The wolf whined and licked and nipped and jumped.
Happy.
Happy.
Sad.
“I know, my love,” Evelyn crooned and squeezed Alinor’s neck as tightly as she could. “Me, too.” Behind Alinor, the gray herded the pups. Behind Evelyn, Conall held Gregory. “It’s all right, though. It’s wonderful. I swear, it is.”
Alinor suddenly broke free of Evelyn’s arms and loped back to the mouth of the den. Evelyn swiped at her eyes while the massive black mother roughly nosed the pups. Then Alinor seized one—the smallest, blackest pup—by its scruff and trotted past Evelyn to Conall. Evelyn turned to watch.
The pup yelped and squirmed, hanging from her mother’s jaws while Alinor pawed gently at Conall’s arm. When he opened his protective embrace around Gregory, Alinor delicately placed her pup in Conall’s other crooked elbow and then gave her a rough nudge with her nose. She paid no heed to Gregory or to Conall, rather turned and walked back to Evelyn to put herself muzzle to nose.
Alinor’s big, clear, yellow eyes bored into Evelyn’s somberly.
Evelyn could barely choke out, “Thank you.”
Alinor’s long, rough tongue swiped Evelyn’s face and Evelyn reached out for one final, fierce embrace. Alinor gave the softest, quietest whine.
“I love you, too, my girl,” Evelyn whispered near the wolf’s pointed ear. “And I always will. Forever and ever.”
Then Alinor backed out of Evelyn’s arms abruptly, and the animal who now stood there was wild and deadly. She growled at Evelyn, and her muzzle lifted away to show long, pearly fangs.
Go.
Evelyn gained her feet on shaky legs. Alinor, her friend, her girl, was no more than a beautiful memory, now replaced by this awesome wild creature before her.
Conall’s voice, low with concern, called to her.
“Come back, Eve. Slowly.”
The command seemed to hold deep, deep meaning.
Evelyn backed away until she felt Conall’s strong arms bump against her back.
The black wolf was joined by her growling mate.
“Let’s go, Conall,” Evelyn whispered. She reached down and tangled a hand in Bonnie’s long wool, to keep the ninny from running foolishly to her death. The black and her family were no friends of theirs now. “Just turn and walk away. I have Bonnie.”
Conall handed the crying pup to Evelyn, then drew her close to his side, urging them through the trees quickly, as if he understood the danger.
Abrupt wolfsong sang the group from the wood, the howls and the pup’s yips strong and wild and beautiful. And in the highest notes, Evelyn heard Alinor’s good-bye.
Epilogue
They had been back at the hut in the vale for seven days. Seven days filled with love and wonder and tears and family and awkwardness, too. Evelyn and Conall were reintroducing themselves to each other slowly and becoming familiar with their new love. The deepness of it, the honesty of it. Seven days they had been back, but this night was their first alone.
Evelyn lay in the small box bed and watched as her husband bent over Gregory’s crib near the bedside, the firelight playing over his broad shoulders as he tucked the sleeping baby inside the swaddling and whispered words of love and good dreams. The flickering light mirrored the sensations in Evelyn’s body and she waited with secret, anxious anticipation for Conall to join her.
It had been so long…
He turned and sent Bonnie and the clumsy little pup, Alexandra, off to their pen with a swat on Bonnie’s shaggy rump. He checked the bar on the door, banked the fire in the pit. Then at last Conall turned to her and gave her a smile that made her heart sing.
“You’re nae asleep yet, are you, lass?”
She shook her head and wondered if he could see her smile in the shadows. “Nay. I was waiting for you.” She scooted back until she felt the wall behind her and tossed the covers back in invitation.
It took him only seconds to undress and join her and in a moment she felt his fevered skin against hers. Evelyn heard Conall’s sharp gasp as he realized her nudity.
