He began moving again and she made a sound, not a protest, but perhaps simply shock.
“We have an entire night of joining to look forward to,” he said as if reading her expression.
“But . . .”
“We are sacred mates.”
“And that makes everything perfect?” she asked, even as her body greedily accepted his.
“We make it perfect, or as near as we can. It is up to us, your eagle, my wolf, our humanity to make this mating all that the celi di said it would be.”
“I don’t want to leave the forest.”
“Then I will live here with you.”
“I will go to meet your family,” she offered, and even as the words left her mouth, she knew that a day would come when she would willingly leave her home in the forest behind.
Not today . . . but the day was coming.
Bryant’s smile was blinding, brighter than a thousand candles lit in a single room. “My mother is going to love you.”
“So long as her son does, I will be content.”
“With all my heart.”
“It is a miracle.”
“Don’t you know, Una? Life is a miracle.”
And for the first time in five years, she believed it.
Her agreement was lost in his kiss.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
bairn—Scottish Gaelic term for baby
beguines—self-running nunnery without vows to the church, not supported by the official church as related to Rome (historically accurate term in the British Isles)
ben—hill
Ben Bristecrann—broken tree hill (a sacred spot to Ciara’s family)
brae—hill or slope
Cahir—warriors who fight the Fearghall
celi di—Scottish Highland priest practicing Catholicism with no official ties to the church in Rome (historically accurate term in relation to Scotland and Ireland)
Chrechte—shifters who share their souls with wolves, birds or cats of prey
Clach Gealach Gra—(moon’s heart stone) the bird shifter’s sacred stone
conriocht—werewolf (protector of the Faol, shifts into giant half wolf/half man–type creature—protector for the Éan is the dragon and Paindeal is the griffin)
Éan—bird shifters (ravens, eagles and hawks)
Faol—wolf shifters
faolán—little wolf (Gaelic term of endearment)
Faolchú Chridhe—(wolf’s heart) the wolf shifter’s sacred stone
Fearghall—secret society of wolves intent on wiping out/ subjugating other races of the Chrechte
femwolf—female wolf shifter
kelle—warrior priestess (mentioned in Celtic mythology)
Kyle Kirksonas—River of the Healing Church (where the healing caves are on MacLeod land)
loch—lake
mate-link—the special mental bond between true/sacred mates
mindspeak—communicating via a mental link
mo gra—Gaelic for “my love”
Paindeal—cat shifters (large cats of prey)
Paindeal Neart—(panther’s strength) the panther shifter’s sacred stone
usquebagh—“water of life” (Scotch whiskey)