Thorne was so exasperated he almost laughed, but his gaze softened as he looked down at Evangeline, and he swallowed his anger.
He slowly knelt, resting on one knee. He gently pressed his cheek against her lower abdomen and carefully stroked it. His voice softened considerably. "Is the cub behaving? Have they been giving you any trouble?"
He didn't dare to dwell on what happened at the tribal trading assembly. With a bone knife having pierced her heart, it was highly likely the cub hadn't survived.
At the time, he had thought that as long as Eva was alright, it didn't matter if the cub was lost. They could always have another.
"They haven't been troubling you, have they?" Thorne asked again softly. His Adam's apple bobbed, tracing a sharp line along his throat.
Caden Albright's gaze swept slowly past the Beast Spirit Flower on Evangeline's forehead before settling on her lower abdomen, his eyes darkening slightly.
