RETH

Reth was still having a fatherly moment when Elreth shifted in his arms, back to human form. She remained sitting in his arms, but was much smaller as a one year old human than she was as a yearling cub. She put both her pudgy little hands to his face and smiled again.

"Da! Morn, Da!

"

"Good morning.

"

"Wi oo me de yum w'Da?

"

Reth blinked. He had no idea what she was saying, but Elia laughed.

"She wants to know if you'll have breakfast with her.

"

Reth's brows popped up. He had no idea how his clever mate had figured that out, but he was glad to hear it.

"I will eat with you this morning, Elreth. And after, I have a special treat for you.

"

"Oooo, twee? Twee?

"

He nodded.

"Mama Aymora is coming to take you for a visit today. Would you like that?

"

Elreth's eyes went wide and her smile broke like a dazzling sunrise.

"Mam-mora!

" She clapped her hands and immediately tried to push out of Reth's arms. He chuckled, setting her on the floor where she immediately tried to totter towards the door, but gave up on her unstable human legs and shifted to her cub to gallop again.

"Elreth, no. She's not here yet. Breakfast first. Come on.

"

Elreth's cub yeowled, but he ignored the protest and started towards the dining room.

"Good morning,

" he said, stopping to slide a hand to Elia's waist and give her a brief kiss.

She raised her eyebrows.

"Aymora's taking Elreth? Is that a treat for Elreth? Or for me?

"

"Both,

" he said, winking. His chest warmed when Elia's eyes sparkled despite the dark circles under them. Between a difficult pregnancy and then the tornado that had entered their lives in the form of Elreth, she hadn't had a full night's sleep in well over a year.

She took a deep breath and leaned into his chest, hugging his waist.

"Thank you, Reth.

"

"Don't thank me, thank Aymora,

" he said, stroking her hair.

"She's giving us the whole day. We'll meet her and Elreth at the market for dinner.

"

Elia pulled back to meet his eyes, her chin turned slightly away as she grinned, her eyes locked on his and measuring him for truth.

"The whole day? Does she understand… what she's getting herself into?

"

Reth chuckled.

"Hollhye's going to help her, I think.

"

Elia nodded.

"That's probably wise. Hollhye's the only one El's scared of.

"

Reth almost added that Elreth wasn't the only one afraid of Hollhye, but he tied his tongue.

There were still tensions there since the negotiation with the Bears that had taken months, but had ended in their agreement to vacate the portal region in the summer. Once they left, Hollhye had wanted Behryn to resign immediately. But luckily he'd been able to convince Hollhye that Reth and Elia still needed more help.

Apparently Hollhye took that literally because she'd been offering to help more and more with Elreth, much to Elreth's nerves and Elia's unease. But there was no doubt, no one kept Elreth in line better. Aymora even used Hollhye as a threat when Elreth was being rebellious.

As he settled himself at the table and pulled the plate of fruits and grains towards the chair where Elreth's cub was climbing up despite being told that her beast form was not appropriate for the dining table, Reth was beginning to think they should do the same thing.

*****

An hour later while Elia bathed, he stood in the great room with Aymora, who smiled and leaned down, hands clasped to smile at Elreth.

"Are you ready for a fun day of making surprises!

"

"Yayah!

"

Reth chuckled and handed Aymora a bag with a few of Elreth's clothes and favorite snacks.

"We won't be here, Aymora. I'm taking her completely out of the City. She needs a break.

"

Aymora lifted Elreth to her hip, and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just make sure her break has some time for rest,

" she said dryly.

"Being a mother and a mate and a Queen… sometimes all she'll want is time to be nothing at all.

"

Reth nodded.

"I'm working on it. Thank you for taking Elreth today.

"

"It's my pleasure to serve my King and Queen,

" she said with a wink, then turned to smile at Elreth, her eyes wide.

"Shhhhhh, you can't tell him about the trouble we make, okay? Daddy is King and he has to be good. So we can only be bad when he's not around!

"

Elreth nodded seriously and put a finger to her mouth, spitting as she tried to shush.

Aymora laughed out loud, wiping her face.

"Okay, you gorgeous girl, let's get out of here before the big bad King makes us do push ups!

"

"Bi' ba' Da! Bi' ba' Da!

"

Reth growled and pretended to chase them out of the house. Elreth shrieked, and Aymora giggled like a little girl, but she was soon racing across the meadow, the grass bare and thin in the winter months, and the sky heavy with the threat of a storm approaching, but not yet there. Reth sniffed the air… they were safe for today at least.

He waited to make sure they were out of sight and not returning before closing the door to the cave and going in search of his mate.

He checked the bathing pools first, hoping to, perhaps, catch her still in the warm water. A favorite for both of them. But the cavern was empty when he opened the door. He frowned and turned back. She must have already finished bathing and gone to the bedroom to get dressed.

He snuck along the tunnel—it was something of a game now to see if he could sneak up her anymore, her hearing was so sharp—grinning, making a mental list for all the things the planned to do to his mate that day.

He eased the door open to find the bedchamber dark. Had he not been able to smell her, he might have thought she wasn't their either. But his eyes adjusted quickly, and his grin shifted to a soft smile.

Elia lay on the furs, her hair half-over her face, her body swathed in… dear Lord, she'd put on the little slip dress thing that Candace made her the night she'd offered herself. Lingerie, she called it. He didn't care what she called it, she was beautiful in it. He stood there for a moment just to take her in. They had both changed so much since those days, but Elia most of all. And not just in her mind. Her body showed their journey in so many ways—she had scars. Her breasts were bigger, her waist and thighs a little thicker. Even her scent had changed, first with pregnancy, then nursing, and now again after she'd weaned Elreth… Everything about her was different. But he loved her this way. She was… fuller.

Elia lay on her side, utterly relaxed. The hair that had fallen over her face fluttered in her breath, then she sucked in again a long, slow breath. She was so **ing beautiful laying there in the half-dark that he almost roared and leaped on her, until he heard a tiny snore and he froze.

Disappointment was a sharp twang in his belly. But she was so exhausted… she'd obviously intended to be waiting for him, to love him. And yet, she'd fallen asleep.

With a soft sigh, Reth stripped out of his clothes, then sneaked up to the bed to slide between the furs and spoon her.

She tensed and came half awake as his knees pressed into the backs of hers and he slid his arm around her waist.

"Reth?

" she said in that half-distracted voice of the still-partly-asleep.

"Shhhhh, Love, go back to sleep.

"

"But… our day—

"

"We'll start it in an hour or two, don't worry, Love. I'm here and you're here. That's what matters.

" He slid his hand up to cup her breast over the little dress and leaned in to kiss her neck.

"Plenty of time.

" He murmured.

"If… you're sure…

" she murmured. But she was already falling back asleep. So Reth didn't answer, but lay there, listening to her breathe, and remembering the many times he'd almost lost her, thanking the Creator that she was still whole, and there, and strong.

He had plans for her, no doubt about it.. But they could wait a couple of hours.