When their eyes locked, he couldn’t help the wide grin that stretched his lips. Her corresponding grin was instant, and she rocketed forward, darting through the other shifters on the stairs and down to the snow-covered drive.

He let go of his suitcase, dropped to one knee, and held his arms open just in time for her to collide with him full force. He barely wavered as her small form hit his chest, and his arms wrapped around her as he stood, swinging her around before adjusting her to rest on his hip.

It felt so natural to do and the smile it brought to his lips felt so easy. He had never been bad with kids; they always got along great. But there was something deeper when he interacted with Lily. It was something he felt in his core, deep in his bones and his soul. Something that made their interactions seamless and easy. He’d been worried when they told him he had a child he didn’t remember. He was worried he wouldn’t know how to act around her, that she would be a stranger to him. But that wasn’t the case then, and it wasn’t now.

Perhaps it was the knowledge she was his flesh and blood. She certainly looked like it. She had his hair and his smile. Her eyes were Dylan’s, as was her nose, but her face shape came from Blake’s family. She was part of him. He knew it, and he could feel it. He could smell it in her scent. It was something subtle and inherent, something primal in him that recognized her as his own. And that knowledge pushed past the strangeness of his memory loss and eased his transition into being a father to her.

When it was just Lily, he felt like he didn’t need his memories to know where he stood with her. It was all instinctual, it was easy. They were father and daughter. He loved her without knowing her, and she didn’t treat him as a stranger.

It was different with Dylan. He never knew where he stood with his husband. It was a constant, nagging source of aching guilt, but not something he was willing to dwell on.

“Hey there, Lily Bean,” he said, voice breathless and genuine. He hadn’t realized just how good it would be to see her until he held her in his arms. Instinct was a powerful thing.

“Hi, Papa.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him a fraction too tight. She mumbled into his neck, “I missed you.”

He held her a little tighter. “Missed you too.” She leaned back and they grinned near identical smiles, breaths foggy in the cold air. “Have you been good while I’ve been away?”

She nodded quickly, hair frazzled and sticking out from beneath her hat as she puffed up her chest. “The best. I help Daddy with Adrien, and I’ve been taking lessons with Remi, and Rajiah says I’m super smart, and Daddy’s been teaching me exercise and stuff so I can be a strong wolf one day, and…”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down,” Blake said with a laugh, grinning wider when she gasped for breath, pale cheeks red with the chill. “Breathe, Lily. You’ll have plenty of time to tell me everything, okay?”

She nodded, hair bobbing. Her face scrunched up into something caught between a self-conscious frown and a sheepish smile. “Daddy says I talk too fast when I get excited.”

Blake couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “He’s not exactly wrong, and I can see how that would be a problem for him. Your daddy isn’t very good with fast talkers.” He leaned in close, lowering his voice into a loud whisper. “Do you know where you got it from, though?” She leaned in too, eyes bright with interest, face open with curiosity as she shook her head. “Me.” He said with a grin, pressing a fingertip to her nose and chuckling when she went cross-eyed.

Rajiah came forward to greet him, hugging Blake as best he could. “Welcome home, Blake.” He said, stepping away to take Blake’s suitcase. “It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back.” He didn’t realize until he said it just how much he meant it.

“She’s been good while you’ve been away,” Rajiah reached out, playfully pinching Lily’s side as she giggled, slapping his hand away. “She’s been very grown up and helping Dylan with Adrien.”

“Speaking of Dylan...” Blake tried to keep his voice casual and lighthearted. He wasn’t sure he succeeded when he saw the sympathetic and pitying look Rajiah sent him.

“He’s not here at the moment. He’s out on patrol. He didn’t think you’d want him here the moment you arrived anyway.”

Blake was prepared for the relief. He wasn’t prepared for the small trickle of disappointment he felt bleed through his chest, constricting his lungs. “How considerate,” he said, attempting and failing to keep the strange bitterness out of his voice. He shook his head, turning to a lighter question. “He’s on patrol?”

Rajiah nodded as he led Blake through the front doors. He’d reached out to run a lingering touch down Arulean’s arm as they passed, and Blake had exchanged nods with the alpha. But the black dragon stayed to greet the others as Rajiah ushered Blake past. They moved to the main staircase and began to climb. “Dylan has taken up a lot of duties and responsibilities around here. It keeps him active. He’s been doing well.”

“I didn’t really think he’d be the type for patrol,” Blake murmured as they rounded the landing and moved up to the next floor. They passed several shifters on the way, exchanging smiles and waves of greeting.

Rajiah chuckled, eyes alight with mischief as he sent Blake a cheeky smile. “You don’t even realize just how funny that statement is.”

Blake’s brows furrowed, a pout forming as he halfheartedly glared at the dragon.

Rajiah just rolled his eyes, waving him off as he led Blake out onto the third floor. Where he would normally turn left to go to the room that had always been his here at the Shadow Pack, Rajiah turned right.

