Dax
Judgingby the way his eyes seemed ready to fall out of his head, I knew Morgan was shocked. I knew my tale was hard for him to swallow but he was realizing now that it was true.
My brothers Hugo and Sage descended the hill to greet us, with Lupa and Leveret in their arms. The two kids were squirming and couldn’t keep their forms still. Remington stood aside, watching Morgan warily. Len, who’d finally given up crying and berating me—he was still emotional from all the post-pregnancy hormones, and I’d have to apologize to him for being so late—and was watching Morgan curiously now.
“Well. Morgan, this is the pack,” I announced. “Pack, this is Morgan.”
Morgan in his buck form was the largest of us all, but he looked shy as he surveyed the group. I didn’t blame him. There was a lot to take in, especially for someone who’d just had his life turned upside-down by the villains in his herd.
Morgan was most focused on Len and the kids. His eyes softened as he gazed at them.
“You’re Len? The hare?” he asked.
“That’s me,” Len said with a smile. “Nice to meet you, Morgan. Did Dax tell you about me?”
“He did, but I didn’t believe him,” Morgan said bluntly. Awe had replaced disbelief in his voice. “Are those your children?”
The toddlers ran at Len, who scooped them up with a groan of strain. “You guys are getting heavy… And yes, they’re mine,” he added with a chuckle.
Morgan turned to face Hugo. My brother was beaming with pride at the sight of his kids.
“And you’re Hugo?” Morgan asked. “You’re the alpha father?”
“That’s right,” Hugo said calmly. He reached over and ruffled the twins’ hair.
There was a moment of quiet before Sage stared at Morgan’s head and blurted out, “Wow, your antlers are like, really big.”
“Yes, I’m aware,” Morgan said with a dry smile.
I was about to scold Sage and his big mouth before the twins, Lupa and Leveret, both reached out with their tiny hands in Morgan’s direction. The massive buck approached them, slow and gentle, until the kids’ hands rested on his velvety soft muzzle. They both cooed in wonder as they petted him. My heart did a small flip.
“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Len murmured. “Be nice, you two. Don’t pull on his nose too hard.”
“They’re not,” Morgan reassured him quietly. His voice was incredibly gentle, lacking the sarcastic edge he’d used to banter with me earlier. I could tell he was thoroughly enjoying the kids’ attention.
“Horn,” Lupa said, reaching up higher.
“Not a horn,” Hugo told her. “Antlers. Big ones.”
She grunted as she waved her hands, desperate to touch Morgan’s antlers. Morgan suddenly looked shy. He wanted to comply with her request but held back.
“I don’t want to hurt them by accident,” he murmured.
“Oh, they’re fine.” Len chuckled. “Just lower them slowly, and kids, you make sure not to poke your eyes out, okay?”
Morgan took a step back to create space, then very carefully lowered his head. Lupa and Leveret gasped at the sight of his antlers close up. They each gently grabbed a tine and held it gleefully in their little fists, letting out bursts of joyful laughter. Morgan beamed, happier than I’d ever seen him in our short time together.
So there’s his weak spot,I thought in amusement.He loves kids.
A thought occurred to me: if Morgan loved children as he obviously did, why didn’t he have any of his own? But then I recalled the vicious alpha bucks in his herd and how they’d expelled him. Anger stewed in my chest, hot and bitter. If they’d go to such lengths to get rid of him, that explained why Morgan had no kids.
I stifled a growl in my throat. Those alpha bucks better hope they never ran into me again or they’d regret it.
“Okay, that’s enough. You’re gonna rip his antlers off,” Len said with a laugh as he pulled the kids away. They didn’t even seem disappointed, just happy that they got to touch Morgan’s antlers at all.
“It’s not a problem, don’t worry,” Morgan murmured. He almost sounded a little sad.
“You must be tired, Morgan,” Hugo chimed in. “Why don’t you join us for the night? There’s plenty of food and a safe place to rest.”
