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I walked to the windows, gazing out at the garden that would be perfect for outdoor lessons and play. Something settled in my chest—a sense of rightness I hadn't felt in months.

"Danny," Emery said softly from behind me, "I know this isn't what you planned. But sometimes life has a way of offering something better than what we thought we wanted."

I turned to face him, emotion thick in my throat. "When did you get so wise?"

"When I stopped fighting what I was meant to be," he replied with a gentle smile. "It took me time, too."

“Is this usual for a pack?” I asked, gesturing at the room.

“For those that care about their kids,” Em said. “Packs that don’t have space like this either homeschool until the kids are secure in their shift, then give them the choice of attending human schools, or often their education just stops there.” I could hear the disapproval in Em’s voice and understood. "But why shouldn't shifter kids go to college if they want to?"

I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. The thought of building something that was ours—a place where pack children could learn and grow under our guidance—filled me with a sense of purpose I hadn't expected.

"Do the others know about this? About your plans?" I asked.

"Phoenix does, obviously. We've talked about it for months. But we wanted to wait until there was an actual need. It seemed unfair to create what might be false hope." He gestured back toward the living room where the babies were playing. "And now there is a need."

"Would I have to quit my job right away?" The question was practical, but we both knew I was just going through the motions. My heart had already made the decision. “What about money?” My heart sank. My mom. I couldn’t abandon her.

“The pack would pay your wages.” He grinned. “And the commute would be so much easier, but no, not if you don't want to. We'd need time to set everything up, anyway. You could finish out the school semester if you wanted."

I laughed softly. "You know I don't want to. Not with Anderson breathing down my neck." I huffed.

“It’s your mom?”

I nodded. Em knew I contributed financially.

“You will get paid the going rate, starting immediately. More if I know this pack, because our shifters value education more than a lot of humans do.” He paused. “No more buying supplies out of our wages. Isla and Matthew are struggling with balancing their jobs and Callie. She refuses to ask me to babysit because she thinks it’s taking advantage, but if Callie could come here officially, it would be perfect.”

I took one more look around the room, mentally arranging furniture, planning activity centers, imagining the space filled with children's laughter and learning. My children. Our children. Pack children.

"Okay," I said finally. "Let's do it."

Emery's face lit up, and he pulled me into a tight hug. "Really?"

"Really," I confirmed, returning his embrace.

We were still laughing when we heard the front door open, followed by the sound of deep voices. Bayer and Phoenix had returned from their meeting with the silver-skins.

"Showtime," Emery whispered, nudging me toward the door.

I had to swallow past the sudden tightness in my throat when I saw Bayer. He was crouched on the floor, his massive frame somehow made gentle as he built a tower of blocks with Tia and Callie. The contrast between his size and the tiny hands of the toddlers made my heart do a strange flip in my chest.

Phoenix stood talking quietly with Ben and Rhys, but his eyes kept darting to Emery, clearly eager to share what they'd learned.

Bayer looked up as we entered, his eyes finding mine immediately. The relief in his expression was palpable, as if he'd been afraid I wouldn't be here when he returned. I moved to his side, settling on the floor beside him.

"How did it go?" I asked quietly, keeping my voice low to avoid disturbing the babies, who were now gleefully knocking over the tower Bayer had built.

"About as well as expected," he replied, his eyes never leaving mine, even as his hand automatically steadied Tia when she wobbled. "They know more than they're telling us."

I nodded, not surprised. "Did they offer any actual help?"

"They want an alliance. Their expertise for feeding rights."

I couldn't hide my grimace. "That sounds...yuck."

"Very," Bayer agreed, rebuilding the tower as Callie handed him blocks. "But they did confirm something concerning. The revenant can get through our barriers somehow."