Dixon sat frozen in Deja’s living room as she went to lay August down in his crib. Dixon leaned forward with his head braced in his hands.

A son.

He had a son.

The minute Deja had opened the door and August’s scent hit him, he knew that he was his child. A shifter never needed a paternity test. Their offspring would always carry their parent’s scent.

His heart ached that he had missed so much. It was his fault. Realization hit him square in his chest. His animal knew that they had impregnated Deja. That was why a few months ago, his tiger began to pace and become almost uncontrollable.

His son had entered into the world.

His son.

If only he had given Deja his contact number before leaving a year ago, all of this would have progressed differently. Dixon’s heart was heavy, thinking that Deja had to do it all by herself. Who was there when she found out she was pregnant? Was she happy about it? Was she sad? Did she have a rough pregnancy? Was she by herself when she gave birth?

So many thoughts raced through his head as he waited for her to come out the room. She had allowed him to watch her feed August. It was one of the greatest moments of his life, watching his son receiving his nourishment from Deja’s breasts. He was fascinated at how his son became drunk on his mother’s milk and dozed off to sleep.

Yes, they needed to talk.

Had he never returned to Breckenridge, his son would have grown up fatherless.

Unless Deja would have married someone else, then his son would have been raised by another man.

His animal released a deep growl at the thought of another man around his son.

He had to tell her about his animal. Just one look at August and he knew his genes were strong. August was half-shifter, and would have the ability to shift when he got older.

“He’s still asleep,” Deja announced as she walked back into the small living area. She sat down on the small plush chair and tucked her feet underneath her.

He nodded, but finally looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time. Those dark areas beneath her eyes weren’t that of working too much. They were from the strain of being a single mother and working to make ends meet to provide for her and August.

No more.

What was his, was hers. She was his mate, and she had given him the greatest gift anyone could have ever given him. Christmas was a few days away, and little August was his gift.

“We need to talk about August…” he began. He could see the apprehension in her eyes as she nodded. He needed to ease her mind first. “First, I would never try to take him from you, but I would like to be a part of his life.”

“Of course.” Relief flooded her face. “Whatever you want to do. I’m just happy that you want to be a part of his life. I’ve dreamt of the moment when I would be able to get a hold of you and tell you. I was afraid that you were married —”

She gasped and her eyes flew to him.

“No, never married, and no kids,” he assured her. He could understand why she would have to ask. A one-night stand while he was away on vacation did seem suspicious.

“Well, I’m glad that you want to be a part of his life,” she continued. “Do you want to do a paternity test or something? I mean, I don’t want you thinking that I’m taking advantage of you.”

He ached to go to her, but he knew he needed to keep his hands off her so that they could finish their discussion.

“He’s the spitting image of me. He even has my eyes,” he said to her. “Plus, I need to tell you something about him. Something about me.”

Her eyes widened as she waited for him to go on. He knew he was about to tell her something that she wouldn’t believe.

“What could you tell me about Augie that I don’t already know?”

“My genes are the strongest between the two of us…” he began.

“Tell me something I don’t already know,” she muttered, looking down at her hands. “If I wouldn’t have seen him come out of me, I would question who carried him.”

He was pleased that she was getting to the point of joking because what he was about to tell her was going to blow her mind.

“My family…we carry certain genes that will make August different as he gets older.”

“What?” She sat forward in the chair, her eyes panicked.

“It’s nothing to worry about. He’ll be fine. What he is, I am too.” He tried to keep his voice low and soothing, not wanting her to panic, but it was too late.

“What does that mean? My son is a little boy. You’re a man. He’ll grow into a man. We all know that.”

Dixon closed his eyes briefly. Opening them, he met her confused ones.

“Even though August doesn’t have my last name, he is a Blackburn. He’s my heir, and my genes will always dominate a human’s. My son is a shifter. A tiger shifter. As am I.”