“We have to separate them. I’ll take the boy back to Brazil with me. You give the girl up for adoption here.”

The screen in front of me blurred. My eyes stung as I blinked back tears. Mateus wasn’t the kind of adult you could cry in front of. Although, there’d been a brief moment at the wake when I could have sworn I’d seen him crying by Mom’s casket.

My sweaty fingers slipped over the controls as I pretended to still be engrossed in my game. I was getting my ass beat by Dr. Wily, and I didn’t even care. I stole a glance at Aunt Cely. She looked like she was about to “go nuclear,” as Mom would have said.

“If you think I’m going to give up custody of my nephew to the sperm donor who refers to him as ‘the boy,’ you’re dumber than I always told Kamella you were.”

“I can never offer you any support. Just like I couldn’t Kamella. Sending money would’ve given us away. How will you support two kids on your own? Put your emotions aside and be rational about this.”

“Spoken like a true deadbeat. I don’t want your money.”

“You don’t understand. Kamella’s death may have already given us away. I made up outlandish lies just to be able to come here. I’ll have to invent more before this is through.”

“I want you to leave.”

“You’re not listening to me. The girl’s life can never be tied to mine. Do you understand? Her very existence will get us all killed.”

“The girl?” Aunt Cely repeated, her blue eyes narrowing to slits as she puffed her chest out. “By ‘the girl,’ I will assume you mean Milena, your newborn daughter and my sister’s second child by your unfortunate participation. Let me assure you, I am one hundred percent on board with you never having anything to do with my niece.”

“You think this is my fault? That I wanted this?” Mateus’s face contorted and his voice rose in anger as he glared from Aunt Cely to my sleeping sister in her bassinet. “That I wanted that—that—”

“Baby?” Aunt Cely finished for him, her volume and exasperation level rising to match his anger.

“Curse.” He pointed a finger at my sister. “That thing is a living, breathing curse.”

“Get out of this house!” Cely screeched at him. Her head whipped in my direction. “Raul, go to your room.”

I jumped up from the couch, anxious to get away, but all the yelling had woken Milena up, and she started crying, her little wails adding to the tension consuming the house as Mateus continued to rage.

“Kamella told me she was on the pill. That baby never should have happened to begin with. It sure as shit shouldn’t have lived. Goddamn paramedics were supposed to save Kamella’s life. I could sue them.”

I went to the bassinet and bent over my crying sister. I felt stupid making the shushing noises like I’d seen Aunt Cely do before, so I reached in and touched the tip of my finger to the inside of Milena’s little open palm when she waved it above her face. “Hey,” I whispered. “It’s okay.”

She stopped wailing, and her blue eyes stared up at me like I was the coolest thing she’d ever seen. Her tiny fingers wrapped around the end of my forefinger, squeezing it tightly in her baby fist.

I felt myself smile, even as a tear rolled down my nose and fell on her little pink sheet, leaving a wet mark.

“She is not an it. And you don’t have a legal right to sue anyone, you selfish son of a bitch. You weren’t Kamella’s husband. You’re not on either child’s birth certificate.”

“Thank God for that.” Mateus huffed. “If you do this, you’re going to have to move away. You’ll have to raise the girl to think she’s your own. Best if she’s surrounded by people who don’t know.” He was pacing now. “The boy complicates things unless I take him with me. He knows too much. Kamella told him things she shouldn’t have. He could ruin everything if he doesn’t play along.”

“You’re insane. I don’t know what my sister ever saw in you, but you can leave this house now and go straight to hell for all I care, because I don’t need your crazy advice or your help. And it’ll be over my dead body that you ever take Raul to Brazil with you.”

I lay in bed with Bethany after she fell asleep, listening to the sounds of her breathing and her steady heartbeat to make sure she was okay. In my head, I ran over all the ways that I would make this up to her.

I could make it up to her.

She would forgive me. She would understand.

Bethy was different. She’d always been unique in the way that she took people for who they were—even when they didn’t fit into familiar societal categories or conform to acceptable standards of right and wrong. I’d noticed that about Bethy long before my wolf had identified her as our mate.

She would understand I’d done what was best for her—that I’d done this to protect her.

“Your future mother-in-law’s here,” Mike informed me from the doorway. “In the elevator on her way up.”

Reluctantly, I extracted myself from my mate.

“Stephen and I’ll take Gregg and check in with the guys. Reach out if you need help charming Marlee,” Mike offered, lingering in the doorway. “I was thinking I could try my Russian accent on her.”

Mike didn’t hover unless he had something to tell me that I wouldn’t like. But I ignored him while I rearranged Bethany into a more comfortable position on the bed—one that would also better conceal her bite marks.

“What?” I finally asked as I was tucking the covers around her.

“I’ve ordered Wyatt back from Puerto Iguazú.”

My head came up. “Why? That wasn’t your call. Why didn’t you talk to me?”

“It’ll be good for Bethany.”

“Still not your call.”

