Chapter 17

Tinker paced. He wondered if he was wearing a trail in the floorboards, but after Tia’s long labor, Lisa’s appeared to be moving quickly and without any drama at all.

At least, as far as everyone else was concerned. The women had finally told him to leave. He’d argued, but they’d won—only because they could take Lisa’s pain away better than he could, but hell, he hated sharing that burden. Damned women wanted to share everything, but Lisa was his mate, having his baby.

Luc caught up to him and threw an arm over his shoulders. “They run you out?”

Tink merely grunted. He really didn’t feel like talking. He should be there with Lisa, damn it all, but she seemed happier with the other women around.

“I think it was the groaning, if you want my opinion.”

Luc kept pace with him as they reached the end of the hall outside the clinic and Tinker made another turn.

“Tia said Lisa couldn’t concentrate. She was worried about you.”

“What?” Tinker spun to a stop and stared at Luc. “Why the fuck should she be worried about me? She’s the one having our baby. Going through all that pain. I mean … shit, Luc.” His shoulders slumped. “I should be with her.”

“I agree.” Luc grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the clinic door. He didn’t even knock. Just opened the door and walked in.

It looked like a blasted hen party. Jazzy and Xandi sat in the corner drinking wine. Mei, Daci, Liana, and Millie had chairs pulled up close to the bed. They had serious expressions on their faces, like they were really concentrating hard. Then Millie smiled at Lisa and wiped the tangled hair back from her forehead.

“That was a good one, sweetie. How’re you doing?”

Lisa glanced up and saw Tinker. She smiled. “I’m doing great. You guys are much quieter when you deal with the contractions than someone else we all know and love.”

“Who? Me?” Tink grinned at her and sat on the edge of the bed. Maybe Luc knew what he was talking about. “I tried to keep quiet.”

“But you don’t know how to share.” Liana leaned close and kissed his cheek. “We know to take only as much as we can tolerate without really hurting. You think you have to do everything yourself.”

He shrugged. “Hey, it’s a guy thing. As long as Lisa’s okay.” He leaned close and kissed her gently. So perfect, and so absolutely beautiful this way, with her hair in tangles and her belly swollen.

He could have sat there all night, just staring at her, thanking whatever fates ruled his life that had given him this perfect mate—but the fates had other ideas.

Her labor began to pick up. Jazzy and Xandi set their wineglasses aside and joined the other women. Tia, Manda, and Shannon arrived a few minutes later and the room practically vibrated with the strength of so many powerful women working together.

Tinker stepped aside when Logan and Adam showed up around four in the morning, with Keisha right behind them.

“Where’s Tala?” It seemed everyone else had come, but not Lisa’s sister. That didn’t seem right.

Keisha kissed his cheek. “Logan told her not to. The risk of the shared experience throwing her into labor is too great.”

Tinker shook his head, laughing. “She is going to be so pissed. That poor little thing wants to go into labor.”

“I know.” Logan glanced over his shoulder at Tink. “I practically had to have the guys restrain her. She’s not very happy with me right now. Tink, you might want to get up on the bed behind Lisa. She’s about ready to start pushing this little girl of yours out into the world.”

“Oh, shit.” Tinker scrambled into position, scrunching his big frame into the space behind his mate, supporting her as Logan directed him. The moment he wrapped his arms around Lisa, he felt the pressure in her womb, shared the sense of their daughter’s journey into life.

Lisa clutched his hands and braced against him, using Tinker’s body for leverage. The strength in her grasp amazed and terrified him. He was suffused with fear—for his mate, for his baby, for himself. Then fear fled, leaving him overcome with awe—with the sense that women were so much stronger than men ever imagined—and the knowledge that their power came from their willingness to share, to help one another carry the load, bear the pain, achieve the impossible.

The women standing together about the bed held hands with one another. Their combined energy built upon itself until it became a physical presence in the room, empowered by each of them so willing to work together. Tinker couldn’t take his eyes off his mate—the concentration on her face, the power and strength of her as she pushed their daughter into the world.

Logan caught their little girl. All Tinker registered was a dark cap of black curls and their daughter’s look of pure indignation at being thrust out of her perfectly warm womb. And then she was taking a deep breath, her tiny lungs expanding.

