FIRE NATION

CHAPTER 25

Six Months Later

"Lalisa!"

With a sigh, Lalisa turned away from the mirror. Her headpiece wasn't in place, and she had barely begun putting on the makeup she used to smooth out the jagged edges of her scar, but it was clear from Roseanne's voice that her beauty regimen would have to wait. She knew that tone, and if she didn't hurry, her mate would only grow more agitated. "Coming," she called back, heading for the bedroom door.

"Now?"

"Yes, now," she huffed, with a slightly irritated edge to her voice. It was true that she still spent a fair amount of time in front of her vanity, but perfecting her appearance wasn't as important to her as it had once been. With her left eye burned, she had been forced to re-evaluate some of her priorities—priorities that currently demanded her attention.

The sight that greeted her when she stepped into the next room was a familiar one. Even though she had grown accustomed to it over the past few months, it still made her smile. Roseanne was curled up on the window seat, balancing a baby in each arm. Both of them were sleepy and content, finishing the tail-end of a feeding. A third infant rested beside Roseanne's thigh, although she didn't look nearly so happy. The pup's pudgy hands were clenched into fists, and her face was scrunched up, as if she was about to start bawling.

"Hold Minji for a minute?" Roseanne pleaded. "Liry and Daehan aren't done yet. I was hoping she would sleep while they ate."

Lalisa approached the window seat, pausing to place a kiss in the middle of her forehead. "Of course. We'll stay with you until you're finished."

"You're sweet," Roseanne said, caressing her left cheek just beneath the scar. It was a familiar gesture, meant to offer comfort and acceptance, and although there were still times when it made her stiffen, Lalisa had mostly grown to appreciate it. She took the open spot next to her mate, scooping up the squirming bundle between them. Minji was the smallest of the three pups, and the only omega, but she had been the first one born, and she was also the loudest.

"And how is my little Fire Lord in training?" she asked, cradling Minji against her chest.

Roseanne's worried expression softened. She shook her head, trying not to laugh. "You ask all three of them that question."

Lalisa brushed aside a tuft of Minji's dark hair. All three of her children took after her, but only Minji had inherited her eyes. "But you want to be Fire Lord, don't you, Minji?" she murmured. "The first omega in three centuries to rule the Fire Nation."

The whispered words did little to comfort the unhappy pup. She hiccuped, and her small body trembled.

"What have I told you about putting expectations on them before they can even talk?" Roseanne asked, with obvious disapproval.

"I'm not," Lalisa protested. According to tradition, she should have already named Liry as her heir, but with Roseanne's encouragement, she had decided to wait. She agreed that it was foolish to promote one pup over the others simply because of their status. All three of them would have a chance to determine their own path, a luxury she had never been granted.

The argument, mild though it was, pushed Minji over into tears. She wailed, screaming much louder than a creature of her size should have been able. Roseanne's brow furrowed, and she moved to put down Liry and Daehan, but Lalisa hurried to reassure her. "Keep them. I can handle her." She cuddled Minji closer and leaned back, tucking her chin over the top of her daughter's head.

Once she found a comfortable position, a low, rumbling purr started in her chest. The sound vibrated through her body, and Minji quieted almost instantly. The pup gave a few confused whimpers, as if she couldn't quite remember what she was crying over, and then went still. Lalisa's eyes slid over to Roseanne, and one corner of her mouth pulled up in a smile. She opened her arm, the one that wasn't holding Minji, offering her mate a place to rest as well.