Clint’s roar rattled the windows and made Pat’s lace curtains blow up.

“You get a hold of yourself or I’m going to make you wait out there with the horses!” she yelled. Part of me would have loved to see her try. Clint paced at the foot of the bed, his tiger eyes deep green and his stripes showing. He tore his hand through his hair. I’m surprised he had any left.

“It’s coming!” I gasped. I rocked on my knees on top of the bed. I hung on to one of the bedposts for support. Clint tried to steady me with his hand on the small of my back. Just that slight touch sent my nerve endings aflame. He quickly withdrew as the next contraction tore through me.

“Breathe!” Pat yelled.

“We need help!” Clint said, alarm making his voice ragged. “You’ve never done this before.”

“Oh, honey,” Pat said. “I’ve delivered plenty of shifter babies.”

“You’ve never delivered my baby!” he roared.

“Stop it,” I said, panting. “You two are going to make my ears bleed or scare this little one so much he won’t want to come out at all.”

Camilla’s face appeared in front of me. Her ocean-blue eyes filled with concern. She held a cool cloth to my forehead. “You’re doing so well,” she said. “He’s almost here. But he’s going to need some help. I think you’re going to need to come down off the bed. Gravity is our friend right now.”

My heartbeat skittered. Panic made spots swim in front of my eyes. Pat, Clint and Camilla yelled at me in unison to breathe. I did. I felt instantly more grounded. My core churned and the little one inside of me pressed down.

“Hee, hee, ho. Hee hee, ho!” I whispered. Damn them all, it helped. I surrendered to the contraction, riding its wave until I felt in control again.

“Now!” Pat yelled. “Get a move on before another one hits you.”

With Clint’s guiding hand beneath my elbow, I slid off the bed. They brought me to the center of the room. This was one of Pat’s guest rooms on the second floor. Camilla had given birth to Tucker here. Marcus’s late wife Maggie had brought Asher into the world here on the same day she left it. This was a sacred place, filled with life and death.

Clint got behind me, supporting my weight against his back as my knees gave out. Pat reached under me, feeling for the position of the baby. I didn’t need the report. He was crowning. It was time.

The next contraction hit me like a thunderbolt, once again driving the breath from my lungs. Pat and Camilla shouted at me to push. Clint’s whole body rumbled with the roar he held back. I shut it all out. I heard them as if they were far above me and I’d floated to the bottom of the lake. My world became my body and the new life battling to break free.

I went out of myself for a moment. When the time came, there was no breath, no sound, no light. Just a surge of power. Then, I could breathe again. Pain rushed out of me. Clint gave in and roared enough to shake the foundation.

Camilla and Pat laughed and shouted with joy. Out in the yard, a chorus of howls rose as my brother sensed my pain.

Clint had me. He lifted me gently and laid me on the bed. Sweat clouded my vision. He took the cool cloth and wiped it away. I felt empty, adrift, until Pat stepped up and handed me my son. He was red as a beet and wailing to wake the dead. His tiny fists balled as he waved them in the air. Camilla wrapped a blanket around us and wiped the goo from his face.

Clint slid into the bed next to me, kissing my cheek, then kissing our son’s head. He had more hair than any newborn I’d ever seen. It was full and black. I trembled, unable to control it as I leaned down and took in my sweet boy’s scent. It imprinted on me. For the rest of my life, I could track him anywhere. Clint did the same.

“He’s perfect,” Pat said. She was covered in sweat too. She pushed her hair from her face and locked arms with Camilla.

“Come on,” Camilla whispered. “Let’s leave our new family alone for a moment. That boy’s got an uncle down there ready to tear the house down for an update.”

They backed out of the room and quietly closed the door. Clint looked down at me, his cheeks wet with tears.

“You’re amazing,” he said. “He’s...huge!”

I pulled a section of the blanket away. Clint was right. Our son’s solid weight pressed against my chest. Flailing, he looked up, locking eyes with his father.