He kissed Lisa and carefully crawled off the bed. Standing over Logan, Tinker waited for his daughter’s cry, but she was quiet as her big eyes seemed to focus on all the faces in the room. He knew she couldn’t actually see anything yet, couldn’t really distinguish features, but when Logan had finished tying off the cord and wiping the afterbirth off her tiny body, when he finally handed her over to Tinker, Tink took his perfect little girl in his arms with a heart so full he felt as if it might break. She settled easily into his embrace and her dark eyes fastened on his face.

She stared at him, unblinking, for what felt like forever. And just like that, Tinker knew he’d lost his heart to yet another woman. Slowly he turned and sat on the bed beside Lisa. She reached out and touched their daughter, and then her fingers went straight to Tinker’s heart.

She pressed them against his chest. “I love you. She is so perfect. I hope she’s exactly like you.”

He shook his head, bemused by the emotions racing through him, the changes rushing over him. Father. He was this beautiful little girl’s father, and the responsibility, the joy, and the sense of completion was overwhelming.

Shaken, he handed her to Lisa. The others crowded around, each of them wanting to touch, to see, to experience this latest addition to the pack. The door slammed opened and Tala rushed in, followed by Mik and AJ. Anton stood in the doorway behind them, smiling at the crowd in the delivery room.

Tinker glanced up and caught Anton’s benevolent grin. He stood and walked over to the doorway, shook Anton’s outstretched hand. “Pretty mind-blowing experience. I still can’t believe she’s here.”

Anton laughed. “No one can tell you what it’s going to feel like, not until you hold your own perfect child for the very first time. There is nothing to compare. Nothing.” He nodded toward Lisa. “How’d she do?”

“Wonderful.” Tinker chuckled. “Probably much better after they ran me off.”

“They merely suffer our presence,” Anton said, gesturing toward the women. “They really don’t need us once the breeding’s done.”

Keisha slipped between Tinker and Anton and wrapped her arms around her mate. “Yes, we do. You can reach stuff on the top shelf, carry heavy things.” She kissed his chin. “However would we make it without you?” She grabbed his hand and tugged. “Come see. She’s absolutely beautiful. I’m thinking maybe we need another one of these. What do you think?”

“What?” Anton shot a startled glance at Tinker and followed his mate.

Tinker’s gaze settled on Lisa and their daughter. No longer merely a man and his mate—he was now the head of a family. His very own. He stood outside the gathering and watched them all—the smiles, the laughter, his beautiful woman with their baby girl in her arms. He realized that, while he stood outside and observed, he was still very much a part of this amazing group.

He couldn’t help but think of the changes in his life, the difference between the man Ulrich Mason had hired right out of the military so many years ago and the man he was now.

There really was no comparison. He’d lived his life apart from the rest of the world, never feeling as if he belonged, not really sure just who or what he was. Now he knew. There was no doubt who Martin “Tinker” McClintock was—he was Lisa’s mate, this gorgeous little girl’s father.

He was Chanku, and very much a part of the pack.

Tala crawled into bed between Mik and AJ. The sun was high in the sky, but they’d been up all night while Lisa labored and everyone but Tala got to be part of her special night.

It didn’t seem fair, damn it all, even though she fully understood Logan’s reasons for keeping her out of the birthing room, but that didn’t make her like it any better.

She was just so tired of being pregnant and it didn’t seem fair that Lisa had sailed through the whole process with a perfect pregnancy and a really wonderful delivery, while she was still fat and ungainly, with her swollen ankles and the never-ending need to pee.

And on top of that she was horny. She lay there between two of the sexiest men on Earth, two men who loved her and wanted her as much as she wanted them, and she couldn’t touch! While Lisa and Tinker had been able to fuck like teenagers up until just a couple of days ago, she’d been cut off for a couple of months because of spotting.

Having not one but two mates who were hung like a couple of bull elephants probably didn’t help, but Logan had told her she needed to lay off sex altogether. No climaxes. He didn’t want her uterus undergoing any strain at all.

Well, hell. What about frustration? That couldn’t be good for a pregnant lady, could it? And Goddess knew, she was frustrated as hell.

But were the guys? Hell, no. They had each other—all the time. She’d had to lie there and take it when they’d had sex for hours, the two of them making her even more frustrated. There was nothing worse for a woman in her condition than lying there and watching two absolutely gorgeous guys giving each other one orgasm after another.

No consideration. None at all for her condition. And her condition was definitely pissed. Very, very pissed.

She lay there on her back with her arms folded across her chest, while both babies practiced their soccer goals on her bladder. Her brain was absolutely boiling.

