Chapter 472

“Okay!” I say, cheerful and excited, looking down at my mate’s little girl. “Change of plans, Goldie! We’re going to welcome a new baby into the world!”

Marigold looks up at me with a little frown on her rosebud lips, clearly still not understanding and not particularly liking the face that candy has apparently disappeared from the schedule.

Jesse laughs, stepping closer to me, reaching out for Marigold. “Come on, hand her over. I’ll take it from here.”

“What?” I ask, willingly handing over Marigold to my cousin but frowning between Jesse and Jacks. “What’s happening?”

“She’ll be bored to tears waiting for a baby to be born,” Jesse says, beaming at Marigold, who smiles at him and whispers his name. “I’ll take Golds and Fifs up to Midnight, see if we can’t break into the cake stash.”

“Jesse, that’s too much,” Jackson says, stepping forward with a frown. “You’ll want to be in on these conversations as well –“

“Oh, you will all just fill me in later!” Jesse says, waving a hand at Jacks as Seraphina comes running over to wrap herself around Jesse’s leg, grinning wickedly up at him. “Besides, you know I’m just a grunt, here to take orders.”

I laugh at my cousin, knowing he doesn’t mean that. But he just shrugs, happy to do the childcare if it frees up our attention.

“Okay,” Jackson says, looking anxiously at Marigold, clearly not wanting to be separated from her even if he fully trusts Jesse to take very good care of his little girl. “Um, is there anything that you –“

“I’ve been raising kids since I was a child, Jacks!” Jesse says, turning and waving over his shoulder. “I’ve got this!”

“It’s true,” I whisper, looking up at my mate. “He’s got this.”

“Ariel!” mom calls from the door, impatient to go help Pippa.

But even as I start to move I look down, realizing that Seraphina is still there where Jesse apparently left her, looking up at Jackson with interest. “Sera?” I say, crouching down and looking after Jesse, who heads for the door without having noticed his little sister’s absence. “You okay, baby?”

Characteristically, Seraphina ignores me, continuing to stare up at Jacks. “Is that your baby?” she asks, pointing a finger after Marigold.

Jackson smirks a little, crouching down in front of our littlest Sinclair. “Yes,” he replies, simple and calm.

Seraphina narrows her eyes. “Who gave you a baby?”

Jackson’s smirk spreads into a wide grin. “It’s a long story.”

“But you’re just a puppy,” Seraphina whispers, looking him over, trying to put the pieces together. “Puppies don’t have pups…”

“I don’t know what to tell you, kid,” Jackson says, heaving a big shrug. “She’s mine.”

“Okay,” Seraphina snaps, narrowing her eyes again and pointing to her chest, “but she’s my best friend.”

I burst out laughing, delighted. Jackson just grins too, not really getting it, glancing at me.

“Sera, I think Marigold can be both,” I say gently, wrinkling my nose at my little cousin. “Jackson’s pup and your best friend.”

“Okay,” Sera says, backing away a step and half turning towards the door, her eyes still narrowed at us like she’s not sure that it’s true and she’s ready to fight for her claim if it’s not.

“Fifs!” Jesse barks from the door, Marigold still perched on his arm, frowning in after his sister who he probably just realized wasn’t with him. “Hop to it, kid!” He points at the ground next to him, his command clear.

Seraphina laughs like a wild thing, dashing off towards her brother, who grins and pretends to give her a kick on the rear as she runs past him. I laugh and stand, glancing at mom, who grins after Sera but is clearly still waiting for me.

“You good?” I ask Jacks, slipping my hands behind my back and looking up at him as he, too, stands.

“Don’t look at me all worried like that, tiny,” Jackson says, stroking a hand over my hair and smirking down at me. “I’m good. Keep in touch?” he says, tapping his temple, a little request for me to send him updates if anything changes.

“Yes, baby,” I say, standing on my toes, begging for a kiss.

My mate sweetly complies, pressing his lips quickly to mine before we go our separate ways. I give a little skip of excitement as I dash towards my mom at the door. “Come on!” I say, darting past her. “Let’s go see a baby!”

