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  “Why?”

  She frowned. “Did they not tell you?”

  “She knows,” said Landon. “We found her after the massacre and she survived the transformation.”

  “Survived?”

  Landon and Roman exchanged a look of guilt.

  “Tell me.”

  Landon took the nonchalant approach while Roman busied himself with gutting the deer.

  “It does not matter, dear,” said Cynthia. “For you survived and you will be the matriarch of a wonderful family.” She pressed both hands against my stomach. “But I wish you all the patience, for you will endure the presence of yet another boy.”

  “Wait… how do you know that?”

  “Nature tells me many things and it is very rarely wrong.”

  “So, we’re going to have a boy?” I could not believe it. “Did you hear that? A boy!”

  Chapter 20: Roman

  The news about our baby was not what I had expected. Cynthia looked like the kind of shifter that had fallen off her rocker. Humans would have called her a ‘hippie.’

  But she announced the sex of our child with such confidence that I was apt to believe her. “A boy…” I repeated, just as surprised as everyone else. That surprise came as a burst of adrenaline that came exploding out of my body. I howled and scooped Jane into my arms, twirling her around until we both fell near the fire.

  “Careful!” Landon barked.

  “They are only having fun,” reminded Cynthia. “No need to chastise them.” I had a feeling that it wouldn’t take much for me to like the forest spirit, as Jane so accurately described her.

  “I think we should celebrate!” I grabbed a hunk of deer meat from the fire and tore into the juicy flesh. It had been cooked to perfection thanks to my impeccable campfire skills. Trust me, I’ll make the meanest s’more you’ve ever seen.

  “Do you really expect me to eat that?” Jane turned up her nose, disgusted. While she had the abilities of a shifter, she was still very much a human.

  “It is very nutritious. This buck was one of the oldest within the forest. Consuming his flesh will impart wisdom unto you and your child.”

  “Saying stuff like that makes it creepy,” Jane was starting to turn a little green and it only got worse when she saw Landon gnawing at a bone. “Uh… I think his wolf is showing.”

  “Maybe it’s time for me to take you out to dinner,” I suggested, already steering her away from the fire.

  “What about Landon and Cynthia?”

  “I’m sure they have a lot of catching up to do.”

  Worry rippled across her features. “You don’t think…?”

  “Landon is a wolf that believes in loyalty. He would never violate your trust in any way.”

  “But what about her? What if she still has feelings for him?” Jane kept looking over her shoulder and slowing down, so to expedite the process, I picked her up and carried her towards the motorcycles. “You know, this might be a good time for us to work on your speed. You’ve gotten better with your fighting skills but if push comes to shove, I fear that you won’t prove much of a threat to the wolves that have been trained all their lives.”

  “Are you calling me weak?” Again, Jane glanced over her shoulder but Landon and Cynthia had, finally, disappeared from view. To wipe the frown from her face, I pushed her up against a tree and kissed her. I intended to keep it tender but just the taste of her was enough to get me all riled up.

  I nibbled at her bottom lip and held her tight against my body so she wouldn’t run away.

  She jabbed both her palms into my chest, shoving me off.

  “Ow, what was that for?”

  “Proving a point.”

  “And what point might that be?” I asked with an air of innocence.

  “That I am tough enough to fend for myself.” She had both feet planted into the ground and her arms were folded over her breasts. Already, they were becoming swollen with milk. I could only imagine what they would be like once the pup was ready to pop. I had my doubts that he’d be the only one to enjoy her lovely tits…

  All of a sudden, she swung her leg in a sweeping arc and had me on the ground. With a snicker, she transformed and ran off. I gave her a few seconds, as a head start, before I followed suit. It didn’t take me much at all to catch up with her.

  “Is this the best you’ve got?” I teased as I nipped at her heels. “Because you’re going to be sorry once I catch up to you. Throwing me on my ass like that, it deserves some serious punishment. And don’t think that I’ll go easy on you just because you’re pregnant.”

  Instead of answering me, Jane howled at the sky. Her fur prickled into a thicker coat as her survival instincts kicked in.

  I kept pushing her, wanting to see exactly what she was capable of.

  She weaved through the maze of trees and obstacles. It’s natural for a wolf to know his way around a forest, even if the land’s foreign.

  But then she hesitated and I took my chance. I pounced and the momentum of my actions sent us tumbling down the side of a hill.

  Leaves and twigs got caught in our pelts as we continued our descent towards the bottom.

  Thump!

  Together, we landed into a tangled heap.

  Still a wolf, Jane smiled, causing her tongue to loll from the side of her mouth.

  “You’re so cute,” I said, as I licked her face.

  She tried to escape but I held her firm.

  “You’re mine now. Resistance is futile.”

  She stopped suddenly and played me with a pair of puppy dog eyes. My resolve softened. My grip loosened alongside it. I was helpless to resist.

  Why did she have to look at me like that?

  She shifted back to her human form and cupped my face in both her hands. “Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I would one day become a wolf but I understand now that it was what I was always meant to be.”

