LOGINTara I heard the sound before I saw anything: a low, broken whine that cut straight through my chest. Laurie stiffened beside my bed. Her eyes snapped to the open doorway. “They’re hurt,” she whispered. “Yes,” I said, breathing through the pain. “But they’re safe now.” The pit bull was carr
The words landed like a stone dropped into still water. I closed my eyes. “Are they all going to be okay?” I asked. “Yes,” Alexander said quickly. “The authorities asked if Moon Shadow could assist. Sanctuary space. Veterinary care. And the poor female looks like she could have her puppies at
Tara I discovered a rhythm to the pain somewhere between the third and fourth contraction, when the world narrowed down to my breathing and the steady pressure of Mac’s hands on my back. It wasn’t constant, the way I’d imagined. It was a wave, rising, cresting, receding, with each wave demanding r
“Did you sleep at all?” I asked her. She nodded once. “A little.” “That’s progress,” Cindy said kindly. “This place snores.” “Between Mac and Alexander, I’m surprised the windows don’t rattle at night!” I added, winking at Laurie. Laurie’s mouth twitched, almost a smile. I took a sip of te
My pregnancy seemed to fly by. Every morning I would roll out of bed, quite literally—“roll” was exactly what I did. By late summer, Cindy and I were both due any day. “I look like I swallowed a whole pumpkin,” I groaned one morning, as Cindy and I waddled towards the lake where Laurie was feeding
Tara Raised voices echoed from the hallway outside the theater. Security shifted uneasily. A ripple of motion spread through the crowd as heads turned toward the doors. “Oh,” Cindy said lightly. “That’ll be them.” The doors swung open. Mac and Alexander strode in like they were storming a bat
“This isn’t your fault. I should have warned you. I just didn’t think—I knew you already worried so much…” “It’s okay, Mom. I get it.” Tears streamed down my face, and I realized how much I’d been missing my family. “It will be okay.” “Tara and I are leaving in a few hours to visit my parents on
I wanted to put those bastards in a ring with Koda and see how they liked being forced to fight painfully for their lives. Human scum. I’d held Koda back only by convincing him a war with humans would be more devastating—more senseless loss of life. Now, I had a team assigned to tracking dog fightin
Mac She was pregnant. The healer said the words, and the world shifted. This was tectonic. This was soul-deep. Those pups I dreamed of, running around the castle? This was the fulfillment of everything I had ever wanted. She was carrying my pup. I looked at Tara and saw everything at once: her
Tara The dawn of the Moon Festival felt different, an anticipation unlike anything I’d felt before. This time, I was the main attraction. The castle buzzed with final preparations. Everywhere I looked, servants draped silk banners in silver and black over the tables we brought in to accommodate







