He slid down until he was lying on the floor, his head on his paws in front of him. "Sharkbait is a great kid. I will claim her as my own, and Liv can give us little brothers and sisters when she is ready. I'd die for them."

"She knows. Liv saw you fight off the wolf attacking her, and Vicki heard what you said about her Mom in there. Time and patience, Brent. Trust me, it's worth it."

Liv fought the fevers for two more hours as we watched and prayed. None of the spikes were as high, and her heart didn't stop again. She woke up when it...