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He came to with a hand on his forehead.

"Cade?"

He opened his eyes.

Mara was leaning over him. She was wearing the white dress he liked best, her hair loose. She had a cloth in her hand. She was wiping the sweat from his face.

"You had a nightmare? You're soaked."

He stared at her.

She was real. She was right here.

He sat up and grabbed her.

"Mara. Mara—"

He buried his face in her neck.

"You're okay. It was just a nightmare. A terrible nightmare—"

She put her hand on his back and patted him slowly, gently, like he was a child.

"It's over. I'm here. You're okay."

Then something soft and warm slammed into his legs.

"Dad, don't be scared! Ren's here!"

He looked down.

Ren. Grinning up at him, eyes curved into crescent moons, two small front teeth showing.

Cade's tears came all at once.

He let go of Mara with one arm and pulled Ren in with it, holding both of them tight.

"Are you crying, Dad?"

"No."

His voice was muffled against them.

"Dad's not crying."

Mara smiled and wiped his face with her fingers.

"Grown man, crying."

Ren tried to copy her.

"Dad's embarrassing. Ren doesn't cry. Dad's an Alpha and he's still crying."

Cade laughed, and the laugh broke in the middle. He kissed Ren's face again and again.

Outside the window the light was good. He held his wife and his son in his arms and his chest was warm.

He could fix this. He could undo what he'd done. He could be a real husband. A real father.

"Cade?"

"Cade. Wake up."

He opened his eyes.

Eleanor. Sitting at the edge of his bed, face creased with worry.

"You finally came around. You were out for a full day. I was frightened."

Cade stared at her.

He reached.

No Mara. No Ren.

Just an empty room.

He sat up hard.

"Where's Mara?" He grabbed Eleanor's hand. "Where is Ren?"

Eleanor's face went very still.