third times the charm

Stolas had made the offer to allow Widow to continue to seek the affections of other brutes fully knowing who she was and how deep her appetites ran. He had expected her to take him up on his gesture, but to his great surprise and delight she instead cut him off and insisted that he was the only one she wanted. Gray eyes blinked wide, but the contented look and smile of relief was quick to return to his visage after a moment. She was right in every word she said. Stolas had only ever seen Widow for who she was—only ever desired her for herself. It didn’t matter to him whether she was the Queen of Hell or a nameless loner; she was his Widow and he would forever love her as such.

While Widow rested her head over his paws, Stolas lowered his muzzle to brush gentle licks across her scruff and crown, covering her in tender affections. It was a rare sight to see the Queen of Hell in such an emotionally vulnerable state, and he was showing her that he did not take this level of trust for granted. He cherished her and did his best to put her at ease, to soothe her pain, and to make her feel safe. "Then I shall be yours and yours alone, from now until the stars go out," he vowed to her in a voice soft in tone yet adamant in resolution.

But there was more. Stolas ceased his grooming on Widow while she spoke with a severity in his voice that demanded attention. She explained to him how she had gotten pregnant after the last night they’d seen each other. She had been sick, so sick that all the pups in her litter perished save for one—Cryptis. Stolas’ breath caught in his throat. He was a keen wolf; he knew where she was going with this before the words left her lips. Cryptis was his daughter—their daughter. It was the only logical conclusion she could reach. The usually eloquent brute’s mouth hung agape in stunned silence, trying and failing to form any words. Cryptis was his daughter. He had a daughter!

"Cryptis is…" His words trailed off, failing him again. How could one put into language the emotional whiplash finding out you had a child all this time created? Stolas’ eyes turned out, staring into space, mind reeling with the revelation. The bond he’d felt spending time with Triss… it all made sense now. She was his child all along! "Widow… You’ve given me the greatest gift any wolf has ever given me." Misting eyes turned back to stare at the spotted fae snuggled up to him with love and adoration in his gaze, staring lovingly at his friend, his wife, the mother of his child. "You’ve given me a family again."

"Stolas"