The stallion Carter was seated on bowed his lower body to the ground, allowing him to easily dismount with the dying woman in his arms. It was as if even the beast knew her time to leave this wicked world had come.
Dahlia faithfully followed Carter, her newfound mate, to the edge of the Terrewell thicket, and they sat under the thick branches of a snow-ladened pine. The ground there was bare and had yet to be blanketed with snow.
When they sat huddled together on the ground, they shared the responsibility of holding and soothing Willow. Dahlia sobbed, and Carter held her close, letting her grieve for her best friend. He said nothing and only gave reassurance as he listened to the peaceful sounds of the forest mingled with Dahlia's sorrowful mourning.
She was unquestionably destined to be his. He felt every bit of her pain. Carter realized he had not even placed his bond on her yet. But it was like it was already there. Their link was unbelievably solid.
