LORDOSIS (BOOK 1) (COMPLETE)

LORDOSIS Chapter 25

"Uncle," a tired voice spoke from behind.

"Caolan, why aren't you resting?" he asked the boy.

"Are you leaving me here?" the boy asked and started to cry.

Kaylan lifted him up and cuddled him. "Shhh, don't fret. I will be back soon. I have to go find the others and we will come back for you."

The boy shimmered unable to control himself in his emotional state. He turned into the wolf and whimpered before trying to howl at the moon mournfully.

Kaylan smiled and half laughed for the first time in years at the pups attempt.

"Who taught you that howl?" Pow asked appearing.

Caolan pup whimpered.

"This is a howl," Pow said and phased into wolf before howling at the moon and impressing the pup who wriggled to get out of his uncles arms and stared at Pow wolf. Kaylan watched as Pow howled again and Caolan tried to copy. Eventually after a few tries he was howling up a storm and had Kaylan laughing out loud.

Gaer appeared staggering over to Pow and his brother before Lia arrived and carried him back inside to bed. "Not tonight baby," she said lifting him up. He was answering the call from his sleep which was a sign he was near to transforming.

Kaylan followed them as Pow took Caolan for a lesson with a few other wolves who answered the call. The young wolf was very impressed with all the other wolves and ran around greeting them all, rolling around on his back in submission.

"Are you not going?" Lia asked.

Kaylan shook his head.

"Too many phases in one day has taken your energy," she said and fussed his hair as he sat at the table. "Stay still," she said and fetched a bowl. "Time to lose the beard," she said and set about shaving off his beard and cutting his hair. "There you can stop scaring the children now," she teased. "And hold your niece she has been pining for your scent," she said passing him the baby.

"What is her name?" Kaylan asked.

"The children say it is Nokomis," she replied. "Or Noko for short."

Kaylan stared at her in awe she was beautiful, perfect and as he kissed her tiny fingers he tried not to spoil the moment of bonding with regret for the loss of his own daughter.

"She is warm, clothed, her belly is full and she is safe. You have done well," Lia said from the other side of the table as she fed her own child. "We will protect her and the boys until you return. I remember you and your brother running around out there with Pow as children trying to howl at the moon," she said making them both smile with the memory. "They are in the best place and with Gaer being so small we will feed him up, make him strong and teach him to phase into greatness."

Kaylan nodded in agreement as he looked over at his nephew sound asleep under blankets.

"Go rest with him," Lia suggested.

His eyes dropping with exhaustion he placed the baby back in the crib she was sharing with Lia and Pows youngest, before retiring to bed. He lay down and pulled Gaer over to snuggle up to his chest. He was asleep in seconds barely stirring as Caolan was placed against his other side by Pow. He was once exhausted puppy. Leaving them tomorrow would be hard but he had delivered them to safety and now he would rest, gather his strength as his brother needed him.