Ava sat beside Calix on the couch in the billiard room. The male hadn’t stopped smiling since they’d left his bedroom.

“There’s so much blood to clean up in there. Probably going to have to sleep down here. Not sure I can deal with another female’s birth fluids.”

“Stop being a male for a minute.” Ava chuckled, pulling her knees into her chest. “I think it’s beautiful that life began there. It’s like … sacred now.”

“Sacred? Maybe. Nasty? Absolutely.”

She punched him in the arm. “What if that was me? Is that how you’d act?” No sooner had the words fallen from her lips, Ava instantly regretted them. She couldn’t be certain, but she sensed that whatever had been done to her by Oliver ensured that she’d never know a beautiful experience that way. She’d give birth to a baby maggot, just like The Fly movie she’d watched years ago, and everyone would scream in horror. A shiver rushed down her spine, and her expression must’ve changed, because Calix leaned forward, gripping either side of her face, and kissed her.

“It’d be different in that case,” he whispered.

“Why?” Ava knew the answer, but after what’d happened, she wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to know there was still a male who desired her that way, and not as a hollow vessel to deposit some disgusting maggot sperm.

“Because you’d be mine. The baby would be mine.”

Blowing out a breath, Ava gently nudged Calix away and leaned forward, suddenly needing air. “Calix … I have something to tell you.”

The knock at the door, followed by the clearing of a throat, brought both of their attentions toward Logan who stood filling the frame. Brows furrowed, he seemed unwilling to look at her, his gaze directed toward the floor. “I um … can I … talk to Ava?”

Ava sensed Calix’s muscles tense beside her, and setting her hand on his arm confirmed as such. Yep, he didn’t like the idea. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”

Calix rose from the couch and strode toward the door, pausing just outside the room beside his brother, as if he might say something, but still, Logan refused to lift his gaze. After a quick glance back at Ava, Calix kept on, leaving the two of them alone.

Logan stepped inside the room, and it was then she took a moment to appreciate how enormous the male was. How easily he could crush her if he wanted. He cleared his throat a second time. “Are you … did I hurt you?”

Her spine carried the vestiges of a dull ache, but nothing overtly painful. “No. I’m okay.”

The sag of his shoulders told her the news relieved him, and he stepped deeper into the room. “I um … a lot of things … I said some … you know, I was just …”

Jesus, Ava had never seen the male so soft-spoken and tongue-tied. In the few times she’d met Logan while she’d dated Calix, the most she could say about the male was that he growled a lot. “You worried. For her. And for the baby. I understand.”

He shook his head. “What happened before, when you took her from me. You almost killed me. I thought she was dead then.” His brows pinched into a frown, as if the pain of that moment had stabbed him in the heart right where he stood.

“Sorry isn’t enough, Logan. I betrayed you. And Calla. All your brothers. Calix. I’ve regretted it every day since. I’ll understand if you want me to leave.”

His brow flickered with his harsh swallow, as he continued to keep his gaze from her. “What you did back there.” He gripped his skull, running his hand back and forth across his short-cropped hair. “When I thought I’d lost them both. That was … the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Really … it was … no big deal.” Her eyes widened with horror. “I mean, I know it was a big deal, but it was …” She shook her head, stifling the next disastrous string of words before they could tumble out of her mouth. “Thank you.”

“No. You saved my girl. Both of them.” His cheek dimpled with the hint of a smile, as if he couldn’t talk about his baby girl without that single emotion getting the best of him. “It’s the biggest fucking deal of my life. So, thanks.”

“She’s beautiful.”

“Calla sent me to get you. She wants to see you.”

For some reason, that summons had her chest beating harder than if the Orcosian lords had summoned her right then. She gave a nod, her throat suddenly dry as a cotton sock. “Okay.”

As she pushed up off the couch, it occurred to Ava how quickly her body had morphed into panic mode, as weakness claimed her limbs and she stumbled forward.

Logan caught her arm before she tumbled to the floor. “You’re certain I didn’t hurt you?” Remorse danced across his face, as his eyes flicked back toward the floor like a young boy facing punishment.

“I’m certain. I just tripped, is all.”

“Ava.” Logan released his grip, tucking his hands into his pocket, and took a step back. “You’re welcome to stay. What I said about wanting to kill you—”

“I get it. You wanted to ground me into hamburger and feed me to the dogs. You were pissed. I messed with your life, and I promise it won’t happen again.”

He gave a slow nod and rubbed his chin. “So you know, I’d never feed you to the dogs. There’s a dirty ass lycan tiger that likes to run with Ayden. I’d definitely feed you to him first.”