Then she heard Mik chuckling. And what sounded like AJ choking on something. Blinking, she glanced from one side to the other. “You guys okay? What’s wrong?”

Mik let go with a snort and AJ just lay there and laughed.

Damn it, they’d been eavesdropping.

She was going to kill them. Definitely—no doubt in her mind. Mik and AJ were dead meat.

Tala didn’t remember falling asleep, and she wasn’t really certain exactly what woke her. Then she realized she was sleeping in a puddle. Oh, crap. I didn’t wet the bed, did I?

How embarrassing. Mik slept soundly and so did AJ, but she’d have to wake them so they could change the sheets and …

Holy shit!

Tala’s entire body went rigid as the first hard contraction slammed across her midsection. Igmutaka scrambled to his feet and stood with his front paws on the bed. He sniffed Tala’s middle and stared at her with those beautiful cat’s eyes. It is time. I’m going to call Logan.

Then he threw back his head and cut loose with a full-throated panther scream. Mik and AJ exploded out of bed.

“What the fuck?” Mik was on his feet, hands curled into fists, staring about wildly.

AJ tangled in the covers, fell off the bed, and ended up on his butt beneath Igmutaka’s back paws. “What’s wrong?”

Igmutaka cut loose with another powerful cry.

Tala wanted to laugh. Damn but she really wanted to laugh, except she felt another strong contraction rip across her belly. This wasn’t how Lisa’s labor went at all. Her sister said she’d had hours of nice, easy contractions that built slowly into a smooth and practically pain-free labor.

This hurt like holy hell!

The door flew open and Stefan stood there, bare assed and buck naked, his hair flying in all directions. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

Mik shook his head. “I think Ig’s trying to tell us Tala’s in labor. Honey? Are you okay?”

AJ touched the wet sheets. “Looks like her water broke.”

Tala sighed. The contraction was over. She wasn’t sure if she was more relieved about that or the fact she hadn’t peed in bed. Suddenly another strong contraction slammed into her. She grabbed Mik’s arm and AJ’s hand and curled into the pain.

And then, just like that, the pain was gone. Keisha and Xandi stood in the doorway. Keisha was tying her robe. Xandi had on a flannel nightgown that looked like something out of Little House on the Prairie, but both women muscled their way past Stefan and stood beside the bed.

A moment later, they each let out a huge breath. Keisha glanced at Stefan and grinned. “Want to find some pants, big boy?” Shaking his head, Stef chuckled and left. Keisha brushed Tala’s tangled hair back from her face. “How do you feel? Like you have to push? Are you that far along yet?”

Another contraction hit before she could answer, and again Keisha and Xandi caught the pain, shared it and eased Tala through it. When she could catch her breath she nodded. “It feels like one of the babies is ready to come already. But I just started contractions! They can’t be coming so soon.”

“Actually, they can.” Adam walked calmly into the room. Liana was right behind him.

Tala took one look at him and giggled. “Batman boxers? Adam! I never would have guessed.”

“Liana’s fashion sense needs some help.” He placed his hands on Tala’s round belly and closed his eyes. Then he shot a quick look at Liana. “Grab some clean towels out of the bathroom.”

Mik and AJ were both slipping into sweatpants when Anton stuck his head through the open doorway. “I’ve called Logan. He’s on his way. Hey, Tala! Looks like you’re going to be the first to christen a guest room.”

“What?” Her voice cracked on the word and she knew her eyes had to be as big as saucers. “Shouldn’t I be in the clinic?” She felt another contraction coming, and this time there was no doubt in her mind about pushing. Mik crawled up behind her as Tinker had for Lisa. AJ hung on to her hand. Igmutaka had shifted and stood near the foot of the bed. His eyes were closed, his hands lifted before him as if he might be praying.

Jazzy, Shannon, and Manda showed up, all of them pushing tangled hair from their faces, tying their robes, taking her pain. With Adam directing, Mik helped her into a squatting position. It seemed more natural to her, like she actually knew what she was doing.

Fat chance of that, but she felt a need to bear down and she did, and it was Igmutaka who was there beside Adam, his big hands surprisingly gentle as he caught her first baby.

Mik’s daughter. Adam cut the cord while Igmutaka held the tiny little girl and then Jazzy helped wipe away the afterbirth. Her baby opened her mouth and cut loose with a loud cry.

