Free One Battle Lord’s Fate by Linda Mooney Page B

like a hunter and started thinking like a mother.”
    She watched as Yulen’s gaze roamed over her back. Gently he brushed her shoulder-length hair to one side, then lifted the edge of the poultice. She saw him wince.
    “No backpacking for a while?”
    “Atty, I ought to spank your butt. I don’t know whether to punish you, or get down on my knees and thank God you’re going to be okay.”
    “I have a better idea.” Holding out a hand, she waited until he took it in his own warm, calloused hand. He pressed a quick kiss to her fingers, and the look of love and relief on his face made her heart do a somersault.
    “What’s that?” he murmured.
    “Bring me Mattox so I can nurse him. Then I’ll take whatever foul-tasting medicine I know Liam’s over there concocting for me.”
    Rolling his eyes, Yulen yielded to the physician’s expertise. “When do you think she’ll be fit enough to be moved to the lodge?”
    Walking over to the couple, the doctor made a face as he thought. “I need to keep an eye on her overnight, just to make sure I cleaned out those scratches thoroughly. If I don’t see any signs of infection, I’ll turn her over to you in the morning.” He gave Atty a thinly-veiled look of irritation. “You’re not a teenager anymore, bluebell. You lost a lot of blood out there, and your body had just gotten over the loss you suffered when you had Mattox. Another incident like that, and you’re going to go into shock. If that happens, there’s no medicine, mine or Mutah, that will be able to help you.”
    He leaned closer. “I don’t have to tell you this. You know from now on you’re going to need to take even greater precautions whenever you go out. It’s not just Yulen anymore who needs you.”
    Closing her eyes, she nodded as she swallowed around the lump in her throat. It hadn’t taken her long to realize how out of touch with the forest she had become since her son’s birth. Her stamina had withered, not to mention her agility. The only thing that hadn’t been affected was her ability, thank heavens.
    Or was it? She was beginning to doubt. The single shot to the wolfen’s brain through its eye should have put it down permanently. At least it appeared it had done its job when the animal thrashed and squirmed before finally coming to a weakened halt.
    If only she hadn’t turned her back on it and just stood there as she thought about the boy. If only she had turned and started walking back to the compound instead of just standing there next to the body.
    A shudder ran through her as memory reminded her of the black pain that had torn through her when the wolfen had swiped its paw across her back in one last desperate attempt to punish its executioner.
    She felt a kiss on her cheekbone. Atty opened her eyes as Yulen released her hand and left to fetch their son. That left her with nothing but empty air to talk to, although she could hear the doctor somewhere behind her making rattling sounds.
    “Liam?”
    “Yeah?” He was at the other side of the table, but she didn’t have the energy at the moment to turn her head in the other direction.
    “Thanks.”
    There was a pause in whatever he was doing. Another minute nearly ticked by when she felt his hand on her calf.
    “That’s what I’m here for.”
    “You know what I meant.”
    “I do.” He sighed. “Ready for me to help you sit up?”
    She nodded, gritting her teeth. The compress and medicants helped, or else she wouldn’t have been able to do what it took to get her propped up. A pillow at her back helped. They were nearly ready when Yulen walked back into the clinic with a fussy infant in his arms. Wordlessly he handed Mattox over to her and helped drape the blanket over her shoulder to keep her warm.
    The baby latched onto her nipple with zeal. His ruby-red eyes gazed up at her as he hungrily sucked. The surge of milk being pulled from her breast was welcome relief. Atty sighed loudly and leaned against the strong bulk of her