I didn’t know what to expect. There was no precedent for what I’d done. A wolf shifter mating with a tiger. I hadn’t even known what to hope for. A healthy baby. He was that. My heart soared with relief and a new love stronger than anything I’d ever known.

But, as my baby looked up at his father, his green eyes came into focus for just an instant. That was all it took. He took my breath away. Those beautiful green eyes rimmed in gold, just like his daddy’s. He let out a full-throated wail, still reeling from the injustice of facing the world. His smooth, rounded chest changed color. Tiny shadows of his tiger’s stripes rose to the surface then quickly faded as I pushed my shirt aside and he found my breast.

“Yow!” He latched on with the strength of...well...a tiny tiger. I felt a flash of pain, then a gush of warmth and contentment. I was drowsy with it as I settled back, resting my head against Clint’s chest. I was safe. I was full. The world made sense in a way it never had before.

“I love you,” Clint whispered. “You’re amazing. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

I reached up and touched his cheek. “You did this,” I said. “You gave me this. And you gave me your heart.”

Our son gurgled at my breast. He hiccupped. His little brow furrowed in confusion, then he rooted for my breast again and settled.

“I have a name for him,” Clint said. “If you like it.”

“Hmm?” We hadn’t talked about a name in all the months of my pregnancy. I’d known from the first moment he would be a boy. But, part of me had been afraid to jinx things by naming him too soon.

“William,” Clint said. “Will.”

William. Strong. Striking. Will Yeager. Son of a tiger and a wolf.

“It’s perfect.”

“It just came to me,” Clint said. “Everything’s been like that since you came into my life, baby. Things just click when they’re supposed to. Welcome to the world, baby Will. Your daddy’s here to give you the world and keep you safe.”

“Your mama is too,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss him.

“Hell yeah, she is,” Clint said. “She’s as fierce as they come.”

“I didn’t think I could love you any more than I did yesterday,” I said. “Turns out, I can.”

Clint gathered me closer in his arms as Will fell asleep against my chest. Instinct told me, he wouldn’t be out long.

Down in the yard, a wave of cheering rose along with a few howls. My heart filled with joy as my brother’s pack took the news of the new arrival. With all the peace and love in my heart, I sank against Clint, my eyelids growing heavy. I felt safe and warm as my Alpha and little Will pressed against me.

---

Summer had come again and I sat on Pat’s porch swing. Will slept on my shoulder after a marathon nursing session. Only a week old, he’d been gaining weight fast.

Clint and Jarred were out in the barn. He’d insisted on breaking the news to my brother first. It hadn’t always been easy between them, but Jarred understood the love Clint and I shared. And he knew he could trust Clint with my life. What more could a brother want?

Pat and Sarah were out in the paddock with Harold. One of the mares had given birth to a new colt the same day Will was born. I cupped my hand over my eye, shielding it from the sun. Marcus was on the far side of the fence, fixing a loose section. I caught him looking out at the paddock, a secret smile lighting his face. My heart squeezed; there was another hard conversation I needed to have with my brother.

As if on cue, he came out of the barn. Clint followed behind. He shot me a look across the yard and shrugged. Jarred saw me, and his stride slowed. I lifted my hand in a wave. He knew he couldn’t put this off until later. Neither could I. My heart fluttered with anxiety as my husband and my brother came toward me.

“He’s just finished nursing,” I whispered, shifting my weight so Clint could take Will out of my arms. “He’ll be out for a while.”

Clint kissed the top of Will’s head and shot me a conspiratorial wink. I was dying to know how Jarred took the news. His face betrayed nothing. I patted the space beside me as Clint walked down the porch steps. Sighing, Jarred sat down.

“No chance of me talking you out of this?” he asked.

“I want you to know,” I said. “It was my idea.”

Jarred let out a bitter laugh. “Funny, your man said the opposite.”

“Of course he did. He wants to take the fall or the brunt of any anger.”

