Anya
Fiona Bertrand didn’t walk so much as she glided. When Cullen rose to stand at her side, he topped her only by a few inches. She had to be at least six foot three. She had long, strong fingers and pale white skin. Her eyes went from blue-green to black and back again. The Wild Ridge clan leaders all scrambled to their feet to show Fiona the respect she’d earned. I knew instantly they were not accustomed to being in the presence of a full-blooded she-bear. Hell, who was?
She wasted no time getting to her point. “Have you all forgotten the pact my clan made with Wild Ridge a generation ago? Without it, none of you would have survived. My son has shown his loyalty to these clans with every breath he takes. His father is worth nothing, but I knew that from the beginning. But Cullen? He’s one of the best of you. If you turn him away, you weaken yourselves and betray the pact you’ve forged with one of the most powerful clans in North America. It sounds like that’s the last thing you need, especially now. You can’t even seem to keep polar bears out of Indiana. Indiana!”
“Mom,” Cullen whispered. He made a slashing motion across his neck. I covered my mouth to keep from smiling.
“Fiona. Ms. Bertrand.” Bo Calvin stood. He at least had the decency to look uncomfortable. “We all appreciate the sacrifices Cullen made. But bear law is bear law. Hank James tried to give our lands over to outsiders.”
“Bear law,” she spat. “You mean man bear law. So you literally threw the baby out with the bathwater. You made a mistake. Everyone at this table here knows it and now you just want to save face. Well, you’ve saved it. Cullen’s paid the price. He didn’t have to come here. Hell, it looks like he almost died doing it. No offense, son, but you look like hell.”
Cullen spread his hands wide and shook his head. Fiona was on a roll; even he seemed to know better than to stop her.
“So decide what direction you want to go, boys. But do it quick. It sounds like we’ve all got threats coming from all directions. We fight stronger together than we do apart. There’s not one of you who can argue with me that my son is an asset to Wild Ridge.”
“He has no clan.” One of the men in the corner practically whispered the statement. I think Cullen told me his name was Rafe.
“The hell he doesn’t,” Fiona said. “It’s standing right in front of you.” She leaned over and took my hand in hers. Fiona’s was warm and strong and an electric current seemed to run between us. The woman crackled with raw power.
“He took an Anam Cara without clan approval,” Bo said. Simon at least had the decency to look ashamed. His own sin had yet to be fully revealed.
Fiona laughed. “So in one breath you say he has no clan. In the next you say he needed clan approval. Well, all of that’s a moot point now anyway.”
“Why?” Cullen asked. A tremor ran through me, starting at the point where Fiona still held my hand. A dark knowledge passed from her to me. She gave me a slight wink of reassurance as the breath went straight out of my lungs.
“She’s already pregnant,” Fiona said. She moved to stand beside me and slid her hand over the small of my back. “You turn her away now, you sign her death warrant. Cullen’s too because he’ll die trying to protect her. None of you want that on your conscience. So do the right thing. Have your vote. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
***
Things moved quickly after that. The clansmen erupted in shouts. Bo banged his fists against the table trying to restore order. But, the tide had turned in our favor. Cullen looked ghostly white. His eyes shone as he stepped around me and drew me to him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he whispered.
Tears stung my eyes. “I didn’t know. I swear. I don’t know how the hell she did.”
Fiona waved a dismissive hand. “Honey, it’s coming off you in waves. I suspected the second I saw you. When I touched you I was sure.”
Fear trilled through me. Behind my eyes, I saw visions of Avery and everything she went through. It was too much. My knees felt weak. Before I could even process anything, Bo spoke for the rest of the clans. It was over. They restored Cullen’s place at Wild Ridge and released his crew back to him. His own knees buckled and he gripped the edge of the conference table. Jaxon came to him first and slapped him on the back. He drew me into a strong hug that took my breath away.
My head spun as the rest of the men filed out of the room leaving me alone with Cullen and Fiona. I had things to say to Simon, but those would have to wait.
“Thank you,” Cullen said, turning to his mother. “How did you know to come?”
She smiled. “I’d like to say a little bird told me. But it was more like a craggy old bear with an attitude.”
“Tobias.” I laughed.
She nodded.
“You sent him?” Cullen asked. “He was yours the whole time?”
Fiona arched a dark brow. “I can’t imagine that old raisin would like to hear himself described that way. But sort of. Tobias and I go back a long way. He owed me a favor or two. Although I suspect he’d say it was the other way around.”
“When you see him, will you tell him thank you?” I asked.
She laughed and nodded. “He kind of has a way of growing on you, doesn’t he?”
“Like a fungus,” Cullen muttered under his breath.
“Well, you two look like you could use some time alone. Things might get crazy around her for a while.”
“Do you have to go?” I said. “I just met you. Cullen probably would like to catch up.”
Fiona reached out and smoothed her hand down my shoulder. “Oh, I’ll be back soon enough, honey. You think I trust these assholes to help you bring my first grandchild into the world?”
I don’t know if she saw something in my face, but her eyes twinkled and a calm settled over me. “I’m sorry about your sister,” she said. “I hope Cullen has told you that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s not the Wild Ridge way. It’s certainly not the Yukon way. And we won’t let that happen to you. You’re going to bring a strong, healthy child into the world and we’re going to take care of you. You’re home now. This is your family.”
Tears streamed down my face as Cullen pulled me close. Home. Family. Two words I’d never really let myself believe in before. But now, as Cullen kissed the top of my head and Fiona hooked a finger under my chin and drew my gaze back to hers, I felt it. This place. These people. I still had so many questions. But for the first time in my life, this did feel like home.