LET'S CELEBRATE! IT'S MY BIG DAY: A WHOLE NEW BOOK, A WHOLE NEW WORLD, A WHOLE NEW HERO! Check out the excerpt at the end of this chapter (added after the chapter was published so you aren't charged for the words). I hope you love Zev as much as I do!

*****

RETH

"Put pressure on that wound!

" Aymora hissed.

Reth clapped his hand over the other arm, but watched, holding his breath, as Aymora offered the bowl to the beast.

It's nostrils flared and it lifted its head to lap at the blood. Reth's heart flew into his throat—then plummeted again when she shook her head, snorting, and dropped it back to the furs with a soft groan.

"Shit! The herbs are bitter,

" Aymora cursed.

"The blood will congeal soon—

"

"Do you have a waterskin in there?

" Reth asked, his voice shaky.

"Yes, but water won't stop her stomach from rejecting—

"

"Empty it,

" Reth commanded, crawling up onto the platform.

"Get off here and empty the waterskin, put the blood in it, and hand it to me.

"

Aymora didn't even hesitate. She scooted off the platform, leaving room for Reth at Elia's head. He pulled himself into the space, his legs extended in front of him. Then, while Aymora did as he'd told her, he cooed at his mate and coaxed her to lift her muzzle, to rest her head against his thigh, so her nose was high, but he could still see her eyes.

"I'm going to give you this, and it won't taste good,

" he murmured, stroking her face as he would when she was in human form.

"But you need to drink it because it will help the pain stop. Help the cub stay inside for now. And then you'll be able to rest, Love. I know you're tired. Do this one thing, okay? Then you can rest.

"

She stared into his eyes, but hers remained the warm gold of the Lion, even when she huffed, her nostrils flaring to take in his scent.

He continued stroking the side of her face, keeping her muzzle high and whispering his love until Aymora held the waterskin out.

A teardrop shape, the cap was on the thin end. Elia's beast lay with her nose high and mouth slightly open to pant, her tongue curling between her front teeth. Reth removed the cap from the waterskin and placed it over her tongue, pinching the end so that it only allowed a trickle down her tongue, into her throat.

Her breath quickened and the first time she swallowed, she tried to pull away. But Reth just kept whispering to her, telling her all the ways that he had missed her, that he needed her, that he couldn't live without her. All the ways this was best for her and their child—and all the ways he would show her his love when she was feeling better.

She snorted more than once, and tried to pull away two more times, but over the next minute Reth emptied the waterskin into her mouth and she swallowed every drop.

Finally he could breath. Tossing the skin off the bed, he curled over her massive head, holding her, pressing his forehead to hers.

"You did so well, beautiful, so well. Don't give up now. Pray with me.

"

And he prayed, and prayed, and prayed.

While Jayah and Aymora spoke to each other in whispers, while Elia panted and nuzzled his chest, while his heart pounded against his ribs, he prayed, pleading for her life and the life of their child. The cub. He thanked the Creator for bringing her back so quickly after peace reigned—he thanked the Creator for the tentative peace, for the wolves return. For… all of it.

He prayed that he and Elia would have many years ahead, and pleaded that they would not be marred by the loss of the life of such a precious little one.

A rough tongue darted out to lick his cheek more than once, and his arm, that was still trickling blood. But he only nuzzled her and kept praying. Begging the Creator to bring them through this night safely. All of them.

At some point he laid down on his side, the Beast's forehead against his chest. He kept stroking her and scratching behind her ears, telling her all that the Creator had done since she'd been gone. All the ways he'd been miserable without her, and all the joy he felt now that she was back.

"Come back to me, Elia,

" he begged in a whisper.

"Please. All the way back.

"

The beast took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

He didn't know how long it had been, it seemed like hours, when he was snapped out of his whispers by the realization that the beast had fallen asleep, her head still pressed into his chest.

"She's not panting,

" Jayah said suddenly a few minutes later, and leaned into her ribs.

"Her heartrate has dropped also.

"

Aymora, who had been busy mixing more herbs on top of the dresser against the wall where Reth had taken Elia once, rushed back to the bed and knelt next to Jayah, between Elia's beast's legs and pressed on her stomach.

The beast groaned, but didn't start panting again.

Jayah pointed to the muscles behind her ribs and near her flank.

"They've stopped contracting. For now, at least.

"

Aymora nodded and felt her stomach all over.

"The babe is still down though, the head at the top of the canal. She could begin contractions again at any time.

"

Jayah nodded.

"She needs to remain on rest. Off her feet. In a few hours when we're certain the contractions won't start again, we need to see if we can get Elia to shift back. We'll be far better able to monitor her in her human form. She can always shift back for the delivery if it's needed. If the cub shifts.

"

"No, she can't,

" Reth and Aymora said at the same time.

"At least, we don't know if she can. The shifting is new for her. She's not really able to choose it,

" Reth said.

Jayah frowned, then looked at Aymora.

"You don't use the jabberthorn tonic?

"

Aymora's head pulled back.

"What jabberthorn tonic?

"

"The one that will force a shift,

" Jayah said, confused.

"You truly do not know it?

"

Reth and Aymora gaped at each other.

*****

NEW BOOK OUT NOW! My entirely new character and world is now live! It's still in the process of being vetted by NovelFull, but you can find it if you search

"Rise of the Dark Alpha

":

Zev prowled towards her, all shining, brutal beauty, his chin low and those incredible, piercing eyes fixed on her. He didn't stop until they were toe-to-toe and he blocked her view of every other male in the circle.

His eyes dipped to her mouth as he leaned in, his whisper playing on her skin.

"You. Are. Mine.

"

His deep voice twanged in her belly as the howls of the wolf pack rose from behind him to echo across the mountains of Thana, while the other Chimera protested his claim.

Fighting the urge to stroke his broad, bare chest with her shaking hands, Sasha forced herself to tilt her head and raise an eyebrow.

"So bold for a pup who just found his fangs.

"

The other males hooted with laughter.

Ignoring their taunts, Zev's eyes sparked and he leaned even closer, the scruff on his jaw tickling her cheek as he smiled.

"So bold for a human who already knows the pleasure of gasping my name.

"

She shivered when his teeth grazed her ear.

(SEE THE FULL SUMMARY IN THE AUTHOR NOTE BELOW)