“Ohmygod.” Tala almost forgot to breathe. “Mik, just look at her!”

Mik stayed where he was as Igmutaka carried their daughter to the bedside, but before Tala even got a chance to get a good look at her little girl, she felt the next one coming.

Logan arrived as she cut loose with a curse. His hands on her were gentle as she pushed, and then pushed again, and it felt like there had to be blood vessels breaking all over her body as she strained to deliver the second of her twins.

“Tala.” Logan raised his head and stopped her with a glance. “Back off a little. I need to turn him. He’s got shoulders like a damned linebacker.”

Huffing and panting, Tala fought the horrible urge to push. She glared at AJ. “You are so gonna pay for this!”

AJ’s eyes went wide but he didn’t say a word. Tala figured that was probably his smartest course of action as Logan reached between her legs. She felt his hands working at something, felt pressure, but the pain was far away and she realized the crowd had grown and even the men were linking hands now, holding on with their women, all of them helping this next baby into the world.

“Now, Tala! Push! You can do it.” Adam grabbed AJ and pulled him over to the end of the bed. Logan moved aside, and it was AJ catching the little boy with those big shoulders, AJ holding his son in his arms. He cuddled him close against his naked chest, oblivious to blood and afterbirth, as Logan cut the cord and tied it.

Tala got a glimpse of coal black hair and fair skin and then Mik was helping her to lie down, and Logan was doing something else between her legs that didn’t interest her at all. Not when Igmutaka was putting her baby girl to one breast and AJ was putting her son to the other.

Mik still held her cradled in his lap with one arm supporting his daughter. Ig had moved to the side of the bed, where he sat and stared at the baby girl, and AJ supported their baby boy as he rooted and snorted in search of Tala’s nipple.

She watched him for a moment, then studied her daughter. Their little girl had latched on immediately and suckled peacefully. It took a moment longer for her new son to find his first meal, but when he finally got his little mouth around her nipple, she felt the suction all the way to her toes.

She laughed and leaned her head against Mik’s chest. “He’s like a little wolverine! Listen to him.”

He snorted and squirmed, sucking for all he was worth. Tala looked up and caught AJ staring at the baby with tears coursing down his cheeks. She tilted her head back so she could see Mik. His face was suspiciously damp as well. Even Igmutaka appeared slightly stunned.

“You ever seen a baby born before, Ig?”

He shook his head. “No. Never. She truly is a miracle.” He raised his head and looked directly at Mik. “Your grandfather is proud, Miguel. He knows of this child’s birth. He blesses both this perfect little girl, and all of you. She will be as a star in the heavens. She is destined to be a woman of great promise.”

Tala smiled at her daughter. She already knew her name. “I want to name her Mikaela Star.” She tilted her head back and smiled at Mik. “Is that okay? Mikaela for her daddy, but we can call her Star?”

Mik nodded. “I like that.” He shot a sideways glance at Igmutaka, but the spirit guide was totally engrossed in watching the baby nurse. Mik grinned and shook his head. “What about this little guy? AJ? You have any preferences?”

“Tala first. Have you thought of a name?” He chuckled softly and ran his fingers through his son’s coal black hair. “I can’t believe we never really talked about names.”

Tala smiled at him. She wasn’t about to tell him she knew exactly what AJ wanted to name his little boy. “You were named after your father and grandfather, weren’t you?”

AJ shrugged. So noncommittal. Tala almost laughed, and then she realized where his mind was going.

“I’m not about to name him after my father,” he said. “The bastard abandoned my mother. Probably why she killed herself.”

He looked away, and the pain in his expression made Tala’s heart hurt. She knew how he’d found his mother, dead in the bathtub where she’d slit her wrists. He’d been about three at the time.

“Your mother’s father was named Jackson, though. Jackson Temple. I’m thinking of Jackson Miguel. Is that okay with you guys?”

AJ spun around and looked at Mik, not at Tala. “Is that okay with you, Mik? We could call him Jack.”

“Jackson Miguel Temple?” Mik grinned at AJ. Then he leaned across Tala and kissed his mate. “Works for me.”

Igmutaka slowly stood up. It wasn’t until he rose to his feet that Tala realized everyone else had gone, giving them this time as a family. “Ig? You don’t have to go.” She grabbed his hand. “You’re family, too.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thank you. You honor me. My cougar needs to go into the forest. I want to give thanks to both my gods and your goddess. They have blessed us today.”

