8
Ryu
The moment I laid eyes on Angel, I knew everything had changed.
There was no going back to the way things used to be. For whatever reason, this baby had come into our lives. Well, she’d come intoScar’slife—but was it a coincidence that he chose to ask me for help, especially right after the fight we had earlier? I didn’t think so. This was something that was meant to be.
I knew Scar had his doubts. I just needed to convince him this was the right path to follow.
“Can I really do that?” Scar asked now after my declaration.
“Not just you,” I reassured him. “I’m going to help raise her, too. I’m not going anywhere.”
Surprise and something like relief crossed his expression. A sigh left his lips and the tension eased from his shoulders.
“So… You’re not mad?” he asked.
“About what?”
He grimaced. “The way I screamed at you to leave me alone?”
“Oh, that.” I shrugged. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t hurt in the moment, but I knew you had your reasons. I think both of us were wound a little tight from everything that happened tonight. But this is more important than that.”
I gestured to Angel’s carrier. Scar nodded.
“Yeah. That’s exactly what I thought too,” he said.
I smiled. “Great. Then let’s take her home. It’s going to get chilly out.”
“Okay. Er… Whose home?”
“There’s more space at mine,” I explained. “It’s the entire upper unit of my magic school. It’s also closer to the doctor’s clinic in case an emergency comes up.”
He shrugged again. “Okay. Sounds good.”
I reached down for the handle of Angel’s carrier. “Do you mind? You must be tired after chasing me down.”
“No, go ahead.”
I lifted the carrier. Angel gurgled but didn’t make a fuss. I noticed Scar couldn’t tear his eyes off her. I’d never seen him so curious and enthralled. He traced a finger along the side of her carrier, touching the soft cushion when suddenly Angel reached out with a tiny hand and touched his finger. He gasped, his whole face turning soft with emotion before breaking into a shy smile.
It was the first true smile of happiness I’d ever seen on his face.
* * *
Angel fell back asleepby the time we arrived at my place. We entered the dark first floor of the magic school and climbed the stairs at the back to the second floor—my home.
“Shoes, please,” I reminded Scar.
“Huh? Oh—sorry,” he muttered, kicking them off by the door.
Scar seemed embarrassed once we passed the threshold into the living space. He took in his surroundings.
“Everything’s so… tidy,” he commented. “It probably is better to raise a kid here, huh? Is she even old enough to crawl?”
“I think so,” I said. “Especially since shifter children mature faster than humans.”
“You think she’s a shifter too, right?” Scar asked, gesturing to her eyes.
