67. Rain

**Rain**

Caleb drums his fingers on his knee nervously. Since we woke up, he had been preparing things for when we tell Sky the truth. I helped him choose his clothes, clean the office and make a special breakfast for Sky. He asked Tristan and Katherine to join Sky and us in the office and eat together.

Caleb fixes his red tie and rolls up the sleeves of his black shirt before putting one more pancake on Sky’s plate and stirring her hot cocoa. I think it is cute how Caleb is trying his best for when we will talk to Sky.

“Do you think Sky will be happy learning I am her father?” asks Caleb nervously for the hundredth time this morning.

I try to grab Caleb’s hand, but he pulls it away. After Safia helped him last night, I thought he would feel better, but since we got out of bed, he had been avoiding touching me. It hurts to see Caleb like this, but I understand him better than he thinks. “You are a wonderful person, Caleb, and an amazing father. Sky will be thrilled to learn she is your child,” I assure him.

This reminds me of what the Leech Queen told me about my father. She said my father protected me. But from what? I had never stopped wondering what truly happened that night when my parents died, and I became the hated orphan of the Crescent Moon Pack. Of course, my aunt could have taken me in and raised me, but I think aunt Suzan hates me more than Ruth does. After all, Ruth is a bitch with me because of everything Aunt Suzan must have told her. From what I had heard while growing up, aunt Suzan had been the first to point a finger at me and call me cursed when pack members found me in what was left of my parents’ house. I never really spoke with my aunt, except on the rare occasions we would bump into each other when I would clean the Pack House or some party she attended. There had been many moments when I wanted to talk to my aunt and learn about my parents. Mr. Smith has told me little about them because I know it hurts him to remember the good times he and my parents spent together. It’s not the memories that hurt but the idea of them not being alive anymore.

Nadia and Edward, my parents, met at a party when they were still in high school. They were not from the same pack, but they fell in love instantly. My father was sixteen, and my mom was fourteen during that time. They returned to their packs but kept in touch. When my mom turned eighteen, my father organized a big party for my mom. It was then that they learned they were soulmates. They had me six years later.

Caleb leans on the sofa and stares at the ceiling. “You have a very high opinion of me. I am far from being amazing. I put our baby and you in danger because I did not listen to you! That fucking bitch could have done anything to you while in the Vampire Palace. The Demon King is in our world because of her!” he sighs. “We must let the other communities know and prepare for eventual attacks! I don’t know where he and that fucking bitch are hiding!” Caleb presses the heels of his palms against his eyes. “There is so much to do, and my head feels like it will explode at any moment, and I have the impression I am forgetting something important.”

I grab Caleb’s wrists and pull his hands away from his face. He stiffens a bit but relaxes moments later. “One step at a time. First Sky, then the rest.” Caleb nods, and I run my thumbs on the top of his hands. "You did not put me in danger; it was Elder Adam and Ruth. You were the one to keep me safe in the palace,” I say, and the light coming through the windows reflects in the black ruby of the ring Caleb gave me. I had been afraid my magic would melt it but being made by a dragon shifter made it immune to most magic.

“If not for me, Sinn would not have taken you to the palace!”

“If not for you, I would not be alive,” I say gently. Caleb’s heart beats faster, and his scent turns sad. “You saved me so many times I can’t remember. Each time I was harming myself, you have been there for me, and I know you are hurting, and I want you to know I am here for you. Always. You are not only my soulmate, but also my best friend. Did you know I never had a friend before you?”

“Red, I don’t deserve you!”

“After all the shit we have been through, finding each other, two broken souls, and falling in love the way we did... I am honored to be yours, Caleb! And Raven’s!”

**‘Ditto!’** Raven says in my head, and I chuckle.

Caleb brings his face closer to me and gives me a chaste kiss. “You never react the way I think you would. I am also honored to be your soulmate, Red. I am sorry if it seems I am pushing you away, but I can still feel their hands and fangs on me, and it makes my skin crawl.”

“I know.”

Someone knocks on the door, and Caleb stands. “We are in here!” Caleb replies, and Katherine, Tristan, and Sky enter Caleb’s office.

I must admit I was not too fond of Katherine the day I met her, but she has proven to be a great person and a good friend. She loves helping me with Sky, and it had not been a surprise when she offered to get Sky ready for our special breakfast.

Sky runs to me, and I get up from the couch in time. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her hair. “Rain! You are back! You missed the New Year’s party!” she pouts.

“I am sorry,” I say and quickly count in my head the last days, realizing it is January 2nd already. “Caleb and I were detained, but I hope you had a good time during the party.”

Sky shrugs. “It was okay, I suppose. But it would have been better with you and Caleb here!” she says, giving Caleb a quick hug before looking at the coffee table. “Can we eat? I am hungry!”

