Page 34 of Gentle Giant

“See that you do,” I replied. “If you’re not back in a couple of hours, I plan to come after you.”

He gave me a stern look. “You will do no such thing.”

“Yes, I will. So, you’d better hurry back, otherwise I’ll be out wandering the mountainside calling your name during the early hours of the morning.” I was half-teasing, but on the otherhand… if he failed to return… yes, I would go searching for him at some point.

He rubbed his nose to mine again, then gave me a very human kiss, even slipping his tongue inside my mouth briefly, though all things considered, it was a rather chaste kiss. But it left me hungering for more and anticipating his return.

I held my chin high as he departed the cave with half of his tribesmen, not looking away until long after they’d disappeared at the end of the wide corridor.

“You are a lucky female,” came a voice from behind me. I turned to face the Montikaan woman who’d spoken to me. I recognized her as Harmonn, the mate of Brutus’s cousin Axxon. Brutus had introduced us during my second day living among his people.

“Yes, I suppose I am,” I replied, giving her a polite smile. My attention fell to the adorable baby girl in her arms. “What’s her name?”

She glanced down at her infant, a proud smile softening her features. “Her name is Karmm. She was born three moon cycles ago. You didn’t meet her the other day when we were introduced because my sister, Clacca, was watching her so I could go for a much needed walk outside.” She smiled broadly. “I have a son named Baxx who has seen six summers, though he’s off harvesting pokklam berries in the depths of the cavern with his friends. We thought it would be best to distract the most headstrong of the young males so they wouldn’t attempt to follow the war party.”

War party. A chill went through me.

“You think there will be a fight?” I asked.

Karmm smacked her lips and made adorable gurgling noises, causing us to laugh despite the seriousness of the situation.

Harmonn sighed. “My lifemate is out there,” she said, “so I hope there won’t be a battle. But the last timepullshannasentered our territory, they intended to steal females. I cannot fathom another reason to explain their trespassing, though I pray to the Great Spirit that their intentions are peaceful.”

“From what I understand,” I said, “Montikaan males will not force themselves upon a female, and they must wait until she offers herself for mating. How can they possibly go about stealing women?”

She looked at me as though the answer were obvious. “Brutus kidnapped you, did he not? It’s no secret he wants to mate with you and that is why he took you. But he has not forced himself upon you. He waits for you to offer yourself to him, and he is trying his best to claim your heart. It would be the same way for any Starblessed females who are kidnapped bypullshannas.”

“How-how do you know we haven’t mated yet?” I asked.

Her eyes twinkled. “Well, I haven’t heard the mating call yet. When a Montikaan male mounts his female for the first time, he releases a thunderous howl that shakes the entire mountainside.”

My face burned. “So, what you’re saying is… your entire tribe will know when we’re finally getting busy? I mean, finally mating?”

She nodded. “Yes, and we will rejoice in your union. After the mating call is released, the entire tribe will celebrate by dancing and rhythmically beating sticks upon the nearest trees. It’s tradition, and the more noise we make, the more blessings the Great Spirit will bestow upon your mating union.”

I found myself peering down at little Karmm and wondering if Brutus and I would be blessed with a child of our own.Ifwe mated.IfI invited him to claim me.

“Would you like to hold her?” Harmonn asked.

“Yes,” I said, holding my arms out as I pondered why my throat was suddenly burning. Longing surged within me, thelonging for a child with Brutus. All at once, I wanted a family with him more than anything in the whole world.

Nick hadn’t wanted children. He’d been trying to talk me into getting a tubal ligation before the wedding. And while I’d agreed with him about not wanting children, or at least I had at the time (hadn’t wanted to bring children into such a dangerous world), I’d dragged my feet about setting the surgery date. Thank God I hadn’t gone through with it.

Harmonn placed her tiny daughter into my arms, and the longing in my soul deepened. Maybe I hadn’t wanted children with Nick. But Brutus… my gentle giant was another story. I knew he wanted kids; he’d mentioned it many times, his eyes gleaming with affection as he spoke of watching my stomach swell with our first child.

“Are you all right?” Harmonn asked.

I smiled at her baby. “Yes, I’m okay. I just hope Brutus and the others come back unharmed. I-I need to speak with Brutus about something very important.” I only regretted that it had taken danger and possible war coming to the mountainside for me to realize what I truly wanted.

Chapter 24

BRUTUS

To my great shock,when we came upon the dozenpullshannasas they stood in a clearing, they were all holding baskets brimming with delicacies. Rareammcomnuts, giantpokklamberries, and other strange food items that I suspected had been taken from a human cabin. Their expressions were wary but not murderous, and most were old enough to be grandfathers. Perhaps they weren’t trespassing so they might steal our females, but my tribesmen and I still approached with caution.

“I am Brutus,” I announced, my gaze going to thepullshannastanding at the front whose face was deeply wrinkled with age, his fur white as the snow that covered the mountain peaks. “I am chief of the Starblessed tribe.”

He gave a deep, respectful nod and said, “I am Squava, chief of the Lonnis tribe. We come in peace and beg your forgiveness for setting foot in your territory without an invitation. We have brought gifts.”

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