"What''s the n, Bossman?” Be asked, his curiosity evident as he nced over at me.


    "The Luna insisted on riding in the back of my truck," I exined, "so there''s no chance of wolfsbane contaminating the other vehicles. Josh will bring a car for Emily''s family to follow behind us. Those two want to keep everyone at a distance to avoid anyone else getting sick."


    Be raised an eyebrow. "When did she tell you that?"


    “She didn''t need to,” I replied. “It''s the same reason she refused to let anyone else go down the ravine. She doesn''t seem immune, judging by how she looks, but it would''ve been far worse for anyone else to go down there. Honestly, if the roles were reversed, I''d do the same."


    We gathered the vehicles, and I asked Robin to load the truck bed with extra nkets to make sure the ride was asfortable as possible. The journey would take longer than usual since I nned to drive slower than I ever had before. This cargo was too precious to risk.


    Watching Kennedy gently hold the little girl stirred every fluttering feeling I''d ever known deep within my chest. Today had been an emotional whirlwind, and I wasn''t sure the ride was over yet. I wanted so badly to tell Kennedy how I felt-how I had felt for a long time—but even the thought of it made my stomach twist in knots.


    Doc Bradshaw was well aware of how anxious Kennedy''s parents and I were about our girls. She efficiently handled the decontamination process they had to go through. I was told it was quick, but they were gone for over an hour. One of the nurses mentioned that depending on the level of exposure and the individual, it sometimes took days to fully purge wolfsbane from the system.


    I silently hoped Emily hadn''t absorbed too much of the poison while trapped among the crushed, oozing nts.


    When they finally allowed us back into the room, both girls were curled up together on a hospital bed, their eyes closed in peaceful rest.


    “Look at her,” Emily''s dad whispered softly. "She almost looks like the Luna''s child.” I couldn''t help but agree. Their eyes were the most distinguishing feature: Emily''s were a warm, rich chocte, almost amber, while Kennedy''s were a striking, clear blue that sparkled like crystals.


    I stepped closer and gently traced a finger down Kennedy''s cheek. She inhaled deeply, a shiver of warmth spreading between us at the touch.


    "I''m so grateful you found her," Emily''s mom said quietly, her gaze fixed solely on her daughter. “She truly is special. I''ve never seen Emily like this outside the house before."


    I couldn''t help but ask, "What do you mean?"


    Emily''s mom smiled softly. "Emily''s never been shy, but she''s never really put herself out there. The first time the Luna came to y ser with them, she scolded all the boys for excluding the little kids. She said it was silly not to work together because the little ones can''t improve or have fun if they don''t get a chance to practice."


    "That sounds exactly like something Emily would say," I chuckled.


    "She also told me the Luna was tough but never gave up. She always knew when to pass the ball to someone better, and she kept smiling through it all, even when things got hard. Now, whenever Emily faces a challenge, she says, ''The Luna would probably...'' She''s even doing better in school because the Luna is there, and Emily wants to train like her with Miss Greta. The Luna''s been such a positive role model, even if she doesn''t realize it. And the boys love having her watch their games-you should hear them brag to their friends," she giggled.


    Doc Bradshaw gave us an update on the girls'' health and what to expect over the next few days. She rmended keeping them overnight. Since they refused to be separated, she suggested they stay together. Neither Emily''s mom nor I were willing to leave and get some sleep at home. I joked that if worst came to worst, I''d just sleep on the floor in my wolf form.


    We were moved to one of the birthing rooms, given how many of us there were. Thankfully, cots were found so neither of us had to endure the floor. Emily''s dad took Todd home and promised to return with breakfast in the morning.


    Just before I settled onto my cot, I leaned in close to Kennedy and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. "I love you, Little Lamb," I whispered.