chapter twelve
There were no children gathered around the den’s communal firepit that afternoon. The hammocks were empty. No sounds of laughter or parents scolding their pups. The air held the scent of fear. Tabor breathed it in as he entered the den with Peter.
They slowed to a trot, sniffing and glancing around the deserted clearing. Several pairs of eyes peered out of the doors of huts before retreating inside.
Tabor followed Peter into his hut. Heidi and the kids weren’t there. The men shifted on the hut’s compacted dirt floor.
Once clothed, they walked to a shed set apart from the other huts and homes. The wood planks were splitting apart in many places, long cracks in the wood that needed repair. The shed was a sorry excuse for a clinic. Shifters were lucky they rarely got ill and that injuries weren’t frequent.
As someone who dabbled in the healing arts, the clinic was something Tabor had always wanted to improve, but patrol duties kept him too busy. Once mated and living in the den, he’d have the opportunity he’d been waiting for to transform the shed into a decent little hospital.
A small group of shifters milled outside the door, which was propped open with a large stone. Amy and Eric were there, peering inside. Eric noticed Peter and Tabor first. He nudged his sister, who scowled until she followed the direction of his finger.
“Daddy!” the children cried, running to Peter.
Peter crouched down and scooped Amy into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Eric attached himself to Peter’s leg. Peter chuckled and patted the boy’s head.
Tabor walked past them. Shifters stepped aside to allow him entrance. Light shone in from an open window usually kept shuttered in the winter months. Kallie lay atop a table in the center of the shed, Heidi beside her leg with a bloody cloth in her hand.
Heidi looked up and met Tabor’s eyes as he entered. Her lips formed a grim line. She dropped the cloth into a bowl of water on the table near Kallie’s hip. A thin cotton sheet was arranged over her chest and pelvis.
Kallie didn’t lift her head to look at Tabor. It wasn’t until he’d approached her side that her gaze flickered over him before returning to the ceiling. She stared up with glassy eyes.
Tabor joined Heidi’s side to have a look at the leg. The skin below Kallie’s knee hung loose, and he could see bone where entire chunks of muscle and flesh were missing. But that wasn’t the worst of it. Kallie’s left foot hung limp and mangled, bones crushed from her ankle down.
Her leg would heal, but her foot . . .
Tabor swallowed before speaking.
“Do you want something for the pain?”
“She’s already had a cup of Jager’s brew,” Heidi said. When she turned her back to Kallie, her eyes filled with sorrow.
Tabor rested his palm on the table.
“First things first. We need to finish cleaning the wound.”
Heidi nodded. “Dana is fetching a fresh bowl of warm water.”
“Is my box still here?” Tabor asked, searching the shelf with his eyes until he spotted it. “There it is.” He walked briskly to the shelf and pulled down a small cedar box, setting it on a narrow side table against the inner wall of the shed.
Tabor pulled the lid off and plucked out a vial of blue liquid. He and his mother had put together a kit of potions and remedies to store in the shed should they ever be needed. Shifters tended to set their mistrust of magic aside when in great bodily harm.
Dana reappeared with the fresh water, and Heidi got to work cleaning up the last traces of blood. Then Dana quickly retreated with the bowl of bloody water, leaving Heidi and Tabor alone with Kallie.
Tabor pulled down a wicker basket that contained supplies that had been taken from an abandoned human hospital. He pulled out a roll of gauze.
“Kallie,” Tabor said softly. “You’ll heal faster if you shift.”
It was one of the greatest benefits of being a wolf shifter in Tabor’s mind, but it had also backfired on Kallie in a cruel way.
“She tried and is unable,” Heidi said, whispering, “I think she’s in shock.”
“No matter, we’ll get her patched up,” Tabor said in a confident voice that didn’t match the turmoil roiling around inside his gut.
Whether Kallie healed faster or slower wouldn’t help in the long run, and she seemed to understand that. She lay on her back unblinking, looking as though she’d given up all hope.
