AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He released my hand, and we all took a seat on the futon. Seff put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him as if I might need a safe anchor for whatever new story Einar had to share.
“Of course, Vera and Viveca were twins. They were pregnant at the same time. Both with twins. I’ve heard it happens often with twin females. They tend to experience their heat at the same time. Six months into the pregnancy, Viveca lost her babies. She came to Vera, heartbroken, and begged Vera to give up one of her babies. I was still dealing with the loss of my Segrid, mysakana.At the time, the grief was more than I could bear. I made some poor decisions, one of them not considering how Vera would react to my demand she give up one of her precious babies to her sister. Being the head of her line, I had the right to ask it of her, but not the right to set down a command.”
Einar shook his head and looked away before going on.
“Your Alpha sought me out.” He took a deep breath, then shoved his fingers through his long hair, pulling it over his shoulders. “Coleman used his power as pack Alpha to command my attendance. So, I came. Vera refused to see me. I don’t blame her.”
He turned and looked at me, his eyes full of sadness and regret.
“To keep her babies with her, Coleman had advised Vera to give them up to your pack. He decided for the safety of these two precious offspring, no one from my line would be allowed in his territory.” The shame Einar must have felt was plain on his wrinkled face. “If I, or any of my line, had been caught trespassing, your Alpha would have called a tribunal. Later, when I realized my mistake, I begged Coleman to allow me to see my granddaughters. At Vera’s request, he refused. So, I traveled a lot between the time I spent sneaking around here or living in Yellowstone. I made sure I was seen by other packs. I was in Denver when their Alpha received the call regarding what had occurred here. I did not wait. I traveled straight to Aneta. Viveca had already gone.”
He took my hands in his, his grip warm and gentle as he looked into my eyes.
“I’ve watched you with them, Desarae. I’ve watched you teach them how to track, hunt, and hide. I’ve seen how you love them and how they love you. I know they have always had a place in your heart. I saw how they missed you when you left.”
I looked away from his pale gaze. It felt strange knowing he’d been out there, watching me, watching us. It shamed me to realize he’d seen how his granddaughters had suffered in my absence.
“I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I needed to know them in the only way I could. Do you understand?”
I squeezed his hands gently and swung my gaze back to him. “Yes, I understand.”
“With the death of your Alpha and his mate, all rights to Arteisma and Nereida have reverted back to me.” A sad smile curved his mouth. “The only way I can thank you for your care and safekeeping of my great-granddaughters is to grant you the opportunity to continue to do so. If that is your wish.”
If that is your wish.
Stunned, all the pleas and reasoning I’d stored up to lay out my case for why the twins should stay with me dried up and floated away. The arguments I’d been so willing to put forth were no longer needed. The fear of losing them overwhelmed me. I couldn’t find the words, much less nod to let Einar know that, yes, keeping Arteisma and Nereida was my only wish.
“That’s her wish,” Seff filled in for me. “And my wish too.”
“Okay, then,” he said. “Seff, I have zero doubts regarding Desarae’s commitment to my great-granddaughters, but if you agree to take them on, we all must be in agreement. It’s forever, not just until they become unruly teens, demanding freedoms you’re not comfortable with or willing to give them. Raising females is...” He smiled and shook his head. “Let me just say it will not be easy. Especially right now, with all of them grieving. But I have faith in you, Seff. I believe you have the strength and compassion to support and comfort the females I’m leaving in your care.”
“Never changin’ my mind, Einar,” Seff said in all seriousness. “I promise, I’m in this forever.”
My face hurt from the huge grin I couldn’t seem to control. With my hands trembling and my heart bursting with joy, I wrapped my arms around the old wolf. He’d blessed Seff and me with his most precious gift. Einar wrapped his arms around me and held on while my silent tears dripped down the back of his old jacket.
He patted my back and whispered, “We’ll make it official through wolf law.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” I whispered, my throat thick with tears.
He sat back while I wiped my wet cheeks and sniffled.
“Your dad told me the wolves who helped clean up had left small boxes of personal items they had collected in each yurt. I’m going to take Vera’s things back with me. She was close to a few of her cousins. They might like something to remember her by.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
