by Ramona Gray
“Hello.” Reese gave her a tired smile as the girl bounced into the cabin and slammed the door shut.
“I’m Raina.”
“Reese.”
“What a pretty name.” Raina grinned at her.
“Raina, she needs to rest.” Kane frowned at the young girl. “You can visit with her later. Come sit by the fire, Reese.”
“I have to use the bathroom.” She grimaced as another cramp struck, and she rubbed at her belly as Raina gave her a sympathetic look.
“The moon is full for you. Is it very bad? You’re very pale.”
“I’ll be fine.” She pulled a strip of fabric from her pocket. “I’ll be right back.”
She headed for the door and frowned at Kane when he followed her. “I don’t need your help, shifter.”
Kane hesitated and then smiled at Raina. “Show her to the bathroom. Would you, Raina?”
“Aye, I will,” Raina said cheerfully.
She opened the door and Reese followed her into the trees behind Kane’s cabin. “Is there like a particular tree you use or something?” She asked.
“Tree?” Raina gave her an odd look before pointing to a small wooden outhouse. “Here’s the bathroom. You have to share it with Radek and me,” she gestured to the cabin to the right of Kane’s, “but Deena and Borek have their own.”
“Deena and Borek?” Reese asked as she hurried toward the outhouse.
“They live in the cabin to the left. Deena is a bit odd but Borek is nice.” Raina smiled at her. “I’ll just wait for you here, all right?”
“Thank you.”
Reese opened the door to the outhouse and could have wept with relief. She hadn’t used an outhouse since she went camping as a child, but knowing she would no longer having to squat and pee on the ground was making her ridiculously happy.
Darkness had fallen by the time she finished. She didn’t object when Raina took her hand and led her carefully through the trees toward the cabin.
“Can you see in the dark at all?” Raina asked curiously.
Reese nodded. “Yes, but probably not as well as you can.”
“Probably not,” Raina agreed.
Raina opened the door to the already-deliciously warm cabin and followed Reese to the bed. Kane was gone but Reese was too tired to wonder where he was. She collapsed on top of the thin blanket. The bed was surprisingly soft and comfortable and she buried her face in her arms as Raina sat down next to her.
“Human?”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to sleep?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” There was disappointment in Raina’s voice and Reese lifted her head and smiled at her.
“I’m sorry. I’m very tired. I would like it if you came by tomorrow and visited with me though. All right?”
“I can do that.” Raina smiled happily at her. “Good bye, human.”
“Bye, Raina.”
Chapter 17
“Wake up, Reese.” Kane’s warm hand shook her shoulder lightly.
She muttered and buried her face deeper into her arms. “Go away, shifter. I’m tired.”
“I know,” he replied, “but I have a surprise for you.”
She cracked one eye open. “What are you talking about?”
“I have a surprise for you,” he repeated. “Sit up.”
Sighing loudly, she forced her weary body into a sitting position. “How long have I been sleeping?”
“Only an hour or so. Look.” He cupped her face and turned her head toward the kitchen. A large metal tub was sitting on the floor and it was filled with steaming water.
“Is that – oh my God, is that a bathtub?” She said stupidly.
He nodded. “Yes. I warmed some water for you. I thought you would like to have a bath.”
She slid off the bed and nearly ran toward the tub, holding her stomach gingerly. “I definitely want a bath.”
Kane rubbed her back. “Climb into the tub, Reese.” He pointed to a small wooden bowl sitting on the floor next to the tub. It was filled with a white gel and there was a cloth resting on the edge of the bowl.
“That’s soap.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a sweet smile and he hesitated before leaning down and kissing her lightly.
“I will return in a bit.”
“Sure.” She was dipping her hand into the water and he slipped out of the cabin, smiling happily to himself.
Reese quickly stripped off her clothes and climbed into the tub. The water was almost too hot but she sat down anyway and sighed with delight. The tub was surprisingly large and by scooting downward she could submerge her entire body in the steaming water. She dipped her head back to wet her long dark hair, and then closed her eyes and allowed the water to ease some of the ache in her back.
She knew she should be washing her hair but she was too tired and it felt wonderful to just sit in the hot water. When Kane returned half an hour later, carrying a steel pot that he placed carefully over the fire, she hadn’t moved a muscle.
“Reese? Are you awake?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she murmured.
“Are you ready to get out?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I might just sleep here tonight.”
He grinned and knelt next to the tub. “You like this then?”
She opened her eyes. “I love it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He touched her head and then moved around behind her. “Dip your hair into the water and then sit up.”
She did as he asked as Kane stripped out of his shirt and reached for the soap. He smeared a large portion of it onto his hands and washed her hair, rubbing and massaging the soap into her scalp before carefully soaping her long tresses.
“Thank you, Kane. That feels really good,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome, Reese.”
Using a cup, he rinsed her hair clean of the soap. She was surprised but didn’t protest when he gently and efficiently washed the rest of her body. When he was finished, he helped her to her feet and dried her quickly with a soft piece of fabric before wrapping it around her body.
“Where did you get this?” She touched the soft fabric as he lifted her from the tub.