As soon as Heidi finished cleaning off the blood, Tabor leaned over the table with the vial of potion. He unscrewed the lid and carefully sprinkled a drop for every inch of open wound. The potion would help prevent infection as the wound healed.
He set the vial on the side table and returned to Kallie’s side, looming over her leg. Heidi handed Tabor the gauze before he had a chance to ask. He gave her a small, grateful smile then turned back to Kallie. Heidi lifted her leg gently and Tabor wrapped the wound.
“Aside from some scarring, your leg should heal fully,” Tabor said, tightening the gauze before sealing it with a metal clasp.
“And my foot?” Kallie asked in a voice devoid of emotion.
Tabor and Heidi shared a look. When neither of them answered, Kallie chuckled humorlessly. “That bad.”
Tabor cleared his throat. “Time will tell.”
“I don’t need time to tell me anything,” Kallie said bitterly. “I felt my bones break in the vulhena’s jaw—twice.”
“You need to give your body a chance to heal,” Heidi said soothingly.
Kallie kept her eyes on the ceiling. “I’d like to be alone for a while,” she said in a flat voice.
“Of course,” Heidi said, moving to the door. “Holler if you need anything at all. There will be someone outside guarding the door at all times.”
Heidi was already headed outside and didn’t hear Kallie mutter, “Wouldn’t want another vulhena to come along and finish the job.”
With no words of comfort to offer, Tabor left the shed. He’d done all he could for Kallie’s physical wounds. The potion he’d been supplying Jager might help bring her comfort after she healed, but only in the physical sense.
Kallie sounded broken on the inside, and that was something even a wizard had no power to fix.
Outside, Heidi stood talking softly to Flynn. She waved Tabor over as soon as he stepped out.
“Thank you for helping her,” Flynn said.
Tabor bowed his head solemnly.
Heidi placed her hand on Flynn’s shoulder. “Thanks for keeping guard. I’ll have Dana bring you supper. Peter will come by after he listens to what the elders have to say in camp.” She removed her hand from Flynn and began walking away.
Tabor fell into step beside her, passing small campfires as they crossed the den. Shifter families kept close to their dwellings tonight. The small gathering outside the shed had since dissipated. None of the children played in the clearing.
Tabor expected Heidi to talk about the recent spate of attacks once they were alone, but the first words from her mouth were, “We haven’t seen you in a long time, Tay.”
“Few weeks,” he acknowledged, trying to sound casual.
When Heidi smiled, she looked like her usual self, not the grim-faced woman who had cleaned blood off Kallie moments before.
“I assumed you weren’t coming around because you were successful in partnering with your special lady-wolf and that the two of you were sharing meals together in camp.” Heidi’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.
This was partially true. Tabor had been eating meals with Sasha. He’d also been busy making Jager’s potions. But there was a third reason he’d steered clear of the den: to avoid this conversation.
How could Tabor forget Heidi’s previous excitement about the prospect of pure-blooded pups in the den?
It wasn’t his fault that Hector ran off like a lily-livered coward. Good thing he had. After coupling with Sasha, Tabor wouldn’t have been able to give her up, even if Hector had remained in Wolf Hollow.
Heidi laughed softly, studying Tabor’s face.
“You look like you’re having multiple conversations inside your head.”
Tabor shrugged, his cheeks heating as though he’d overexposed them to direct sunlight.
The grin spread over Heidi’s lips. “I heard you and Sasha are partners,” she said, sounding impressed. “Now I understand why you were being so secretive before.”
Their arrival at Heidi’s hut saved Tabor from having to respond.
Peter stepped through the narrow opening and joined them out front. Amy poked her head out.
“Papa?”
“Stay inside,” Peter said. “Keep an eye on your brother.”
Amy’s head disappeared.
Peter looked inside his hut before facing his mate and Tabor. He lowered his voice. “How’s Kallie?”
Tabor took in a deep breath and released it. “I did what I could, but her foot doesn’t look good.”
