Book 3: Laila
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Summer has come to Wyoming, and with it, an abundance of life. The trees are green, the animals are all out of hibernation, and the fields are full of flowers. I may not have my affinity to the earth anymore, but I still feel its beauty. Now that I can shift, I'm able to enjoy the world in a completely different way. The magic of the moon is enough for me.
"That one looks like a dragon," Cedric says, pointing up at the sky.
The grass is warm and soft against my back, and I can hear the lake water rippling and dancing as the wind blows across it. I don't want to open my eyes, but I do so I can see what he's talking about. When I find that specific cloud he's talking about, I have to agree. "Yes, it does. Beck told me the other day that his aunt and uncle, who are the king and queen of the summer court, can shapeshift into dragons."
Cedric jerks his head my way. "Seriously?"
I look over at him and laugh. "Yep. His cousins can too. You wouldn't believe all the stories he's told me."
His gaze saddens. "Do you regret not going to the Land of the Fae when you had the chance?"
"No," I reply in all honesty. "This is where I belong. I do like hearing stories about it, though. We'll have to get Beck to tell our little one all about when he or she is born."
Lifting on his elbow, Cedric places a hand over my baby bump. "They will literally be fairy tales," he teases. I'm only about three months along. Our pack is growing with all the new babies, especially now that Bailey and Tyla had theirs.
I roll my eyes and laugh. "If only Beck could hear you say that."
Beck has become more like family in the last four months. He even introduced us to some of his warriors. Having him around still keeps me connected to my fae heritage, even if it's not in my blood anymore.
"Have you talked to your father today?" Cedric asks.
"I did for a few minutes this morning on the phone." I turn my gaze back to the sky. "Ever since I gave him that stone, he's been acting strange. He doesn't want to get anywhere near the rest of the pack."
I look over at Cedric, and he nods. "I noticed that too. It's like he's avoiding someone."
I gasp. "You don't think he felt the bond with one of the females, do you? My mother said the stone would lead him down the right path. Finding his true mate is the only right path I can think of."
Cedric's lips pull back into a mischievous smile. "Well, I'll be damned. It's going to take a hard ass female to break through his walls."
We both laugh, and I have to agree with him. "Yes, it will. He deserves happiness, nonetheless."
"He'll find it; I have no doubt." He slides his hands around my waist and pulls me on top of him.
I straddle his waist and smile down at him. "Are you trying to seduce me out here?"
He smirks. "Maybe. There's no one around for miles and miles. I'm sure we can get a quickie in. We do it at work all the time."
"And that's probably how this one came along," I laugh, rubbing a hand over my belly.
"Probably," Cedric says, laughing along with me. Now that tourist season has come to the Grand Teton National Park, we've been busy. I love working with him, and in about three more years, I'll be a full-fledged park ranger after all my training. That hasn't stopped me from my interior design duties though. I don't want to stop because working with my father helps me stay close to him. And with his recent mood change, I have to know what's going on with him.
Cedric slides his hands up my thighs. "Besides making love to me, what's one thing you wish you could do right now?"
That's an easy question. I breathe in the warm mountain air and sigh. "I would love to feel my magic again, just once." His eyes sadden, and it breaks my heart. He still blames himself for my death. I press a finger to his lips, halting him from what I know he's about to say. He's apologized to me countless times despite the fact that I told him none of it was his fault. "I'm happy, Cedric. This is who I am now, and I'm about to be a mother. Think of all the wonderful adventures we're going to experience together."
His smile returns. "What are you talking about? The adventures have already begun."
We both laugh, and I press my hands down on the ground to hold myself up. A tingling sensation shoots up my arms, and it sends a warmth through my blood that I never thought I'd feel again. Gasping, I lift my hands and freeze.
Cedric sits up and holds me in his arms. "What's wrong?"
I look down at my hands. "I felt something when I touched the ground." My fingers still tingle. "It's what I used to feel when I had my magic."
His eyes widen, and he helps me up. "What does it mean?"
Facing the lake, I'm itching to touch the ground again. The temptation magnifies as it pulls me toward the water. "I have to follow it."
Cedric follows alongside me as I walk into the lake, his expression concerned. I don't know what it all means. I'm only about calf-deep in the water when the pull grows more substantial, signaling something below me. A spark ignites when my fingers touch something hard and smooth just underneath the muddy soil. A blast of warmth flows through my body. It's so strong it almost knocks me off my feet. Cedric grips my arm to keep me steady.
"Whoa, what was that?"
I suck in a breath. "I don't know, but it felt amazing." When I pull the stone and wash off the mud, the colors shimmer in the sun. "It's a rainbow moonstone," I say in awe. "A symbol of the Goddess of the Moon." As far as I know, there aren't many of them in the world. Moonstones, yes, but not rainbow ones.
"How are you able to sense magic?" he asks. Shrugging, I hand him the stone, and he gasps as soon as it touches his skin. "It's so warm. I can feel the love in it." His brows furrow, and his eyes meet mine. "But it doesn't feel like your kind of love. It's something else."
And that's when I feel the baby kick. I suck in a breath and hold a hand over my belly. Tears fill my eyes, and I smile. "It's the baby. That's where the magic is coming from."
Cedric's mouth drops. "You have got to be kidding me." He drops to his knees and presses the side of his cheek against my stomach. "Was that your doing, Sera?" he murmurs.
"Sera?" I say curiously. "We haven't even mentioned names yet."
He smiles and narrows his eyes as if he's trying to listen to the baby inside my womb. "It's short for Seraphina. I think it's a good name." It's a beautiful name. The baby moves around in my stomach, and he laughs when he feels it against his cheek. "Yep, she likes it." He stands and gives me back the stone. "Feel it. When I said Sera, the feelings grew warmer."
Once it's in my hand, the magic intensifies. It's pure and innocent, just like a child's love. "Sera it is then," I whisper, holding the stone over my heart.
Cedric pulls me into his arms and chuckles. "I have a feeling we're going to have our hands full with this one. Especially if she's anything like you."
Laying my head on his chest, I smile. "She will be the least of our worries. What about when we have a boy? Can you imagine a little Cedric running around?"
Cedric bursts out laughing. "He'll be a hellion, that's for sure. I can't wait to see what happens."
"Me too," I whisper. "I'm going to love every minute of it."
He cups my cheek. "So am I."
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