[Carmen]Rock took me to the ocean and to the mountains for our honeymoon. We planned four days at each and I loved every minute of the beach part. Gemma asked me to take a lock of Austin’s hair with me to the beach and release it. She wanted part of him to get to go to the ocean. I was more than happy to do it. We rented a beach house on the Oregon coast and Rock took me to play in the water and sand every day we were there. It wasn’t as private as I wanted, but it was something I’d never experienced. Even though I couldn’t see, there was a lot to appreciate about the ocean. The waves were gentle and calm, lapping softly at our feet as we stood there on our first day, taking it all in. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, the salty sea air filling my lungs. The squish of the wet sand between my toes was fun and I could hear people playing and shouting down the beach from us. Every day was even better than the last. That didn’t make me any less eager to leave. I already knew the place we were going in the mountains was a cabin his mother owned. There was a hot spring within walking distance. Rock told me that was where he’d been born. It was relaxing to spend time with Rock and not have anything or anyone interrupt us. I didn’t mind that we had jobs or that we either had friends over or went to visit family every weekend. These were the memories we would hold on to in the future. While we drove up to the mountains, I relaxed in the passenger side of the new truck. Rock had grumbled about getting a new one, but it didn’t take long to get it back from the shop that did the modifications so he could fit in it. The seats were a lot more comfortable, too. He didn’t like change much. I understood. He was like Harmony had described earth witches before, stone stubborn. Rock either rushed into change like a rock slide or he stood his ground. He really loved his old truck, but it didn’t survive the demon. My phone started ringing. I sighed and dug for it in my purse. We had it on in case something happened with the company or the house. Viola and Tripp were taking care of the business instead of closing up for over a week in the middle of one of the busier times of the year for us. “Hello?” “Carmen? Carmen Rosen?” “Carmen Beaumont. Who is this?” I asked. “This is Queen Bellamy Deveraux. Valor Aconitum said you and your mate might help me,” the woman on the other end of the line replied. My mouth dropped open. A rogue Alpha needed my help? Val told her we might help. “Um... I guess I would need to know what you need help with. Let me put the phone on speaker. My mate needs to be involved in anything you ask for.”Rock stiffened but said nothing as I put the phone on speaker and held it up so we could both speak. He didn’t want us to get involved in anything like what happened with the cult, but Queen Bellamy was more than just an Alpha. She was a member of the Werewolf Association. That held a lot more power. “We recently uncovered a fae who was running experiments, including breeding experiments. While we were freeing people, we found a few children who didn’t have any living parents. Some of them had information that helped us find their families, but there is one who we can’t find anything on. We don’t know where her parents came from,” Queen Bellamy replied. “And how did Val say we could help?” I asked. “He said your mate is a troll and that you know a lot of trolls. Val thought you might know someone who would take her in. She is half mountain troll and half rogue werewolf. Her mother died in childbirth and her father was killed because he was deemed too dangerous to breed with other females.” “A mountain troll impregnated a werewolf? No troll is cruel enough to do that. Mountain trolls are very craggy and that would tear a soft woman up,” Rock said. “Yes, we are aware of that. Someone has briefed me on the file regarding what happened to the baby’s parents. The mother barely survived the insemination, the pregnancy almost killed her, the birth did,” she told us somberly. I heard Rock grip the steering wheel tighter. His rumbling growl filled the cab of the truck. For all that trolls were assholes, they were honorable or learned to be by the time they came of age. One thing they didn’t do was hurt people who didn’t deserve it, at least not on purpose. “The fae who captured the parents made it so it would be impossible to resist. He used desire demon pheromones to ensure they would do what he wanted when the females were in heat. No one was able to stop themselves. We really need to find someone who can take Rose, the little girl. “I don’t know anyone who will take her. If you don’t know anyone who would take her either, I can put her in my orphanage, but she might end up being raised in the orphanage. Most werewolves aren’t interested in mixed children who aren’t human-looking. There aren’t many trolls living here, but I checked with the ones who do and.... They weren’t nice about their opinions.”“Did they say she was too small and ugly?” I asked. Queen Bellamy sighed. “Yes. They said she ‘wasn’t their mistake to raise’ and left. I don’t know what to do about her. Valor said your friends are nice and might take her on. He figured that if they didn’t mind being friends with a half-troll, they might be more open to raising one.”I pushed my magic out to fill the cab of the truck and looked at Rock. He glanced at me, then pulled off to the side of the highway, turned off the truck, and shifted in his seat to look at me. “Why didn’t Val suggest Rock and me?” I asked. “I’m a werewolf and he’s a troll. We’re more suited to taking care of a mixed baby.” Rock reached out, and I took his hand with my free one. The goddess promised us two children. Orella told us that when we first saw her. Even though this child was born a rogue, she was still a werewolf and a troll. That meant we were a perfect fit for her. It was a little earlier than we wanted to start, but the idea of having our little girl after losing so much. “I asked him that, but he said you might not be ready for a baby. I heard about you losing your father and the whole situation down there from Victor and Trent. With everything that happened and what Val said, I figured you might need time to heal. I have six pups myself. I know how difficult it can be to put things back together after a trauma like you two went through. Neither of you dealt with anything like that before,” she said. “Give me a moment, Queen Bellamy.” “Of course.” Rock tapped on my phone, muting it. He pulled my other hand up to his lips.