Dawn (In the Beginning)

Eden

Nala's mate shifted from one foot to the other nervously. This had gotten out of hand and he was unsure how to proceed. There was no way he could allow her to keep the weak and sickly infant and he needed to get rid of it. He did not want to upset her, though, and it was obvious that she was going to get very upset. He felt his authority slipping, something he absolutely could not allow. If she wasn't so beautiful! He could not bear her turning cold on him. He enjoyed mating with her so much more when she was responding to him and enjoying it, too. It drove him wild when she cried out with pleasure.

Finally he took a step forward and motioned to her to hand him back the child. She stared at him as though he were mad, clutching it tighter to her breast. He stood his ground. He grunted, motioning with more authority and reached out. She moved away, shaking her head wildly. Tears sprung to her beautiful eyes and she growled at him.

"I'm keeping him, Corbin!" she hissed at him. "He does not need to die!"

Maybe he needed a different approach. He knelt beside her and his eyes softened. "It has been the way of our people for as far back as our memories go, Nala. I cannot allow you to keep a sickly child. It will die eventually and hold back the clan in the meantime. Let me have him. You will have another child."

"He won't hold us back! He won't die! He isn't sick or weak. He is supposed to be like this!"

"That's foolish, my love. No child is supposed to be so small and disfigured."

She stared into his eyes. She had two aces in the hole and prepared to draw the first. She knew she had him in cunning and in communication both. She would win her way and she would do it without causing her own exile or even causing him to reject her as his mate.

"Do you believe that I am disfigured?" she asked, raising her chin in defiance.

"I believe you are the most perfect creature I have ever seen. You know that. I cannot allow that to cloud my decision on this matter, though."

"I am going to tell you something that I have never shared with you. My mother warned me to keep it secret, but I think it is time you knew."

He sighed and sat all the way down with a grunt, waiting for her to speak. His mate used verbal communication far more than any other member of the clan. It was usually because she had such complicated thoughts and ideas. He had grown used to it and she had even caused him to become more verbal since knowing her. His vocabulary had expanded a great deal. She'd told him she learned her words from her mother, mostly. Her mother was talkative and complicated, too.

"When I was born, my mother had to hide me away in order to save my life."

He looked at her, puzzled.

"I was born early and weak, just like this child. She birthed me out in the woods, away from anyone else. I came unexpectedly. When she held me, she longed to keep me and she did. She hid me away until I was strong enough to be considered healthy."

The shock was apparent on his face. Nala was the most capable, beautiful, intelligent member of the clan. He had paid a great deal for her and she was worth every bit. He could not accept what she told him as truth. She had to be tricking him so that he would allow her to keep the child. He never should have handed the baby over. She had grown attached so quickly and so fiercely that she was desperate enough to make up tales to her mate and her clan leader! This was punishable by exile. He looked away for a moment. He could not lose her. She was the reason he awoke with a smile, excited to face the dawn every sunrise.

"My love, please do not risk your own life for a child that is useless and sick. I could not bear to banish you and you know that if you make up false tales to trick me, it is what I must do."