“Oh and Sozu confirmed Kayla’s pregnancy this morning.” Beatrice added.
Drovo held Kayla in his lap as they sat by the fire.
Would Taylor be next, I wondered. They were certainly active enough to have made a baby by now. Brexl had both arms wrapped around Taylor as she sat in front of him on the floor.
Sozu, Talia, Sarah, and Jax all sat together at one of the tables. They were attempting to play a card game, but no one was smiling or laughing.
Hai, Anusha, and Fatima sat together at anothertable. Hai was carving designs into a clay bowl, Anusha was knitting a sweater, and Fatima was twisting plant fiber into yarn like Drondia had shown us.
Beatrice glanced over at Rhaz who was sitting far away from everyone else before she sat down with the others and started to knit as well. Rhaz caught her gaze and then quickly looked away. I wish I knew what his deal was, why he always held himself apart from everyone else and why was he so damn angry all the time? Even now, months after we’d joined the dekes, he barely spoke to any of us, only making an exception for Beatrice every once in a while.
There was another loud wail that sounded through the cave and then there was silence. No one moved and Axon stiffened as his shifter ears must have heard something that my human ears could not.
Then the most wonderful sound broke the silence, the cry of a newborn baby.
Axon let out a breath and everyone started to cheer.
A few minutes later, Neelu and Drondia made their way into the main cavern. They grinned at each other and in union announced, “It’s a girl!”
More cheers rang out as everyone hugged and smiled at this great news.
“Gab-bae is doing well,” they added.
That was the news I was waiting to hear. Knowing Gabby was okay helped me breathe easier.
Neelu continued her announcement, “Gab-baeand Tarak now hold a little girl with tiny horn nubs, a small tail, curly black hair, and beautiful brown skin.”
There was a third round of hoots and hollers at this welcome news. The two elders grabbed some food and water and took it back to Gabby and Tarak’s cave.
“A new sietling,” Axon breathed. “The first in our dekes.”
He picked me up and spun me around as if the child were our own. His joy was infectious, so much so that when he put me down I reached up and kissed him. The room went quiet around us, and I’d forgotten that no one knew of Axon and I’s mating. I’d left this mountain angry and in search of answers, and I’d returned happy with Axon by my side.
I looked out at everyone staring at Axon and me. Then he pulled me in even closer to his chest.
“May I tell them?” he whispered in my ear and my heart melted all over again. He looked down right giddy to share our news.
“Go ahead,” I smiled.
He squeezed me one more time and looked out at the crowd before us, our family, our friends, our dekes.
“Ashley and I are mated. We have chosen each other. No matter what happens with luminescence, we will be together.”
Karo, Axon’s sire, was the first to speak. “Congratulations! This is wonderful news!”
The older sirret male approached Axon and Iand squeezed us both in a tight hug.
“I can’t wait to tell your mother. She’s going to be so happy!”
“Congratulations,” the other males of the dekes clapped Axon on the shoulder while the women in the cavern all came up to hug me.
The night had been so full of wonderful surprises that I didn’t think anything more could possibly happen. It wasn’t until the mated couples started glowing for each other that I remembered tonight was the full moon.
First it was Julie and Orsu, they smiled knowingly at each other, and Orsu helped Julie up and led the way to their cave.
Then there was Kayla and Drovo. Drovo picked up his mate in a bridal carry and beamed down at her as if she was the sun herself.
Brexl didn’t waste a moment after he started glowing for Taylor. She giggled when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Then he walked very ungracefully to their cave.