“How dare you, Jesse Sinclair,” Midnight says, standing with her feet wide apart in front of her yurt, hands on her hips, glaring hard up at her mate. “You know the rules. No! Pups!”

“Oh, come on, Mids,” Jesse says, grinning and gesturing towards Marigold, who is still perched on his arm. “She’s starving. She wants some cake!”

“Cake,” Marigold whispers, nodding slowly. Jesse grins, appreciating that Marigold is on his side despite the fact that she probably doesn’t know what that word means.

Midnight narrows her eyes at the new little girl like she appreciates the cake argument. But then she shakes her head. “No way. That one,” she says, pointing to Marigold, “seems quite calm. But that one,” she says, shifting her finger to Seraphina standing next to Jesse, “is a terror!”

Seraphina smiles wickedly, showing all her teeth, confirming Midnight’s assessment.

“No way!” Midnight says, slicing her hand hard through the air.

“Midnight,” Jesse says, his voice even. “We’ll go if you want. But I’ll be disappointed in you if you turn this little girl away. She’s brand new,” he says, gesturing up at Marigold’s adorable little face. “And she’s hungry!”

Midnight sighs, finally persuaded. She has a good heart, after all, and understands the ills of hunger. She stalks three steps forward, standing on her toes so that her eyes are nearly level with Marigold’s. “Are you going to mess with my stuff?”

Marigold’s eyes go wide and, surprised, she quickly shakes her head.

Satisfied, Midnight lowers her heels and turns to glare at Seraphina. “Are you!?”

“No Miss Midnight,” Seraphina says, tucking her hands behind her back in her best impression of a sweet and obedient child. “I’ll be good.”

Midnight sighs, narrowing her eyes again and Sera and putting her hands back on her hips. “Fine,” she snaps. “You can come in. But I reserve the right to kill you –“

“Midnight!” Jesse snaps.

“Fine!” Midnight sighs. “Kick you out! If you are bad!”

Seraphina screeches with delight at being finally allowed into the forbidden yurt and darts inside, gasping in delight when she sees how cool it is.

“Not so fast!” Midnight shouts, darting in after her. “No running!”

A crash sounds from inside.

“Oh dear,” Jesse says, grimacing and looking at Marigold. “Shall we join them?”

Marigold laughs and smacks Jesse eagerly on the chest, nodding. He grins at the little girl, wondering how it’s possible for Jackson’s features to be so cute on a little three-year-old, and ducks into the yurt.

He laughs immediately, putting Marigold down, watching as Midnight tries to snatch at all her books, holding them out of Seraphina’s grasp. Sera laughs with delight, jumping up, trying to get at them.

“Jesse!” Midnight growls between her teeth, glancing over at him. “Contain this beast you call a sister!”

“Sera, be cool,” Jesse calls, sitting himself down and leaning back on his hands. “Marigold told me she wants to play dress-up with Midnight’s clothes – can you show her how?”

Sera’s eyes light with delight and she waves to Marigold, darting over to corner of the yurt where all of Midnights new clothes spill out of several trunks. Marigold dashes over with her, delighted.

Midnight starts to protest, chasing after them, but Jesse grabs her wrist, tugging her back, laughing. “Let them, Mids, they can’t hurt your clothes and you keep them all in a heap anyway so it’s not like they’ll get out of order. They only want to play - they’re just little girls.”

“Little demons,” Midnight snarls, glaring over at Seraphina and Marigold as they sort through all her stuff.

“Sure, little demons, but very ineffectual at tearing garments. Come on, just relax.”

Midnight sighs but does as she’s bid, sinking down to the floor next to Jesse and wrapping her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. She keeps her eyes on the girls. “Jackson’s pup looks a lot like him.”

“Doesn’t she?” Jesse says, grinning and looking over at the pair. “She’s really sweet.”

Midnight hums consideringly, glancing up at Jesse. “And you don’t find them annoying?”

Jesse grins at his mate. “I’m used to the chaos, Mids. I think they’re funny. But it’s fine if you find them annoying – plenty of people aren’t crazy about kids.”

Midnight hums again, turning her face back, clearly putting her thoughts together.

Jesse watches her quietly, wondering if she’ll ever truly change her mind about wanting kids.

Wondering if he wants her to.