Tala squeezed his fingers. “You’re right. They have.” She stared at the two babies, both sleeping now at her breasts. Star and Jack. She could get used to both names, really easy. “Thank you, Igmutaka. For watching over us. For being there when we needed you.”

He bowed his head. “I will always be here. Always.” Then he shifted, and the big cougar slowly walked out of the room.

Tala got the giggles and it took a minute before she could catch her breath.

Both AJ and Mik were looking at her like she was nuts.

“I just realized he was naked. Ya know, now that we’ve got kids …”

Mik looped his arms around his family. AJ sat on the bed beside him. “I am not wearing Batman boxers,” he said. “You’ve really got to draw the line somewhere.”

Tala nodded. “I wouldn’t think of it. That is so not you.” She relaxed against Mik’s big, solid body and hoped AJ wouldn’t find the packages from her trip to town last week with the girls. Not until she had a chance to bring him around.

SpongeBob SquarePants didn’t have a thing to do with Batman. Not a thing.

Anton curled up behind Keisha and drew her into his embrace. Three new babies, all healthy, all perfect in every way. He thought of their futures, the futures of all their children, and realized how much better their lives would be than the lives of their parents.

Instead of growing up as outcasts, as misfits in a world that didn’t understand them, they would always have the strength of the pack behind them, the love of parents who knew what it was like to be Chanku.

And these three were far from the last. Logan was going to be busy. Shannon and Manda were both expecting. Liana’s pregnancy had been confirmed as well, and now Keisha and Xandi were talking about having more.

Which led him full circle to thoughts of his amazing daughter. Not even two years old yet, and already Lily had saved him twice. She’d pulled him from the brink of death when he’d almost given in to the lure of peace across the veil, and now she’d given him back his soul.

There was no other way to describe it. Lily had found and retrieved “Dada’s smile,” and then she’d given it back to him. Sort of like taking precocious to an entirely new level.

His mate rolled over and kissed his chin. “Ick. Bristles. Somebody didn’t shave today. That’s not like you.”

He chuckled and rubbed his scratchy chin against her shoulder until Keisha giggled and tried to pull away. “Not fair. Maybe I’ll let my legs go for a while and see how you like that.”

He kissed her, carefully this time, cautious of the whiskers and her tender skin. “It was a rather hectic day. Three new babies, three new pregnancies. And you and Xandi dropping your little bombshells. Are you sure you’re ready for another one already?”

“I’m not getting any younger. Neither are you.”

He held her close and sighed, but it was a sound of pleasure. Of his pure and utter contentment. “That doesn’t appear to be a problem anymore. At least from what Liana says. Even Millie thinks that, should she want to, she could get pregnant again. We are truly amazing creatures.”

Keisha laughed and nuzzled the dark mat of hair on his chest. “And if you’ll recall, Millie said it would be a cold day in hell before she considered having another baby. I don’t want to wait too long, get too comfortable with my life. I’m afraid that a day will come when I actually remember life before Lily.”

“I know. It was wonderful, having you all to myself, but I can’t imagine a world without Lily in it. Nor do I want to.”

He let that thought hang in the air for a while. Lily amazed him in so many ways. What would another child of theirs be like? With Keisha as their mother, he could only imagine any child she bore would be wonderful.

Keisha was silent. He let his thoughts caress hers and found what he’d expected. She’d fallen asleep in his arms, but it had been a rather long and hectic couple of days, and helping Lisa and Tala with their labor pain had to have been exhausting.

But for Anton, sleep would not come easily tonight. For the first time in weeks, he was complete, his mind free to take him beyond the four walls of their room. He let his thoughts wander through the quiet house. First he checked on Stefan and Xandi. Stefan’s thoughts were of Xandi’s wish for another child and his own desires as well. He was much too excited to sleep.

Anton hovered a moment, enjoying the wonderful world of Stefan’s mind. Who would have thought that a man like Stefan Aragat would take to fatherhood so well?

But then, who would have figured Anton as father material? He moved on and found Baylor and Manda, Jake and Shannon, all sleeping together in one of the guest rooms, their minds at rest and bodies sated. Millie and Ric slept in another room, just the two of them. He bade them well and slipped on through the night. Mei and Oliver, Adam and Liana, Daci and her two guys. Tia was up with one of the twins, softly humming a lullaby while Luc slept with his other daughter curled beneath his chin.

