Page 15 of Lion Conquers All
Kann rubbed Mia’s belly and then Erik’s. They were both making that face. The one that said they were about to cry and ask to be fed.
“Be right back.” Kann hopped up and hurried to the kitchen. He set to work making four bottles, warmed them and then returned to her side on the floor.
They propped the babies up in their little line of nursing pillows and then began the feeding.
Penny chuckled, they were hungry little things. So far she hadn’t seen any signs of them being lions, but Kann had assured her that even in Reyleans, beasts didn’t typically show until they were more mobile.
Which was a terrifying thought.
What was she going to do with four lion cubs? They would they never be able to safely take them into town. She was going to be a shut-in. A hermit.
“Someone’s here.” Kann looked toward the door and focused. “It’s Naomi.” He cocked his head and continued to stare at the front door. “The babies are with her along with Saul and Lorelei.”
Penny smiled. She loved Naomi. They were baby mommas together. Their kids were only a couple months apart. Naomi’s were more mobile already though, rolling over from front to back and scooting along on the floor. Just a few inches at a time, but they were moving.
Fear snaked down Penny’s spine like someone had dropped ice down the back of her shirt. “What are we going to do when they start crawling, Kann? There’s four of them? They outnumber us.”
He laughed that deep rolling laugh she loved so much. The sound made her feel all warm and safe and secure. It chased her worried away and she found herself smiling along with him.
“It will be fine. We have a Tribe. We will have help whenever we need it.”
A knock on the door proceeded the door opening and Naomi’s head popping inside. “Hey guys, mind if we invade?”
“Of course not.” Kann waved at Naomi. “We’re feeding the horde.”
Naomi laughed. “Mine will be jealous and probably want to eat again too. Saul and Lorelei are with me.”
“I heard them,” Kann said. “It’s good. We could use the help getting them down for their naps. Then we can feed yours.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She held up a black tote bag. “I also brought wine. Once the little minions are all asleep, we can pretend to be grownups and have a drink.
“Oh.” Penny grinned up at Naomi. “That sounds amazing.”
Naomi nodded. “Col will be here in a couple hours. He had to run to town and check on something.” Naomi put the bag on the kitchen counter. “I should’ve been listening better, but I didn’t.”
Saul and Lorelei came through the door. Saul had two of Naomi’s and Lorelei had the other.
Kann hopped up from the floor, leaving his children on their blankets to greet his friend. The whole tribe was considered family, but Saul was also a lion. It gave them a stronger bond within the group. And now there was Lorelei, too. And the other Ka’lagh warriors who had stayed.
So many lions.
She liked lions.
Saul and Kann were both amazing with the babies. They held them, played with them, and let her nap whenever she needed a break. Which was often.
Even after he’d found Lorelei, Saul didn’t stop his rotation between the houses with babies. Lorelei had started coming with him.
She had been a queen in her land. In Reylea.
Penny had been prepared not to like Lorelei. Or to be snubbed by her, but the lioness shifter had been nothing but kind and grateful to the Tribe for saving her life. She had worked hard to build trust and a relationship with each of them.
They lived alone in the original cabin the guys had all shared last year. The one Douglas had originally rented to them when he hired them on to care for all his rentals.
Now the Tribe had three cabins of their own built. The bunker and another cabin would be built next summer. As soon as the thaw came, she’d have the crews start. She would’ve liked to have more than one cabin built at a time, but there weren’t enough construction crews to hire and get out to Mystery. Her connections in Anchorage were only able to supply enough men for one build at a time.
The bunker was going to be epic. She’d had to reach out to several other contacts to find the equipment and the expertise to install what she needed. It would be top of the line—like Batman and the Bat Cave. Top-of-the-line.
The five adults situated themselves around the spread of blankets and babies on the floor in front of the wood stove. The wall of windows showed off a spectacular view of the river and Denali on the horizon in the distance.
