Odin (Alien Adoption Agency #5) - Tasha Black Page 0,34

why he wouldn’t explain.

Her hurt only pained him further until he felt he was drowning in misery.

He should never have touched her, should never have told her about the bond. He should have begged his superiors to send him back onto the field, anything to keep him from dragging this good woman down to his depths.

It wasn’t too late. She had survived the loss of true love once, she would survive losing him, too.

“A good meal will help us feel better after a long day,” she suggested.

“Of course, I’ll cook right away when we get home,” he told her, his voice nearly breaking on the word home. It wasn’t his home, it was hers and Colton’s.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said. “And we should check on the sheep first.”

He nodded.

Before too long, they arrived at the barn and he took care of the stag-mare’s needs while Liberty and Colton followed the joyous Keerah up the path toward the grove.

By the time he joined them, he could see something was wrong. Liberty’s usually proud bearing was slumped and sad.

“We’re down to seven sheep,” she told him without turning around. “No predator would take that many. Someone is stealing them.”

It’s my fault. Fate is punishing me for seeking happiness…

“Let’s get back to the house,” he told her. “It’s getting late. We’ll eat something and figure this out in the morning.”

She nodded and turned back to trudge up the path.

He waited for her, and they walked together, slowly, to the house.

When they arrived, she went to freshen up, and he headed to the kitchen and began to cook.

He lost himself in the simple task, making melted cheese on toast and cutting up one of the golden fruits from their own orchard.

But when he was finished, he looked up to see that Liberty had fallen asleep in the rocking chair with Colton sound asleep on her chest.

He quietly set aside a plate in the warmer for her and ran a hand through his hair.

He would not stay with her tonight. He would go out and guard the sheep.

And tomorrow, he would find a way to tell her he was leaving.

Liberty and Colton were far too precious to live in Odin’s shadow. They would be happier without him. And he was meant to be alone.

He slipped out the door and into the night.

The cloud cover was so thick that no starlight could penetrate it. He allowed his dragon enough freedom to lend him his sight.

You cannot leave your mate and child, it insisted.

But Odin had already let the dragon ruin him once. He knew what he had to do.

27

Liberty

Liberty awoke with a start.

Her legs were stiff, and she was in an odd position with her arms around the baby.

She felt a deep sadness, though she couldn’t remember why.

She opened her eyes to find herself fully dressed in the rocking chair with Colton sleeping blissfully on her chest.

Murky light poured in the living room windows.

“Oh, buddy, we fell asleep before dinner,” she murmured to the baby.

He made a small complaining sound and snuggled back in.

“We can’t sleep all day,” she teased, pulling herself out of the chair and heading to the kitchen to start his milk.

By the time it was warmed, he was alert and looking for it.

“We have to change your diaper first,” she told him.

She headed down the hall for her room and was sad to see her bed was empty. Though it wouldn’t have made sense for Odin to sleep in her bed without her.

And he had been so unhappy last night.

If she thought the perspective of the morning would illuminate her, she was wrong. She thought through the whole day before and still couldn’t figure out what had upset him.

She changed Colton’s diaper and put him in his cradle while she freshened up.

He fussed a little and then squeaked at the sheep on his mobile until she was finished.

“Let’s have breakfast,” she told him briskly, determined to focus on the baby, rather than the dragon warrior. After all, Colton was the reason she was here.

Once Colton finished his cell of milk, she put him in his sling and made a plate of fruit, cream and toast for breakfast. It was a simple meal but easy to make even with a baby on her chest.

She headed down the hall and knocked on Odin’s door.

“Breakfast is ready,” she called to him.

There was no answer.

She wondered briefly if she had offended him by preparing a meal. Up until this point, he seemed to think