Dixon picked August up from the bed as Deja came from the bathroom. He didn’t have to use his shifter senses to tell that she was nervous as hell. Her wide eyes, and the way she wrung her hands together was all the signs he needed.

He moved to her to try to calm her. He didn’t want her to feel over her head and leave. He needed her and August in his life. He should have warned his mother about August not having their last name.

The look of horror and embarrassment on Deja’s face was like a punch to the stomach. He didn’t fault her at all though. They hadn’t even known each other’s last names. A year ago, after he coaxed her into a walk after work, it led to his hotel room and the rest, as they say, was history. When he had awoken, she was gone.

“You’re doing fine,” he murmured, pulling her into his side.

“I’m so embarrassed. How do I explain to your parents our relationship?” She pulled her head back from him and sighed.

“Look, in our world, it’s much different than humans. Shifters have what you call one-night stands all the time. It’s the norm. I think she was more taken back that August doesn’t have my last name.”

She glanced down at August, who had snuggled himself against Dixon’s chest.

“Okay.”

“Now, let’s go down to talk with them. I’m sure they want to get to know you and August.”

She nodded her head and reached for his hand. He pulled her behind him as he left the room. He had promised to meet his parents in the solarium of the house.

Dixon led Deja through the house. He knew Blackburn Manor was in an uproar as word had spread about August’s arrival. He cradled his son to his chest, loving the feel of him. His thoughts turned to the challenge that would come between him and Tyson. He tightened his grip and knew that he would do what he must to keep August safe.

They arrived at the solarium, where he guided Deja through the open French doors before following behind her. His parents were already waiting for him. His father stood by the windows, staring out into the garden, while his mother paced the room.

“Mother. Father,” he greeted his parents. His mother immediately flew across the room and stopped in front of him. He could see in her eyes that she was dying to hold August.

“May I?” she asked, looking to Deja, who nodded, giving Amelda permission.

Amelda gently took August from his arms and cradled her to him. August stretched and opened his eyes, staring up at his grandmother. She leaned down and smelled August’s hair, and Dixon knew that she would smell his scent, confirming that he was indeed a Blackburn. Pure love beamed from her eyes as she glanced once more down at her grandson.

“Maxwell, would you look at him? He’s perfect,” she murmured, tears filling her eyes as she looked to Dixon’s father. She walked over to her husband and they both smiled down at August, who laughed and cooed at them, melting both of them.

“He’ll have them wrapped around his finger in no time,” he murmured, pulling Deja to his side. His heart was filled with pride as his father looked up from the baby and stared across the room at him. His father, a man of few words, nodded his head to Dixon.

He gave his approval.

Dixon led Deja over to the couch as his parents turned to them. His mother took a seat in a plush chair, while his father remained by the window.

“I heard you offered a challenge to Tyson,” Maxwell stated. The elder Blackburn’s face was stoic as he looked to Dixon.

“Yes, I have. It’s the only way that I know of to keep Deja and August safe,” he admitted.

“But Dixon, you know the rules that the PLC will insist on,” Amelda gasped, turning her wide gaze to him.

“Yes, I know, Mother.”

“Wait. What’s going on?” Deja’s body stiffened beside him. She pulled away from him and turned to face him. “Isn’t it just a fight?”

He stared at her, unsure of how to answer. In the shifter world, life was archaic compared to the way that humans solved problems. According to the PLC, any challenge for power would be a fight to the death.

“It’s a little more than a fight.” He grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes. Everything he owned would go to her and August, should he be defeated.

“You’re scaring me,” she whispered, her eyes flickering to his parents before returning to him.

“The fight would be to the death.”

“No! Are you crazy? There has to be another way!” She scrambled from the chair and ran a shaky hand through her hair as she looked around the room.

“You know about this?” she demanded from his parents.

“It is the way of the shifters,” Amelda said softly, keeping her voice low.

“It’s so barbaric!” Deja exclaimed, her eyes wide in desperation.

He stood slowly from his seat and reached for her. A sob ripped from her chest as she allowed him to wrap his arms around her.

“It will be okay. I won’t lose,” he murmured, holding her tight to him as her body shook from her sobs. He looked over her shoulder and met the misty eyes of his mother. She held the baby tight as she glanced up at his father, who had yet to take his eyes off of Dixon. “Even if I do fall, my parents will be there for you and August.”

