After all, the Empire was vast. A few powerhouses concealing their true ranks wasn't out of the question. Marcus, however, found it hard to believe. Still, since Emma harbored doubts, he could always test that rabbit again. "When we get back, I'll give him a proper beating. If there's something off about him, he'll slip up." Emma nodded. That seemed reasonable enough, yet her mind lingered elsewhere. If Cotton Candy truly wasn't what he seemed—if he was, in fact, a Rank 11 male Etherian—why disguise himself as an ordinary rabbit and stay by her side? What could he possibly be after? … Soon, their ship descended in front of the hospital. Emma carried the freshly made cakes and cookies she'd prepared earlier that day, heading straight to visit Laura and her little ones. When she entered the ward, Laura's mate, Rowan, was there as well. It had only been a few days, but the five cubs who used to fit in one hand had already grown bigger than kittens. They were crawling all over the bed, tumbling and squealing. Rowan stood by the bedside, reaching out to catch the cubs, sweat beading on his forehead as he scrambled to keep up. Emma stopped in her tracks, blinking at the sight of the frazzled Rowan and his five restless cubs. "Laura, they've grown so fast," she exclaimed. Laura laughed as she sampled a piece of the cake Emma brought. "This is their fastest growth phase. In another month, they'll be able to shift into human form, and then you'll really see chaos." In the interstellar world, it was the fathers who cared for the young. Emma glanced at Rowan, who looked moments away from tears, then back at the wriggling pups covering the bed. Her lips twitched despite herself. Now, she finally understood why Silas had been so delighted when she'd said she wasn't ready for children. She couldn't even imagine giving that half-dead Marcus five or six wolf cubs. What a scene that would be—a father sprawled half-conscious on one side, with a pack of tiny wolf cubs wailing for milk on the other. Just the thought of it was horrifyingly vivid. At the bedside, Rowan managed to catch one pup before it hit the floor, only for two others to start fighting immediately after. Their sharp little howls filled the room, surprisingly fierce. He looked utterly defeated. He cast Laura a desperate look. "Ms. Jones, can I take them back now?" Normally, the pups didn't stay in Laura's room. However, since Emma had messaged her ahead of time, Laura had asked him to bring them over so Emma could see how much they'd grown. That was why there was no baby fence on the bed.Meeting her mate's pleading eyes, Laura quickly nodded. "Go on. Take them back." Relieved, Rowan grabbed the basket nearby and began scooping up the squirming cubs. He got the first one in easily enough, but by the time he reached for the second, the first had already climbed out again. He dropped the second in and lunged to catch the escapee, only for the second to tumble right back out. Emma and Laura were dumbfounded. … In the end, it took both of them working together to corral all five little troublemakers into the basket. Rowan exhaled a long, exhausted sigh. Then, he bolted out the door, basket in tow. Fortunately, Laura's other mates also helped him care for the cubs. Otherwise, leaving him to manage them alone would've driven him insane. Once Rowan had gone, Emma and Laura chatted for a while. When the time felt right, Emma rose to leave. She had made plans with Edric—they were going to watch the meteor shower that night.As she left the hospital, she was just about to board the ship when Edric's lightcore pinged. He glanced at the message, and his expression shifted instantly. Turning to Emma, he said, voice tight, "Emma, my brother's in trouble. I—" She interrupted, "I know. Go on." A meteor shower could wait; his brother's life could not. "Do you need Marcus and me to go with you?" She was worried he might not handle it alone. "No, I'll go myself." Edric shook his head. Missing the meteor shower already made him feel guilty. He couldn't drag her and Marcus into danger as well. "Emma, let Marcus go with you to watch it. I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning." After giving Marcus a couple of quick instructions, he departed in another ship.With Marcus being a Rank 11, Edric wasn't worried about Emma's safety. Watching him disappear into the sky, Emma turned to Marcus. "Come on. Let's go see that meteor shower." Marcus seemed to be doing all right. Emma took his hand, pulling him onto the airship before heading to the cockpit. She had barely stepped inside when Marcus followed. "Ms. Tibarn, allow me to fly the airship. You should rest." It would take three to four hours to reach the galaxy. Marcus didn't want her wearing herself out. Emma didn't argue. She simply sank into the empty seat beside the pilot's chair, closing her eyes to rest.