[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
They started giggling, sounding like little old men. Kate couldn t take it anymore and began to laugh
so hard she couldn t get a breath in. Her chest just moved up and down as tears streamed from her
eyes.
Kate started to see spots when Rian leapt from his chair and whacked her on the back. This caused
her to inhale deeply and then loud, deep laughter burst forth. She fought to draw in breath and ended
up sliding out of her chair under the table, laughing. Rian ended up beside her as they rolled around,
giggling and laughing.
It s not funny, Bran said, seriously, his mouth twitching.
Caleb slapped him on the back. New howls of laughter were heard from under the table.
I am the Alpha, you know, Bran said, peeking under the table.
Stop, it hurts! Kate said, holding her stomach.
No more, Alpha, Rian said and they both started laughing again.
Well, I guess they re done with breakfast, Caleb said, elbowing Bran in the ribs, winking.
Immediately the laughter stopped and two heads popped up from under the table.
Hey, we re still hungry! Kate said. On her knees, she extended both hands over her muffin,
guarding it.
Rian swiped his then sat back down, out of sight, to scarf it down.
Aren t you glad we only have the twins to raise? Bran said, smiling.
Caleb chuckled and then resumed feeding the boys.
For now. I wouldn t be surprised if Kate ends up pregnant with a litter, Rian said from the floor.
Kate, who had just taken a huge bit of the chocolate muffin, began to choke. Damian jumped up and
handed her a cup of coffee. She cleared her airway, looked up, and saw Bran and Caleb were pale
and looking at each other. Kate cleared her throat.
Ri I m afraid that s impossible. I don t think I can have children, she said quietly, fingering her
new necklace.
Kate, what are you talking about? Bran asked.
We ve been having unprotected sex for over a year and nothing. Fate mates us to a man with two
sons. Do the math. I think it s her way of compensating for me. She picked at her muffin.
You re wrong, Bran said.
You just don t want me to be right, Kate said.
Caleb cleared his throat. Let s cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, let s focus on this
perimeter problem. What did Ma mean last night about killing the one responsible? I was so angry I
think I was only hearing every other word. Caleb desperately wanted to change the subject.
The person who invited the hyenas into town would have had to physically walk them over the
border, knowing that they would cause harm. Bran explained.
It wouldn t work if a townsperson were kidnapped or forced to walk alongside someone. The
townsperson would be able to cross and the perimeter would block the aggressor. But, if a
townsperson willingly agreed to let someone in, knowing they would cause harm, the perimeter
would be breached. As long as that person lives, the perimeter would be down for not only the small
group that had walked through but also their entire clan. We have to be absolutely sure because once
this person is found it s a death sentence to secure our borders again.
The joy and laughter of the morning seemed to evaporate.
Rian is right. I ll sit in on the interviews with you, Caleb said, removing the boys bibs.
Bran nodded.
I ve lost my appetite. We might as well get started. Bran stood.
Rian and Damian walked around the table to pick up the boys. Bran and Caleb left the dining
room, heading to the office leaving Kate with Damian, Rian, and the boys.
We have a big day planned, boys. First, a bath to get breakfast cleaned off you. Then a nap. Then
we will work on our letters and then I have a wonderful educational video for you, Rian said,
rubbing noses with Lucas.
Educational videos? Letters? Rian, they are barely eight months old, Kate said.
You can never start too early, Rian said.
Kate walked over and kissed each boy on the head. Don t tell Bran, but I m shifting and sniffing
around the border to see if I can find where they crossed. My wolf needs to get out. She wants to
eliminate any threat to our young.
Katie, I don t know, Damian hedged.
I ll be back before lunch, promise, she said. Guard them with your lives. She nuzzled Landon.
We will, Rian said, firmly.
Be back. She walked out of the dining room.
