Saving the Beast(69)

“That’s lovely,” Diane answered.

“So how’s mated life?” Amia asked.

Diane grinned then. “Fantastic,” she said, borrowing the same word Abby had used earlier. “And…I’m pregnant.”

Abby and Amia both squealed with happiness.

“Wait,” Abby said. “You’re happy about this, right?”

Diane nodded. “I’ve never been so happy. First Zane, now this.” She placed her hand over her belly. “I’m scared. I’d be a fool not to be. But I want this baby.”

“Our kids will be close together,” Abby said. “Zane’s a panther. So it should be a similar gestational period, right?”

“Yes,” Diane agreed. “I should have a baby in about three and half to four months.”

“You’ve gone pale on us,” Amia said as Diane closed her eyes.

“Oh, God,” Diane said. “That’s soon, very soon. We’re here another month, which means I’ll be in my second trimester when we travel.” She laughed. “Second trimester at one month along. God, this is all so crazy.”

“It is,” Abby agreed. “But worth it.”

“I might need you to remind me of that a few hundred times over the next few months,” Diane said.

Amia laughed.

“I will,” Abby promised.

They all paused when Tah’s roar sounded through the house.

“I wonder what that’s all about,” Abby mused and Diane sighed. “You know, don’t you? What is it?”

“Kenzie,” Diane said.

Tah was going to tell everyone and Kenzie was going to need more than just Diane at her side. If anyone would know what to say or do to help Kenzie, Diane figured it would be Abby.

“What’s going on with Kenzie?” Amia asked. “Is she okay? Reno said she looked sad when she arrived last night. But she asked to be left alone, so we’ve all made a point to follow her wishes.”

“Last night?” Diane said. “She should have arrived before Zane and I did.”

Abby shook her head.

“She didn’t get here until late. Reno was surprised. We just assumed she arrived with you and Zane,” Amia said.

“She needed some time alone,” Diane said.

“Why?” Abby asked. “What happened?”

“Did Tah tell you about the hunters we encountered?” Diane asked.

“He told me there was a party of hunters. This shifter stopped through and spoke with Tah. He said the hunters had been taken care of. He also told Tah we were no longer safe and needed to move on, quickly. Tah seemed to trust him.”

“I know the shifter. His name is Gabriel, but most shifters refer to him as the Angel,” Diane said. “He’s like an angel of vengeance. I watched him shift, and I saw what was left of the twelve hunters in the party he took on.”

“He took on twelve hunters?” Amia asked. “Holy shit!”

“What is he?” Abby asked. “Lion? Tiger? Panther?”

Diane shook her head. “He’s a liger. Absolutely huge in animal form. Majestic looking.”

“A liger,” Abby said. “I didn’t know those existed.”

“They’re still rare. The ones I’ve come across were bred in captivity,” Diane said.

“So what does this liger have to do with Kenzie?” Abby asked. “And what about it has my mate upset to the point he’s roaring the house down?”

“Kenzie’s the liger’s mate,” Diane said.

“He’s here then?” Abby asked.

“No,” Diane said with a shake of her head.

Amia sat up straight. “Then how do we know he’s Kenzie’s mate for sure?”

“He bit her and gave her his mark before he left. He said he couldn’t stop himself, that he wasn’t prepared to face her,” Diane muttered.

“He mated her and left her?” Abby gritted out between her teeth.

“That bastard,” Amia said. “Reno said there was something off about her scent, but he didn’t know for sure what it was.”

“Kenzie was devastated,” Diane admitted. “You know how she’s always smiling, quiet but happy. She looked broken when she woke up and found him gone, like all that happiness had been sucked out of her.”

“He left without saying goodbye,” Amia said. She lifted her hands and placed both of them over her heart. “It would rip me apart if Reno left me. I can’t even bear the thought.”

“I know,” Diane agreed.

Abby nodded. “We’ll need to be there for her. Make sure she’s all right. Has anyone been up to check on her?”