Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(78)

Snowfall pale, his littermate hadn’t moved.

Owen took a step forward. “Brawd?”

Gawain’s haunted eyes met his. “She blames you. I didn’t know she still did. Owen, I swear, I would have dealt with it.”

What the fuck? He shrugged. “She’s always blamed me for everything. No matter.”

“It does matter.” Gawain straightened his shoulders. “Mother, listen to me.”

Their mother continued to sob, but…the volume decreased. She was listening.

Gawain took a step toward her. “That night, Edwyn had boasted to Phoebe about stealing. I was the one who called Edwyn names, not Owen. I was the one who yelled at him, knocked him down, and took his stolen goods away. He busted out bawling. Phoebe was disgusted with him and walked away.”

Owen stared. He’d always thought—blamed—the female for the fight and goading Edwyn into recklessness. Gawain had fought with him and blamed himself for Edwyn’s death?

“No. You’re wrong.” Mother shook her head. “My Edwyn would never steal. He was perfect.”

Owen barely managed to prevent a snort.

“Your Edwyn went into a dwarf’s cave and stole his hoard.”

“He what?” Owen stared.

“Yeah. I was so pissed-off, I lost my temper.” Looking ill, Gawain rubbed the back of his neck. “I took the bag away from him and left it at the dwarf’s door. But, considering Edwyn had a brand-new fancy Jeep, he’d already spent a good chunk of the gold, so I had to make it up out of my own savings.”

Edwyn stole from a dwarf. Owen shook his head. Nothing was more important to a dwarf than his hoard; females chose their mates depending on the amount of gold. “Edwyn could have started a…a fucking war.”

“My Edwyn wouldn’t steal. It was you; I know it. You’re nothing—just demon-spawn.” Mother pushed herself up, spittle flying from her mouth. “You should have been the one who died. I—”

“Oh, honestly.” Darcy shoved her back in the chair.

Gawain’s face turned implacable. “I’m done. Done being a dutiful son, done giving you money. We are finished. Don’t ever come near me again.”

Darcy turned and put her arm around Gawain’s waist, and comfort flowed almost visibly from her.

“You don’t mean it.” Their mother stood. “He’s turned you against me.”

Footsteps came from the rear, and then Zeb and Shay moved to either side of Owen. Panting, Breanne leaned on a wall. She must have heard the yelling and run to fetch her mates.

Shay set a hand on Owen’s shoulder. “What’s going on here, cahir?”

“My mother is leaving,” Owen said.

She didn’t move, but stared at the cahirs on either side of him. After a second, her gaze focused on the blue scar on Owen’s cheek, and her mouth dropped open. “You’re a cahir? God-called? You?”

“Darcy, if you don’t hit her, I will.” Vicki stood in the front doorway, one hand on her belly, the other in a fist. “Get her the fuck out of here.”

Alec and Calum stood behind her—and Alec chuckled.

His mother gave Vicki a frozen stare. “My cub…cubs…are here, and they owe me. You can’t talk to me that way.”

“I do believe she just did.” Calum moved Vicki back and behind him. Expression deadly, he examined Owen’s mother as if he’d found a gnome in the butter. He glanced at Alec. “Is the human influence destroying our race’s maternal instincts? No animal would behave so cruelly to a cub.”

“You disgusting piece of…” Mother’s voice faded at the increased shimmer of power around Calum. Belatedly, she realized she’d spoken to the Cosantir of the territory.

“You have no cubs here. Leave my territory and do not return.” His gaze darkened…and he snapped his fingers.

Owen felt a pinging ripping sensation deep within his ribcage. The tattered bond between dam and cub had been severed.

With a shocked inhalation, Gawain put a hand to his chest and stared at Calum.

Gasping, their mother staggered backward a step, two, then fled out of the room…not dropping any of the money. The door of the lodge slammed shut.

For a moment, silence reigned, and then Darcy hugged Owen. “I’m sorry, sweetie, but that woman is a disgusting butthole.”

The open sympathy, the anger on his behalf, and having the little female in his arms, not for mating, but purely to give comfort, filled the empty hole in his heart to overflowing.

And she’d called him sweetie.

When Gawain put his arms around both of them, Owen’s knotted muscles relaxed.

Gawain chuckled. “Ah…butthole?”

Alec laughed. “Ever noticed how some human-raised females possess rather…earthy…vocab-ularies?”

“No, but I’m looking forward to learning more.” Owen kissed the top of Darcy’s head. When he met Gawain’s gaze, he saw the same sentiment.

This was a female to cherish.


Gawain and Owen were hugging her. Darcy wasn’t sure how it had happened, but she let herself sink into the pleasure. She rubbed her cheek against Gawain’s chest, breathed in his summer meadow scent, and turned to press her forehead against Owen’s shoulder. Dark and woodsy. The masculine fragrances mingled together and she snuggled closer, feeling like a kitten in fresh grass.