His back straightened. “Wyatt’s a newly transformed wolf. He can provide a newcomer’s perspective. Plus, he’s mated, therefore completely safe to have around Bethany. He can help fill in history on Sloane, Avery trusts him implicitly, he’s easily controlled, and he comes across as the least threatening member of our entire pack.”

He had a point. Several good ones, in fact.

“Not to mention, he witnessed Avery’s unassisted transformation, which may also prove useful in getting Bethany to understand the situation that—”

“You’ve sold me. Just keep him away from Alcaeus.”

“Already planned for that.”

Of course he had. Mike thought of everything. “You talk to Rafe about Bethany?” I knew he had, but I wanted to confirm that Rafe had agreed to behave.

“Yeah.”

“And?”

“He said he’d try.”

Motherfucker. “If he makes her uncomfortable, I’ll take his other eye. Did you tell him that?”

“Come on, you know he’s going to be rude and weird with her no matter what. The best we can hope for is that he behaves during her examination.”

“He won’t be examining her alone. Ever.”

Mike laughed. “Then you’ve got it covered.”

“Mrs. G, it’s so great to see you,” I greeted, giving Bethy’s mom my best All-American quarterback smile.

“Raul?” Mrs. Garrett whipped her oversized designer sunglasses off. “Raul Caro?” Her eyes widened as she looked me up and down. “Oh, my stars, it is you. And you’re huge! What on earth are you doing here? Where’s my Bethany? I drove straight from Santa Cruz when I got the sex tapes and didn’t hear back from her. I phoned the hospital, and they said they’d cancelled her on-call shift for the weekend.”

“She’s in her room.” I leaned in and kissed Mrs. Garrett on both cheeks. “Sleeping.”

“Sleeping?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Wait, why’re you—”

“Wow, Mrs. G, you look stunning—it’s like you haven’t aged a day,” I told her as I ushered her over the threshold.

“Ah, stop it. You’re crazy.” She giggled and blushed. “Really? You think so? Because I feel so old. You have no idea. I mean the pressure nowadays to stay youthful-looking in my line of work is—”

She gasped as she entered and saw the mess we hadn’t had time to fully clean up. “Oh, my sweet baby Jesus ... what happened?”

I cleared my throat and decided to go with a half-truth. “Gregg.”

Another gasp. “Gregg did all this?”

“Well … he came unannounced to confront Bethany and—”

“Ugh, that no-good cocksucker. I swear I’m gonna kick him in the nuts the next time I see him.”

I coughed. “That’d be one way to handle it.”

“I just can’t believe him—cheating before the wedding like that. And sending out that disgusting tape? What was he thinking?”

“He wasn’t. I’m afraid he was reacting more than anything.”

“Reacting?” She cocked her head at me. “To what?” She may have also frowned, but it was difficult to tell with all the Botox and filler she had in her forehead. “Why did you say you were here again? Don’t you live in South America now?”

“I do. I’m in town for a convention this week. Bethany and I ran into each other last night.”

She took a step back, pursing her lips as she eyed me up and down again. “You fucked my daughter.”

“I—what?”

“Don’t bullshit me, Raul.” She raised her pointer finger at me. “I know your type. And I know my daughter.”

Damnit, we’d had to compel Mrs. G the last time I’d kidnapped Bethany. I was hoping to avoid it this time around.

“Look, the truth is Bethany found out Gregg was cheating a day or so ago. She went out last night with her girlfriends to blow off some steam. We happened to cross paths at a club and wound up having a bit of fun on the dance floor together.” Not a lie.

“You’re avoiding a straight answer.”

“You’ll have to ask your daughter. I don’t kiss and tell, Mrs. G.”

“Smooth. Very smooth.”

I laughed. “It’s the truth.”

“It’s a relative truth at best, Raul.”

“There are no eternal facts, as there are no absolute truths.”

Her lip curled in distaste. “I hope you didn’t get into my daughter’s pants throwing out sixth-grader Nietzsche quotes like that one. I spent a shit-ton of money on that girl’s education.”

“Ouch.” I placed my hand over my heart. “I seem to remember you liking me more than this the last time we saw one another.”

“Who says I don’t like you? Were you here when Gregg came over?”

“I was.”

“Good. Where’s the body?”

“Bottom of the Bay, of course. Where else?”

She smirked. “Atta boy. Let me know if you need an alibi.” The humor left her eyes. She leaned closer and asked, “Please tell me you terrified him just a tiny bit? Lie to me if you have to.”

“Yes. I took care of it, Mrs. G.” She had no idea how well I’d taken care of it.

“Well, that’s something at least.” She sighed; shook her head. “What a mess. I’m going to check on my daughter. Then I want words with you.”

She said it like I was in trouble, and I couldn’t contain my grin as I watched her disappear down the short hallway and into Bethany’s room.

Marlee Garrett had balls. It was easy to see where Bethany got her spunk. I’d been impressed with the way Mrs. G had handled herself a decade ago in the face of Gabe and Nuriel Salvatella when we’d shown up at the Garrett’s home to kidnap Bethany.