“I know how trolls feel about half trolls, Rock. She’s not going to have any option other than us. This could be how the goddess intended to give us our second child,” I whispered. “You’re right, Carmen. If the werewolves won’t take her and the trolls won’t take her, then she must be ours. I don’t have a problem with raising her. It sounds like they forced her parents to create her. That wasn’t her fault, and she should have the chance to be loved. Goddess only knows what could have happened to her if they hadn’t stopped that fae. Would you like to go to Lune Rouge for the last four days of our honeymoon instead of my family cabin?” Rock asked. “Will four days be enough time?” “I’ll check in with Viola and Tripp about taking another week off. If it’s to get my wife and daughter settled at home, I’m sure everyone will understand. We need to buy a lot of things for her.” “This is where family and friends come in. You drive, and I’ll call everyone to let them know. Forrest has the keys to the house. If he’ll let them in, my family will take care of everything.” Rock laughed. “If you think human-made cribs will hold a troll baby, you’re sorely mistaken. Call my mom, too. She’ll make sure we have furniture Rose won’t destroy.” “I love that name. Our Rose.” I smiled at him and he leaned in to kiss me. When Rock pulled back, he gave me another kiss on my forehead. We’d been through so much in the last year. This was almost like a reward for all we’d suffered. He tapped the phone screen again. “Queen Bellamy, this is Rock Beaumont. We’re on our way to Lune Rouge. Please take care of our daughter until we can arrive to retrieve her,” he told her. “Thank the goddess. I was so worried about her. Do you know how to get here?” she asked. “We read about your collective when Austin joined. I know what city you’re located near. I can figure out the rest. Don’t worry.” “I’ll have rooms prepared for you. My collective will also reimburse you for any expenses you have from taking her on with so little notice.” “Queen Bellamy, you may not realize it, but my husband is actually a very successful contractor in our town. We can more than afford everything we need for our daughter. Thank you for the offer, though. We appreciate your thoughtfulness,” I said. “Oh? I might want to talk to him about taking on some projects for the collective in your area. I hope he doesn’t mind making this a bit of a business trip,” Queen Bellamy replied with interest in her voice. “I’m more than happy to meet with you after I’ve spent at least one whole day with my wife and daughter. Can you tell us how old she is?” There was some typing and muttering on the other end of the line. I was on the edge of my seat. I was also eager to know how old our daughter was. Queen Bellamy called her a baby, so, knowing werewolves, she was probably under two. I didn’t mind raising her if she was older, though. I would love her as if she were my own. The goddess created a family for her long before she existed. I didn’t think the goddess had anything to do with someone who would force others to conceive a child, but I believed she was looking out for that child. It made me sad for all the other children the goddess couldn’t protect and for the parents who would never meet their daughter. In their honor, Rock and I would give Rose everything. “It looks like he logged the birth in August of last year, so she is about nine months old. It looks like... her birthday is the... fourth of August. So she is almost ten months old.” That would make three August birthdays in our family. My brother, my mate, and my daughter. Rose in the first week, Mike in the second, and Rock in the third. I was going to be birthday partied out by the first of September. The idea made me laugh. “It’s perfect. We’ll make sure she has the best first birthday ever,” I said. “I’ll let you focus on the drive and I’ll see you later on today,” Queen Bellamy replied and hung up. Rock and I hugged each other, and I felt a tear forming in the corner of my eye. He wiped it away and kissed me gently. “Make the calls. I’ll get us to our daughter,” he murmured against my lips. “Are you really okay with this? I don’t want you to just agree because you think I want this. If you’re not, I’m fine with waiting. If you need a year, we could ask Queen Bellamy to take care of Rose for us until we are ready. It wouldn’t be the worst thing for her and she wouldn’t remember it,” I told him. Rock looked at me with a soft smile on his face. “I’m more than okay with this, love. I want this just as much as you do. I can’t wait to hold our little girl in my arms and show her the world.”I grinned and kissed him again, feeling grateful for his love and support. “Okay, let’s make these calls, then. I can’t wait to see our daughter.”As I dialed my family and friends, Rock navigated through the winding roads towards Lune Rouge. We talked excitedly about our plans for our daughter’s room and what toys and clothes we wanted to get for her. Rock told me about all the things he wanted to teach Rose. We decided we wanted to keep her name and we would give her a C name for her middle name. Eventually, we ended up with Rose Celestine Beaumont. It was perfect because she was a gift from the goddess and Celestine meant heavenly.