Keelan stepped forward with a small box and opened it. Inside a tiny necklace lay nestled on white velvet. It was a simple green stone set in silver that hung from a silver chain. Blushing he lifted it up indicating to Felix that it was his. One second the necklace was there the next it was gone as Felix put it on.
Keelan cleared his throat. "I've been working with Ryuu to create a perimeter that would make unseen things seen. If you turn the stone in its setting we'll be able to see and hear you, turn it back and you'll go back to being invisible," he explained.
Elizabeth and the men all stared as the air in front of them shimmered for a second before a small, red haired sprite was revealed. His translucent wings veined in greens and purples beat furiously, keeping him hovering between them. Felix was crying silently, his bright green eyes rimmed red. He brought his forearm up to cover his face as he cried.
Elizabeth dabbed at her eyes. Behind her Elizabeth heard Meryn sniffling as well.
Felix uncovered his eyes and looked at the men. He swallowed hard.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." His tiny voice was clear but conveyed the depth of his feelings. Elizabeth noticed that the men's eyes looked suspiciously misty.
Felix hid his face and fumbled at the necklace, a second later he was gone again.
"There, there sweetheart it's okay. You have to stop crying or I'll keep crying, Felix, and when I cry my nose gets stuffed up," Meryn complained, wiping at her own eyes as she comforted the small sprite.
Ryuu stepped forward reaching for the house to take it to its final location but Colton stepped in front of him.
"Even though you said you didn't need anything, we came up with an idea." Colton reached behind him and took out a blue leather journal from his waistband. He held it out to Ryuu.
"We know that you have been working very hard to master western style cooking so we all asked around and got some of Lycaonia's best cooks to contribute their favorite recipes, including my own mother, Adelaide and Marius."
Ryuu, looking shocked, took the journal and very carefully began to flip through the handwritten pages. He closed it solemnly and held it to his chest. "This has to be the finest gift I have ever received. I will cherish it all the days of my life." He bowed low to the men.
Colton laughed and clapped a hand to Ryuu's shoulder gently pushing the man upright. "It's not like we're not getting anything out of it. I can't wait for you to make my mom's pecan pie, it's my favorite," he said, winking.
Ryuu straightened. "Then I shall attempt to make that first."
Without saying a word Aiden held out a box to Meryn, his face was bright red. "We got distracted yesterday. I got this for you to say I was sorry for ignoring you, but I guess this can be your welcome to the Alpha Estate present instead."
Meryn just stared. Aiden walked over and physically placed the box in her hand.
Gavriel set the house down in the hallway and walked over to wrap an arm around Elizabeth's shoulder. "I didn't have time to prepare anything, but the men have all agreed to help me tomorrow to give you the closet of your dreams as your welcome present."
Elizabeth turned in his arms, grabbing the front of his shirt. "Really?"
"Yes, really. Whatever my mate wants, she gets." Gavriel kissed her forehead.
Behind her Meryn squealed and began to bounce up and down.
"I love it! I absolutely love it! Look, Bunny! He got me a charm bracelet! It has a tiny laptop and coffee mug on it!" Meryn kept jumping trying to kiss Aiden's face. Laughing, he finally just lifted her up so she could reach him.
Gavriel leaned in. "I told him to leave room for more charms that way he knows what to get when he messes up later."
"Hey!" Aiden protested.
Everyone laughed. Aiden set Meryn down. She put the bracelet on and kept turning her wrist back and forth. She looked up at her mate.
"For a second when I saw the dollhouse I thought you had found out about Meryn 2.0" She spun the bracelet on her wrist.
"No it was for Felix, we... Meryn 2.0? What in the world is that?" Aiden asked, his eyebrows snapping together. "You better not have hacked something else," he warned.
Meryn laughed. "It's not software! It's our daughter." She grinned up at him.
"Oh dear," Elizabeth murmured. The men grinned at each other.
Aiden's mouth worked like a fish, his face previously bright red face quickly draining to become milk white.
"A ... a ... a ... " he stuttered.
Ryuu picked up the dollhouse and headed towards his own suite. "Felix, I think you may prefer to have this with me for a while," he said his mouth twitching. The small light flickered as if Felix were chortling and followed Ryuu.
"A ... a ... a ..." Aiden clutched at his chest and swayed.
Meryn frowned. "I think I broke him."
Colton and Gavriel moved to stand on either side of their commander, laughing. Aiden bent at the waist, wheezing and put his hands on his knees, gulping in air.
"Ten bucks says he faints," Darian teased.
Darian's words had Aiden's back straightening. He stepped forward placing his hands on Meryn's shoulders. "Are you certain?"
Smiling, Meryn nodded. "Meryn 2.0 is under development," she said patting her belly.
Aiden turned to them beaming. "I'm going to be a father!" he announced, as if they hadn't been standing there the whole time.
Colton was the first to thrust his hand at his commander. "Congratulations my old friend, I wish your child a lifetime of happiness." The other men stepped forward to congratulate the couple.