enough after all. But we don’t have to make any decisions now.
The Wolf Who Hatched an Egg
63
I do want a family, but for the moment, let’s just take it one step at a time.”
Slowly, Shiloh relaxed. “One step at a time. Yes, I like that.”
Hand in hand, they joined their friends for breakfast. And as the happy sounds that spoke of family surrounded them, Liam caught a stray thought coming from Shiloh. “ I’d love to have this with him.”
Liam couldn’t agree more.
64
Scarlet Hyacinth
Chapter Six
Shiloh fidgeted on the seat of the car, more and more nervous with every passing second. Now that they’d said their good-byes to Carson and the kids, they were headed toward Liam’s pack land. Brody had insisted he come with them, and Shiloh appreciated the additional support. Still, he was scared of what would happen when he would finally meet the elder of the werewolves eye to eye. Liam claimed the man had learned his lesson, but Shiloh just couldn’t bring himself to believe it.
“Stay calm, baby,” Liam said. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you. And if push comes to shove, you can simply fly away.”
“But unless you changed species in the past five minutes, you can’t,” Shiloh shot back. “How do you possibly expect me to leave you at that man’s mercy?”
“It will be all right,” Brody said. “I don’t trust him either, but he has left me and Carson in peace.”
Shiloh frowned and cursed his previous decision of not taking his gun along on the trip. Of course, he couldn’t bring a weapon in a home with two small kids, especially one designed to kill paranormal species. Nicolas had a little obsession with guns—a very unusual thing for a hummingbird—but it had helped them defend themselves in the big, bad city. Whether it was silver bullets, toxic gas, or even swords of all types, Nicolas had them. Alas, Nicolas’s gift to Shiloh was still in his apartment, and it wouldn’t help him should the elder wolf decide he didn’t like Shiloh after all.
The Wolf Who Hatched an Egg
65
The trip seemed to take forever, but at the same time, not long enough. By the time the car stopped, he felt so antsy he wanted to scream.
Liam and Brody got out of the car, and Shiloh took a deep breath.
This moment meant so much, and Shiloh would not fail his lover. He was a swan, no longer just Shiloh Holden, but the proud bonded mate of Liam Denning. He would act as such if it was the last thing he did.
His head held high, he followed after Liam and Brody. His senses were assaulted by the feel of predator as, for the first time, he faced elder Kevin Wade. To his right was a man who looked a lot like Brody—obviously Brody’s brother, Soren. To Shiloh’s knowledge, Soren was on their side, so his presence might be a good sign. A beautiful young lady stood to his left. There was something familiar about her, but Shiloh couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He hoped the elder wouldn’t try anything funny like he’d done with Brody. No bitch was getting her paws on his man.
The older wolf offered Brody and Liam a neutral smile. “Brody, how nice to see you again. Liam, Soren tells me you’ve found a mate.” Looking toward Shiloh, he said, “And this must be him, isn’t that right?”
“Yes, Elder,” Liam answered. “This is Shiloh.”
Shiloh made a short bow. “It’s an honor to meet you.” He kept his voice level and polite, and somehow managed to find the cool, neutral façade his mother had taught him. First, be polite, she’d said. Then, if they don’t listen, you protect what’s yours, at all costs. And that was exactly what Shiloh intended.
The elder didn’t seem hostile. There weren’t any other wolves present, save for Soren and the girl. Liam took Shiloh’s hand and squeezed it. “Come on, baby,” he whispered. “I want you to meet someone who’s very special to me.”
The two parties walked toward each other, while Shiloh noticed Liam was giving