SILAS POV
I woke before I understood why I was awake.
There was no mindlink buzzing in the back of my head, no alarm blaring, no light right in my face. Nothing. What pulled me out of sleep was a tiny, cute little thing, able to slide under my ribcage with just one sound.
A small sound, sharp and offended, cutting through the dark.
Serena.
For a moment I lay still, listening, orienting myself. The house was quiet. The fire downstairs had long since died down to embers. The boys were asleep down the hall, and I could hear the faint, steady rhythm of their breathing if I focused hard enough.
Then it came again.
Not a scream. Not pain.
Just the unmistakable complaint of a newborn who had discovered the world did not move on her schedule.
Beside me, Helena shifted but did not wake ful
