The Wolf and the Highlander (Highland Wishes) (42 page)
Read The Wolf and the Highlander (Highland Wishes) Online
Authors: Jessi Gage
He gave her the gift of comprehension so she could enjoy her husband this week without constraints. And he trusted her with the precious gift he planned to give her sister should she ever accept him as he hoped. One thing was for cert. Seona could do far worse than a generous king who was humble enough to admit his fault when necessary and wise enough to recognize and promote greatness when he saw it. He’d more than earned her forgiveness in
the last five minutes. “Thank you, Magnus.”
He fastened it around her neck, kissed her cheek, and went to stand beside Hilda and two of his knights. The priest then prayed over her and Riggs and confirmed their pledging and their lifemating with trembling voice and tears in his eyes.
When it came time to repeat their pledges, Anya had difficulty holding back her own joyful tears. She managed it with the determination of the Keith and the dignity of Scotia.
It had been a long journey to this place, and far from an easy one. Now that she was here, at Riggs’s side, she vowed in her heart to embrace her new home, honor her new king, and show her wolf-man what it was to be loved by a Highland lass.
Riggs opened his eyes to a blade of sunlight peeking past the seam in the bed curtains. He stretched his toes to the end of the bed and rolled his head to crack his neck, careful not to wake Anya. He was stiff from cradling her in the same position all night, but he welcomed the mild discomfort since she’d had a peaceful night. Normally, he wouldn’t worry about shifting and waking her, but lately, she’d been more tired than usual and prone to feeling ill in the mornings.
He pressed a soft kiss to her temple, pulled her scent of flowers, hyssop and woman deep into his lungs. It was four days into their mating week, a moon cycle from the eve they’d become lifemates, and he was happier than he
’d ever imagined a man could be.
He almost felt guilty about closeting himself in this posh apartment with his beloved. His duties as a Knight of the Crescent Moon awaited him when he and Anya emerged from their mating chamber. He was eager to begin his new career, but not so eager as to lament the fact he had three glorious days left to do nothing but nuzzle and kiss and mate with his woman.
Speaking of nuzzling, Anya began rubbing her nose on his neck. She kissed him there, under his ear, where the sweet press of her lips made his blood heat. Then she sucked in a breath, the way she did when sickness took hold of her.
“My poor lady,” he murmured against her hair. “I will have Travis summon a physician for you as soon as he brings our morning tray. You’ll not refuse me this time.” He indulged her too much. It was time for him to be firm. No more risks where her health was concerned. This had lasted long enough that he was well and truly worried.
“As you wish, love.”
Something serious was wrong with Anya. She’d just given in to a demand she’d previously refused. He felt her forehead. She was warmer than normal. “You have a fever.” He sat up and threw open the curtains. In a flash, he had his civilian trousers on. “I’ll have the guards fetch a physician.”
Anya dove past him and ran for the privy screen. He dashed after her to find her retching over the chamber pot.
His heart jumped into his throat. She was very sick. He ran for the door.
“It can’t be,” she whispered.
He stopped with his hand on the bolt. She didn’t sound distressed. Her tone was one of wonder.
“Anya?” He turned to find her sitting back on her heels. Her night rail pooled around her knees. The king’s necklace lay against her chest, the amethyst gem settling just above the valley between her breasts.
E
yes unfocused, she ladled water from the ewer into a cup. After drinking deeply, she wiped her mouth on the back of her wrist. When her arm lowered, she had a broad smile on her face. “I doona require a physician, love,” she said. The glow in her cheeks didn’t fit with the sickness she’d just experienced.
“Enough arguing. It’s time we find out what’s wrong with you.” He started to open the door.
“Naught is wrong,” she said on a laugh. She leapt up and limped to him, her stride quick and light as air. Reaching him, she went up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m with child, Riggs.”
He blinked. He must have heard her wrong. “What did you say?”
“I’m with child.
Your
child. Your seed has quickened in me. It’s a miracle.”
He forgot to breathe. “Truly?”
“I think so. I’m no’ certain, but I’m showing all the signs. I canna believe it took me so long to realize. Illness at sunrise, weariness during the day, tender breasts.
Och,
do they feel larger to you?” She parted her dressing gown and put his hands on her breasts.
He dutifully weighed them
. By the moon, touching her like this made him want to mate her. He shook the thought away. How could he think of mating at a time like this? He trained his attention on the feel of her smooth mounds. They did seem larger. Heavier. Her nipples were a deeper shade of pink. His mouth watered. “They do feel larger,” he made himself say.
“We’re going to have a wee bairn.” Awe filled her voice.
Wonder filled his heart. Anya carried a child.
His
child.
His
child.
She removed his hands from her and kissed his fingers. Then she drew him down and kissed him soundly on the mouth. She tasted of cool water and his beloved Anya.
When she pulled back, her eyes shone with joy and love. He’d never seen her so happy. And he’d seen her very happy in the past weeks. “Did you hear me, Riggs? We’re going to have a bairn.”
“I heard you.” A slow smile stretched his cheeks. “We will be the first parents to welcome a child into the world since Travis’s birth.” Elation sang through his blood. He picked up his lifemate and swung her around. Then immediately regretted it. “I didn’t hurt you did I?”
“Of course you didna hurt me. I’m no’ an invalid. I’m with child. I’m with child!”
He was going to be a father.
Hope for his people lifted him like a refreshing wind. A child. Half wolfkind, half human. The birth would be celebrated by all Marann. No, by the whole world.
Boy or girl
, it didn’t matter. The child represented hope. Maybe this was the turning point they’d been longing for.
The world would be revived. Because of Anya.
He’d thought Danu had blessed him above all men for giving him such a brave, beautiful, passionate woman. If the goddess’s blessing was an iceberg, he had the feeling he’d merely experienced the tip.
The servant pup came through the door with their morning tray.
“Travis,” Riggs said. “Go get Magnus. We have news to share.”
A note from the author
Thanks so much for reading
The Wolf and the Highlander.
I hope you enjoyed it. This novel is the second in my Highland Wishes series, which begins with
Wishing for a Highlander
and will continue with
The Witch and the Highlander
. Though the books are in a series, they can be read on their own as well.
If you’d like to receive email updates when I have a new release available, you can subscribe to my newsletter at
http://jessigage.com/
, or follow me on Twitter @jessigage, or like my Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/jessigageromance
.
Reviews make my day. Whether positive or negative, reviews help an author immensely. Please consider leaving an honest review at Goodreads and/or your favorite retailer.
Jessi lives with her husband and children in the Seattle area. She’s a passionate reader of all genres of romance, especially anything involving the paranormal. Ghosts, demons, vampires, witches, weres, faeries…you name it, she’ll read it. As for writing, she’s sticking to Highlanders and contemporaries with a paranormal twist (for now).
Jessi can often be found having coffee at one of the neighborhood coffee spots she frequents, or indulging in sweets with The Cupcake Crew, her wonderful critique group. The last time she imagined a world without romance novels, her husband found her crouched in the corner, rocking.
Find Jessi at
http://jessigage.com/
, at her blog at
http://jessigage.wordpress.com/
, on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/jessigageromance
, or on Twitter at
https://twitter.com/jessigage
. To send her an email, visit her website and use the contact form at
http://jessigage.com/Contact.html
.
Highland Wishes
Wishing for a Highlander
Blue Collar Boyfriends
Reckless
Copyright © 201
4 Jessi Gage
Cover by The Killion Group,
http://thekilliongroupinc.com/
Edited by Piper Denna
ISBN: 978-1-941239-00-1
Printed in the United States of America
May 2014
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All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.