Jarred turned to me, eyes flashing. “The Yukon is twenty-five hundred miles away! There’s no way I can get to you, sense you. If something happens…”

I put a light hand on his arm. “And you know I won’t need you to. I can take care of myself. And I have Clint. He has me. And it’s time one of us reconnects with our mother’s people. You know things aren’t going to stay like they are now forever. Wild Lake needs allies. And...Clint’s had a job offer for months, gold mining. It’s in his blood.”

“He can have a job here!” Jarred pounded a fist against his thigh.

I sighed. We’d had this same argument a dozen times since I took Clint as my mate. “He can’t work customer service at Wild Lake Outfitters. This will always be wolf country. His presence here makes things difficult for you. Our packs just barely accept him.”

“You think it’s going to be better in the Yukon?”

“Yes!” I squared off, meeting his pointed stare. “And you know it too. It’s different up there. There are bears, wolves, and other shifters. They work together. They can because there’s not as much competition for land. It’s wide open. And it feels right. I can’t explain it. But, I just know. This is the path I’m supposed to be on. And I’m excited about it. It’ll be good for Will. It’s one thing if people look sideways at Clint for being a tiger or you for taking him into your family. I will not subject my son to that.”

Jarred growled. “I’ll rip the eyes out of anyone who so much as looks at that boy funny.”

I laughed, knowing he damn well would. Will might have latent wolf DNA in him, but he was all tiger. “I’d like to avoid the need for that. Anyway, this is more than that. It’s all the things I said, but it’s for me too. Jarred, I’m excited about starting out on this new adventure. In a lot of ways, it’s the easiest decision I’ve ever made. Clint and I need a new start. You need to be able to focus on growing Wild Lake into what you’ve always dreamed of. You got your highway exit. You’re going to make it happen. I feel it. I think thirty years from now, W.L.O. is going to be a worldwide brand.”

He shook his head. “You make it sound so easy. Hell, you sound like Sarah. You having visions now too?”

I leaned back, smiling. “Maybe it’s just keen intuition. But yes, I feel it in my bones.”

“But, I’m going to miss you sis.”

My heart squeezed with the pain of leaving Jarred, even though I knew how right it was. “You’re not losing me. I’m a plane ride away.”

“Well, then I’m happy for you. I am.”

I turned. Jarred held out his arms and I leaned into them. I couldn’t remember the last time I let my brother fold me in a bear hug. It felt wonderful. He kissed my cheek and pulled away.

“Okay,” he said. “Out with the rest of it. Tell me what you’re worried about. I know you.”

I bit my lip. Oh, yes, my brother knew me well. I turned my focus back to the paddock. Pat was busy saddling one of the horses. Marcus had moved further down the fence, but he still stared in her direction.

“You don’t see it?” I asked. “I mean, it’s happening in your pack, right under your nose.”

“What are you talking about?”

I drew in a sigh and let it out as I took my brother’s hand in mine. “Pat’s been like a mother to us. She’s grieved long and hard for Dad. Just like we have. But, it’s time for her to move on. She’s ready. She’s just waiting for you.”

“What are you talking about?” he followed my gaze.

“Marcus, you dummy,” I said, laughing. “Pat and Marcus. You really don’t see the way they look at each other?”

Jarred’s mouth dropped open. “Marcus? He’s…” His words froze in his mouth as he saw...really saw what was right before him.

“He loves her,” I said. “It’s been slow to come. Marcus would never want to dishonor our father’s memory. They’re a good match. Not fated mates. It’s a quieter love they share, I think. But, they’ll be good for each other. Good for the pack. Asher needs a mother. Pat needs more than just taking care of all of us. Marcus deserves to be happy. They’re just waiting for you. As Alpha, it’s up to you to sanction the match.”

“The match...but...she’s...he’s…”

“Old?” I laughed. “Pat’s just forty. And speaking of Sarah, you might want to talk to her.”

Jarred threw his head back. “Don’t tell me she’s had a vision about this too.”

“She has, brother dear. She was right about Clint. She was right about you and Camilla. She’s right about Pat too. She told me she sees Pat with a child. A son. Marcus’s son. She’s not too old, but this might be her last chance to have a child of her own.”