  I kissed her forehead. “You make a very good wolf.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “But an even sexier human,” I grinned, as I lowered my mouth onto her neck, targeting that sweet spot of hers. If she thought that she could escape sweet, sweet punishment by using those puppy dog eyes of hers, then she had another think coming.

  Chapter 21: Landon

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with Cynthia…” said Jane as we made our way towards her temporary abode. “It must be… nice… reconnecting with an old friend.”

  I stopped so suddenly that she bumped into my back. To keep her from falling, I scooped her up in my arms. She was getting heavier by the day, a good indication that our pup was growing up big and strong. I kissed her stomach and smiled as I felt the slight vibration of the tiny living being I would one day call my son.

  “There is nothing going on between us, Jane.”

  “I know.”

  “The look on your face tells me otherwise.”

  “It’s just that you’ve been spending a lot of time with her and you never really want to talk about what it is that you’re doing while you’re with her.”

  “So, you’re saying that you do not trust me?”

  She bit her bottom lip and looked away.

  “Jane.”

  “It’s difficult to keep my mind from wandering,” she admitted. “How would you feel if I was always running off with a past lover? You’d have your doubts, just as I do.”

  She made a valid point. Just thinking of her with another man, made the hair at the back of my neck prickle with hatred. “I understand.”

  “So, will you finally tell me what it is that you’ve been up to with that woman?”

  “I think it would be better if I showed you. Are you up for a little run? Roman tells me that you’ve started to hone your skills.”

  “Has he forgotten to tell you that I am now the fastest wolf in our little pack of three?”

  “Is that so?” I raised an eyebrow, finding it hard to believ
e that she had surpassed Roman. “Show me what you’re made of then.”

  In a flash, she was a ball of fur. I barely had time to blink before she started to fly through the forest.

  “Wait!” I shouted in her direction but she didn’t slow down. How was I supposed to show her to Cynthia’s place if she kept running in the opposite direction?

  “What are you waiting for you slowpoke?” She had doubled back. Her tail wagged as she sat on her haunches right in front of me. When she said that she was fast, she wasn’t lying. Roman was training her exceptionally well. By comparison, I was slacking in the weapon’s department.

  It was time for that to change.

  “Landon?” She nuzzled my hand, trying to get my attention. “Are you okay?”

  “Follow me, okay?”

  She nodded in understanding and waited for me to make my transformation.

  “And stay close.”

  Getting to Cynthia’s temporary home was no easy feat. She had hidden herself well within the forest and for good reason. Over the years, she had grown her list of enemies. There were plenty of wolves that wanted her dead. Honestly, I was surprised she had survived thus far.

  “Where are we going?”

  “You wanted to know what I do with Cynthia, well, as I said, it would be easier to show you.”

  “Jeez, does she live in Timbuktu?”

  “Something like that.”

  We came upon a river and without a second thought, I leapt across it, landing effortlessly on the other side. A quick glance over my shoulder assured me that Jane had succeeded in doing the same. Satisfied that there was no need to worry, I continued on my way.

  Cynthia’s scent became thick in the air. It awakened old memories but did nothing to invigorate my pulse.

  I sniffed the air and followed the path. From here on out, things got even trickier. Cynthia had a knack for setting down traps and one wrong move could result in my sudden death. I paused and cocked my head to the side, listening.

  “What is it?” asked Jane. “Is something wrong.”

  “Just follow me exactly,” I said. “And we’ll make it through this.”

  “I don’t know if I like the sound of that…”

  The wind whistled through the leaves, causing a few to flutter to the ground. Underneath them, something shimmered against the dying sun — a concealed weapon.

  “See the traps?” I asked as we walked past. “If we had failed to spot them then one of us would have been without a paw.”

  She gulped. “Yikes.”

  Slowly, we made our way to the treehouse. I thought we’d never make it there but just before I could think to turn back, it loomed on the horizon. To those who were not trained to look for it, the treehouse looked like it was a part of the scenery. No one would think that someone lived within that mess of vines. But Cynthia was a resourceful woman and she could always make something out of nothing.

  At the base of a giant elm tree, I turned back to my human form and ran my hands along the aged bark, feeling it’s roughness.

  “This is where she lives?”

  “Yes.”

  “When you told me she was a tree-loving hippie, you really weren’t lying.”

  “What else has Landon said about me?”

  In a moment’s notice, I was standing in front of Jane with my arm outstretched. “Where did you come from?”

  “Seems to me that you are losing your touch, Landon. I’ve been standing right here since you arrived.” Her eyes twinkled and I could not tell whether she was speaking the truth or trying to trick me.

  “How is that possible?” Jane scoffed. “I would have noticed.”

  “We often do not see what is right in front of our own eyes,” she said. “It is one of our many flaws as living beings.”

  I stopped her before she could fall into one of her chants about mother nature. She was a lovely woman but she had a habit of running her mouth and I could barely stand it. “Jane wants to know how we’ve been spending our time together.”

  Cynthia leaned her head backwards and laughed into the clouds above. “Does she believe that our old romance was rekindled?”

