The she-wolf stamped her foot, pouting. "No, no, I want to stay with you. She's asleep anyway."
"I'm hungry. Will you take me to hunt?"
Kael looked at her with helpless affection, brushing the loose dark hair from her forehead.
"Whatever you want. Anything you want. What are you craving?"
The tenderness in his eyes—I had never seen it once in five years of our mating bond.
She whispered something against his ear, her breath warm on his neck. He scooped her up by the waist.
They headed down the passage together.
A sharp pain tore through my abdomen. I clutched my belly, slid down the stone wall, and crumpled to the floor.
I activated the bond-link to reach Kael. Heavy breathing filled the connection.
"Selene, you're awake? Something came up with pack business at the central den. Rest at the healer-den—I'll come for you when you're done."
"Kael, my belly hurts. Can you skip the den and stay with me? Please?"
"Don't be difficult, Selene. It's almost the Midwinter Council gathering. I can't let anything affect my standing with the Elders. Be good."
The she-wolf's voice, low and urgent: "Hurry up, hurry up. My paws are cold. End the link."
The connection went dead.
The pain ebbed.