“Daddy is a soldier!” Lily announced, straightening and lifting her chin.

Blake’s smile was wry. “So I’ve heard.” He turned back to Rajiah. “It’s just hard to see past...the Dylan I knew last time I was here.”

Rajiah snorted, stopping in front of an unfamiliar door. “That wasn’t Dylan. That was a man stuck in a hard situation and lost to himself.” There was something bright in Rajiah’s eyes. Something that made Blake wary even as it ignited a spark of interest. “I look forward to you learning who Dylan really is.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. He’s just much more himself these days.” Rajiah pushed open the door, stepping into the room and off to the side for Blake to move ahead of him. The room was smaller than his other one had been. The bed was a full-size instead of a king. There was a desk, but no couch or seating area. It was clearly a room meant for one. Small and cozy, with all the amenities he would need. “This will be your room for now.”

He set Lily down, who made a beeline for his bed, throwing herself on top of it, laughing when she bounced. He made a slow turn, raising a brow when he made eye contact with Rajiah.

The dragon shifted his weight, glancing across the room to Lily as his lips pursed. “We...we figured it would be best for now if you had your own room. Given you still have no memory of them, and it might be awkward for everyone involved.” He glanced sidelong at Blake, amber eyes lifting with a small smile. “We don’t want a repeat of last time.”

Last time. When things had been forced, and had cracked, and splintered.

He stepped further into the room, letting his bag drop to the floor next to his desk. “And Dylan’s okay with this?”

“It...was his idea, actually.” Blake gave Rajiah a confused look. That didn’t sound like the Dylan he knew. Not the omega, desperate and wanting his mate back. Not the omega who pushed him constantly with hurt in his eyes, making guilt rise hot and bitter at the back of Blake’s tongue. Rajiah’s smile quirked just a fraction wider, gaze softening. “He’s not pushing you away, but he is giving you space. You’ll find Dylan isn’t exactly as you remember from your last visit here, and I hope you’ll give him another chance.”

Blake scratched the stubble growing at his chin. He hadn’t gotten to shave in several days. “I suppose we’ll see.”

“Do you mind watching Lily for a while? I’ve got to go make sure our guests are settling in well.”

Blake quirked a smile. “Always the gracious host.”

Rajiah scoffed, rolling his eyes as he stepped through the door. “We all know one of us has to be. Arulean isn’t personable enough for the job.”

Blake laughed, waving him off. “Yeah, yeah, it’s no problem. Nothing like a little father-daughter bonding. Right, kid?”

“Yeah!” Lily said, already jumping on his bed, bouncing around, messing up the blankets and immaculate sheets as she haphazardly shed her jacket and hat, tossing them to the floor. He eyed the wet snow stains on his blankets from her shoes, but couldn’t bring himself to mind.

Kicking off his own shoes and shedding his jacket, he climbed onto the bed after her, joining in with her jumping, feeling lighter than he had in months.

* * *

Blake’s new room might have been smaller than his previous one, but it had a balcony, and that was a small amenity he was grateful for. So when it started snowing, large flakes drifting lazily down to the ground, Blake and Lily found themselves out on the small balcony, jackets thrown haphazardly on and shoes unlaced.

He leaned up against the stone railing, holding Lily in his arms as she tried to catch snowflakes on her tongue.

She was beautiful and so clearly his. He’d never been under the illusion that he would have kids. He’d been an independent and wayward alpha, in love with his job, traveling and freedom. Having a family had been a dream that had been set aside, put on the back burner and labelled, maybe one day. When he thought back on it, there was an ache in his chest. It was a hollow place, where the air was forced out of him and the light was absorbed by shadows.

He was…he was certain he’d always told himself he would consider settling down, if he met the right omega, but he’d never been truly interested in any of the omegas he’d met. Still...he couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something. It was like having a word he couldn’t quite remember on the tip of his tongue, but being unable to grasp it. It was like reaching for a dream and watching it sift through his fingers. He felt as if there had been someone, a wistful thought, that he had wanted to mate with, but the more he thought about it, the further away the idea became.

Still, the fact remained that he apparently had settled down. He’d settled down and started a family, and Lily was proof of that. She was his, and he was hers, and holding her, seeing her smile, seeing pieces of himself in her, made his chest warm.

It had only been six months, but he could see how quickly she was growing. She was taking lessons with Remi and some of the other pack children, and she was all too eager to share the things she had learned, rattling them off in rapid fire as she thought of them, with no rhyme or reason to the order. She also seemed taller, though he couldn’t tell by how much. Her limbs seemed longer, her hair was definitely longer. They were all small, subtle signs of growth that at some angles seemed obvious but at others made him question it as a trick of the light.

Either way, it made the passage of time all too real, and it reminded him his child was growing up quickly, and he was missing it. It brought a bitter taste to his mouth.