  “I’m right here, you know. I can hear everything you’re saying.”

  “So you can,” Cynthia answered with a nod.

  “And, as a matter of fact, yes, I want to know what you’re doing with my mating partner.”

  She waved her staff in an arcing motion before stepping forward and disappearing through a blanket of vines.

  “I’m sorry but she’s kind of weird…” Jane whispered as she followed the shaman.

  “Right,” I agreed, even though I knew that saying as much might get me into some serious trouble. Cynthia had a way of hearing just about everything.

  Inside, the giant elm tree was hollowed out, revealing a comfortable-looking home decorated with a plethora of folk art. The place felt like an over-cluttered flea market. I had tried to convince Cynthia to get rid of some of her junk but as far as she was concerned, all of her stuff was impossibly valuable. She couldn’t bear to part with it.

  “This way,” she directed before starting up a set of spiral steps. They kept going higher, and higher, and higher.

  Finally, we came upon a door. It was a deep chestnut brown and carved with intricate symbols. “This is what has occupied your mate’s time,” said Cynthia. “He has been helping me complete this particular wing of the treehouse. I think you will find that it is most agreeable.”

  Jane furrowed her brows together, unsure of what to make of the woman’s words.

  “Go on, open it,” she prompted. “There isn’t anything on the other side that will kill you. I can promise you that.”

  “You know, for some reason, I’m not quite sure that I believe you.”

  I placed my hand on the small of her back and nudged her forward, to signal that everything was okay and that she really didn’t have anything worth worrying about. “Go on, it’s okay,” I said, when it became clear that my gesture alone was not enough to convince her. “I think you will like what’s on the other side.”

  Still, Jane hesitated. She had her arm draped over her stomach in a protective stance. I smiled to myself, knowing that she would have done anything to protect the unborn pup.

  The doorknob turned without a sound and the door slowly swung back revealing the project I had been working on.

  “So, do you like it?” I asked while standing right beside her, wanting to gauge her reaction.

  “Is this…” she trailed off and stepped forward, taking in all the sights and sounds. She ran her fingers along the painted walls and the mobile hanging from an overhead tree branch. With eyes wide, she stopped at the wooden crib and leaned forward so much that I feared she would fall inside. “… a nursery?”

  “It is,” I confirmed. “We couldn’t have the baby at the bunker. It wouldn’t have been fair to you or the baby. Cynthia was kind enough to spare this extra space and even helped to decorate it.”

  The shaman smiled. “And if you allow it, I would love to help bring the baby into this world. Giving birth is no easy task. It frightens any woman, no matter how strong. Let me ease some of that burden.”

  “She is very skilled,” I commented. “She even helped a lioness deliver a litter of cubs.”

  “Are you comparing me to a lioness, because I find that very insulting, with me being a wolf and all.”

  I chuckled. “You can be as fierce as one sometimes.”

  “Speaking of fierceness…” Cynthia wandered off to a dresser and opened the top drawer. From my vantage point, it appeared empty. Slowly, she ran her hand along the top and retrieved something. “Landon has told me that you are practicing your skills as a weapon wielder.”

  “I am,” she confirmed. “The boys tell me that I’m getting better and better every day.”

  “They have told me the same thing,” she said, with a nod. “And I applaud you for wanting to pr
otect your child. It is an instinct that every mother should listen to.”

  Cynthia held out her hand. Jane mimicked her actions.

  “But there are times where we are left empty-handed. Which is why I have decided to give you this as a sort of housewarming gift.”

  Jane inspected the item. “A dagger?”

  “Yes. It goes around your thigh and stays concealed under your clothing.”

  “Oh, so like something out of a James Bond movie.”

  “Excuse me?” I was as confused as Cynthia looked.

  “Never mind.” Jane strapped the dagger into place before giving the woman a hug. “And I am sorry that I suspected you of having an affair with Landon. I understand now how silly that was.”

  Cynthia returned the hug in a motherly fashion. “It is normal for us to have our doubts. It’s in our nature and what separates us from the common beast.” She pulled back and held Jane at arm’s length. “But, if there is anything you should know, it is that both your mates are incredibly trustworthy and they would never do anything to hurt you.”

  “I know,” she answered. “It’s the only thing I know to be a hundred percent true.”

  Hearing those words, I could not help myself from kissing her. In a moment’s notice, I had her on a nearby counter. A second later, her fingers were already tangled deep within my hair. Our lips came crashing together. I didn’t think of breathing. All that mattered was her sweetness.

  “Well, it seems to me like you two could do with some privacy…” Cynthia excused herself as the kiss continued.

  Jane’s legs came apart as I moved myself closer.

  A desire as strong as fire came over me.

  “Your mine,” I growled.

  “Always,” she answered. “Now, take me.”

  Chapter 22: Jane

  A few weeks later.

  Sweat dripped from my brow. I had soaked through my shirt but I wasn’t finished. Despite the burn in my arms, I threw the dagger with all my might, landing my mark.