Jarred shot out of the swing. He started pacing in front of me, wiping his hand over his chin. “Marcus already has a son. Asher’s going to grow up to be an Alpha. You don’t think that’ll cause friction down the line if he’s got a half-brother?”

“Well, you have a twin sister. Things have been smooth as silk, don’t you think?” He dropped his jaw, then turned red as he saw me holding back a laugh.

He threw up his hands. “I can’t win. You all outnumber me.”

I rose to meet him. I put my hands firmly on Jarred’s shoulders and gave him a gentle shake. “Relax, you can’t see everything. But so far, you’ve done our father proud.”

Jarred’s jaw twitched. He knew what it took for me to say that. I meant every word of it and he knew that too. He pulled me into an embrace.

“You win,” he said. “You always win. I’ll talk to Marcus this evening. So, when are you leaving?”

“At the end of the summer,” I said. “Three months. It’ll give us a chance to get settled into our new home. Clint’s already been hired to a crew. He won’t start until next season, but it will give us time to find or build a house and get our feet under us. And it’ll give us time to just be alone as a family.”

I looped my arm around my brother and we looked toward the woods. Clint was there, holding our son against his shoulder. He caught my eyes and knew things were settled. He raised his hand in a wave then started toward the house.

“I love you,” I said to Jarred. “And we’ve got more good things in front of us now than hard ones, brother dear. Trust me.”

He sighed. “I do. God help us all, I do.”

When Clint joined us on the porch, Jarred reached out to shake his hand. Clint handed Will to me and the two of them tore off toward the woods. They would hunt together. Two Alphas. Brothers now in their own right.

Later, when the full moon rose, Clint came to me. He knew just where to find me. I’d left Will sleeping in his crib with Pat and Harold nearby.

I sat on the rocky ledge with my toes in the water. Clint came up behind me, settling against me as he wrapped his arms around me. Fresh from his hunt, I inhaled his scent. He smelled of the woods, mixed with his own manly smell. I could get drunk from it.

“How did it go?” I asked. “I half worried my brother might find some way to murder you.” I meant it as a joke and Clint laughed.

“I suppose I would have considered it in his place. But no, I think he knew this was coming all along.”

“Me too,” I said. I leaned back, craning my neck so I could kiss him. Clint’s fingers played along my arms, sending a shiver of pleasure through me. Soon, I would let him claim me again like he’d done the first night. We’d had so little time alone together since Will was born.

“I love you,” he said. “And I know what you’re giving up, leaving this place.”

“My place is with you,” I said. “Never doubt that. And this is the place where I grew up. It’s not my home. Not anymore. I think I’ve known that all along. I was just waiting for you to come along and show me.”

“My home is with you,” he said. “If you don’t want to leave your brother, or Wild Lake, you know I’ll stay with or follow you to the ends of the earth.”

I smiled up at him. Stay or go, that had been the decision we’d pondered for months now. But it was one I’d already made. I could have claimed Peter’s pack lands. It was my right. For a moment, I almost took it. But, a different truth burned through me. I saw it shining clearly in Clint’s gold-green eyes.

“My love,” I whispered. “Our future is north, in the Yukon. I loved my father with all my heart. But, my mother’s people are part of me too. It’s time I got to know them. It’s time we built something of our own. Wild Lake Outfitters will sustain these packs for generations, but it’s my brother’s dream. My father’s before that. I want something different. Something that’s mine. Ours. I feel the pull to the Yukon. And so do you.”

He let out a little growl that shuddered through me. “Yes. I do. I’m going to build you a house like nothing you’ve ever seen. On a lake, just like this one. But ours.”

And he would. Maybe Sarah had rubbed off on me a little, but I could see our future shining before us. It glittered like gold. I moved until I straddled Clint’s lap. His hands came up and he pulled me into a kiss that curled my toes. His body stirred mine. His tiger. My wolf. A perfect fit.

My heart was full of love and endless possibilities as the moon chased the sun and my mate, my tiger, let out a roar.