The Silver Wolf (Diana and Talon) novel Chapter 171

Chapter One Hundred Seventy One

Claims

Lucian moved silently through the forest, following the faint trail left by the buck. He had been tracking the animal for most of the morning. The buck was large and healthy, with broad antlers and enough meat to feed Lucian and Agatha for many days. If the hunt went well, there would also be plenty left to share with the families living closest to their cottage.

Agatha would be pleased.

She always insisted they give away whatever they could not use. Lucian smiled at the thought. He could already imagine her standing near the doorway when he returned, one hand resting over the curve of her stomach while the other shaded her eyes from the afternoon sun. She would smile when she saw him. Then she would look at the size of the buck and immediately begin listing the neighbors who might need food.

The widow who lived with her three children near the river. The elderly couple whose son had been injured while cutting wood. The young mother whose child Agatha had been treating for fever. Lucian knew his mate well. She would make sure everyone else had enough before thinking of herself. That kindness was only one of the many reasons he loved her.

He crouched behind a thick tree and studied the ground. A fresh hoofprint marked the damp soil. The buck had passed through only moments earlier. Lucian lifted his head and breathed deeply. The animal’s scent was strong. It was close. His wolf stirred eagerly beneath his skin, ready for the chase, but Lucian remained patient. He had no need to rush. The forest around the village was peaceful and abundant. Wild animals roamed freely between the trees, and the humans rarely hunted this far from their homes.

Lucian had learned every trail during the months he and Agatha had lived there. He knew where the deer drank. Where the rabbits nested. Where the wild boars slept during the day. He had once been trained to patrol borders, defend territory, and lead warriors into battle. Now he used those same instincts to put food on the table for his mate.

He had never been happier. Staying in the village had been the right decision.

When he and Agatha first arrived, Lucian had believed it would only be a temporary refuge. They had been exhausted from traveling and needed somewhere safe to rest. The village was far from both witch covens and wolf territories, hidden between the mountains and surrounded by dense forest.

It had seemed like the perfect place to disappear for a few days. Then Agatha had fallen in love with it. Lucian still remembered the evening she asked if they could remain. They had been sitting outside the small cottage they rented. The roof had been damaged, the fence leaned dangerously to one side, and weeds had swallowed most of the garden. To Lucian, it had looked barely fit to survive another winter. To Agatha, it had looked like home.

She had turned to him with hope in her eyes and asked whether they truly needed to continue searching. Lucian had agreed before she finished speaking. He did not care where they lived. A palace. A cottage. A cave hidden deep beneath the mountains. Anywhere Agatha felt safe and happy would become his home.

Over the following weeks, Lucian repaired the cottage. He strengthened the walls and replaced the damaged roof. He rebuilt the fence, chopped wood for winter, and carved shelves for Agatha’s herbs and healing supplies. Together, they planted a garden.

Agatha filled it with medicinal plants, vegetables, and flowers. Lucian did not understand why they needed

13

Chapter Opendred Seventy One

Only a few inore months remained. Then Lucian would finally hold their child in his arms. The thought Tilted him with warmth.

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