* * * *
Kate waited until she was out of sight of the house before stripping down. She folded her clothes
and left them hidden in a bundle near her favorite tree before shifting. It was the tree Bran had
claimed her under. In her wolf form, her fears for the boys came roaring to the surface. Her wolf was
not happy. Her young were being threatened. That threat needed to die. The wolf in her needed to rend
flesh with her teeth and watch the threat breathe its last breath.
She took off running to the southeast, staying close to where the town s magical perimeter
extended. She had been running for about an hour and heading toward the southlands when the scent of
hyena burned her nostrils. She had located their entry point. She wanted to follow the trail, but she
knew that it would lead to the road where the scent would disappear, indicating that the hyenas had
probably gotten into a car. She walked around, nose down and under the smell of snow and cold was
the scent of pack. This was the scent of the betrayer. Try as she might, she could not identify a scent
that would single any one pack member out. It only served to confirm her worst fear that someone in
the pack had indeed betrayed them.
She turned, made her way back to her tree, and shifted. She loved the way her body felt right after
a shift. In the summer the warmth of shifting was almost uncomfortable, but in the fall, winter, and
early spring, standing naked in the snow as heat radiated from her body felt exhilarating. Smiling, she
unburied her clothes and slowly got dressed. By the time she had her socks and boots on, she was
starting to get cool. Carrying her coat she headed back toward the house.
Kate eased into the back door and looked around. She stepped into the kitchen and made her way
down the hallway toward the office. She saw Riley standing guard outside.
How are they doing? she asked.
Riley sighed. We started with the Raymonds, but unless they are pathological liars, they weren t
involved. So far no one we have interviewed has been. Riley leaned back against the wall.
Are they with anyone now? Kate asked. Riley shook his head. She patted his arm and walked
past him to open the office door and walk in. She shut the door behind her.
Where have you been? Caleb asked from the leather high-back chair that was normally on the
other side of Bran s polished cherry desk. It now sat beside Bran behind the desk. She could tell they
had done everything they could to appear as a united front.
She s been outside, Bran said, narrowing his eyes.
She nodded. My wolf wanted out. I found the entry point on pack lands, south of here. She [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
They started giggling, sounding like little old men. Kate couldn t take it anymore and began to laugh
so hard she couldn t get a breath in. Her chest just moved up and down as tears streamed from her
eyes.
Kate started to see spots when Rian leapt from his chair and whacked her on the back. This caused
her to inhale deeply and then loud, deep laughter burst forth. She fought to draw in breath and ended
up sliding out of her chair under the table, laughing. Rian ended up beside her as they rolled around,
giggling and laughing.
It s not funny, Bran said, seriously, his mouth twitching.
Caleb slapped him on the back. New howls of laughter were heard from under the table.
I am the Alpha, you know, Bran said, peeking under the table.
Stop, it hurts! Kate said, holding her stomach.
No more, Alpha, Rian said and they both started laughing again.
Well, I guess they re done with breakfast, Caleb said, elbowing Bran in the ribs, winking.
Immediately the laughter stopped and two heads popped up from under the table.
Hey, we re still hungry! Kate said. On her knees, she extended both hands over her muffin,
guarding it.
Rian swiped his then sat back down, out of sight, to scarf it down.
Aren t you glad we only have the twins to raise? Bran said, smiling.
Caleb chuckled and then resumed feeding the boys.
For now. I wouldn t be surprised if Kate ends up pregnant with a litter, Rian said from the floor.
Kate, who had just taken a huge bit of the chocolate muffin, began to choke. Damian jumped up and
handed her a cup of coffee. She cleared her airway, looked up, and saw Bran and Caleb were pale
and looking at each other. Kate cleared her throat.
Ri I m afraid that s impossible. I don t think I can have children, she said quietly, fingering her
new necklace.
Kate, what are you talking about? Bran asked.
We ve been having unprotected sex for over a year and nothing. Fate mates us to a man with two
sons. Do the math. I think it s her way of compensating for me. She picked at her muffin.
You re wrong, Bran said.
You just don t want me to be right, Kate said.