He looked away. He was certain it was due to the overwhelming guilt that gnawed at his gut when he thought too long about Lily. However, as his eyes roamed across the field beyond the castle they resting innocently on a patch of trees. Movement caught his eye, right where he had been staring. His eyes were drawn to the forest at one particular point for no particular reason that he could think of. He watched as several people made their way into the open. All of them wore black, standing out sorely against the white backdrop. There were seven of them in total, trudging their way across the field in the path made from previous tramping through the snow.

From this distance, he couldn’t see any details. They were bundled up far too much for anything to stand out apart from their stature, which varied by height and breadth but was otherwise similar.

He didn’t understand why he was staring, confused but drawn to the line of people trudging toward the castle, until Lily spoke up.

“It’s Daddy!”

He blinked, tearing his gaze away to stare at her, eyes wide. “What now?”

She was bouncing in his arms, leaning against his shoulder as if that might help her get a better look. He knew her eyesight would be even worse than his. She wouldn’t get her enhanced senses until her first shift. “It’s Daddy!”

He waited for further explanation, but it never came. “How’d you know?”

“He was on patrol today and that’s the patrol,” she said, matter-of-factly and yet so certain. He glanced past her, eyes once again falling to the line of men moving along the path through the snow. He tried to pick Dylan out, but found it nearly impossible. With black hats on their heads to keep the chill off their ears, Dylan’s copper hair was no longer a giveaway. The strange aching inside him only directed his gaze to the line of men, but it didn’t give him any indication which one his body was subconsciously seeking.

“Daddy!” Lily shouted, startling Blake out of his thoughts. His body jerked, ears ringing and he struggled to keep Lily balanced as she waved her arms, nearly leaning out of his grasp. “Daddy! Up here!”

He glanced back out to the field in time to see the man leading the procession hesitate, head whipping up to stare up at their position. The others halted as well, following his gaze. Dylan turned to the patrol, gesturing them onwards down the path as he split off from it, trudging across unmarked snow at a pace that was commendable given that it rose halfway up his shins.

Blake tried to ignore the way his chest squeezed at the sight of him, breath catching in his throat as anticipation made his skin buzz.

Oblivious to his struggle, Lily leaned over, putting a hand on the railing to gaze down at where Dylan had stopped. He stood below the balcony, head tilted back and arms crossed over his chest. He was far enough away that they didn’t have to crane their necks too much but close enough that Blake could finally make out the details of his face.

He was clean cut and clean shaven. His cheeks rosy with the chill, eyes bright and shining. His lips didn’t smile, but he could see it in the lift of his cheeks. His black cargo pants clung to his waist. His jacket was thin but functional for a shifter generating body heat on the move, and it clung to his broad shoulders. A black beanie sat snug on his head, a couple of copper curls peeking out around his forehead.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Rajiah?” he asked, voice loud enough to carry up to them. It sounded like he was attempting something stern, but there was a playfulness there.

Lily squirmed in his arms. “I was,” she said, drawing out the last word.

“He dropped her off with me,” Blake said, coming to her rescue. He adjusted her on his hip, leaning his other hand against the stone railing as he beamed down at the man below. His mouth felt dry, a nervous buzz flitting across his skin. He chalked it up to being the first time he’d spoken, or seen, Dylan in months. “Hope you don’t mind.”

Dylan shrugged, casual and off-handed, that strange half smile never once faltering. “As long as you don’t mind watching her. I’ve still got some work to take care of.”

“When are you going to be done?” Lily asked, a pout forming on her lips.

“When the sun goes down, Lily. You know that.” He sounded exasperated, yet patient.

She grumbled something under her breath that Blake didn’t quite catch.

“It’s no problem. She’s a little angel.”

There was a soft sound that Blake could have sworn was a scoff. “Just don’t let her convince you to have dessert before dinner. Her and Remi have been sneaking into the kitchens lately, and the kitchen staff have a soft spot for them.”

“I would never.” Blake said, and despite being three floors up, he could see and feel the flat glare Dylan sent his way. He raised a hand, smiling innocently. “Scout’s honor.”

Dylan looked like he wanted to say more, but his body sagged with what looked like a sigh. He took several steps back the way he’d come, pointing up at the balcony. “You be good for Papa.”

“I promise,” Lily said, mimicking Blake’s gesture of holding up a hand. He glanced at her to see a small mirror of his own mischievous smile on her lips. He wasn’t sure if she had picked that up from him in previous years, or if she was a fast learner. Either way, he felt a surge of pride.

“So,” Blake said, turning away from the railing as Dylan walked back through the snow. He kicked off his boots before entering his room once more. “Word on the street is you can score us some desserts with the kitchen staff.”

Lily’s eyes lit up, smile wide and toothy. “Linda makes the best brownies!”