Page 34 of Cursed Wolf

“After that,” Stone begins, “I need to get blind drunk tonight. I have never been more terrified that something would blow up in our faces.”

“Kaira,” Jae’s suddenly yelling from across the yard and running to her sisters. Her cheeks are drenched.

I might have choked up to see the three of them together.

Crius strolls over toward us, running a hand through his hair and staring at the yard that was completely destroyed by the river. His footsteps slosh in the water, and his brow furrows.

“Do I want to know why the river is all over the lawn?” he frowns. With one look at the three sisters, then down to their mother, he knows we’ve succeeded. He cheers, doing air punches.

With a deep inhale, I stretch my back and suggest to the pack, “We should hold a burial ceremony for their mother, get it finalized.”

There’s a moment where all four of us stare around, still amazed something went our way for a change. Since arriving in Romania, we’ve constantly been fighting, constantly going backward. This is a big success, and I’ll take the damn win, considering everything we’ve endured leading up to this point.

Crius is telling a story about the time he got caught in a flood and how he saved a whole village. I laugh at his dramatic stories, but when I glance at the girls, Narah’s looking at me with a smile that melts my heart.

For tonight, at least, we’ll have peace in our souls.

11

NARAH

Today, we’re leaving the Wolf Mountains, and it’s bittersweet.

We buried my mother in the backyard last night. I’ve remained in my bedroom this morning, feeling a strange pull to the house. In my soul, I feel that once we leave, I won’t return. My wolf stirs restlessly inside me, eager for us to leave. She hates it here, hates the smell of death, but the emotions run deep.

There’s so much pain and agony, too many memories I need to leave behind. I have to help my sisters deal with the trauma they’ve been through, and this place is not healthy for any of us.

I’ve made up my mind but still haven’t left my room.

Our carriage is booked, and we’re ready. My sisters, who’ve been inseparable since we rescued Kaira yesterday, are with the men at the local market, picking up supplies for our journey. Ragnar is planning a small detour with Nikos to visit the Bane Wolves Alpha, Mihai. He mentioned something about gaining more time for an errand he promised to run for the Alpha. The two will catch up to us on horseback on our way to Shadowlands Sector.

This chaotic shift in our lives has everything to do with my pregnancy and having no idea when I’ll pop. Like everyone else, I’m praying it’s after we reach Shadowlands and hoping they have midwives to help me. I’m panicking about giving birth.

Is it strange that I feel both terrified and excited to meet my little jelly bean? For so long, I’ve had love only for my sisters, then these four Norse warriors, who crashed into my life, making me fall head over heels for them. And just when I thought I understood my emotions and how deeply I felt about my new family, something little came along that made me realize how much more love I have to give.

Staring out the window at the woodland, my hands are on my stomach. The baby has been moving all night, leaving me uncomfortable. Smiling, I look down and whisper, “I don’t know who you’ll be yet, but I know you will be my world.”

The floorboards creak behind me, and when I turn around, I find Stone standing in the doorway, rubbing his fingers along his short beard. His golden hair, as bright as the sunlight outside, sits messily around his face and over his shoulders as though he’s been running his fingers through it. Blue eyes as deep as the ocean smile at me.

“Are they back yet?” I ask.

“Not yet.” Grinning, he shakes his head. “Based on the long shopping list you gave them for supplies, they’ll be there for a while.”

“I might have gone overboard, especially for food items.” I laugh, remembering I wrote it while I was hungry.

“Good luck to them finding everything.” He pushes into the room, strolling toward me. “This might be the last peaceful moment the two of us can be alone for a while.” He kicks the door shut behind him, eyeing the bed with the most delicious expression.

I smile widely. I love how turned on my men are, how they are as insatiable as I am.

“I see. What do you have in mind?” I tease.

“I want you to beg me,” he says, peeling his top up and over his torso in slow motion. He’s all angles and curves, muscles everywhere. The man is solid, and my body tightens with arousal. Stone is an Adonis, and he’s all mine.

“I want your hands all over me,” I try to say seductively but end up giggling, feeling silly. “I can’t do this. Look at me. I’m an elephant, and you look like a god.” I shrug. “Just feeling a bit insecure, I guess. I’m so tired of wearing men’s shirts, but they’re the only things that fit me right now.” Blushing, I feel like I’ve ruined the mood.

Glancing down at my hands, which look just as swollen as my ankles, I turn back to the window, struggling with the emotions battling inside me—exhilaration about my newborn and the loss of self-confidence about how I look.

“You are absolutely beautiful, Narah.” Stone is at my back, his body pressed to mine, and he’s burning up. He kisses my shoulder. “You have no idea how much I love seeing you pregnant, how attractive you are.”

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