“There is a human village a few days’ journey from here. We go there to trade meat and fur for clothing and other items from time to time,” he replied.
“Oh.”
He pointed to a bundle of clothing on the table. “Raina brought these while you were sleeping. She thought you could use some clean clothes. They belonged to her mother. She was tall like you.”
Reese picked up the stack of folded cloths from the top. They were made of a soft, absorbent material and she rubbed them curiously.
“They are for your – “
“Yeah, I get it,” she interrupted hastily.
“Raina says they will absorb the blood better than the fabric of your shirt,” Kane said.
“Right.” She supposed she should have been embarrassed but Kane’s matter-of-fact tone and his obvious lack of discomfort in regards to her cycle had stripped away any embarrassment she might have felt.
Kane handed her a pair of underwear before lifting her into her arms.
“I can walk,” she protested as he carried her out of the cabin and to the outhouse.
“It’s fine.” He set her at the door of the outhouse and she nodded thanks before disappearing inside.
He waited patiently and gave her a small smile when she stepped back outside. “Better?”
“Yes.” She tightened the towel around her as Kane lifted her again and carried her back to the cabin. He set her next to the bed and pulled a thick bear pelt from the basket at the end of the bed and threw it over the thin blanket. He pulled the bedcovers back and guided Reese toward the bed.
She climbed in with a soft sigh and he shook his head when she started to lie down. “Don’t go to sleep yet, Reese.”
He poured some liquid into a mug from the pot over the fire, and grabbed a
wide-toothed comb from the table before bringing the mug to her.
“Drink this.”
“What is it?”
“Tappin root tea. Adina made it for you.”
She sipped cautiously at the hot liquid as Kane pulled the fabric away from her body and used it to blot her hair. He combed her hair and untangled the snarls with a gentle touch as she sipped at the tea. It had a minty taste and she was surprised when the cramping in her belly eased almost immediately.
“Are you hungry?” Kane asked.
“Not really,” she replied. “Tired, mostly.”
The warmth of the bath, the hot tea and the gentle motion of the comb through her hair was relaxing her and she closed her eyes and yawned hugely. Kane pulled the cup from her hand and urged her on to her side. “Lie down, Reese.”
“Sure,” she agreed sleepily.
She curled into a ball as Kane rubbed her lower back. “Does your stomach feel better?”
She nodded. “Yes. That feels wonderful, Kane. Don’t stop.”
“I won’t.” He continued to rub her naked back as her breathing slowed and deepened. After nearly ten minutes he pressed a gentle kiss on the soft skin of her upper back. “Reese?”
There was no reply and he smiled with satisfaction. His mate was feeling better and she was happier. He continued to stroke her lower back as he placed a smattering of gentle kisses across her upper back. For the first time in a long time, he was content. Taking care of his mate and easing her pain made him feel good, he realized. He never thought that –
“Kane? What are you doing?”
He jerked and sat up, staring guiltily across the room. Radek had entered his cabin without knocking and the younger shifter was staring at him in confusion.
“Radek? I thought you were hunting?”
“I was,” he said briefly. He crossed the room and Kane hurriedly pulled the pelt up, covering Reese’s naked upper body as Radek sniffed at her.
“Why do you have a human in your bed?” Radek couldn’t hide the distaste in his voice.
“She is one of Dagon’s potential mates. The moon is full for her and he wants nothing to do with her until it is finished.”
He stepped away from the bed, indicating for Radek to follow him. They sat at the table and Kane could feel the heat rising in his cheeks when Radek stared silently at him.
“What?”
“What?” Radek raised his eyebrows at him. “You have a half-naked human in your bed. You were rubbing her back and – and kissing her. What the hell is going on with you, Kane?”
“Nothing. The human wasn’t feeling well and I was simply trying to help her,” Kane said shortly.
“She is covered in your scent.”
“They cannot hold their heat. Theran, Hanif and I were forced to keep them warm with our body heat while we travelled.”
“Them? How many did you bring back with you?”
“Three.”
Radek made a soft noise of disgust. “It is bad enough that Dagon is going to mate with a human, you had to bring back three of them?”
“We thought it would be better if he had a choice.”
“And which one did he choose?”
“He hasn’t chosen any of them yet. They’re worn out from the journey and Dagon is giving them time to recover before he chooses his mate.”
“How many times have you fucked the human?” Radek asked abruptly.
Kane shook his head. “I haven’t. I told you – she carries my scent because I – “
“Stop lying to me, Kane,” Radek said quietly. “You have never lied to me before.”
Kane sighed loudly. “Fine. I fucked the human. She was taken by a tagen just before the rains started. I killed the tagen but we were trapped in its den until the rains stopped. I only fucked her because I was curious what it would be like to fuck a human.”
“Since when? You hate the humans,” Radek replied. “They killed your parents or have you forgotten that?”
“Of course I haven’t. But Reese did not kill my parents,” he snapped irritably.
“Reese? So now it has a name.”
“Radek, it meant nothing,” he said in a low voice. “I know I shouldn’t have but the human knows she cannot tell anyone. No one will find out.”
