Rhea’s head snapped toward Adam. Her silver eyes widened, stinging with sudden, hot tears. "I smell him," she whispered. The words were barely a breath in the cold air.
Adam nodded slowly. His fierce amber eyes went soft as he looked down at her. "He is in there," he said.
Rhea turned her gaze back to the grey smoke rising from the stone chimneys.
"Let’s go get him, Rhea! I cannot wait another second!" River barked inside her mind. The wolf was wild with hunger for her pup.
Before anyone could stop her, Rhea let her wolf take over. She shifted into her silver form in one fluid motion and bounded toward the gates.
"Rhea! Wait!" Adam called out behind her.
But Rhea did not listen. She ran on all fours, her paws tearing through the dirt toward the sanctuary. Adam did not hesitate. He shifted into his massive black wolf and sprinted after her.
Moments later, Rhea reached the heavy wooden gates. She shifted back into her human form, gasping for air. Her hand pressed hard against her chest to soothe her aching lungs as she rushed the barrier.
"Eli! Eli! Mama is here!" Rhea screamed. She slammed her fists against the rough steel gates, splintering her skin.
Suddenly, the heavy thud of boots rumbled from the other side. Rhea’s heart jumped fiercely against her ribs. Inside her mind, River barked in frantic excitement.
"Who goes there?" a guard barked from behind the gate.
"It is me! Rhea Duskbane!" she shouted back. Her voice cracked with desperate maternal longing. "I am here for my son, Eli! Tell him his mother is here for him!"
Total silence filled the air. Rhea pulled her brows together, her nostrils flaring.
"Why is he not saying anything?" River asked, her mental tone sharp with sudden panic.
Just then, Adam slid to a halt beside her. He shifted back to his human skin, his chest heaving.
Rhea immediately whirled on him, grabbing his leather vest. "Tell them to open the gates!" she growled, her voice shaking with urgency.
Adam frowned, his eyes scanning her frantic face. "Did you tell them your name?"
Rhea nodded fast. "I told them I am Rhea Duskbane."
Adam looked at her, then turned his dark stare to the gates. "Then why is the gate still closed?" he muttered. He stepped past her and raised his large hand to knock.
Before his knuckles could touch the gate, the iron lock rattled. The heavy gate swung open. The guard saw Adam’s towering frame first and instantly bowed his head in respect. Rhea did not even hear the words exchanged between them. Her eyes were fixed entirely on the courtyard beyond.
She stepped forward, and the sweet, milky scent of her pup hit her full force. River unleashed a powerful howl inside her head. "He is really here."
Rhea swallowed the thick lump of tears clogging her throat.
Adam turned to her, his large frame blocking the wind. "Let us go inside," he said, his voice firm and protective.
The words barely registered. She looked at Adam for a fraction of a second, and then her feet moved on instinct. They walked into the stone sanctuary together. With every step she took, the scent of her boy grew stronger and warmer. Her heart hammered like a drum in her ears.
"Bring the boy out immediately," Adam ordered the guard.
The guard nodded quickly and hurried into the main building.
As they waited, Rhea paced back and forth across the stone floor. Inside her head, River paced in perfect sync with her steps. Adam watched her for a moment, then let out a slow sigh and shook his head.
"Calm your wolf, Rhea. They are bringing him to you right now," Adam said softly.
Rhea stopped. She walked right up to his chest, looking up into his amber eyes. "Why can I not go inside and see him in his room?" she demanded.
Adam’s lips parted to speak, but he closed them. He averted his gaze, looking straight ahead.
Rhea pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. The hot flush of frustration crept up her neck. "Why are you not answering me?" she snapped. "Tell your guards to take me to him this instant!"
Adam looked back down at her, his eyes incredibly gentle. "He is already here," he said calmly.
Rhea whirled around and froze. The world stopped. The courtyard disappeared. The guards disappeared. Even Adam disappeared. There was only one small boy.
Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes dilated completely as River howled in pure joy.
Eli was walking toward them. Rhea clutched her chest, her knees shaking as she watched him move closer. Hot tears finally spilled over her lashes and streamed down her cheeks.
"My boy," she murmured through a broken sob.
He looked older, but the dark wolf-print birthmark on his neck was exactly the same. He was her son.
"Uncle Adam!" Eli squealed. The boy’s face lit up as he ran past Rhea, throwing his small arms around Adam’s waist.
Adam crouched down instantly, wrapping his massive arms around the boy and holding him tight. "Hey, big boy," he said, a rare, genuine smile breaking across his stubbled face.
"Look what I just learned to do!" Eli said excitedly. Then, he closed his eyes. A flash of silver light passed over him as he half-shifted his claws, then shifted back to human skin.
Rhea held her breath as she watched from a few feet away, her tears flowing freely. He looked taller. His shoulders had broadened beneath his tunic, and his baby-soft cheeks had begun to sharpen. He was seven now. She had missed an entire year of watching him grow.
Adam smiled and nodded proudly. "That’s much better than last month, Eli. You are getting incredibly strong." He squeezed the boy in another brief hug.
When Adam pulled away, his smile faded. He pressed his lips into a grim line and looked up at Rhea, then down at Eli. "Eli, do you remember who that is?"
Eli turned his head to look at Rhea. He stood still, saying nothing for a long, quiet moment.
As she watched, Rhea’s heart started breaking. He doesn’t remember me.
Then, Eli took a step away from Adam and tilted his nose up, inhaling the air. He caught her scent, the true, undeniable pheromones of his birth mother.
Eli’s eyes widened. He broke into a sprint and crashed straight into Rhea’s arms. "Mama!" he cried, burying his face in her neck.
A loud, broken sob ripped from Rhea’s throat. She collapsed to her knees on the stones, wrapping her arms around her son and squeezing him so tight she could feel his heartbeat.
"My son," she wept, burying her face in his soft hair. Inside her mind, River was thrashing with joy, figuratively licking and hugging the pup’s spirit.
Rhea pulled back slightly, her shaking fingers traced his cheeks, his ears, his small shoulders. She touched him again and again, as though she feared he would disappear if she stopped. "You are okay," she sobbed, checking his arms and shoulders before pulling him back into her chest. "You are safe."
"I am fine, Mama," Eli said softly. He reached up with a small hand and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Please do not cry."
Rhea looked into his bright eyes, her heart swelling so much it felt painful. Her gaze flicked up to Adam, who stood a few feet away, silently watching them. She swallowed hard.
Adam gave her a firm, quiet nod, letting out a long, slow sigh of relief as the wind rumbled through the pines. He turned away and stared toward the forest. For the first time in months, he could finally breathe.
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