Page 37 of Reformed Wolf

I laughed. “Your nemesis is a chicken? That’s really sad. I watched you take down a huge tiger—while you were poisoned, I might add. I just assumed a big, bad alpha like you would have some impressive foe, maybe a dragon shifter. Not Martha.”

He arched an eyebrow at me. “First of all, there’s no such thing as dragons, and second, Martha is more dangerous than she looks. She might be all cute and fluffy for you, but don’t be fooled. The second your back is turned, she unleashes unholy fire. She is secretly the spawn of Satan.” He reached out a hand with one finger extended and tried to touch her, and sure enough, she lashed out with her beak and clamped down hard. He jerked back with a hiss and sucked the injured finger into his mouth. “See?” he mumbled around the digit.

“Are you sure you didn’t do something to deserve that?” I asked suspiciously.

“I’m a saint, I swear.” He crossed his finger over his heart, and Martha gave a low raspy cluck in warning, her brown-speckled feathers puffing out, looking like she was ready to launch a second attack.

The hair on my arms rose, and I shivered. “I feel like someone just walked over my grave.”

“Ah! That must mean Vesta’s here.” He grinned at me. “You’re very attuned to these things.”

“What things?” I asked, frowning.

He shrugged. “I dunno what to call it. First picking up on Brody’s pregnancy before anyone else, and Vesta’s entrances are always very sneaky. She doesn’t make a sound or even leave footprints, but you can sense her coming. I always knew there was something special about you.”

I scoffed, slapping his arm. “You just think I’m hot.”

He laughed and dropped a quick kiss on my lips before needing to dodge away from Martha’s sharp beak. “Come on. Put the damn devil bird back and let’s go introduce you to Vesta.”

I’d heard so much about the elderly shaman that I felt like I knew her already. She was the woman responsible for bringing Tristan into my life in the first place, and for that reason alone she would forever have my gratitude. Without her interference, I would likely have been mated to Azar right now instead. I would never have known what it meant to be this happy.

After guiding Martha back into the chicken pen, I stood up and brushed my hands off on my jeans. Tristan was waiting for me, and he took my hand and led me over to a break in the trees. Sure enough, I could just make out the shadowy form of a hunched figure emerging from the forest.

Even as prepared as I thought I’d been, I gasped. The crone who stepped forward into the clearing had an otherworldly aura about her that belied her frail figure. Her back was bowed from countless years spent on this earth, gravity taking its inevitable toll. Her hands were gnarled with arthritis, though her grip on her walking stick was firm, her skin papery and deeply creased, the color of a newborn fawn. Her silver hair glistened in the twilight, winking like starlight as she walked toward me without hesitation. There was a faint smile playing on her lips, and even though her eyes were milky white with blindness, I felt like she saw more of me than anyone ever had.

“Dylan,” she said in way of greeting, reaching for my hand. Her grip was stronger than I would’ve thought possible, and it anchored me in the moment. “Even more handsome than I imagined. I hope you’re settling in all right?”

“Yes, I’m… Sorry, but have we met before?” I asked as a wave of familiarity washed over me.

“Not in the light of day,” she said mysteriously.

I could sense everyone watching us, their curious gazes making my skin itch—or maybe it was just the creeping chill that had started to inch up my arm from where she still had a hold of my hand. A strange look came over her, her jaw going slack, when she said in a strangled, raspy voice, “The time is almost upon us…”

Tristan immediately sensed something was wrong and moved closer, wrapping one arm around my waist, while he reached out with the other and took our clasped hands in his. His touch was so hot it nearly scalded me, and I cried out, but when I tried to pull away, I found I couldn’t. It was as if our hands were glued together. Tris went into protection mode, trying to pull me free, but it was no use. “Vesta? Vesta! Stop! You’re hurting him!”

With a deep, gasping breath, as though emerging from underwater, Vesta’s eyes flew wide, and she released me. We stumbled apart. Shan came up behind Vesta, checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Clutching my hand to my chest, I looked down to see a strange mark seared into the back of my hand. “Wha—what is that?” I stuttered, a shudder wracking my body.

Tristan took my hand gently in his and held it up in the last of the dying light. “It looks like a crow…” He glanced over at Vesta. “Care to explain, Grandmother?”

Her smile was dazed, and she looked unsteady as she approached. “All will be revealed in time.”

Tris frowned. “Uh-huh. How much time, exactly?”

I tried not to flinch when she reached out to touch me again. Vesta looked almost sad as she brushed her calloused fingers against my cheek, but when she brought her hand to my stomach, her smile blossomed. “Hmm, I would say in about four months.”

Warmth spread out from her hand, and I gasped. “You mean… I’m pregnant?”

“Right on schedule.” I wanted to ask what she meant by that, but from what Tristan had told me, she had an uncanny sense of timing, so who was I to question her?

My mate wrapped me in his arms and held on tight, burrowing his face against my neck. “Thank you, Dylan. You’ve given me everything.” I swore I felt the dampness of his tears on my skin, which would only be fair, since I was bawling myself.

As tired as Vesta seemed to be, she signaled for the bonfire to be lit, and we joined together in a circle to celebrate the summer solstice—and the creation of new life. Brody sat beside me and linked his arm in mine. “We’re going to be big-belly buddies,” he teased, though he already had a slight head start.

Our children would grow up together, move through the world side by side, and for a moment, I swore I could see it unfurling before my eyes. Two boys, one dark, one light, the best of friends. It was so strange, because how could I possibly know both our kids would be boys, but… I just knew.

I shivered as the image dissolved, and I cuddled into Tristan’s side. Now was not the time for speculation about the future. Here in the present, around this fire, I felt loved and accepted, surrounded by my new family. It was as welcome as it was unfamiliar, and I promised my child I would do whatever it took to keep him safe and happy, to protect our home.

Night descended to full dark, the sparks from the fire floating into the air as if they could join the stars in the sky. And as Jude and Stuart dug up the boar, my stomach gave a hungry gurgle. I patted my stomach. “I know I teased you about how much food there was, but I feel just about hungry enough to eat that entire boar myself.”

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