Page 82 of Moon Awakening

"Are you sure he will come to the lake tomorrow morning?"

"No, but it's highly likely. If he can kill the Balmoral, the clan would think twice about keeping my babe for its own."

"That is brutal."

"It is the way of life here."

Emily shivered. "Why doesn't have to be so hard?"

Cait sighed, but didn't answer.

Emily bit her lip and thought furiously. "Maybe I could keep Lachlan from the water by offering myself to him."

Cait shook her head. "Oh, no. You cannot do that. I know I said to use his desire for you, tut it is not fair to you. It was very wrong of me to suggest it."

"You don't understand. I want his desire. I've spent my whole life living in the shadows of my father's new family. When I'm with Lachlan I feel like I'm in the sun. It won't last. I know it. It can't, for so many reasons, but I want to experience as much of this newfound passion as I can. Do you think I am terrible for feeling that way?"

"No. I think you are brave, but Lachlan could marry you, if he wanted to."

"According to what you said, there would be the risk of my not having children. No man would embrace such a future willingly, but most especially not a laird."

Cait nodded sadly. "I think you are right. Many Chrechte discourage human matings because of that very thing and the possibility of having human offspring instead of shape-changers."

"You mean that can happen?"

"Yes. Lachlan's mother must have been human because Ulf is."

"Ulf isn't Chrechte?"

"He has no wolf. I'm certain of it."

"Oh, but how can you be sure it was their mother that was human?"

"Because their father was laird and he would not have been if he had been human."

"So no clans with Chrechte have human lairds at all?"

"None that I know of. It's possible I suppose, but I cannot imagine it."

Emily didn't know what to think. "Will you go to the lake and try to talk to Talorc tomorrow?"

"No. I can't be sure why he is here. Maybe he's only checking on me, but I'm afraid he would take me back until he receives a formal request for my hand or the babe is born and then the Balmoral would declare war. Maybe Talorc wants to declare war. Maybe he won't respect the mating bond in this instance. I just don't know." Cait sounded increasingly distressed with each possibility she listed off. "I should not withhold news of his presence from Drustan, but I cannot betray my brother—especially when I am not sure of his motives."

Emily understood Cait's dilemma and sympathized. "If I can keep Lachlan from the lake tomorrow then you have nothing to worry about. Your small deception will hurt no one."

"Do you think that is true?"

"Yes."

"Does this mean you believe me now?"

"I'm not sure," Emily admitted honestly, "but it's impossible to dismiss all that you have said and I believe you believe it. Which is halfway to believing it myself, really." She sighed. "I know you are frightened and I want to do whatever I can to hold that fear at bay."

Cait's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you."

"I will do everything I can to keep Lachlan away from the lake tomorrow."

Cait nodded. "There is one thing."