I tried to occupy myself with a book on gardening that I found on the shelf, but the words all blurred together. I spent more time looking out the window than actually reading.
Eventually, though, I saw Sebastian’s car pull into the driveway. I jumped to my feet, ignoring the way my ankle protested, and hobbled over to the door. I flung it open just as Sebastian came hurrying up the steps with a bundle in his arms.
“Oh, thank Gods,” I said, throwing my arms around Bjorn. He was awake but just barely, soaking wet and shivering.
But he was alive.
“Gideon found him,” Sebastian breathed as I took Bjorn into my arms, checking him for injury. Thankfully, I found none. He was cold and exhausted and his clothes were plastered to his skin from the rain, but Bjorn was uninjured.
I think I muttered a thank-you to Sebastian, but I was too consumed with my son at the moment to think about anything else. Sebastian called after me as I carried Bjorn toward the stairs, saying something about my ankle, but I didn’t stop.
Upstairs, I ran Bjorn a hot bath. He stood by the tub, still trembling, his eyes half-closed.
“Take off those wet clothes,” I said as I tested the water temperature with my hand.
Bjorn flushed. “But Mom—”
“Trust me,” I said, “I’ve seen it all. I used to change your diapers. Get undressed.”
Bjorn groaned as he began peeling off his clothes. I turned my attention back to the water, smiling faintly to myself. At least he still had his usual attitude, which was a good sign.
Once Bjorn was undressed, I helped him into the bath. He let out an audible sigh as the heat sank into his bones. I helped him shampoo his hair, just the way he used to like it when he was younger. He still seemed to find comfort in the way I rubbed my fingers against his scalp, carefully massaging the soap into each dark strand.
“So,” I said after a few minutes of quiet, once I was certain that he was out of the danger zone. “Care to tell me what happened today?”
“You said I couldn’t explore outside the pack. I was just playing in the ditch in those fields.”

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