Prologue

"Are you okay?" I whispered to mate as he stared down at the baby in his arms with tears in his eyes.

"I think I finally understand." A single tear fell from his cheek and onto our daughter's face.

"What?" I saw his lips curl as he smiled down at Rose.

"I'm the villain."

My face immediately scrunched up at what he was insinuating.

"How so?"

My mate looked up at me with more unshed tears threatening his eyes. I had never seen him look so vulnerable.

"A hero would sacrifice the one to save the many, that's what I always did. A villain, however, would sacrifice the many to save the one. Standing here, looking at the three of you, I would burn down the world to save you." Another tear fell from his left eye and rolled down his cheek while he took a second to glance at the other sleeping baby in my arms. In that moment my heart felt complete.

"We still don't have middle names for them." I whispered softly as I watched my son's eyes flutter closed.

"What about James?"

I looked up at the same time Dylan did and when our eyes locked I couldn't help the tears that welled in my eyes.

"After his big brother." His eyes softened when he saw the tears in mine.

"Gabriel James Marshal." I let the name roll off of my tongue. "It's perfect."

We stayed in a comfortable silence as I watched my children in awe. Samuel would have loved them.

"Caroline." I whispered, taking another glance at my daughter.

"Caroline?"

"It means free. That's what I want her to be, free."

Gabriel James Marshal.

Rose Caroline Marshal.