“No, it means you love me more.” She slid her arm around his shoulders and leaned on him. “I don’t know if I could do the same.”
“Really?” He lifted his head and looked down on her.
“I would fight like crazy.” She looked up at him through her lashes. “At least that’s what I thought but when you explain it like that…”
“If you love someone you have to be able to set them free.” He sighed. “Let’s hope that isn’t something we ever have to test.”
“I’m just trying to figure out what I tell my dad.” Hannah looked up as O’Malley stiffened. “They’re coming back?”
“Yes.” He glanced over his shoulder as the door opened and Wiroo and Karl hurried in before Karl pushed the door closed, sealing out the wind.
“Is everything all right out there?” Hannah asked.
“Yes, the wind is savage out on the mountain, but we are protected here. Even the rain doesn’t fall so hard. There is an overhang of rock that takes the brunt of it, but it’s positioned in such a way that it barely blocks the sun.” She leveled her gaze at Hannah. “We are very fortunate.”
“I can see that.” Hannah glanced at Karl. “How do you like it here, Norton?” It seemed strange calling him by his last name. Wiroo had explained that Karl had been wearing his dog tags when they found him. So they had called him Norton because it was a link to his past, a thread that he could pull if he ever wanted to unravel his memories.
Wiroo and her people had done nothing to keep Karl from remembering. If he chose to.
“It’s hard.” Norton glanced at Wiroo, but there was nothing but love in his expression. “I thought I was fit but keeping up with a group of cougars on the mountain is physically demanding.”
“You certainly look in good shape.” O’Malley’s compliment was met with a small smile.
“I try. But you are a cougar yourself, Wiroo tells me, you know you are faster on two feet than four.” There was no animosity toward O’Malley in Karl’s words or facial features. It was as if they had never met, had never spent time together serving their country.
“Do you remember anything before you came here?” O’Malley asked. “Any faces of people you might have met?” He slipped a poker chip out of his pocket and flipped it between his fingers.
Smart. Hannah kept her breath steady as Karl watched the chip slide through O’Malley’s fingers.
“No. Not really. It’s the strangest thing. I remember how to talk, how to swim, how to cook, but the details of everything else are gone.” He tapped the side of his head. “Whatever is in there wants to stay locked away.”
O’Malley closed his hand over the chip and pocketed it. “I’m sure when it is ready to be unlocked, it’ll just pop back into your head.”
“There is something we want to tell you,” Wiroo blurted out.
She was nervous and Karl took her hand. The look that passed between them was tender, Karl loved this woman with more love than Hannah could ever have guessed he possessed.
With a nod, he looked at Hannah and O’Malley. “It’s more of an announcement. No one else knows but Wiroo thought we should tell you both before you leave.”
“I hope you are not planning on kicking us out in the storm,” O’Malley joked, but his expression was deadly serious.
“No, you are welcome to stay here. But I assumed now that you have found what you were looking for, you would respect the wishes of my people and go back to your lives.” Wiroo breathed out, her expression nervous. She was worried that if Hannah and O’Malley stayed too long that Karl might regain his memories.
Since they were mates, she needed him to stay but O’Malley’s words about how he loved Hannah enough to set her free must be the same for Wiroo.
“Once the storm has passed. Yes.” O’Malley glanced at Hannah. He was right. But the thought didn’t sit well with her.
“So, this news.” Hannah forced a smile onto her face.
“We are having a baby.”
Hannah opened her mouth, but her lungs refused to take in any air. “You’re pregnant?” she gasped.
O’Malley cracked a smile. “Congratulations.”
Wiroo’s cheeks blushed pink and she looked down at her belly, her hand placed over it as if she wanted to protect her unborn baby. From what? From Hannah. The sister of Wiroo’s mate who had come here to steal her child’s father away.
Hannah composed herself. Her brother had made his decision, he’d chosen to take the pilgrim’s path, a path that had led him to a woman who loved him unconditionally and who was now carrying his child. Perhaps, deep down that was what Karl had wanted but he’d never realized it, not subconsciously. Or, if he had, he certainly hadn’t spoken about it to anyone.
Any one member of his family at least.
“Congratulations, Wiroo.” Hannah went to her brother’s mate and hugged her. “I am pleased for you both. Really, really pleased.”
“We should celebrate.” Karl rose from his seat and went to the kitchen area.
“Thank you, Hannah. I hope that we will be as a family.” Wiroo caught hold of Hannah’s hand and said quietly, “I had no idea that you were searching for Karl. Please, believe me.”
Hannah’s fingers curled around Wiroo’s. “You want to protect your mate and now you want to protect your child. I might not have understood before.” She glanced at O’Malley. “But I do now.”
She turned around and went to O’Malley’s side. Quickly sitting down, she glanced briefly at Karl, who carried four glasses and a bottle of pale red liquid. “This looks interesting.”
“It is a blend of fruits and herbs. Nothing that will harm the baby,” Wiroo assured them.
“The child will be a shifter like Wiroo and her people. But I’ll be the best father I can.” Karl took
