“My Hemalo,” I sigh happily, stroking his sweaty mane back from his face.

He presses another kiss to my mouth and then nuzzles my nose. “You are pleased?”

“More than pleased,” I tell him, and then pat his flank. “Though I hope you have saved some of your strength, because I am going to want more.”

A chuckle escapes him. “My mate is insatiable.”

“Your mate, and her khui,” I agree, feeling it sing in my chest. It is not silent yet. It will need more time to end its song, and that pleases me. “It wants us to mate more.”

“It is just as demanding as you,” Hemalo teases.

My smile fades as a sobering idea hits me. “We are going to make another kit by the time resonance is fulfilled.” I tighten my arms around him. “Oh, Hemalo, the thought brings me such joy and such terror.”

“It brings me nothing but joy,” he murmurs, caressing my cheek before letting his hand slide down to one of my teats. He grazes my hard nipple, teasing the peak of it. “You will be a wonderful mother to our kit.”

“I still think of Hashala,” I admit to him. “And I still want her. Is that terrible?”

“It is normal,” he reassures me. “You will never stop wanting her. But I imagine she will have wanted a sister…or a brother.”

I like to imagine that, too. I smile softly at him. “How do you always know what to say to bring me out of my worry?”

There is a smile in his eyes as he leans forward and presses another tender kiss to my mouth. “Because I know you better than anyone. You are my heart, and I am yours. We will always be there for each other.”

He says it, and I want to remind him of the past, when we have split apart so badly. But this time, it feels different. It feels…weighty, and real, like when Rokan predicts the changes in the weather. And I think, maybe, that Hemalo is right about this. We struggled in the past, but now we are stronger than ever. As long as we are together, we can take anything.

I slide my hand to his tail and grip the base, giving it a squeeze. “How is your cock, my fierce tanner?”

He groans and buries his face against my neck. “Stirring already.”

Mmm. I smile.

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19

ASHA

Three Days Later

When I wake up on a chilly morning three days later, Hemalo has his head resting on my teats and his tail is wrapped around my leg, anchoring me to him. I slide my arms around him, enjoying the feel of my mate in my arms…until I notice my stomach rumbling with hunger. Strange. It has not been noticeable since I resonated, because the singing of my khui to Hemalo has drowned out all other urges.

Curious, I think of my mate and wait for my khui to begin its loud song, but there is only a gentle, sated thrumming.

That means…

I press a hand between our bodies, touching my flat stomach. Inside me is our kit. Three brutal season from now, I will be holding my own little one. I am both filled with wonder and utterly terrified at the same time. I close my eyes and hope that this one turns out healthy and strong. If it does not…

Hemalo’s arms tighten around me in his sleep, as if he can sense my thoughts.

If this little one does not turn out healthy and strong, we will grieve, but we will get through it together, I realize. I will not shut myself away from my mate with my sadness. I will tell him all of the hurt and anger I hold, and he will understand it and help me get better. I feel calmer with that realization, and slide out of the blankets. Hemalo sleeps on, even after I crawl out of bed. He is exhausted, my mate. We have spent the better part of the last several days in a mating frenzy, and between matings, napped and held each other as we talked. I am…starving. Starving and cold. Our fire has burned down to coals, and I put on a tunic and leggings, and shove my feet into my boots before heading to the fire to stoke it. We are out of fuel, though, and we are also out of dried meat. There is nothing to eat and nothing to burn. I should be annoyed, but I feel too good. I will just have to go out and get more supplies, then.

I glance back at my sleeping mate and then pull a fur blanket over my shoulders, pushing the privacy screen aside and peering out into the vee-lage. Things seem quiet, which means it is early, but I do not mind that. In truth, I need only fuel…and perhaps the sight of one particular person. I am brimming with the need to tell someone about what has happened, someone other than my mate.

As if my thoughts have summoned her, Claire appears out of her howse, a bundle in her arms. She pauses in the road and glances down at my howse. I step out of the doorway and wave at her.

Her round, human face brightens, and a big smile creases her face. She heads toward me, waddling as fast as she can with her burden perched over her belly. “Asha!”

I put a finger to my lips, pulling my privacy screen back over the entrance of my howse, then move out to meet her. I am surprised—and pleased—when she puts her arms around me in a hug. It is amusing to think this small human is trying to hug me, and I wrap my longer arms around her and hug her back.

“I’m so glad to see you’ve returned,” Claire gushes, pitching her voice low as she glances around. “Everyone is wondering how things are going. You two have been so quiet in your house.” Her cheeks turn a bright red. “Well, not so quiet, but you know what I mean.”

I laugh. “We finally stopped resonating,” I tell her, and put a hand to my stomach. Mine is completely flat, and hers is rounded like a ball, but I feel like we are united at this moment. “This morning, I think.”

Her face lights up, and she gives a happy squeal, dropping her bundle as she flings her arms around me, hugging me all over again. Her joy just highlights my own joy, and I am laughing and crying all at once as she gushes about how excited she is for me. I am excited for me, too. For the first time in a long time.

She takes my hands and squeezes them, her gaze searching my face. “And you’re happy? How are things with you and Hemalo?”

“We are good,” I reassure her.

“Did you tear him a new one?”

“A new one what?” I ask.

“Human expression. Did you yell at him for leaving you behind?”

I shake my head. “It is a long story, better told around a fire.” My stomach growls again. “Hopefully with food.”

“Oh! I am the worst friend.” She shakes her head and then puts a hand on her belly, leaning over to pick up her bundle. “I was going to leave this on your porch in case you guys didn’t want to emerge just yet. I know when Ereven and I first resonated, it was hard to leave the bed for at least a week.” The red is back in her cheeks as she holds the bundle out to me.

I take it from her, touched at her thoughtfulness. Unwrapping it, I can see that it is a package of dried meats, some roots, and another bundle of dung chips for fire fuel. “You are a good friend, Claire.”

She waves a hand in the air. “Please. I’m just the first one to head over. You’re going to be inundated with well-wishers once people find out you’ve emerged. Everyone is so excited for you both. Well, everyone except Farli,” she amends with a small smile. “She wasn’t too happy to be kicked out of her own house, but she understands. She’s been staying with us until a roof is made for another one of the houses.”

“I will have to make it up to Farli,” I promise.

“Come. Do you want to go sit in the main lodge, or do you want to come visit by my fire?” Claire asks, putting her arm around my waist as if she is not the size of a kit and heavily pregnant. “I can feed you if you are hungry. Or do you want to return to your mate?”