Peter nodded, a faraway look in his eyes.
“You were splendid,” Heidi said, patting Tabor gently on the back as though he were the patient in need of soothing. “She might have lost her entire leg if not for you.”
He stared at the ground uncomfortably. As much as he liked helping, he felt like he’d failed Kallie by not fixing her foot. He wouldn’t wish that misfortune on anyone, not even Zackary. No wolf shifter deserved that fate.
Kallie was one of the kinder shifters in the pack. She’d never scowled or spoken down to him and Tabor had never heard an ill word spoken of her.
What future did she have now? Her injury looked worse than Jager’s.
Peter cleared his throat. “I’m heading into camp to listen to announcements.”
“I’ll go with you,” Tabor said quickly.
Before he could get away from Heidi’s watchful gaze, Sasha emerged from the forest and entered the quiet clearing of the den. When she saw Tabor, her face lit up and she headed over.
“Uh, I’ll catch up to you, Peter,” Tabor said, eyes on Sasha.
“I’ll see you at camp,” Peter said. He gave his mate a kiss on the lips before walking away and greeted Sasha as the two passed each other in the clearing.
Tabor fidgeted in place, but didn’t move from his spot, afraid to see Heidi’s expression.
It was hard not to stare at Sasha. Somehow she’d ended up in Camilla’s dress, and her breasts strained against the snug fabric. If Tabor didn’t think of something distasteful fast, he’d be straining against his own clothes.
“Hi,” Sasha said to Tabor and Heidi once she’d reached them. “How’s Kallie?”
Tabor and Heidi recounted everything they could regarding Kallie’s condition. Sasha chewed on her lower lip as she listened.
“She said she wanted time alone,” Tabor said after Sasha had been updated. “Flynn’s guarding her,” he added.
“Poor woman,” Sasha said, shaking her head. “I will give her space tonight and check on her first thing tomorrow.”
“Shall we head to camp?” Tabor asked, ever aware of Heidi’s inquisitive stare.
The shifter in question sighed. “I will have to wait to hear what the council has to say when Peter returns.”
Sasha sniffed. “Yes, our elders are full of announcements tonight. I can tell you now, if you like, though my delivery may not be as eloquent as Jager’s.”
Heidi’s eyes sparkled. “Please, come inside and sit down.”
Tabor tried not to groan as he followed Heidi and Sasha inside the hut. Like Sasha, Heidi tended to be direct. He didn’t want her putting Sasha on the spot.
Amy and Eric were in the middle of an argument when they entered.
“Give me that,” Amy said, yanking a stick out of her brother’s hand. “You could poke your eye out.”
Eric’s face scrunched up, lips quivering. He was about to wail.
“Amy, Eric, we have company,” Heidi said in a firm voice. “You remember Sasha?”
Amy lowered the stick, eyes going wide. Eric’s face quickly returned to normal before he had a chance to shed one tear.
“Say hello,” Heidi prodded.
“Hello,” Amy said, glancing from Sasha to the ground.
Eric simply gaped.
Tabor had to bite back a laugh. The two little hellions were rarely shy. Leave it to Sasha to intimidate even the most rambunctious children.
“The water in the kettle is still warm. Would you like a cup of chamomile tea?” Heidi asked.
“Yes, thank you,” Sasha replied.
“Please have a seat.” Heidi indicated the pallet covered in blankets against the hut’s back wall.
It was cramped inside, especially when standing. There were crates stacked near the entrance that held the family’s dishes. Baskets were pushed against the walls, containing their meager wardrobe. Heidi placed mugs on a stool which acted as a small table from their positions seated on the ground.
“Tay?” she asked.
“No, thank you.”
Wordlessly, Amy walked over and grabbed a cloth pouch from one of the crates. She sprinkled dried chamomile flowers into two cups while her mother grabbed a small teakettle from a wood plank beside the pallet where Sasha had sat down and folded her legs.
