occurred to Liam was that their friends might have some sort of gag gift for them. But surely, they wouldn’t choose something like this. Besides, it didn’t explain the odd feeling.
Shiloh knelt next to the basket and pushed the blanket away. Liam gaped. Inside, there was a big egg. Well, that would account for the odd sensation he’d experienced.
“It’s a swan-shifter egg,” Shiloh said breathlessly. “Oh, my God, Liam. Who would bring it here?”
“I have no clue.” He’d have very much liked to know, too, since that person obviously knew Shiloh’s identity. “It can only be one of your people.”
The Wolf Who Hatched an Egg
81
Shiloh’s discomfort came clear through their connection. “Come on. Let’s get it inside. Even if the weather’s nice, it needs to be kept warm.”
Liam wordlessly unlocked the door and opened it. His mate took the wicker basket and carried it into the apartment. He seemed completely hypnotized by the egg. Well, so much for hot sex.
If Shiloh felt his disgruntlement, he didn’t show it, not that Liam blamed him. The basket in front of their door had brought in a huge problem, something Liam didn’t know how to deal with.
His heart squeezed in his chest as he watched Shiloh retrieve the egg from the basket with utmost care. “Baby, we have to let someone know about this.”
“But why?” Shiloh asked. “Someone left it here. Obviously, they wanted us to have it.”
“I don’t know. It seems very suspicious to me.” Eggs didn’t just pop up out of the blue in the middle of Los Angeles. Why would someone bother to bring them one? Sure, they’d wanted a family, but this felt off.
Shiloh frowned as he gently cradled the egg. “Okay, so they’re not ideal conditions, but who are we supposed to call?”
“I don’t know. Your family, perhaps? The adoption agency?”
Shiloh’s frown turned into a glare. “You can’t be serious. The adoption agency? You want me to give it away?”
“Us, Shiloh. Us,” Liam corrected. “And I didn’t say that. I merely wanted to point out that maybe we should tell someone about this.
They’ll be able to tell us what to do.”
“Liam, for whatever reason, this baby’s parents entrusted him or her to us. Now, I don’t know about you, but I won’t squander this gift.”
“Shiloh…” Liam took a deep breath. “Look, perhaps this is not the best time to talk about this. Let’s just make sure the egg is okay for now.”
82
Scarlet Hyacinth
His mate seemed satisfied with that, and in spite of the lingering sense of tension, they proceeded to check on the egg. It seemed in good condition, clean, and showed no cracks. Whoever had brought it must have taken good care of it before. But then, the question appeared as to why the person in question had abandoned it in the first place.
Still, when he looked at Shiloh and the egg, he couldn’t help a feeling of tenderness. “Liam, I know we weren’t exactly expecting this,” Shiloh said, “but this baby needs us. How can we possibly push him or her away?”
“I’m not saying we should.” Liam sighed. “It’s just that I’m worried for you.”
Hell, he was worried for both of them. They could easily get attached to this baby, and then the parents would come knocking, demanding it back. Liam might be able to withstand that kind of heartbreak, but he feared for his mate.
Shiloh placed the egg in the middle of their bed. “Well, there’s nothing we can do about it tonight anyway,” he said. “Come on.
Come here.”
Liam gulped, his concern skyrocketing. He didn’t know how to care for an egg. Wolf cubs were different, and the egg looked so fragile. What if he accidentally crushed it?
“You won’t.” Shiloh smiled gently as he took off his clothing.
“We’ll take care of this egg, you and me.”
And oddly, as Shiloh spoke, Liam found an echoing need appear inside him, the need to protect the baby beyond that delicate shell.
Without another word, he
C. J. Cherryh
Learning to Kill: Stories
John O'Riley
Brenda Sinclair
Christopher George
Stephen Lloyd Jones
Karl Iagnemma
Celya Bowers
Jill Gregory
Aria Cunningham