I was relaxing in our back garden, my heart buzzing with excitement over seeing Spar again. He’d been away on a mission for several days now—nothing dangerous, just helping with a dam on the other side of the mountains—and I missed him abominably. Sleeping alone, cooking just for myself, and going about my day without him by my side had been difficult.

I was sipping lemonade as I watched the sky over the castle for the telltale shapes of dragon wings. They would appear any moment now, according to a messenger who had arrived earlier in the morning. The project had apparently been a huge success and the Knights had brought back loads of gifts from the grateful villagers as well.

I had taken the morning to cook one of Spar’s favorite meals. I’m sure the villagers had fed him well, but no one could make a lamb potpie like I could. And with the new kitchen I had had installed, cooking had become even more of a pleasure.

I rubbed my rounded stomach softly, hoping that I would soon feel the kick of new life. We tried for several months after our wedding and the seed soon took root. We didn’t know whether it would be a boy or girl, shifter or not, but whoever it turned out to be, we were already overflowing with love for the little one.

The wedding had been a small affair, even though it was one of the first Knight-omega marriages in recent memory. I wanted to keep it small; I wasn’t one to draw attention to myself. Two of my old friends refused to attend and I quickly realized that they hadn’t been friends at all. I wasn’t bothered. I was too surrounded with the love of Spar, my fellow omegas, and my family to feel hurt.

My parents had been terrified of Spar at first, but thrilled when they realized that a marriage meant that grandchildren would soon follow. I was an only child, after all. When I joined the omegas, they had privately resigned themselves to being a great-aunt and great-uncle, but the marriage had ignited something new in them, the hope and joy that came with the promise of the next generation.

Interestingly, when my parents, other relatives, and friends met Spar and his fellow Knights, something else had happened. I realized, with a shock, that we had broken down some sort of dam. The Knights rarely ventured into town because they were so feared, but the whole idea of the wedding had humanized the Knights for the townsfolk who knew me. I could sense walls breaking down, and more amiable relations to follow.

I even sensed that Knight-townsfolk pairings might be in the future, which would mean a greater likelihood of shifter children. I did have several school friends who still hadn’t found a husband, and who had admitted to me that they were attracted to the idea of being with a Knight. I hadn’t been the only one who had “dark” desires—I had simply been the only one who had had the fortitude to follow through with them.

In fact, Leddy had confided to me that she had something of an omega in her as well, which was shocking. But then, it was my fault for assuming that she was so plain in her tastes. She had related to me an anecdote of asking Romis to be rougher with her, “like the Knights,” she had said. After smoothing over his bruised ego, assuring him that she did not mean to imply that he was lesser than the Knights, they had enjoyed a spicier night together than they ever had before.

I had to keep myself from laughing at the image of gentle Romis pulling off such a trick, but then, Leddy had surprised me. It made me wonder how many of the townsfolk would be open to such practices, and in turn, how many of them would think more highly of the omegas. I realized that I had actually felt sorry for many of them, for shunning our techniques, which actually made sexual experiences better in every way—more physical pleasure and a stronger emotional connection were good things.

The omegas themselves were unperturbed by the new change in policy. There were several other Knight-omega couples who came out of the woodwork to proclaim their love for each other, so Spar and I were far from alone. We had simply paved the way for others to follow their own hearts. However, the majority of Knights and omegas enjoyed the promiscuous lifestyle and chose to continue rotating. Some even had committed partnerships but also enjoyed switching from time to time. There was some heartbreak, much jealousy, and many disagreements, but the discipline of the Knights and omegas served them well in mediating these.

Most importantly, the Knights were able to better serve us all. As Spar had said in his impassioned speech, many of them now had something to fight for. If they had a mate, it was to protect their mate and their families. If they weren’t attached, then it was to protect our new, free way of life. The passion from all the lovers, attached or not, seemed to flow more freely around the castle.

I smiled as I continued to watch the sky, remembering that Spar’s parents were going to be over that evening to see their son, and I would have to come up with a meal for them as well. This was my life now—domestic challenges as well as the challenges of being a Knight’s mate. I had to be strong when he was away, and I had to calm my nerves when meeting the gruff miner and his bold, yet kindly mate again.

The unmistakable sight of the formation flying into the castle greeted my eyes and I lit up, standing up easily and walking further out to the ledge. I knew that as soon as Spar landed and transformed, he would come home as quickly as he could, most likely carrying some sort of exotic sweet endemic to the village.

He had brought back many unusual treasures when he returned from delivering the fallen soldier’s locket. We had worked together to ask around and find out who he had been, and eventually, through word of mouth, we figured it out. Through this, we had learned that the subjects of the enemy king were like us—detached from the war that had plagued us all, and unsupportive of their king’s attempts to expand his borders through force. The “enemies” we had met near the border were only too happy to help us, and Spar had successfully delivered the locket to the man’s widow. She had been so thankful that she had besieged him with elaborate embroidered fabrics, strange fruits, and ornate pieces of jewelry, the likes of which I had never seen before.

Sure enough, I watched as the dragons landed and their forms shrunk, great billowing red wings shriveling into muscular arms and tails retracting into spines. From this distance, it was hard to tell which one was Spar, but I made him out and followed him with my eyes as he shrugged on a tunic and boots, took a parcel from the enormous pile of loot, and made his way down the path to our home.

We had had the cottage built just before our marriage and I spent most of my time here, though I would sleep over at the Guild or at my parents’ when he was away. I had missed being curled up together in our bed at the end of the night and my heart was melting at the thought of finally doing so tonight.

He came closer and closer, practically running as he reached the gate and then the cobblestones. I couldn’t run to meet him, but I did walk around the side of the house and steadily towards him, still holding a hand to my stomach. My mother swore that I would feel the kick eventually, and I didn’t want to miss the first one.

Spar set the parcel down and gathered me in his arms tenderly. My belly pressed against his body and I buried my face in his shoulder. He smelled musky and sweaty, but I didn’t care because he was finally here. There was nothing to say because it was enough that we were holding each other again.

But as we stood there, I thought I could feel something. I gently pulled away from him and looked down at my pregnant stomach wonderingly. It was just as round and protruding as ever, innocuously sitting with my tunic draped over it.

“What happened?” he asked, concern flitting over his features.

“I just… I thought I felt something,” I said. I began to feel disappointed as I realized that I was probably imagining it for the hundredth time.

“It’ll happen soon,” he assured me, kneeling down to place his own, large hands on my stomach, rubbing it like a crystal ball.

But then he paused as well. “Soren,” he started, his voice breathless with excitement, “I don’t think you imagined it.”

I put a hand on my belly and couldn’t tell whether I was feeling my own heart fluttering or the baby. We sat in silence for a minute longer, waiting for a sign. I didn’t move a muscle, not wanting to mistake my own movements for the baby’s.

And there it was. It was a distinct kick. I continued to stand still, hoping to feel even more. Maybe I hadn’t been imagining all the quickening before; maybe the baby really had been starting to move.

“Wow,” said Spar reverently. “Soren, that’s it.”

I didn’t know what to say. I had been carrying this life inside me for months now, and here was the first real sign that he or she was really here and present, and would eventually be joining us.

“I guess—I guess it’s time to think of names,” I said.

“It’s time to think of a lot of things,” said Spar sagely, standing up to embrace me again. He kissed me softly on the lips. “It’s time to think of the future.”