Tharon

THARON

T he purple dusk crept over the mountains. My keen sight picked up every dip and ridge in the path ahead, but Niam stumbled more with each step. The night creatures stirred - I caught their scents on the wind. Predators. Not close enough to threaten us, yet, but moving in our direction.

“We need shelter,” I said.

Niam’s chin lifted. “I can keep going.”

A lie, but an admirable one. Her determination only made me want her more. The curve of her neck as she looked up at me... I clenched my fists, forced myself to focus on our surroundings.

There. A dark slash in the rock face. I knew these mountains - hunters used the natural caves as temporary camps. “This way.”

She followed without argument. Progress. When we first met, she’d have demanded explanations for every decision.

I strode ahead to check the cave entrance. Old scent marks from a belevashka, but months stale. No fresh tracks. Safe enough.

“Wait here.”

I ducked inside, nostrils flaring as I tested the air. The cave stretched back maybe twenty feet, ceiling high enough to stand. Dry. Protected from the wind.

“All clear.” I emerged to find Niam leaning against the rock wall, though she straightened quickly when she saw me. My hands itched to carry her inside, to shelter her beneath my cloak and guard her sleep. But she'd hate that.

Her next step faltered. Before I could stop myself, my hand shot out to grasp her elbow.

“I’m fine,” she snapped, jerking away.

“Of course,” I replied, voice carefully neutral. “The cave's dry. We should rest while we can.”

She hesitated, then nodded. “Just for a little while.”

I let her enter first, watching how she masked her exhaustion. Such fierce pride in that small frame. My mate. Mine to protect, whether she wanted it or not.

The thought of anyone else touching her...

I shook off the surge of possessiveness. She wasn’t ready for that conversation. Not yet.

Dead branches crackled under my boots as I gathered brush near the cave entrance. Every few steps, I glanced back at Niam. She sat cross-legged against the far wall, the device balanced on her knees. Her fingers traced its edges with a delicate precision that made my skin burn.

The wind shifted, carrying her scent to me - incense mixed with something uniquely her. My hands crushed the branch I held.

The rockslide had taken our mount, the bedding, the supplies I’d carefully packed.

And the suppressant.

Already the Valti stirred beneath my skin, demanding I claim what was mine.

Niam pulled her thin robe tighter. The cave’s chill air raised bumps along her arms. I could warm her. Should warm her. My cloak would envelope her small frame completely...

No. She’d reject any such gesture. The wariness in her posture whenever I moved too quickly told me enough.

I arranged the kindling with careful, measured movements. “The fire will help.”

She nodded without looking up. The device’s metallic surface reflected blue light across her face.

My instincts screamed to block the cave entrance, to guard my mate from any threat. Instead, I positioned myself between her and the opening while maintaining a respectful distance. The monster inside me snarled at the compromise.

The fire caught. Its warmth did nothing to ease the fever building in my blood. Each breath brought more of her scent, stoking the Valti’s hunger. I needed to hunt - both to feed her and to burn off this dangerous energy.

“Stay by the fire,” I said, rising. “I’ll find us something to eat.”

“I don’t need a keeper.”

“No. But you do need food.” I strode toward the entrance before my control slipped further. “I won’t be long.”

She nodded without looking up from the device. “Don’t go far.”

“I won’t.” The promise came without thought. Even now, the need to protect warred with the urge to claim. I had to get away from her scent before I lost control completely.

The night air filled my lungs with scents - rock dust, mountain herbs, and beneath it all, prey. My Valti senses cut through the darkness. Each shadow held meaning, each rustle spoke volumes.

There. A flash of movement on the ridge. Rock tserna grazed along a narrow ledge, their curved horns stark against the mountainside.

Without a bow or sling, no time to set a snare and wait... I bit back a curse. The proud prince of Zashi, reduced to hunting like a common beast. My mother’s voice mocked me from memory: “Only savages hunt with teeth and claws. You must stay above that, always.”

I was glad she was dead, taking her poisonous words with her.

The closest one, a young male, strayed from the herd. Perfect. But the angle...

I let the Valti rise just enough to sharpen my reflexes. Power surged through my muscles as I crept closer. The beast purred at the prospect of the hunt.

One chance. The tserna’s head lifted, testing the air. Now.

I launched myself from the higher ledge. The distance vanished as Valti strength propelled me forward. My claws extended mid-leap.

The impact drove us both to the ground. My hand clamped around its muzzle, silencing any cry. One swift twist and it was done. Clean. Quick. But the sight of my claws buried in its flesh...

I rose, wiping blood from my hands. A prince of Zashi should hunt with fine weapons, not tear at prey like an animal. But Niam needed food.

Niam. The thought of her waiting in the cave steadied me. I extended my claws again, this time to butcher the carcass. The tender cuts went into a pile for her. The rest I could eat raw if needed.

“First proper weapon I find,” I muttered as I cleaned my claws on the grass. “Then I’ll hunt like civilized people.”

The meat would strengthen Niam. That mattered more than my pride. I gathered the best portions and headed back toward the cave, leaving the rest for scavengers. At least the kill had burned off some of the dangerous energy that built whenever I got too close to her.

But now I had to return to that small space, filled with her scent...

Fear struck me, and I sprinted back to the cave, cursing myself for leaving her alone. The meat bounced against my leg with each stride. What if temple guards found her? What if the skyclaw returned?

The cave entrance yawned ahead, dark and empty. No signs of intrusion. My nose confirmed it - only our scents lingered.

Inside, the fire burned low. Niam slept curled against the wall, her strange device clutched to her chest. Her breaths came slow and steady.

My shoulders dropped. Safe. She was safe.

I added wood to the embers, careful not to wake her. The flames caught, casting orange light across her face. Even in sleep, her jaw stayed set with determination.

The meat needed preparation. I sliced it into strips with precise cuts of my claws, arranging them on clean stones near the fire. No need to advertise how I’d made the kill.

The aroma of cooking meat filled the cave. Niam stirred, her nose twitching. She blinked at the fire, then sat up straight.

“How long did I sleep?”

“Not long enough.” I turned the meat. “But food’s almost ready.”

She stretched, joints popping. “Did you find something to hunt?”

“Rock tserna. Common enough in these mountains.” Moving casually, I slid the bloody scraps under leaves.

“With what weapon?”

I shrugged. “I managed.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t press. Instead, she watched the meat cook, stomach growling loud enough for my enhanced hearing to catch.

I passed her the first cooked pieces on a flat stone. “Careful, it’s hot.”

She took a bite without hesitation. No questions about preparation or safety. Just pure trust.

My pride was undeniable. My mate, accepting my provision. The Valti preened.

“This is good,” she said between bites. “Really good.”

I added more meat to the fire, pretending her praise didn’t affect me. But inside, beast and man both glowed with satisfaction. I’d provided for her, protected her. Maybe earned a fraction more of her trust.

She finished her portion and licked her fingers clean. The sight of her tongue...

I focused very hard on cooking the rest of the meat.