Wolf swallowed hard, wide eyes still fixed on the squirming bundle cradled in his arms. Or the crook of one massive arm, more accurately, since that was all the space the little tyke took up, but he still felt compelled to keep the other arm firmly situated beneath her. Just in case. Babies were unpredictable creatures. He sat absolutely still in the chair adjoining Scarlet's bed, though it was an effort to keep his muscles from jumping after the surge of adrenaline involved in rushing his wife to the hospital. His very beautiful, very tired wife, who had just brought his equally beautiful (if vaguely red-faced and…well…squished) and equally exhausted daughter into the world. Wolf allowed himself one brief, incredulous shake of his head. Stars…how had he come to this?

Scarlet shouldn't have wanted him. Not since their first meeting in the tavern, not since the train, not since Paris, and most definitely not since he'd emerged from the laboratories on Luna even more of a monster than he had been when he went in. She could've had anyone she wanted when she returned to France a hero. Even without her newfound fame, she could have had anyone. She was stunning in every way: her razor sharp mind, her commanding presence, her brave heart, and the obvious fact that she was the most beautiful woman on two planets. It still shocked him, even two years into life on the farm, that she did want him. He smiled to himself, sliding a fond glance over at Scarlet. And that she didn't just want him for his skill with farm implements and the breadth of his shoulders. She saw the heart beneath the claws and the fangs, even when he wasn't totally sure he still had one.

He'd been unspeakably lucky on all accounts. He should have been just another operative, fighting and scrapping on that miserable hunk of rock in the sky or dispatched to Earth to wreak havoc and carnage, doomed to a life of blood and fear and rage. To darkness and death. Sitting in a cozy obstetrics suite with a bundle of new life in his arms and Scarlet at his side was never in the plan…yet here he was.

There was a faint mewling sound from the lump in his arms and it started to wriggle, tiny arms flailing free of the beautifully embroidered—a delicate pattern of wolf pups frolicking against a background of peaceful earth tones— baby blanket Winter had sent in the last shipment from Luna. The whimpering grew louder, threatening to burst into a full-blown howl. Wolf shifted forward in his chair and began to rock slowly back and forth, as he had seen Scarlet do just after the child came screaming into the world.

"Shhh, now…You're alright." He murmured, hoping the low rumble of his voice would soothe her out of her hissy fit before she woke Scarlet. Unless she was hungry again, of course. Even though Artemis Maha Kesley—Missy for short—had only made her grand entrance a few hours earlier, it was already abundantly clear that food was a very serious subject for her. Wolf smiled at the mop of dark hair already tinged with red, at the wide eyes that the doctor predicted would fade to a bright green color soon. Like father, like daughter.

"What's going on?" Scarlet's voice, thick and groggy with sleep, dragged Wolf's gaze up to her face. She'd pushed herself up on her elbows to see Missy, blinking drowsily, but still entirely focused on the little sounds from the blanket bundle. Wolf rose and crossed to perch on the edge of the bed, Scarlet reaching out her arms to take the baby before the mattress had even dipped under his weight.

"Nothing too serious. Hungry again, I think."

Scarlet grinned, tired, but her eyes still dancing with amusement as she shot a glance at him. "Wonder where she gets that from."

Wolf smiled in reply, but found that he couldn't speak around the lump in his throat. His heart was swelling in his massive ribcage, something pricking at the back of his eyes as he looked at Scarlet and Missy. His Scarlet. His Missy. And he was theirs. What he never should've had, but was blessed with anyway. Something warm and wet trickled down his cheek.

"Oh, Ze'ev…" Scarlet reached out with her free arm and tugged, pulling him as close as she had pulled Missy. Wolf wrapped his own arms around both of them easily, letting his eyes fall shut with contentment. He may not have been destined to have all of this…but he would be eternally grateful that he did.