“Amy, Eric, you can stay and listen, but only if you’re quiet,” Heidi said. “Tay, are you going to sit?” Heidi asked as she poured steaming water into two cups.
Tabor glanced from Heidi to the cozy pallet she shared with Peter. Sasha raised her brows when his gaze landed on her. Clearing his throat, Tabor crossed the small space and took a seat beside Sasha. Who was shy now? Sitting with Sasha inside Heidi and Peter’s hut felt domestic in a way Tabor longed for. Hopefully it wouldn’t scare Sasha off. She’d been trained as a leader to protect the hollow. Would she be content to settle down in the den and raise pups?
For now, the latest gossip had to do with another shifter’s pups.
When Sasha relayed the news about Palmer and Trish, Heidi’s eyes bulged right before she spit tea back into her mug. “He what?”
Tabor chuckled. It was rare to take Heidi by surprise.
Sasha’s nose wrinkled. “I was surprised as well.”
Tabor enjoyed the calm way she said it. Now that he knew her better, he was aware that Sasha’s calm demeanor didn’t mean she was closed off, just that she liked to vent in private. It made him feel privileged she’d chosen to open up to him.
“Palmer backed the council into a corner by going behind our backs to impregnate Trish during the last full moon. We couldn’t very well let her become an outcast.”
“So she’ll be living in the den?” Heidi asked, grasping her mug with a jerk that sent liquid sloshing over the rim. “With Palmer? And Francine? Will the three of them be living together?”
“That will be for them to decide,” Sasha said.
Tabor looked at her with a wry smile. Knowing Sasha, there was no way she’d sounded this nonchalant while speaking with the council.
Amy watched with rapt attention, mouth hanging ajar.
“And will all males be allowed to claim multiple mates?” Heidi demanded, fire in her eyes.
Sasha shook her head. “Jager is making it clear that this is a special circumstance. Single shifters are not allowed to mate on the full moon, and those with mates cannot claim another. Anyone who goes behind the back of the council will suffer the consequences.”
“Except for Palmer,” Heidi snarled.
A menacing smile broke over Sasha’s lips. “He is one of only three elders left in Wolf Hollow, and he has sired two new members for our pack. If Trish weren’t pregnant the council would have never agreed to this.”
“Seems like an example rather than an exception should be made,” Heidi grumbled as she set her tea aside.
“I agree,” Sasha said, “but I don’t believe Trish should have to suffer for Palmer’s debauchery, nor Francine.”
Heidi’s head jerked up. “How can Francine stand for this?”
“Apparently she’s in favor of the arrangement,” Sasha said.
“Francine?” Heidi asked in disbelief. “Are we talking about the same woman?”
“I don’t understand it either, but Francine assured me herself that she loves Trish like a sister and wants to take care of her.”
“She’s nuttier than a squirrel,” Tabor said, shaking his head.
Heidi snorted. “Are you sure you don’t secretly like the sound of having two mates to yourself, Tay?”
“Not a chance. There’s only one she-wolf for me,” Tabor growled. He placed a hand possessively on Sasha’s leg, not caring he’d openly acknowledged his feelings for her. Sasha placed her hand on his.
Heidi watched the intimate gesture with glittering eyes. “What other news is there from the council?” she asked, smiling.
“The council is eager to repopulate Wolf Hollow. They are asking one new couple to make a claim before every full moon over the next year.”
Tabor’s heart stilled. It was the opportunity he’d been waiting for. There was nothing he wanted more than to make a claim on Sasha publicly, but she hadn’t yet given him permission. The silence stretched on. Heidi made no comment. She held still, no doubt waiting as Tabor did for Sasha to say something about becoming mates.
Sasha kept her hand on Tabor’s, but she didn’t mention anything about claiming him. “These recent attacks have made them worry about the hollow’s future,” Sasha continued.
“Yes, I can see why,” Heidi said slowly, still staring at Sasha expectantly.
Tabor cleared his throat. “Maybe we should join the group at camp,” he suggested.