Of course, she hadn’t lasted long against the power of Gabe’s compulsion. With Bethany’s mind blocked, Gabe had worked his powers of persuasion through Marlee by compelling her to play along, having her wholeheartedly encourage her eighteen-year-old daughter to go to Argentina with three older men, only one of whom Bethany had known and trusted: me.

It made me nauseous to think back on that day—how it had all gone down, and my part in it.

Mrs. G returned and reported with an attempted frown on her mostly immobile face, “She’s really passed out cold back there. Do you know if she took something? Maybe an Ambien?”

“Hmm—don’t think she took an Ambien.” Not a complete lie.

“Must be all the stress. She’s been killing herself between her hours at the hospital and planning this wedding.” She shook her head. “When she wakes up, tell her I was here, and tell her that her dad and I are going to handle reaching out to guests and cancelling all the plans for the wedding, okay?”

“Will do.”

“It’s best if she doesn’t respond to anyone on the guest list about Gregg’s email just yet. She should let things settle first.”

“Agreed.” I smiled and nodded dutifully as she continued to issue directives for me to relay to Bethany as if I were her personal assistant.

She liked me for her daughter. I could tell. This was going so much better than I’d hoped. I wouldn’t even have to invade my future mother-in-law’s mind to steal Bethy away.

“I texted Lucas and told him not to swing by, given how wiped out she is. So let her know her father won’t be over today, but do tell her I said she should call him tomorrow.”

“’Course.”

“You are planning on still being here when she wakes up?” she checked as an afterthought.

Enemy werelocks couldn’t tear me away.

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving her alone, Marlee.”

Her mouth hitched on one side. “I didn’t say you could call me Marlee.”

I gave her a lopsided smile in return. “You don’t mind, do you?”

“You’re a little pushy, Raul.” She tapped her manicured forefinger to her artificially plump lower lip, her blue eyes considering me. “And awfully cocky. I seem to remember other parents—moms in particular—saying that about you at some point, although I can’t recall the exact circumstances. I’m sure it’ll come to me.” Her Botox-frozen brow managed to climb a fraction. “You know, you’re setting yourself up to be the rebound guy with her.”

“I don’t think so, Marlee. I’ve never been the discardable rebound type.”

“There’s always a first time for everything, darling,” she said, her tone droll as she bent her head and fished through her leather shoulder bag. “Here’s my card. I expect you to update me.”

“You’re really good at giving marching orders.”

“Thanks for noticing. Have to run—wedding to cancel and all.” She went up on tiptoe, turning her cheek at a slight angle to me.

I bent and kissed her on both cheeks. “Pleasure reconnecting with you, Marlee.”

“Always, Raul. Give my best to Milena and her husband, will you? I can’t wait to see pictures of the little one. Did they find out the sex yet?”

“Huh?”

“The sex of the baby. Did they find out? Last I heard from Bethany, they hadn’t.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the solar plexus—with a rusty spike.

Miles was pregnant?

“Milena must be six months along by now, so surely they know.”

Six months pregnant?

How had I not known about this? There was no way Mike didn’t know already. The guy had a tight network of eyes in place across the globe—both real and digital. He had to know. Which meant he just hadn’t told me.

“It’s uh … a surprise.” I forced myself to smile. “They decided to keep it a secret.” From me.

“Oh, well, that’s fun, too. I’ll just pick out something unisex to send them.”

“That’s very kind of you. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.”

I went through the motions of making polite chitchat as I saw Marlee out. She finally remembered to ask what I did for a living—to confirm I wasn’t the unemployed loser surfer she’d probably always assumed I’d end up being. I was so distracted by the news I was going to be an uncle that I told her I worked in robotics—a ludicrous lie I’d never be able to fake, much less in any way substantiate.

We parted ways with her telling me not to fuck things up with her daughter.

Mike returned with all but three of the pack members who were in town with us and set them to work righting Bethy’s apartment. Stephen and the others were with Gregg—implementing phase two of Mike’s plan for ruining the entitled asshole’s life.

I confronted Mike once we were alone in Bethany’s room.

“You knew about Miles being pregnant, didn’t you?”

He didn’t need to answer. I felt it.

“Does Alcaeus know?”

“No.”

I nodded. “Good. See that he doesn’t find out.”

“Of course. I’ll do my best. No good can come of him knowing. It’d only complicate things. Confuse his loyalty.” The column of Mike’s throat bobbed with a swallow. His grey eyes on me were wary. “To be honest, I figured the same might be true of—”

“Does Avery know?”

“No.”

“That’s for the best as well.”

“Agreed.”

We lapsed into silence, listening to the music of Bethy’s heartbeat.

“My loyalty won’t waver, Mike,” I broached at last. Because it needed to be said. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Maribel. Sloane is our future. Alpha Milena’s child won’t change that.”

Not a complete lie.