Caleb cleared his throat. Let s cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, let s focus on this
perimeter problem. What did Ma mean last night about killing the one responsible? I was so angry I
think I was only hearing every other word. Caleb desperately wanted to change the subject.
The person who invited the hyenas into town would have had to physically walk them over the
border, knowing that they would cause harm. Bran explained.
It wouldn t work if a townsperson were kidnapped or forced to walk alongside someone. The
townsperson would be able to cross and the perimeter would block the aggressor. But, if a
townsperson willingly agreed to let someone in, knowing they would cause harm, the perimeter
would be breached. As long as that person lives, the perimeter would be down for not only the small
group that had walked through but also their entire clan. We have to be absolutely sure because once
this person is found it s a death sentence to secure our borders again.
The joy and laughter of the morning seemed to evaporate.
Rian is right. I ll sit in on the interviews with you, Caleb said, removing the boys bibs.
Bran nodded.
I ve lost my appetite. We might as well get started. Bran stood.
Rian and Damian walked around the table to pick up the boys. Bran and Caleb left the dining
room, heading to the office leaving Kate with Damian, Rian, and the boys.
We have a big day planned, boys. First, a bath to get breakfast cleaned off you. Then a nap. Then
we will work on our letters and then I have a wonderful educational video for you, Rian said,
rubbing noses with Lucas.
Educational videos? Letters? Rian, they are barely eight months old, Kate said.
You can never start too early, Rian said.
Kate walked over and kissed each boy on the head. Don t tell Bran, but I m shifting and sniffing
around the border to see if I can find where they crossed. My wolf needs to get out. She wants to
eliminate any threat to our young.
Katie, I don t know, Damian hedged.
I ll be back before lunch, promise, she said. Guard them with your lives. She nuzzled Landon.
We will, Rian said, firmly.
Be back. She walked out of the dining room.
* * * *
Kate waited until she was out of sight of the house before stripping down. She folded her clothes
and left them hidden in a bundle near her favorite tree before shifting. It was the tree Bran had
claimed her under. In her wolf form, her fears for the boys came roaring to the surface. Her wolf was
not happy. Her young were being threatened. That threat needed to die. The wolf in her needed to rend
flesh with her teeth and watch the threat breathe its last breath.
She took off running to the southeast, staying close to where the town s magical perimeter
extended. She had been running for about an hour and heading toward the southlands when the scent of
hyena burned her nostrils. She had located their entry point. She wanted to follow the trail, but she
knew that it would lead to the road where the scent would disappear, indicating that the hyenas had
probably gotten into a car. She walked around, nose down and under the smell of snow and cold was
the scent of pack. This was the scent of the betrayer. Try as she might, she could not identify a scent
that would single any one pack member out. It only served to confirm her worst fear that someone in
the pack had indeed betrayed them.
She turned, made her way back to her tree, and shifted. She loved the way her body felt right after
a shift. In the summer the warmth of shifting was almost uncomfortable, but in the fall, winter, and
early spring, standing naked in the snow as heat radiated from her body felt exhilarating. Smiling, she
unburied her clothes and slowly got dressed. By the time she had her socks and boots on, she was
starting to get cool. Carrying her coat she headed back toward the house.
Kate eased into the back door and looked around. She stepped into the kitchen and made her way
down the hallway toward the office. She saw Riley standing guard outside.
How are they doing? she asked.
Riley sighed. We started with the Raymonds, but unless they are pathological liars, they weren t
involved. So far no one we have interviewed has been. Riley leaned back against the wall.
Are they with anyone now? Kate asked. Riley shook his head. She patted his arm and walked
past him to open the office door and walk in. She shut the door behind her.
Where have you been? Caleb asked from the leather high-back chair that was normally on the
other side of Bran s polished cherry desk. It now sat beside Bran behind the desk. She could tell they
had done everything they could to appear as a united front.
She s been outside, Bran said, narrowing his eyes.
She nodded. My wolf wanted out. I found the entry point on pack lands, south of here. She [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]