“But we just found each other again. I don’t want to chance him growing up without a father.”

A deep pain blossomed in his chest at the thought of falling to the likes of Tyson and leaving this child to grow up without him.

“He’s right, my dear,” Maxwell announced, coming to stand next to Dixon and Deja. “It may seem barbaric to you, but our animals are still animals, and when there is a challenge, the alpha in us will come out. My son is a strong fighter and will handle Tyson.”

Deja leaned back and looked at his father. She nodded her head at the older Blackburn.

“Let’s relax and try not to think about the fight. Tomorrow is Christmas. Let’s enjoy the holiday before thinking of the challenge. The PLC will be calling soon to schedule it.” Amelda laid a kiss on August’s head. “Tomorrow is August’s first Christmas. Let’s make it a special one.”

“I feel bad. I don’t have any gifts for your parents,” Deja whispered as they left the dining room.

It was Christmas morning, and they had just finished having a wonderful breakfast with Dixon’s parents. Her eyes still felt gritty from crying last night. She wasn’t sure why, but the magnitude of the challenge hit her. There was a chance that Dixon would not be coming back to her.

It just wasn’t fair.

She understood she was human and that the shifter’s way of life was different. Now that she had Dixon, the thought of him being ripped from her and August’s life had gotten to her.

“Don’t be. You’ve just given them the best gift of all,” he murmured, carrying August against his chest. His hand gripped hers as he led her into the family room, where a massive, decorated tree sat off in the corner. The smell of the crisp Douglas fir filled the air.

Her eyes locked onto the tree, finding it to be one of the most beautifully decorated trees she had ever seen. It had to have stood ten feet tall, and didn’t even come near the tall vaulted ceilings. She smiled as she turned, and found August’s eyes captivated by the Christmas lights.

“You see the pretty lights?” she murmured, running her hand along his back. Her eyes flickered to Dixon and found his on her.

“There’s a present underneath the tree for you,” he announced, his lips tilted up in the corners.

“Dixon, I didn’t—”

“Stop. It doesn’t matter. I want for nothing, and this little guy is all the gift that I need,” he chuckled as August squealed. She laughed as her son smiled at his father.

Her heart rate spiked, as if she were a child on Christmas morning. She smiled and raced over to the tree, jumping around in excitement. A flat box wrapped in red paper called to her. She leaned down and grabbed the box. Finding her name on it, she scooped it up and headed toward the couch to sit down.

Dixon chuckled as she bounced in the seat. Her fingers paused on the gift as she looked over at Dixon.

“Dixon, you just couldn’t wait to open the gifts, could you?” Amelda’s voice appeared as she and Maxwell came into the room. “Even as a child, this boy would wake us up at the crack of dawn to get to his gifts.”

Deja laughed at the thought of a young Dixon waking his parents up in excitement.

“The boy never did understand the value of getting rest,” Maxwell murmured as he took a seat in the large recliner.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll have plenty more Christmases where August will be the one waking his mother and me up to get to his presents.”

Deja bit her lip at the thought of waking up with Dixon in the future.

“Go ahead, Deja. Open your gift.” Dixon nodded as he moved toward her. She glanced back to the gift, feeling all eyes in the room on her.

She ripped open the box and found a stack of papers in it. She looked up at Dixon, confused, but his face didn’t change. He nodded for her to take a look at them.

Picking them up, she began to read. She gasped as her eyes flew across the pages.

“Dixon!” He kneeled in front of her with their child. His parents remained silent as they watched the exchange between them. “What is this?”

“If I should fall, you and August will be taken care of. Everything I own is yours. Neither of you will ever want for anything.”

Her eyes burned as tears filled them. She tried her best to hold them back because she knew if they fell, she wouldn’t be able to stop them. Money didn’t matter to her, he mattered to her. Her heart would shatter without Dixon in her life. In just a short period of time, she had fallen for him.

“But you will win. You will come back to me.” Her voice strengthened with conviction as she stared into his eyes. She believed it in her heart that fate couldn’t be so cruel as to finally complete their family, only to take Dixon away from her and August. She reached out a hand to him, connecting with the scruff on his jawline. She smiled through her tears as she searched his gaze. “August will need his father. I will need you.”