Amber Eyes (Amber Eyes #1)(37)

A tear slid over her cheek before she could wipe it away.

Hunter closed the distance between them and pulled her to him.

“Don’t cry. We’ll be back before you know it.”

She reached up to frame his face in her hands and then pulled him down to kiss her.

“I love you, Hunter. Hurry back to me. I’ll miss you both so badly.”

He kissed her lingeringly, touching her face with gentle hands.

“Be careful, Kaya. I don’t like leaving you like this.”

“I know,”she said sadly. “Now go.”

Jericho opened the door, and the two men walked out into the snow. She stood at the window watching until they disappeared down the mountain. The cougar protested, wanting to bound into the snow after them, but she squelched the urge before it could take over.

Her hand pressed against the frosty glass pane.

“I love you,”she whispered.

Chapter Twenty

Kaya paced the confines of the cabin restlessly. Her skin crawled and itched with the need to shift. Every day after Hunter and Jericho had left, the cougar had tracked through the snow to a rocky overhang that afforded her a prime view of the path they’d take back up the mountain. And she waited.

Today when she’d called to the cougar, the cougar had not risen. For the first time she couldn’t shift.

What was wrong with her? Why was the cougar lying dormant? It frightened her. Made her feel insecure and uneasy. How could she protect herself if she couldn’t call on the beast?

She sensed the cougar had withdrawn. Why? She was still there, but she had settled deep within, refusing to be drawn out.

If only Hunter and Jericho would return. Then she wouldn’t feel so scared. Maybe she’d feel more herself. Maybe the cougar would return.

The shadows had lengthened and dusk settled over the cabin. They wouldn’t return tonight. Dejected, she went into the kitchen and consoled herself with a hot meal. The novelty of cooked food hadn’t worn off.

Her gaze took in the canned goods in the cabinets. Plenty of food to last several more weeks. Jericho and Hunter would return well before then.

Feeling marginally better after filling her belly, she went into Jericho’s room and crawled under the blankets. They still held his scent, and she inhaled deeply to allow it to surround her. She alternated sleeping in their beds, wanting to keep them near at all times.

Tonight, she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Deep and dreamless. In the recesses of her mind, she became aware of a comforting warmth. Gentle sunshine and a touch so light that it carried her along before she realized she was floating.

A smiling woman, familiar and yet strange, with long dark hair. She carried a blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms. When she stood in front of Kaya, her expression filled with love and joy. Then she lowered the tiny bundle into Kaya’s arms.

Kaya looked down to see a baby. The child opened her eyes and their gazes connected. Immediately, Kaya was filled with indescribable pride and happiness. Her finger carefully touched the little one’s cheek. The baby turned, trying to suck the finger into her tiny mouth.

A sound forced Kaya’s gaze beyond the baby. A beautiful silver wolf stood a few feet away. Strangely she felt no fear for her or her child. The eyes were familiar.

The wolf lowered its head and walked slowly toward the baby. Its nose pressed against the baby’s cheek and then both baby and wolf looked up at Kaya again and she saw their eyes were identical blue. Ice blue.

And then the wolf disappeared. But Kaya understood. This was her child. The Maker was gifting her child with the spirit and soul of the great wolf.

The child squirmed and turned toward Kaya, rooting until it found her breast. She latched on and began to suckle as Kaya tenderly kept watch over her.

Kaya came awake with a start, her hand flying to her stomach. She sat up, sweat beading her forehead even though a heavy chill lay over the cabin.

Could it be? She rubbed her belly, but she now knew why the cougar had refused her. Knew why the Maker had come to her in a dream.

A baby. Her daughter.

She slid her legs over the side of the bed and sat there, both hands covering her still-flat stomach as she stared down in wonder.

A child. She was pregnant with Hunter and Jericho’s child. A child who would grow to be a great silver wolf. Strong and majestic. Would it anger Hunter and Jericho that their daughter would be like Kaya?

No, she didn’t think so. It would cause them endless worry, but they would embrace her heritage as they had embraced Kaya’s.

She smiled as tears of happiness welled in her eyes. They had given her their love and she would give them a daughter. She would have her own family. A tiny circle of people who she loved and who loved and accepted her.

She couldn’t wait for Hunter and Jericho to return so she could share her wondrous news.

***

“I don’t like this,”Hunter muttered.

Jericho stared through the scope of his rifle and grunted his agreement. “It’s too easy.”

Hunter held up his hand as the rest of their team fell in behind them. He positioned the tiny mic close to his mouth and addressed the others.

“This stinks to high heaven. I want everyone on their guard. Jericho and I will go in first. K-man, you and Dierks swing around and come in from the north. The prisoners are being kept in the middle of the camp. Make sure they aren’t compromised. The rest of you split into two teams and take out the guard towers to the east and west. Get in and get out. Fast.”