Wild Invitation

course of events, I’m not always aware of it snapping up in a high-stress situation.”
    “I know—I realized.” Had remembered that her strong, quiet, beautiful mate had scars that didn’t show on the outside, that he made certain didn’t show, in order to provide a stable home for the children. “The way I reacted, struck out…I panicked,” she admitted, shifting to look down into his face. “It was the first time you’d gone so remote, to the point where I could barely sense you, and the shock made my wolf so afraid.”
    “I’m sorry.” He tugged her down, kissed the corner of her mouth.
    Sensing his distress at causing her pain, she petted his chest. “You didn’t know. I understand the shield now, so I won’t panic.” She’d worry, but she’d hold it together, hold him when he came to her. Because he would always reach for her. As he had today. “Just don’t ever do it on purpose, okay?” She brushed long strands of dark blond off his forehead. “I promise I won’t ever again pull away like I did today.”
    Walker’s silence was deep, his eyes holding her own untilshe felt lost in the translucent green. “Why are you so patient with me?” he asked at last, his tone raw. “It must frustrate you that I’m so unlike changeling males.” Men who wore their emotions on their face and made no bones about their adoration of the women who were their own.
    Lara laughed, her delight infectious. “I love you
because
of who you are, not in spite of it, you wonderful man.” A passionate kiss that marked him as hers, made him want to stretch in pleasure like one of the felines.
    “I like everything about you”—she continued kiss by kiss—“your integrity, your ability to love so deep and true, your courage, even the fact that you have a limit on how many words per day you intend to speak—” Giggles erupted as he flipped them, reversing their positions.
    “Teasing me again?”
    “Maybe.”
    Tasting her smile, he rubbed his stubbled jaw against her cheek in punishment. She cried foul, tried to push him away, even as her legs tightened around him…the same instant a knock came on the bedroom door.
    Lara went quiet, listening with sharp wolf ears.
    Reaching out with his telepathic senses, he found his daughter outside.
    “A nightmare?” Lara asked, already out of bed and pulling on her robe.
    “No, but something similar.” Having rolled off on the other side, he pulled on the pajama bottoms he’d earlier ignored.
    They reached the door at the same time. Pulling it open, he picked Marlee up in his arms. Though his daughter always protested she was too big now, Marlee didn’t do so tonight.
    Lara made soothing sounds. “What’s the matter, baby?” she asked as they all took a seat on the bed.
    Marlee, who never cried, grabbed hold of Lara’s hand as if to a lifeline, sobbing too hard to speak.
    “We’re here, sweetheart.” Lara leaned in to brush Marlee’s sleep-tangled hair out of her eyes. “Tell us what’s wrong.” Her gaze met his, the worry in the tawny depths unhidden.
    Wrapping one arm around his mate, he brought her close as he tried to speak to their daughter on the telepathic plane.
Marlee?
    I’m so sc-scared
, was all he got out before tears took over again.
    Walker wasn’t surprised when a wild-haired Toby appeared in the doorway. The boy always woke when Marlee was in distress. “I went to get her some milk when I saw you had her,” he said, holding up the warmed-up glass.
    Walker nodded at him to come in. Putting the milk on the bedside table, Toby took a seat beside Lara and leaned over to tug on Marlee’s hair. “Don’t cry, Marlee-Barley, you’ll turn into a turnip.”
    Marlee smiled through her tears at that ridiculous statement and began to sniff, the sobs abating in slow gasps. She remained locked around Walker, however, and her grip on Lara’s hand was white knuckled. “What happened?” Walker asked as Lara brought Toby into their embrace with her free arm.
    “I had bad thoughts,” was the unadorned answer. “I woke up and I couldn’t sleep and I started having bad thoughts and they wouldn’t stop.” Anguish in every word as she described what appeared to have been a severe anxiety attack. “I couldn’t make them stop.”
    “Will you tell us about those thoughts?” Lara asked softly.
    “I thought what if the Council came and took us away again? We couldn’t be a family anymore.”
    His eyes met Lara’s—it didn’t take a