Adrian stopped bringing expensive jewelry. He also stopped trying to arrange Lucian's life as though he were being raised as a Blackwood heir.
He learned how to change diapers, kept track of vaccination dates, remembered that Lucian hated carrot puree, and knew that the itching in Lucian's bones kept him from sleeping well the night before a full moon.
He never used visitation time as an excuse to stay in Silvercrest territory, and he never used our child to pass apologies along to me.
Once, Lucian played in the snow for too long and came back inside with icy hands and feet.
Adrian knelt on one knee to pull off his wet boots while I stood beside him and handed over a blanket.
Our fingers touched for a moment.
There was no longer a mate mark, and there was no fated-mate bond between u
