Chapter 302: Moonlight Baptism


    “Well,” Henry answers, hesitating. “Cora and Roger will see the prophecy.”


    My face falls a little when I realize the implications of this. “Really? Unfair,” I dere, pouting.


    Henryughs a little along with me. “It will bring them closer to him, give them a bond.”


    “Well,” I sigh, “I want them to have that. What sort of things do you learn, though? Do you share them


    with the parents?”


    “If you choose,” Henry shrugs. “I always did. And Sinir and Roger’s godparents shared with me, for


    which I was grateful.”


    “What did they tell you?” I ask, curious.


    “That Sinir would be a great leader of men,” Henry says, looking down at the baby again, clearly


    remembering his baby who looked so like this one. “That was no surprise. But Roger, that was…”


    I pause, curious, suddenly fascinated. “What did they say?”


    He hesitates and then meets my eye. “I never even told Roger about it. But they told me that his


    destinyid less with who he was, and more with the children he would sire. The many children, who


    would be…” he looks away a bit, trying to sort his thoughts, “it was hard to understand. But something


    about a set of extraordinary children who would bring much joy to the world.”


    My stomach drops at this, though I work hard to keep it off my face.


    I guess Cora was right.


    Being a father is important to Roger – his destiny, even. And if Cora can’t give him children… Henry


    meets, my eyes, perhaps understanding the direction of my thoughts. He takes my hand,


    “The goddess gives us many mysteries, E,” he says quietly. “Don’t think too hard on her messages


    they often present themselves in the most surprising ways.”


    –


    “You’re right,” I say, giving him a little smile, fighting against my own disappointment. I sit up straighter


    in my chair, smiling down at my baby, who’s staring up at me with his wide eyes, which are just starting


    to turn green. “Besides, today is about this little one. And his future.”


    “Precisely right,” Henry says, peeking over at him again. “And his future is very, very bright. This I know


    for sure.”


    Our house is filled with peopleter that evening, and my heart is full to bursting to see all of them –


    especially Isabel, James, and Sadie, who I think I hugged for a solid fifteen minutes when they arrived.


    Unfortunately, I didn’t get to catch up with them as much as I wanted to, as I have to greet all of our


    guests and introduce Rafe around to his new friends and family. But still, Isabel and I make ns to


    have a good long talkter this week before Coraes to stand with her, giving me a wink to let me


    know that she has our visitors in good hands.


    I’m almost breathless with excitement and stress as the time approaches. Anxious, I straighten the top


    of my glittering silver gown, which I picked expressly for the asion. It’s perhaps too much for a trip to


    the woods, but we’ll be having champaer – and then everyoneing back to the house to


    celebrate all evening – so it seemed right that we be formal tonight


    But was it right? God, I don’t know. I’ve never held a midnight baptism before.


    “Calmly,” Sinir says,ing up behind me, looking gorgeous in his tuxedo. He rests two reassuring


    hands on my shoulders. “Everything is in order, E – you don’t need to micromanage everything. It’s


    all going smoothly.”


    Iugh and shake my head, grateful that my mate can read my mind in more ways than one. “I just


    want everything to go smoothly, and everyone to have a nice time, and to make sure that everyone


    gets enough time with Rafe –”


    “Not necessary,” he whispers in my ear, and I can feel him smiling as he does it. “You don’t need to be


    everything to everyone, trouble. They’re here to help you. You could havee down in pajamas ten


    minutes before the ceremony, with baby vomit streaked down your shirt, and no one would have


    cared.”


    “I would have cared,” I say, turning on him with wide eyes. “Ew!”


    Heughs, drawing me in for a quick kiss. “What I mean, E, is that you should just calm down and


    enjoy the night. It’s for us, as much as for him. The guests are just happy to be along for the fide.”


    “You’re right,” I murmur, smiling against his lips and then looking down at my happy baby in my arms. “I


    need to…live in the moment.”


    “Right,” he says, putting an arm around my shoulders and moving towards the door. “It’s good that you


    figured that out now, because it’s time to go.”


    “Oh!” I say, surprised, looking around at everyone who is likewise streaming towards the entrance,


    towards the two vans waiting to take us all out in the woods. “Oh, Dominic!” I say, spinning in his arms


    and looking towards the kitchen. “Did we remember the champagne – and all the sses –”


    “Packed, E,” he says, looking down at me with a stern little smile. “Stop. Turn. Enjoy.”


    I take a deep breath and look up at him with wide eyes, making himugh. “I’ll try. I really will.”


    He nods and bends down a little to grab Rafe’s car seat, waiting by the door. “You try, I’ll be here to


    help. We’ve got this, little mate.”


    I grin, standing on my tiptoes and turning my face up for another kiss, happy when my mate obliges.


    “Thank you, Dominic,” I whisper, and then we’re out the door,


    Off to the woods.


    We arrive about forty minutester and I’m thrilled to see that our guests are having a good time and


    that the baby is, miraculously, sleeping soundly in his car seat. I bite my lip, hoping he wakes up for the


    actual dedication part, though…


    Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter if he’s awake or not. Cora and Roger have to do all the work, Rafe just


    has to…be there.


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    “Ready?” Cora says, leaning across the aisle of the van and smiling at me.


    “Are you?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at her. She nods eagerly. I lean closer, lowering my voice further,


    though I know it’s more of a gesture than an effective way to pass a secret in this van full of wolves with


    enhanced hearing. “And are you two…” I nce furtively at Rodger.


    Cora gives me a happy little nod. “We’re all good, E,” she says, smiling. I narrow my eyes and


    wonder if she’s lying for my sake. My sister reads my mind, though, andughs at me. “Seriously!” she


    says eagerly. “All good. We’re here for Rafe, anyway.”


    “Okay,” I say, my eyes still narrowed at her as I stand up and begin to unbuckle Rafe from his chair and


    lift him into my arms. Then, as a group, we all disembark from the vans. A special lift lowers Henry to


    the ground and, when he gives me a thumbs–up to let me know he’s ready, we all spill out into the


    woods, preparing ourselves to dedicate my son to the Goddess.