Caleb chuckles. “I hope you like pancakes with chocolate chips and maple syrup!”

“They are my favorite!” Sky says and sits between Caleb and me, and it melts my heart.

Caleb might be nervous about Sky, but since she and Katherine came to live in our pack, Sky has been drawn to us like a magnet.

“Mine too!” Caleb says.

I feel a ray of happiness through our bond, and I take a big bite out of my food. As soon as I taste the maple syrup, I feel sick. I know it is early to have nausea, but a werewolf baby is born earlier than a human one. Werewolves are pregnant for six or seven months, depending on how many babies the mother has. Since a spell has been used on Caleb and me, maybe nausea is normal at this stage of the pregnancy. Perhaps it is best if I let Reyes perform an ultrasound on me.

I force myself to swallow the food and push the plate to the side. Caleb looks at me. “Are you not hungry?”

“I feel a little sick,” I say and drink from my orange juice, hoping it will calm my upset stomach.

“When Daphne was pregnant with Sky, she felt sick all the time. She used to eat a lot of fruits and pickles. And ice cream,” Katherine tells me.

Sky looks at Katherine. “Did mom liked pancakes, like Caleb and me?”

Katherine takes a bite from her food, and I feel sicker. This is the first, and the last time I get pregnant! I will have Reyes check Caleb, and if his little swimmers are still there, I will tie my tubes or something.

“Your mom loved pancakes but could not eat them while pregnant. Rain, maybe you should not eat pancakes until you have the baby. I am sure it has something to do with Caleb’s DNA!” Katherine laughs, and I roll my eyes. But she could be right.

Tristan chuckles, and Caleb snorts.

Sky turns towards me. “You are having a baby?!” she squeals loudly.

“Yeah. What do you think?” I ask Sky.

“Can I see the baby when he is born?” Sky asks excitedly.

Caleb chuckles. “The baby will be a little girl with the same eyes as you, Sky.” Tristan and Katherine stop eating, and we look at Caleb and Sky. Caleb rubs the back of his neck, and the room fills with his emotions. “I am not sure how to tell you this, Sky,” he starts saying. “While Tristan will always be your father, you are my child.”

Sky shakes her head. “No! I am my father’s child!” she says angrily and stomps the floor with her feet.

“Sky!” Tristan says in a firm tone, and Sky’s tantrum stops as soon as it starts. “Caleb is telling the truth; he is your real father.” Sky wants to say something, but Tristan keeps talking. “I am a vampire, and your mother was also one, yet you are a hybrid—half werewolf, half vampire.”

“You don’t love me anymore?” Sky asks Tristan, and I put a hand on her shoulder.

“Tristan will always love you, Sky. You do not have only Tristan as your father but also Caleb. While I will never take the place of your mother, I see you as mine, and I hope you give Caleb and me a chance to let us love you! My baby, whether a male or female, is your brother or sister.”

Sky uses her magic to make a little tornado inside her mug of hot cocoa. “Did you love mom?” she asks Caleb.

“She was an amazing female and helped me when I most needed it. I did love her,” Caleb replies patiently.

“Why didn’t you visit me as father did? Is it because I am a hybrid?” asks Sky in a low tone while she looks at the table.

“I did not know about you. The day you and Katherine came to the pack was when I found out about you. I didn’t know how to tell you about me being your father, and I was scared you would not want me in your life,” Caleb says while he bounces his leg up and down nervously. “Hybrid or not, you are my daughter, and I love you the way you are!”

“Do I have to call you father?” Sky asks her next question.

“You can call me what you like,” Caleb says, and Sky nods her head.

“I always wanted a little sister!” Sky says before finishing her pancakes.

I drink my juice while the others eat their breakfast. When we are done, Sky offers to help Caleb and me take the plates to the kitchen and clean them. Katherine goes to find Elton—who returned earlier together with Oana—before heading to the gym to train with Holgan, and Tristan returns to the cabin to see how Emma is doing—he left her with Zeke and Xenos.

After the plates are cleaned, Caleb and I take Sky to her room, and she grabs a few coloring books and some pencils, and we return to his office. Caleb makes some phone calls while Sky and I draw. I am glad Sky is not pushing Caleb and me away and treats us like usual. I am sure she will accept Caleb as her father, but she needs time to get used to the idea.

After Caleb finishes the phone calls, he asks me to help with the monthly budget. I go to his desk, and we start talking about expenses and other things we need to buy or repair in the pack.

Conon enters the office. “Caleminator! Rain! You guys have to see this!”

Caleb stands faster than I can blink. “It’s the pack?”

“The pack is fine! But what I am talking about is on the TV! I have never seen anything like this!” Conon says.