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Sofia beams, but I spot the trace of worry on her furrowed brow. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks as she absently twirls a curl of the baby’s hair through her fingers.

The child grips my pendant and tugs, straining the cord around my neck.

Then the little one jabs it right into his mouth and drools all over it.

If only Godric knew that his precious pack master necklace he gifted me after our mating is now a glorified teether.

I smile and hand the child back, looping the pendant over my head so that Sofia’s son can keep it a while longer. “Perfectly okay, Sofia. I’m so happy for you.”

The only thing that hasn’t changed about me is the fact that I still can’t have children, but I’m okay with that now.

Every new soul born on Monster Isle is under my protection. In that way, I am a mother to so many innocents who will never know the darkness of the late king’s reign. They will grow up with mothers like Sofia, who are cared for and protected, not mocked or shamed.

As it should be.

But it’s a job in itself to not only find mates for the members of Monster Isle but also weed out those still under King Njord’s influence and dark corruption—or other preexisting ailments that must be dealt with.

Renalt bursts in a moment later, balancing a tray of finger foods that immediately take me back to the Elite City, as well as a stack of boxes bearing the Blood Moon crest blocking his view.

“I knew the Blood Moon Pack would have what we needed, but I tell you, that Ulara as the new pack master is a piece of fucking work. She told me to take my very reasonable offer and shove it up my⁠—”

“Darling,” Sofia squeaks out between clenched teeth, “don’t you see we have company?”

I chuckle, but I know that Ulara as the new pack master has been an adjustment for everyone. Godric always wanted her to take over in a fantasy world where he finally claimed a mate and spent all his time on her. One where she agreed to the role only if King Njord was dethroned.

Except, that fantasy is now real, and Ulara has to keep her end of the deal.

The royal peeks around the corner, then widens his eyes when he spots me. “Your Majesty, my apologies. I didn’t know we would be graced with your presence today.”

Sofia rolls her eyes. “I only reminded you three times.”

Renalt apologizes again as he sets down the items and begins unpacking the boxes. The table is soon filled with cloths, wipes, and tiny outfits, and underneath it all is a suspicious tonic that triggers old wounds.

They’d never give anything harmful to their child, I remind myself. Not everyone is my mother.

“I’m not getting much sleep these days,” Renalt tells me with a sheepish smile. “For very different reasons than it used to be,” he adds as he admires his wife, but there’s a glint in his eyes that says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He hands her the tonic. “The iron supplement you requested.”

I raise a brow as Sofia smirks and then tugs the pendant from the child’s mouth.

It has teeth marks on it.

“Apparently, having a baby with a vampire means he drinks more than just milk.”

I wince, now even more grateful that I won’t be bearing children. “Talk about a mother’s sacrifice,” I groan.

She laughs and hands me the pendant. “I don’t mind.”

Chuckling, I hook the necklace over my head, then I steal one of the finger sandwiches. I offer it to Sofia and she accepts it. I watch her eat two more before I try one myself. “I’m sure a new child makes every day hard to keep track of,” I say. “Especially without a nanny. Don’t you want one? I have some from the court I could assign.”

I had already sent a letter to tell Sofia as much, but I hadn’t received a response. Aside from attending the birth, Sofia has insisted that I spend my time on my new subjects, as well as my mates.

They’re a demanding trio. That’s for sure. But looking at my friend now, a part of me grieves that I’ll never be able to give them this.

“You’re all we’ll ever need,” Ze’ev says inside my head, making me smile.

“Stop eavesdropping,” I chide him, but I’m glad my mates are now always in my head. I’m never alone with my thoughts that often turn sinister if I let them.