My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

The soft hum of the car engine faded as Reinhart pulled the white car to a stop outside the city library. It wasn't the grandest building Raelynn had ever seen, but the towering columns and ivy-wrapped walls still held an old-world charm that never failed to make her smile.

Reinhart, still wearing his dark sunglasses, turned off the ignition with a soft click. He glanced sideways at Raelynn before sliding the shades off with a smooth flick of his hand.

"Didn't think you were the type for these kinds of places," he commented, his tone light but laced with genuine curiosity.

Raelynn opened the car door and stepped out, stretching her legs before adjusting the strap of her handbag. "Hey," she replied, flashing him a half-smile, "for someone who loves to read, this place has its charm."

Reinhart chuckled, running a hand through his tousled hair as he stepped out and closed the car door. "Elion's mansion has more interesting books, I bet."

Raelynn let out a soft laugh, already walking towards the entrance as her shoes clicked softly against the pavement. "Maybe. But my dear friend works here too."

Reinhart raised a brow as he caught up to her. "Oh? You've got friends hidden away in libraries? You're full of surprises. Don't forget to introduce me."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, a playful smirk curving her lips. "He's a man."

Reinhart paused mid-step, blinking, before waving his hand dismissively. "Forget it."

Raelynn chuckled under her breath, thinking to herself that even though she hadn't known Reinhart for long, she was pretty sure he was a complete womanizer.

The cool air of the library washed over them as they entered, the familiar scent of old pages and polished wood thick in the air. It was quiet, the soft shuffle of feet and faint turning of pages the only sounds that filled the space.

Raelynn walked straight to the front desk where a young woman sat flipping through a worn catalog. She smiled when she noticed Raelynn approaching.

"Hi! Can I help you?"

"I was wondering if Axel is around?" Raelynn asked, resting her hands on the edge of the desk.

The woman tilted her head slightly. "Oh, Axel's not in today. He's sick."

Raelynn's brows drew together, concern flickering across her face. "Sick? Is he alright?"

The librarian nodded reassuringly. "Yeah, nothing serious. Probably just caught something. You know how he is, always working too hard."

Raelynn sighed softly in relief. "Good to hear. I actually came to let him know I lost a book I borrowed and wanted to pay the fine or whatever the library requires."

"Ah, no problem! Just need your library ID."

Raelynn fished through her bag, pulling out the small card and handing it over. The librarian typed away, eyes scanning the screen.

"The Vampire 10,001, right?"

Raelynn winced a little but nodded. "That's the one."

"Alright, it's just a small fine."

Raelynn quickly handed over the money, relieved the damage wasn't worse. Once the receipt was in hand, she turned around—but Reinhart was nowhere in sight.

She scanned the aisles, catching sight of him a few rows down, aimlessly wandering like a lost child. He stood near a towering bookshelf, head tilted as if the spines of the books were speaking an alien language.

Raelynn walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You done already?" Reinhart asked, turning with an almost lazy grin. "That was quick."

"Yeah," Raelynn replied, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "My friend's on sick leave, so there wasn't much else to do."

Reinhart's sharp eyes lingered on her face, his playful demeanor fading just slightly. "You look... kinda sad."

Raelynn blinked, caught off guard. "I do?"

Raelynn hesitated for a moment before glancing away, pretending to adjust the strap of her bag. She hadn't realized her face was that easy to read.

But maybe it was.

Because, truthfully, she was a little sad. Or disappointed? She wasn't sure.

Earlier, she had filled herself with expectations—expectations that she'd see Axel, that maybe they'd cross paths, exchange a few words, and just… hang out for a little bit. Nothing serious, nothing major, just the usual easygoing presence that she had somehow grown used to.

But now, not only was he not around, but he was also on sick leave.

Sick.

Her fingers tightened slightly on the strap. It shouldn't bother her as much as it did, right? People got sick all the time. It wasn't like he disappeared forever or something. But still, the news settled strangely in her chest, an odd, restless feeling she didn't quite know what to do with.

Maybe it was because she had been looking forward to seeing him.

Maybe it was because it was so sudden, and she hadn't even known something was wrong.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was because she had started to enjoy his presence more than she wanted to admit.

Reinhart's voice snapped her back to reality. "Hey, you alright?"

Raelynn blinked and forced a small smile. "Yeah, just thinking about something."

"Huh. Well, whatever it is," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "This friend of yours... he important to you?"

She smiled softly, her fingers tracing the edge of her handbag absentmindedly. "Yeah. He's kind. Fun to be around."

Reinhart tilted his head, a sly smirk creeping back onto his face. "Careful. If Elion hears that, he might rip apart the nearest building."

Raelynn snorted. "Hmph. It has nothing to do with him."

Reinhart gave her a mock-serious look. "Of course it does. Everything does."

She rolled her eyes but chuckled. "Reinhart, shut down whatever's going on in that mind of yours and let's get out of here."

He followed her as she strode towards the exit, the click of her heels echoing in the quiet library. But before he followed completely, Reinhart hung back for a beat, watching her from a short distance as she pushed open the heavy doors.

"Are you really going to be my sister-in-law?" he muttered to himself, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

As he walked after her, he shook his head slowly, that grin still in place, amused by Raelynn in ways he didn't quite understand yet.