Page 45 of Beyond Fate

“What candles?” Damon didn’t see any.

“Go through the motions,” Aldrin argued. “You just had to ruin the magical moment.”

Feeling ridiculous, he did as Aldrin instructed. When he blew out a breath, he opened his eyes to find he was back in his own kitchen with his family and his mate.

Elvine flew into the room clasping her hands. “Congratulations, Mr. Baby Belly!” Once again, she was wearing a smile so wide her face should have split in half. “I’m gonna be an aunt!”

Jax elbowed Kalen. “Grandpa.”

Damon’s throat grew tight when his dad’s eyes misted over. God, he loved the man so much. He grinned when his dad winked at him. The timeline was changing now that Damon wasn’t a raving lunatic or storming angrily through a portal.

The room erupted with laughter, and Damon was grateful for his loving family and the new addition to come. This was a beautiful moment he would remember forever. Never again would he take his family through hell.

Damon felt overwhelmed with emotion as he looked up at Casimir, his beautiful mate who was staring down at him with hurt shining in his blue eyes. “We’re going to be parents,” Damon said with a smile.

Casimir appeared hesitant. “Why have you suddenly softened to the idea, Damon? Just moments ago you were very hostile toward it.”

Casimir hadn’t called him nékah. That small detail showed Damon just how deeply hurt his warrior was. He couldn’t bear to see Casimir like this and pulled him into a tight embrace. Aldrin had given him a second chance, and Damon wasn’t going to waste it.

Gripping Casimir’s head firmly, he pulled his mate’s ear to his lips and whispered, “I was thinking maybe we could have a few more babies and drive everyone crazy.”

Casimir gasped. “Are you sure you’re okay with it?”

“I’m more than okay with it. I’ll just be a hairy pregnant guy.” Damon playfully nipped at his mate’s ear. “But since you’re the one who got me pregnant, you have diaper duty.”

Casimir threw his head back and laughed, hugging Damon even tighter. “I don’t mind, nékah.”

“You better not, ceutyâ méallân.” Beautiful father. Damon hoped he’d pieced the words together correctly.

Tears shimmered in his mate’s eyes. “I’m going to be a father.” Looking so proud, Casimir kissed his forehead. “I guess those pop quizzes paid off.”

Score points that Damon had gotten it right, ’cause he sucked at remembering most of what Casimir had tried to teach him. “I’m smarter than the average bear.”

“But you’re a wolf,” Casimir pointed out with a hint of confusion.

“Come on,” Damon playfully huffed. “How old are you and you don’t know about Yogi Bear?”

“Is he a friend of the family?” Casimir asked in earnest.

“I’m taking you upstairs right this instant to educate you on how to steal picnic baskets.” Damon snorted as he grabbed his mate’s hand. “After that, you’re going to learn how to put our children on a dinosaur’s head so they can watch movies. I’m about to introduce you to some amazing cartoons, gorgeous.”

“Hold on,” Jax said in a serious tone. “I’m not trying to bring the mood down, but you’re no longer just a wolf, Damon. You now carry the genetics of seven powerful men.”

It looked as if that observation hadn’t been erased from the timeline. Crap. Damon had forgotten to ask Aldrin how he was even going to deliver the babe.

“Will that affect the pup?” His dad looked worried.

So did everyone else as they stared at Damon. Even Casimir’s brows were knitted in concern. Honestly, they also looked as if they were waiting for him to explode.

A wide grin spread across Damon’s face. “He or she will be the best goddamn Frost the world has ever seen.”

Casimir hugged Damon tightly. “You’re right about that.”

His brothers and dad whooped with happiness as Elvine and Raidh hugged each other, wearing even bigger smiles than Damon.

After what could have happened, and the sacrifice Panahasi had been willing to make, he was done freaking out.

Now it was time to get back to being Damon Frost.

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