Jazzy and Logan were making love. Anton lingered for a few moments, caught in the quiet passion of the two of them, but as Jazzy reached her peak, he moved on, unwilling to intrude more than he already had. At least they’d not sensed his presence.

Tinker slept beside Lisa with their daughter swaddled in soft blankets, asleep on his chest. They’d decided to call her Anna Marie, after Tinker’s adoptive mother. A beautiful name for such a gorgeous little girl.

Lisa’s fingers were tightly clasped in Tinker’s hand, and there was a smile on the big man’s face that matched the one in his heart. Anton paused there for a long moment, enjoying the unusual sense of peace in Tinker’s thoughts. He’d truly found exactly what he wanted—a family of his own.

Tala slept soundly with Mik on one side and AJ on the other. Their babies were in the small crib beside their bed, sleeping close together. He was surprised there was no sense of Igmutaka. Anton figured the spirit guide would stay close to his new charge, but maybe he hunted tonight. The stars were bright and the night clear.

His last stop was the nursery. Alex slept in a tumble of blankets and stuffed toys with a little toy car clutched in one hand. Anton’s thoughts hovered a moment before he moved on to Lily, expecting to find her sound asleep.

She sat up in her bed with what appeared to be a stuffed cat in her hand, chattering away as if it was the middle of the day.

Lily? Lie down now and go to sleep.

Dada? He felt her smile. I waiting to say good night, Dada.

Good night, Lily. I love you. Thank you for finding my smile.

You’re welcome. It was lost, but Unca AJ took good care of it for you. Good night, Dada.

It wasn’t the nature of cats to run for the joy of running, but Igmutaka knew that if he didn’t race the wind tonight he might never sleep again. He had to run, had to do something to contain the joy that had practically burst inside him today.

The child he’d watched over, almost from conception, the one he had protected, and then had the unbelievable privilege of catching as she slipped from her mother’s womb … that perfect child was his.

He ran on, thinking of the way she’d looked, all red and wrinkled with her thick, coal black hair and those tiny toes and fingers, and he tried to imagine her as a grown woman, with her dark hair cascading down her back. Would her eyes be amber, like her parents? Would she be small like her beautiful mother or tall and strong like her father?

He had no way of knowing. Not yet, but the years would pass swiftly, and one day he would see her as she was meant to be—grown and beautiful—and his.

He reached the peak of the nearest mountain. Not as high as the others, though high enough to be bare of trees. It was rocky and frozen this perfect winter night, but he found a place where the wind had swept the snow away, and he shifted. Standing tall and naked to the frozen night, he raised his hands in thanks.

It was a perfect night. The winter solstice—powerful and filled with magic and the promise of spring not so far away. Chanting the ancient words, as much a song of joy as a prayer of thanks, he called on the old gods to bless this child, to protect Mikaela Star and shower her with gifts. He asked for wisdom and grace, for strength and a strong heart. And he asked for beauty as well.

Might as well go for whatever he could, right? She was, after all, his charge. And while he was at it, he called for the same blessings for her brother, and for the child born to Tinker and his mate. They were good people. Strong, honest people, all honorable and loving, and they deserved no less.

Then he turned his voice to the Goddess of the Chanku. When he called on Eve, she answered him, which made him wonder if the old gods still had their power. They’d been silent for so long. It was good to know the Chanku Goddess was alert and watching over her charges. It hadn’t always been this way, but he loved Liana in spite of her failings.

Loved her enough that he might return to her bed tonight and give Mikaela Star’s family time alone to adjust to the new members of their little group.

The wind whipped over and around his naked body and his long hair tangled and twisted on the currents of air. He was a timeless creature, one who had lived for many thousands of years, but he knew he was going to be tested.

And it wouldn’t be a battle-hardened warrior who would push him to his limits. No, he had a feeling it was going to be one very precocious, very beautiful young woman.

His young woman. His Star. He would be patient. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he would give her room to grow, to experience life. To find the path she was meant to walk.

But when she finally took that path, he planned to be waiting right there in the middle of the road. Planted dead center along the way she traveled.

The wind died down. Igmutaka bowed his head for a final word of thanks. Adam and Liana’s warm bed was sounding better all the time—better than a cold night alone in the forest.

With that decision made, he shifted. The cougar screamed into the night, claiming this place as his own. With a swish of his long tail, he headed down the mountain, away from the barren piece of rock where he’d stood as a man—a man who had looked into the future and found his destiny.