CHAPTER 17

CASSIE

I’d never laughed so much in my life. Our lives had always been insular where I’d grown up. That Luca had grown up so free and able to change at will without worrying about being caught and that our future young would have the same freedom made me happy.

Lottie and Kyle had left the next day but not before assuring me that she’d organise something so that we could meet everyone.

Even Dad had calmed down some after their visit. I was relieved; I hadn’t realised how stressed I was that he and Luca butted heads a little. I’m not sure what changed, but Luca and Dad had disappeared for a couple of hours one day, and when they came back, it seemed they’d reached an agreement. I didn’t care as long as they got on.

The tea I’d made for Hannah was working; unfortunately, it had also made her ill. By the second day, she started throwing up; I knew it was the tea purging her system. Anton was worried, but I assured him it was fine and that the tea was doing its job. By the third day, even though she was still throwing up, underneath the chemicals she was expelling that tainted her scent, we started to smell fur.

The smile that had graced Anton’s face when he realised what it was and the hard hug he’d given me made me happy, even if I hated that Hannah was feeling so poorly.

I’d been worried about her getting dehydrated, and after speaking to Jett, he’d agreed, and somehow a delivery of saline IV bags was made along with everything I’d need to set up a line. It seemed like the families had contacts that reached far and wide. There’d been discussions of cancelling the houseboat and going home but I’d said just to wait. I could care for Hannah just as well on the boat as I could at the house. We couldn’t travel while she was like this anyway.

By the Friday, she’d stopped throwing up, and she’d slept most of the day away. Sleep was good because it gave her body the time it needed to heal. On Saturday, we loaded back up and boarded the houseboat.

It was something, that’s for sure, large and comfortable with a cage for swimming in, as you couldn’t swim in the lake because of those pesky crocodiles.

It was so peaceful, with a lovely breeze blowing across us as we motored out. Hannah was more alert today, if still exhausted from the purge. I’d made her a bed on the wide benches, and I’d laid down next to her. The scenery was something, and I wasn’t talking about the males in our party stripping off and jumping into the water.

“How are you feeling?” I asked her, wrapping my fingers around her wrist to check her pulse.

Tilting her head to the side to look at me, “So much better, Cassie. I don’t think I can ever thank you for what you’ve done this week for me.”

Waving her off, I laid her hand back down, “It was nothing, Hannah, I’m just sorry you had to go through such a purge. They really did a number on you, didn’t they?”

Turning her face away from me for a minute, she looked out over the lake, saying softly, “Yeah, they did. All for money.” Turning back to me, she asks softly, “Is it wrong that I hate them so much that I don’t care that they are dead?”

Tilting my head slightly, I leant it against hers, both our animals and our human side needing the comfort, “It’s not wrong, Han. I’ve seen some really atrocious things in this life, so nothing surprises me anymore. But don’t let it eat at you and make you bitter. I can already tell your tiger is close to surfacing. Concentrate on that and the beautiful life you’re going to build with Anton once you are fully mated. You have a whole other family now, and we’ll always be there for you, no matter what.”

“Thank you, Cassie. I’m so glad that you came to this side of the world. And I won’t let it make me bitter because you’re right, we are all going to live a beautiful life. You, me, Luca, and Anton. Our young will never worry about if they are wanted. They’ll only ever know love.”

“That they will,” I agree softly with a smile, closing my eyes, enjoying the gentle rocking of the boat and the breeze blowing in off the water. It’s not long before both of us are asleep.