Who is Mark on Virgin River? (And how could he be the father of Mel’s baby?)

We’re less than two weeks away from the premiere of Virgin River season 4, and romance lovers cannot wait to see what happens next for Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Jack (Martin Henderson). As fans of the show know, it’s been a whole lot of ups and downs for the couple as they navigate drama in their town and their past traumas, and the cliffhanger at the end of season 3 proved that it still won’t be smooth sailings for the two.

The trailer for Virgin River season 4 just debuted on July 8, promising us another emotional and dramatic installment. In case you forget, Mel is now expecting, which is amazing considering she didn’t think she could become pregnant again. The only issue is that she doesn’t know who the father is. Of course, she’s been sleeping with Jack, but there’s someone from her past who could still be in the picture as well.

Who is Mark and how could he be Mel’s baby daddy on Virgin River?

There’s a good chance the father of Mel’s baby could be Mark, Mel’s late husband who is played by Daniel Gillies. The premise of the first season of Virgin River follows Mel as she decides to uproot her life in Los Angeles and move to the rural Virgin River after the death of her husband. We follow the protagonist as she grieves Mark and tries to start a new life. Of course, it’s easier said than done.

Mark is still part of Mel’s life through memory, and his family isn’t always the easiest to deal with. Case in point — in the Virgin River season 4 trailer, we get a tease that Mark’s family might want to take Mel’s baby away from her. Remember, Mel goes through a round of IVF with Mark’s sperm in Virgin River season 3, and it’s successful. Because of that, she doesn’t know who the father is, as it could easily be Mark or Jack.

In one quick scene, Mark’s sister Stacie (Melinda Dahl) tells Mel that her mom hired a lawyer to seek custody of Mel’s last two embryos. Unsurprisingly, Mel is in total and utter shock.

It’s going to be a bumpy ride come Virgin River season 4, and we’re ready for all the drama. We can’t wait to find out whether or not Mark is the father of Mel’s baby. Watch the new trailer below:

Virgin River season 4 will be released on Netflix on Wednesday, July 20.