A burst of laughter beat from her chest. “Never pegged you for having a sense of humor, Logan.”

“Seriously, though. Thanks. And I’m sorry for being a dickbag earlier. It’s genetic.”

“Lovely. I’ll take that into account where Calix is concerned.”

With a jerk of his head, Logan led her out into the hallway, back up the staircase, but instead of turning toward Calix’s room, she followed him to the right, and into a much darker room.

A lamp illuminated the space, and still, it was eerily darker than Calix’s room.

Cleaned up and lying in bed, Calla sat holding a thick bundle, all wrapped up in small blankets. Somewhere in that mess of cotton was a brand new baby, confirmed by the fresh powder smell that drifted through the room.

Ava’s eyes instinctively shot to Calla’s throat, with the marks from the bands still tracing the soul-binder she’d removed from there. A warm smile stretched Calla’s face, as Ava made her way beside the bed.

Calla patted mattress beside her. “Please sit,” she whispered.

With a bit of hesitance, Ava did as she’d asked. Folding her hands into her lap, she let her gaze wander everywhere except on the female beside her.

A warm hand gripped hers, and she looked up to see tears in Calla’s eyes.

Oh, God. I can’t do this.

Never in her life had she done something particularly spectacular, and in her mind, what she’d done for Calla really was no big deal. Just a prick of blood and some quick chants.

“I can’t thank you enough.”

“It was … really, you don’t have to thank me. I kind of … you know, betrayed you.”

“That’s not important anymore. You saved me. My baby. I owe you for this.”

Ava cleared her throat and shifted on the bed. “Truly, don’t thank me. That’d make me feel like sh—” Her gaze dipped toward the baby and back. “Really bad. Let’s just call it even.”

“It’s not even, though. I’d planned to leave that night. I was going to go out on my own. I could’ve been killed then.”

“I doubt it. You seem … pretty strong.”

She chuckled and glanced toward Logan and back. “You know, I was certain that I’d deliver a boy. I was going to name him Jacob Logan after my brother.”

“Yeah, I was … surprised you had a girl. I thought Wrath’s mostly gave birth to boys.”

“They do. A female is very rare, so I …. Well, we … decided to name her Avalon.”

Ava wanted to smile, to show some appreciation for that, but all she could summon was a frown. Why on earth would they name the child after her? After what she’d done? “You don’t—you don’t have to do that. I’m sure there are a number of females you’d prefer to name her after.”

“I don’t remember my mother’s name. Nor my grandmother’s. Besides, it’d be an honor to name her after the female who saved her life.”

“I really didn’t …. I meant to bring you back, but I honestly didn’t know …” Ugh, the guilt of having to confess that she didn’t think about the baby at all weighed down on Ava. What a horrible thought. And even if she happened to be staring down at a perfectly healthy baby, the thought of what could’ve happened still slapped her in the face.

“You didn’t know if she’d survive. And still, you didn’t hesitate. Quit minimizing it Ava. You did something incredible, okay?”

Pressing her lips together, Ava smiled and gave a nod. “Okay.”

“Would you like to hold her?”

A twinge of panic beat against her ribs as her heart prepared to leap through her bones. Babies had never been her thing, but with Logan as it’s father, standing over her with his arms crossed, visuals of dropping the baby had her shaking her head. Hard. “Please … I’m not good with … maybe in a few days.” Years?

“It’s okay.” Calla gave another squeeze and released her hand. “Her daddy’s been itching to hold her again, anyway.”

Her muscles finally softened, as Calla passed the tiny bundle to Logan. He held the baby out from him for a moment, in a proud moment of admiration, before he tucked her into the crook of his elbow, like a little bean against his massive chest.

For a brief moment, Ava’s mind taunted her with visuals of Calix holding one of their own and brought a smile to her face. Gods, to be that doted upon and protected. Ava had never known that feeling in all of her life, and yet, the baby in Logan’s arms would only know that feeling for the rest of hers. Between all of her uncles, she essentially had her own army of brawny males who’d give their lives for her without thinking twice.

“She’ll be considered royalty by birth. A basiliaj. I thought a regal sounding name would be appropriate.” Calla’s voice broke Ava from her musings, and she turned her attention back toward the blonde.

By birth, female Wrath demons were sought after and lavished upon in royal bliss. The child would never know hunger, poverty, pain, or suffering—all the things her namesake had suffered. And for whatever reason, that made Ava happy.

“It’s beautiful. Avalon. I love it.”