"Don't bring her up." Theron was leaning over the bassinet, teasing the sleeping newborn with one finger. The pup smelled of milk and new wool and a faint trace of pine, clean and innocent and entirely unaware of the wreckage his arrival had caused. A soft, doting smile tugged at the corner of Theron's mouth. "This pup's gorgeous."
"Seriously, Theron. If you look closely, he even looks a little like you!"
"Keep it down. If Seraphina hears that kind of talk, she'll overthink everything."
Corvina lay propped against the Healing Hall pillows, her makeup still flawless, not a strand of hair out of place. She didn't look like a she-wolf who'd just labored through a birth. The honeysuckle scent was thicker here, almost suffocating, layered so heavily it made the air feel syrupy. "Overthink what? Whether she agrees or not, I'm keeping my promise. This pup will carry the Ironmaw name and be added to the pack bloodline registry."
"But you'd have to sever the mate bond with Seraphina first. That doesn't feel right..."