Page 148 of Blood Fist
“Iylah confirmed it this morning.”
Andthathad been uncomfortable. The aged healer had cackled when she found out, muttering under her breath about all the ways Ridan had tortured his parents as a pup. She prepared him a soothing tea to take between her peals of laughter. Then she made another tea for Brune. Something for headaches.
Brune said nothing, throat bobbing as his stare bore a hole in Ridan’s stomach. It was like he could see through him to the tiny pup growing.
Ridan shifted a little nervously. “I missed my heat. After we mated it should have lined up with your rut, and when it didn’t, I started paying attention to the symptoms I thought were stress.” He licked his lips. “I know we didn’t talk about pups and?—”
He never finished his sentence. Brune grabbed him, arms wrapping around his waist as he dragged Ridan off the fence. He spun him around, laughing wetly as tears spilled past his lashes. Brune squeezed him, kissing Ridan soundly.
“Oh!” he released him, letting Ridan drop to his feet. “I shouldn’t squeeze! I’m sorry pup.”
Brune dropped to his knees, nosing into Ridan’s belly. He rumbled; his scent so pleased it tickled Ridan’s nose.
“Hi pup,” Brune said, shoving Ridan’s shirt out of the way so he could press his lips against the taut skin of his abdomen.
Laying his hands in Brune’s hair, he didn’t have the heart to tell the big alpha the pup probably couldn’t hear him yet.
Frost clung to his hair and lashes, framing the world in an icy haze. The frigid air hurt to breathe as he trudged through the knee-deep snow. It was a cold he had never experienced before, the kind that invaded your joints and sapped strength from limbs. With all the snow, he nearly didn’t recognize the way back. It was like the world had put on a mask, slipping into anonymity while he’d been hunting through the deeper woods.
The spoils of his effort bounced against his thigh as he finally made his way into the clan. There was no mistaking the ice-covered tents. They looked heavenly, with thick plumes of smoke spiraling into the night air. The light spilling from the seams in the door flaps promised warmth and had he not a better destination in mind, he might have stopped by to warm his bones.
Ridan had been adamant about finishing building before the firstsnows came, and his foresight had been prescient. The old folks say this was the worst winter in recent memory and Brune was inclined to believe it. Winters were never this chilly back in Kaldonea. They were too close to the sea, and with the city packed as it was, snow never made it to the ground.
As he looked around the quiet camp, he was pleased to note that not a single member of the Stone Blade would go cold tonight. Or any other night. Even the horses were snug in the barn or huddled around fresh forage, eating to keep warm through the long nights.
The Stone Blade had worked hard for this, and it filled Brune with a sense of pride. There were hardly any traces of the attack that had nearly stolen their home from them. Only the memories remained. And he didn’t think those would go away anytime soon.
His den came into view, and he sighed in relief. He parted the flaps and shouldered his way into the warmth. Snow flaked off his boots as he made sure the flap closed behind him.
The tent was lit by the hearth. It was peaceful, with the diffuse light casting shadows on the walls and the sound of popping logs as they burned. With his teeth, Brune pulled off his gloves and tossed them close to the hearth to dry. His heavy cloak came next and then his boots. His movements were stiff but he could feel them beginning to thaw as he pulled the snow soaked clothes away from his skin.
Brune dropped the rabbit skins in a heap. He would clean them up later. The meat he saved in a special pouch made of the stomach lining from a deer. Without redressing, he quickly packed it in the snow outside the tent. It would keep until morning when he could begin drying it.
Rubbing his hands together, he crouched beside thehearth and ran his fingers along the thick furs. They were soft and would be perfect for his pup’s delicate skin. Brune smiled just thinking about it. Ridan had chided him for going all the way into the deep woods for rabbit, but he wouldn’t settle.
Once warmed, he turned to the small alcove Ridan had made his nest. It was lovely. Cozy and warm, his omega had spent weeks fluffing furs and getting the scent just right. The result had been the most beautiful nest Brune had ever seen.
Ridan was sleeping there now, curled up and facing the hearth. Light danced across his fuller cheeks, chasing shadows across his closed lids and plump lips. Dark fur tickled his cheeks as he slept curled around his growing belly.
His mate complained about the change in his appearance—grousing about his swollen legs and his thickening middle, but Brune thought he’d never looked more beautiful. He couldn’t keep his hands off his bump, letting his hands linger until Ridan swatted them away in annoyance.
Despite his grumbling, Ridan couldn’t hide how proud he was of their growing pup. The first time he felt it kick, he woke Brune, laying his hand where he’d felt the small flutter until it happened again. Then he made fun of his alpha for crying, even as he was swiping at his own eyes.
Ridan didn’t stir as Brune slipped into the nest. He must be exhausted. The Steel Jaw clan was having a rough winter. A fire had destroyed much of their winter store, and Ridan had been trying to send them whatever aid he could. Battling his advisors—who still held on to their old habits of segregation—were not in favor of reducing their supplies when the winter was so harsh.His mate had to fight tooth and nail to get them to agree, and it was taking it out of him.
After Ridan announced his pregnancy, many thought he’d step down as chief. There hadn’t been an omega chief in the Stone Blade for generations, let alone a pregnant one. They should have known better than to question his mate's resolve. Ridan had shown up to their meetings shirtless, his many necklaces dancing over his pregnant belly with a sword at his side. He glared at them all until they ducked their heads.
And when Auhert spoke over Ridan to Brune, as if he were Chief, Ridan punched the alpha so hard he swallowed a tooth. Areine nearly fell off her chair laughing.
Brune was proud of his strong mate, telling him so as he rubbed his back that evening.
Settling into the furs, Brune laid a hand on the crest of his belly. Ridan mumbled in his sleep, sniffing slightly before sighing. Rubbing his thumb over the taut skin, Brune couldn’t help but be amazed that his pup was in there.His pup.Not for the first time, he found himself in awe of his mate. There were very few things Ridan did that weren’t amazing, but to create their pup from nothing but the strength of his own body? That was something he would never stop thinking about.
It was hard to believe that in a short time, Brune’s life had changed so completely. He often wondered, on nights like this when he found himself more contemplative than sleepy, what his younger self would have thought if he told him that one day he would leave Kaldonea. That his life lay beyond the walls he’d grown up looking at. That his home was in foreign lands, and he would only find it at the point of a blade.
Young Brune probably wouldn’t believe him. After all,it wasn’t so long ago that Sehleh’s cooking had seemed like the most amazing thing he’d ever find. And now he was lying beside his pregnant mate, worrying if they had enough soft furs and if the meat they dried would be enough to keep Ridan’s strength up through the most trying days of his pregnancy.
He felt his pup bump up against his hand, and Ridan shifted, nose wrinkling in pain. Brune shushed his pup softly, smoothing his hand over Ridan’s belly to soothe his restless pup.