Granite's massive paw closed carefully around the bronze earth stone, the rough pads of his fingers dwarfing the small, cold artifact. For a long moment the old bear simply held it, eyes half-lidded, breathing slow and deep the way he did when he was listening to the land itself.
Alex watched, one hand still pressed to the firm curve of his belly where the little ones continued their restless fluttering. The nausea had eased to a low simmer thanks to the ginger tea Sally kept forcing on him, but the ache in his lower back had sharpened into a steady, pulling throb that radiated down into his hips. His breasts felt heavier by the hour, tender and tight against the soft linen of his shirt; every small shift made the sensitive nipples brush fabric and send tiny sparks of discomfort through him.
Granite exhaled through his nose, a low rumble that vibrated in Alex's bones.