“Are you sure it meant nothing?” Radek asked. “It didn’t seem like nothing to me when I walked in here.”
Kane rolled his eyes. “I told you, the human wasn’t feeling well. If she is to be Dagon’s mate, she needs to regain her strength. Since I have been tasked with finding his human mate, I’ll do what needs to be done. The humans are fragile and need extra care.”
“Another reason we should not be bringing them into our pack. What do you think their children will be like? Our pack will be weakened by the half-breed babies they produce.”
“Enough, Radek,” Kane said harshly. “Our alpha has decided to bring humans into the pack and if you are smart, you will keep your thoughts about them to yourself.”
He glanced again at Reese as Radek made a low growl. “Since you feel the need to give me advice, perhaps you’ll take mine as well.”
Kane gave him an impatient look and Radek growled again. “Do a better job at hiding your emotions. If you’re not careful, the others will see your love for the human.”
“I don’t love her,” Kane said immediately.
“Do you not?” Radek stood and walked toward the door. “Welcome home, cousin.”
* * *
“She smells strange.”
“She’s a human. Of course she smells strange.”
“No, I mean she smells strange even for a human.”
“Oh be quiet, Mia. How would you know what a human even smells like?”
“I have been to the village with my parents, Raina. I know what humans smell like.”
Reese opened her eyes and stared blearily at the two young girls standing at the end of the bed.
“Good morning, human!” Raina said brightly. “Are you feeling better?”
“A little. Can you hand me a shirt?” Reese asked. Mindful of Kane’s warning to keep his bite mark hidden, she kept the blankets to her neck and wiggled into the shirt Raina handed her before sitting up.
She pushed the hair out of her face and smiled at the two girls. Truthfully, she still felt like crap and she wished she could just curl back up in bed but the two young shifters had climbed on to the bed and were staring at her.
“This is Mia. She’s my best friend,” Raina said.
“Hello, Mia.”
“Hello,” Mia said shyly. She was tall with sandy brown hair and freckles and she stared curiously at Reese as Raina slid off the bed and hurried to the fireplace.
She came back with a mug and handed it to Reese. “Here. Kane said I should give this to you when you wake.”
“Where is Kane?” Reese asked as she sipped at the tappin root tea.
Raina shrugged. “I don’t know. Out in the forest with Radek maybe. Are you hungry? Kane caught and cooked a rabbit for you before he left.”
“He did?”
“Aye.” She skipped to the table and returned with a plate piled high with meat. She slid it on to the bed in front of Reese. “Eat, human.”
Reese picked up a piece of meat and chewed it gingerly. It was good and her stomach growled loudly. Mia and Raina grinned at each other before Mia leaned over and sniffed at the meat.
“It doesn’t smell very good.”
“Have you – do you ever eat your meat cooked?” Reese asked.
“No. Shifters don’t like cooked meat. What’s the point?” Mia said.
“I’ve always wanted to try it cooked,” Raina said hopefully.
“Help yourself.” Reese pushed the plate toward her and Raina picked up a piece of meat and popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully at it as Mia stared at her.
“How does it taste?”
Raina shrugged. “Odd. It’s very dry. You should try it.”
Mia hesitat
ed before taking a small piece of the meat. She put it in her mouth and Reese grinned when she made a face and spit it out into her hand.
“Ugh, it’s awful.”
The two girls watched as she nibbled at the rabbit and drank more tea. When her cup was empty, Raina refilled it and handed it to her again.
“Thank you, Raina.”
“You’re welcome, human.” Raina smiled at her. “You have very nice hair. Can I braid it?”
“Uh, sure.” Reese shifted forward as Raina scrambled behind her and began to comb through her hair with her fingers.
“How old are you, human?” Raina asked curiously.
“I’m twenty-five. How old are you?”
“Mia and I are both fourteen. You’re the same age as my brother, Radek.”
“Kane is your cousin?”
“Yes. He practically grew up with us after the humans killed his parents. It’s why he hates your kind.”
“Where are your parents?” Reese asked gently. She had a bad feeling about the answer and it was confirmed when Raina sighed softly.
“They died two years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” Raina gathered her hair and began to braid it as Mia sniffed the air.
“You smell strange, human.”
“Do I?”
“Aye. Where are you from?”
“Not anywhere you’ve heard of,” Reese said evasively.
“How did you end up at the auction?” Raina asked.
“Men captured me in the forest.” Reese cleared her throat. “So do you spend most of your time in your human form or your wolf form?”
Mia shrugged. “It depends. Some shifters prefer to be in their wolf forms, like Radek and Kane, and others like their human form. Dagon usually stays in his human form which is odd for an alpha.”
“No it isn’t,” Raina argued. “Radek says Dagon’s father preferred his human form too.”
“So why do Kane and Radek prefer their wolf form?” Reese asked.
“Probably because they hate humans so much,” Raina replied.
“I understand why Kane hates humans but why does your brother?”
“He just does,” Raina said evasively. She looked away, the smile dropping from her face, and Reese touched her arm gently before sliding out of the bed. She crossed the room and picked up a pair of pants from the pile on the table.