Sasha shot him a grim look. “Probably.” She got to her feet. “Thank you for the tea,” she said to Heidi with a warm smile.
Heidi and Tabor stood. Heidi walked the short distance to the entrance and turned to her children. “You two stay here. I’ll be right back.” When Heidi stepped outside, she sighed. “A new claiming every month; the den’s about to become more crowded.”
“Not at first,” Sasha said. “Mated couples won’t move in until the female is pregnant.”
Tabor gaped at her.
“New rule?” Heidi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The hollow needs patrolling,” Sasha said. “I’m sure your mate will fill in the details once he’s heard all of Jager’s announcements.”
“That will be a long conversation,” Heidi said, staring across the clearing.
She stood in place watching Tabor and Sasha as they walked away. When Tabor turned back to give her a final wave, she lifted her hand slowly. Her eyes looked glazed over in thought.
Once Tabor and Sasha were on the forest path, he snorted. “So Palmer wanted a second mate all along?”
Lewd pictures appeared inside Tabor’s mind of Palmer, Francine, and Trish naked inside their hut, crawling around on all fours, biting and licking each other. He had no trouble imagining Palmer humping Trish from behind while Francine gave them directions.
Tabor shook the thought away and huffed in exasperation. “Randy old coot.”
“My wolf wanted to tear off his genitals,” Sasha said.
Tabor laughed, loving Sasha’s feisty spirit, especially that she didn’t hide it from him. Turned out Sasha wasn’t as diplomatic as he’d originally thought and definitely not coldhearted in any sense.
“I imagine Jager had his hands full preventing a brawl,” Tabor said with a chuckle.
Sasha grunted. “There almost was a brawl, but not between Palmer and me. Garrick was the one I really wanted to maim.”
Tabor stopped walking, his temples throbbing with the burst of anger he felt.
“Did Garrick attempt to harm you in any way?” he demanded.
If Garrick had shown Sasha any disrespect, Tabor would come up with a spell to put the bastard back in his place. He didn’t care if he was an elder. Tabor had never liked the prick.
“Garrick doesn’t stand a chance against my wolf,” Sasha said with a derisive huff. She tucked her hair behind her ears. “He’s lucky Raider got between us before I had a chance to rip out his spine.”
“Raider had to intervene?” Tabor asked, hackles rising.
Sasha lifted her chin, eyes shining. “Like I said, lucky for Garrick.”
While Tabor admired Sasha’s fearlessness, it frustrated him he hadn’t been there to defend his woman. His wolf might struggle against Garrick’s brute strength, but he had the power to throw the clod against a tree.
“What made Garrick step out of line?” Tabor asked.
“He didn’t like the idea of me claiming you as my mate.”
Tabor’s jaw dropped. Sasha, sneaky she-devil that she was, grinned wide, relishing his surprise.
“You told the council about us?” he asked, heart thundering.
“Of course.” Sasha stepped close to Tabor, her lips inches from his. “They want us to wait a week to announce our claim. Do you think you can manage?”
Tabor swallowed. “They won’t try and stop us?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it . . . which I do,” Sasha said, grin widening.
Tabor tilted his head to the side and pursed his lips. “I suppose I can wait one more week to make it official.” He scooped Sasha off her feet in the next instant and hugged her. “All that matters is that you’re mine,” he said happily.
When he set her down, Sasha kissed him with hungry lips. The warmth of her mouth spread over his body like wildfire. She could burn down the whole damn forest so long as she kept kissing him.
Pulling back, breathless, Sasha flashed him a beguiling smile.
“How about we skip the meeting in the glade and go back to my cave?” she suggested.
“Or we could go to my cabin,” Tabor said.
Sasha shook her head. “I’m keeping you with me until our claim is made official.”
Tabor gave her a lopsided smile, touched by Sasha’s protective and possessive need to keep him close. He didn’t mind in the least. Staying with Sasha meant he could protect her too.