Wolf at Her Door: BBW Paranormal Romance by Liliana Rhodes Read Free Book Online Page A

find love among the other clans are destined for strife. They will never have the love they desire."
    "I don't understand," I said. "What do you mean? Bran can never die?"
    "Oh, he can be killed. That's for certain," she said as she stroked a thick scar across her neck with her finger. "But he will never die of old age. He will never age.
    "I cursed Niall so he wouldn't be with her, but when I did it, I cursed the rest of his line. When a MacCulloch finds his mate in another clan, they will be torn apart."
    She was quiet for a moment as she stared back into the fire.
    "Niall sent me to the Otherworld where I have spent many lifetimes waiting for him to realize his mistake, but he never came back for me. He spent his life looking for my sister and when he found out she died, he killed himself. I never realized how much he truly loved her. I was too young and jealous to recognize true love when it was right in front of me. It just wasn't mine.
    "That's what happened to you and Bran," she said. "When you overheard him, he had just learned about his immortality and he saw it for the curse it is. Realizing you would age and die before him was enough for him to declare he didn't want that for anyone else, including his children."
    Bran's words finally made sense. I stood up and walked to the door.
    "I have to get back to him," I said. "I have to tell him I'm having his child and explain what happened."
    "No, you can't. If you care for that child inside you, you won't go back to Bran."
    "Why not?"
    "Because my tears are not for Niall, they are for that babe inside of you," she said.
    "He will die?"
    "If you return, his death is certain. Your child will grow like other children. He will be susceptible to injuries and illness, even death. Once he reaches adulthood he will be immortal, but until then he is in danger."
    "But Bran will protect him," I said.
    "Bran has left. He believes you are dead and cannot stand to stay in the village that reminds him so much of you."
    "But I'm not dead. I have to stop him. I have to tell him I'm okay and he's going to be a father."
    "No, you can't," she said. "The trip to the Otherworld took you two weeks to make. It'll take another fortnight for you to return. He could be anywhere by then."
    Two weeks? I thought. Where did the time go? And what about Bran? I have to find him. He needed to know I was okay.
    "You can't find him?" I asked.
    "I cannot find those who choose to be lost."
    I didn't want to hear any more. I left the cottage for the some fresh air. As I stood outside, I looked around again and realized there was nothing else around us. I was in the Otherworld. The banshee probably made it look like Scotland, just like she was able to change her own appearance.
    I walked into the heather and ran my fingers over the soft purple tips. I was trapped. If I returned to my village, it would disgrace my father. A daughter of Clan Drummond was impregnated by their foe, who was missing. I couldn't do that to my father.
    More importantly, I couldn't push the banshee's cries out of my head. I left Bran to protect my child. If I really wanted to protect him, then I needed to stay in the Otherworld.
    The banshee appeared as an old woman again and walked into the field of heather. She was once again dressed in a long flowing white robe. In her hand was a ball of red yarn.
    "We can return whenever you're ready," she said.
    "No, I'm going to stay here. I'll have my baby here and make a life for him until he's old enough to safely leave."
    The banshee smiled and became young again.
    "I'm so happy to hear that," she said. "You'll see your Bran again one day, Ainsley. I know it, I've seen it. You have lifetimes before you, but remember wherever you go, make sure you move before others grow suspicious."
    "Lifetimes? You must be mistaken. I'm not from Clan MacCulloch."
    "But that child inside you is, and he needs you. As he grows, you will change, too. You won't be immortal, but you will age much more slowly. And