Hannah brushed away her tears. She wanted to scream and ask Karl if his life before, why his family, her family, were so bad he’d wanted to forget them. Every single last memory was hidden away.
Deep down in her soul, she knew why. He couldn’t remember the pain of their mom dying, the heartache of living without her, of joining the Army to impress a father. Of leaving the Army and trying to figure out exactly who he was and where he fit into the world.
Here he had a new family, he had a mate, a woman who loved him unconditionally. And a child on the way. A baby to love and care for, a child who would make his life complete.
“This is a good place to raise a child,” Wiroo assured Hannah.
“Have you always lived here?” O’Malley asked when Hannah didn’t reply.
“I was born here. My father was born here. His father before him. It’s not always an easy life, the winters can be bitter. But then the spring comes, and the first flowers appear on the slopes of the mountain, clinging to life. Then, there is no place I would rather be.” She smiled as if imagining watching those flowers bloom. “Ours is a simple life. We hunt, we trade, we live, and we love.”
“Right now, I think I need to sleep.” Hannah lifted her head, her eyelids almost too heavy to keep open.
“Of course, you have had a long, tiring day.” Wiroo got to her feet, her expression unsure as she looked down on Hannah.
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Hannah said warmly. “You could have left us out there in the storm. It might have been easier for you if you did.” Hannah glanced at Karl.
“That is not our way. You were walking the pilgrim’s path. We rarely meet people, so it seemed as though it was a sign. Then we picked up the scent. It was too much for me to ignore.” She pressed her lips together. “You came here to seek something missing in your life. I hope that you have found it and are ready to move on.”
“I think I’d like to return. Perhaps to visit when the baby is born?” Hannah suggested.
“I’d like that.” Wiroo placed her hand on Karl’s shoulder. “We would both like to see you again.” She held out her arm indicating a bed in another part of the house. “Please, sleep here. We will stay by the fire and keep it burning. This is not a night for the fire to go out.”
“We can’t take your bed,” Hannah insisted.
“We won’t sleep tonight,” Karl said. “We are on duty.”
“On duty?” O’Malley asked.
“Yes, in a storm such as this, we take it in turns to stay up all night. We’ll patrol the area every couple of hours and if anyone needs help, they know where to come.” Karl was a proud member of this small community. Hannah had never seen him so happy. So content.
It was a shock to know that he had found happiness in the strangest of places. But then his partner in life was a shifter. A woman who was meant for him.
“Come on.” O’Malley took her hand, picked up the packs, and carried them through to the bedroom area, which was simply a curtained-off section of the same large room.
Hannah sat down wearily on the bed and pulled off her sweater before she changed into her sweatpants.
Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she lay down to go to sleep. She had gained a sister and would soon gain a niece or nephew, yet despite finding Karl, she could not help but believe she had lost a brother in the process.
Chapter Nineteen – O’Malley
“Karl looks happy.” O’Malley glanced at his mate who was sitting beside him on a huge boulder outside the enclave under the mountain.
“He does.” Hannah’s jaw flexed and she looked down at her coffee cup before taking a drink. “The coffee’s good.”
“You don’t want to talk about it.” The storm had passed over the mountains, but O’Malley was certain they were in the eye of a hurricane. Behind them was the fear and worry over whether Karl was alive or dead, in front of them were the recriminations and guilt that went along with not fighting to get her brother back.
“I don’t know what to say.” Hannah’s honesty was heartbreaking. “But I have to find the words since I have to go home and explain all this to my father.”
She dashed a tear from her cheek and took a long shuddering breath before she stared out into the distance. The wind and rain had battered the mountainside all night but now, mid-morning the next day the sky was washed clean, with no clouds in sight. However, the watery sun held little heat, leaving the air chill.
“You’ll find the words,” he assured her. “I know you will.”
She nodded. “And then I pick up the pieces again.” Another tear spilled down her cheek. “This is like losing my mom all over again and I don’t want to go through that.” She hiccupped and took hold of his hand. “I wanted us to be my fresh start. Instead, it’s like I’m trapped, unable to break away.”
“Hey, listen. I’m there for you. Your family is my family.” He thought for a moment. “Why don’t you come and live in Cougar Ridge and make a fresh start?”
“My dad.” She turned to face him, her mouth turned down at the corners.
“He could come, too.” It wasn’t exactly the new start he’d planned but things didn’t always work out the way you hoped. “We make the best of what we have.”
“You want my dad to live with us?” She shook her head. “I don’t know about that.”
“What if he had a house or a ground-floor apartment close by? Hell, I’ll
