Free Reclaimed (Wolf in Exile Part 4): Werewolf Shifter/Vampire Paranormal Romance by Ambrielle Kirk, Amber Ella Monroe Page B

lose Thane, the man.”
    She swallowed. “What are you saying?”
    “He can become one of us.”
    “A vampire? You mean he’ll be a real…v-vampire. Like a hybrid.”
    “Yes and no. Hybrids can only be born from a union between a shifter and a vampire. Vampires can only be created.”
    “What happens in relationships between a human and a vampire?”
    “Well, that’s between the vampire and the human,” Tor replied. “The majority of accounts so far result in the human being turned.”
    Kalena swallowed.
    “Do I have your permission to turn him?”
    “If it will save Thane’s life, yes, you have my permission.”
    “His old life cannot be saved.” Tor shook his head. “All I can offer is my blood. If he’s strong enough, he’ll rise again as one of us.”
    “He’s strong…” Kalena nodded.
    “There’s not much vitality left in him, which is why I hesitate. There’s a chance this won’t work.”
    “But there’s a chance it will, right?”
    Tor nodded. “It is your choice.”
    Kalena looked across the room at all of the faces staring at her.
    Brant said. “As Thane’s intended mate, you have the right to make this choice for him. You carry his imprints and his offspring.”
    Kalena turned to look at Thane again. She could have sworn his cheeks had lost more color.
    “I just want him back. Is that selfish?”
    Tracy gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “We want him back, too, Kalena. We’ve already come to grips with the fact that we lost his wolf, but Thane was, is also a man. A very good man who just wanted to protect his family’s legacy.”
    Kalena glanced up at Tor. “Please, do it. Do it and I will pay you whatever you want.”
    Tor’s lips widened into a smile. “I’ve been bargaining with Thane for decades. I’m sure we can come to some agreement later.”
    “Thank you.”
    “He’s fading away, so I have to do it now. Leave the room. All of you.”
    “Wait, can’t I stay…?” Kalena asked, as everyone else filed out of the room.
    “No,” Tor said, bluntly. “This process is between a creator and his subordinate. For the next twenty four hours, no one should enter.”
    Kalena rose to a standing position and gave Thane a kiss on the lips before leaving the room.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
    K alena flipped aimlessly through the pages of the book she held in her lap. She’d read a few pages here and a few pages there, but wasn’t able to focus on anything but the dire situation she was in. She barely had an appetite, which was unusual for her. Since yesterday, Tracy had relentlessly checked in on her every couple of hours, insisting that she eat. Everything tasted like cardboard. The chef had even attempted to cook her favorite meal. She was restless. Over twenty-four hours had passed since she’d left the room where Thane lay unconscious.
    She turned her attention to her belly, which was still flat. She couldn’t believe she was pregnant. She would be a mother. Nine months from now, she would have the children of the man she loved. Everyone who’d come in contact with her thus far confirmed that the levels of chemicals they picked up in her scent resulted from her carrying not one but multiple offspring. It was a well-known fact that male shifter sperm often fertilized multiple eggs or the same egg, which resulted in identical or fraternal twins. In identical twins, like Thane and Gavril, only one twin got the shifter gene. When the sperm fertilized multiple eggs, all the resulting offspring had the shifting gene.
    Kalena didn’t care if her babies ended up being identical or fraternal, she would love them all just the same.
    She missed Thane so much and was eager to see him. Why was this taking so long? Had something gone wrong?
    She exhaled, letting out her aggravation, and then slammed the book shut.
    Ulrick and Zeff, who’d been assigned as her guardians, jumped up on all fours, their eyes wide and their expressions startled. When they realized that she was only expressing her