Chapter 13

Taylor

Shit! I was hoping Drovo and Kayla wouldn’t say anything, but they obviously had. I didn’t blame them. It’s not like I told either of them to keep it a secret. I hadn’t been thinking that far ahead at the time.

“This is so exciting!” Fatima cheered.

“Welcome to matehood,” Julie smiled.

“Congratulations,” Gabby said as she patted her ever-growing belly.

“Another couple, our hearts are bursting with joy for you.” Neelu squeezed my hand, and the joy radiating from her was unbearable.

I looked around the room and everyone was so happy. It was like our mating lifted the spirits of the entire community. They were happy because they thought we were happy. I couldn’t take that away from them, could I?

“Yeah, we’re very happy.” I plastered a very big fake smile on my face.

I took Brexl’s hand in mine and hoped he wouldn’t be mad that I didn’t stick to our plan. He looked surprised, but quickly hid his shock.

I caught Kayla looking at us out of the corner of my eye. She was standing next to Drovo who had his arm looped around her. She quirked an eyebrow at me, but I didn’t respond.

“Well, we had a long journey, and we’re pretty tired. So, I think we’ll turn in for the night.”

“Of course, of course!” Fatima helped us get clear of the crowd using her eldest daughter voice.

Brexl and I held hands as we made our way to his private cave, and as soon as we were inside with the curtain closed behind us, I apologized profusely.

“I’m so sorry, Brexl. I don’t know what happened. Everyone looked so happy, and I just couldn’t take that away from them. I know you don’t want to be mated, and I’m not looking to be in a relationship either, so I promise I’ll figure this out.”

“I...” Brexl closed his mouth, looked like he wanted to say something, and then thought better of it. “I understand.”

I wrung my hands together and looked around the room. It was similar to the other caves I’d seen with storage baskets, a bed of furs, a few shelves carved out of the rock, but unlike everyone else, he had bone carvings everywhere. They were cute little trinkets that lined his shelves, and some larger ones sat on the floor next to his bed.

“Do you mind if I stay in your cave tonight?”

“You can stay in my cave every night. What’s mine is yours.”

“Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I was so happy he understood where I was coming from that I kissed him on the cheek before leaving his cave to get my things.

***

Brexl

I watched Taylor walk out of my...our cave, and I stood there in shock. She’d kissed me. I rubbed my cheek where her lips had been. I wish her lips could have been made of fire, so when she kissed me, it would have left as much of a brand on my body as she had left on my soul.

I was convinced now more than ever that I was cursed. I was so close to having everything I’d ever wanted, and yet it still remained out of my reach. It was like my nightmare all over again, constantly searching but never finding.

I was happy to settle for friendship if that was what Taylor wanted. She had already shown me more kindness than anyone else I’d ever known. Which was why it nearly ripped my heart out when I realized Taylor thought I didn’t want to be mated. I wanted to be mated, but I would not force my cursed existence on anyone else, especially not Taylor.

I was starting to believe that she truly didn’t see me as a monster, and I was even starting to question it myself. But until the day comes that I truly believed that I wasn’t a monster made for killing, I would not even think of being mated to Taylor.

Which is why when she said her assumption out loud, I didn’t correct her. It was better this way.

The last time I was in this room I didn’t anticipate coming back with a mate. I took stock of the space and decided some changes were needed.

I dumped the contents of a few of my storage baskets together and placed the empty ones along the opposite wall for Taylor to have.

I took all of my spare furs and a few from my bed and placed them on the floor beside mine. It would look to obvious if we had two separate beds, but no one would question us having one large bed. This way, Taylor could have all the space she wanted.

I placed some candles on her side as well as my large bone carving of a flower. It resembled the one she’d pointed out on our walk, and I thought she might like it.

I looked around the room at all my bone carving trinkets that littered the space and wondered what Taylor thought of them. Would she find my hobby strange? Should I hide them?

I liked carving things. Using my hands to create things out of shapeless bones helped me feel less anxious when life got difficult. The world would fade away as I whittled the bone piece by piece until it was something new, something beautiful.

Taylor returned before I could contemplate further.

“I got my stuff.” She held up her basket and furs with a smile that warmed my heart. What I would give for this to be the moment she moved in as my real mate and not as a fake one.

“Oh wow, is this corner of the room for me?”

She set her basket down next to the empty ones I’d provided for her.

“I want you to be comfortable while you stay here.”

“Thanks,” she gave me another warm smile.

“Mmm, I’m so looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed piled high with furs.’

Her little moan of pleasure made my cock rise and my knees weak. Goddess help me, I silently prayed.

As she laid out her extra furs, she noticed the flower carving that I’d placed on her side of the bed.

“This is pretty. Can I touch it?” She asked, turning to me with hopeful eyes.

“It’s yours, you may do as you wish.”

She delicately picked up the object and turned it over in her hands. “Did you make this?”

“It is my hobby,” I admitted nervously, not sure how she’d respond to this information.

“You’re very good.”

She gently set the flower carving down and walked over to my shelves.

Her finger lightly danced along the stone as she slowly walked along the wall, looking at each of my carvings.

“How long have you been doing this?”

“Since I was a child.”

“It’s a nice hobby to have. Why I haven’t I seen any of your carvings before? Are you not allowed to display them in the main cavern?”

I’d never thought of my carvings as something other than a way to pass the time.

“I’m allowed to display them if I wish.”

“You should, I mean if you want to. They’re certainly good enough to be displayed.”

“I will consider it.”

Taylor nodded her head and let out another yawn.

“Well, this bed is calling my name. What do you say? You ready to go to sleep?”

I swallowed hard as Taylor took off her dirty clothes and replaced them with the gray t-shirt and shorts that she’d been wearing when she crashed here. Thankfully, she got under the furs before my cock could harden any further at the sight of all her soft skin on display.

“Oh my god, it’s like laying on a cloud. Come here, come feel how amazing this bed is with all our furs stacked on it.”

Taylor waved me over, and I took off my dirty clothes as well. I turned to face the wall as I removed my pants and replaced them with the shorts I preferred to sleep in.

When I turned back around, she was still waiting for me, but now her cheeks had turned pink. Was she watching as I undressed? Did she like what she saw?

I bit back a moan as I laid down on the bed beside her. She was right. Our bed was very comfortable, especially compared to the stone floors we’d been sleeping on.

“Comfy right?”

“Comfy,” I nodded.

“Ah,” she sighed as she laid back. “Tonight is going to be a good night.”

I nodded my head and blew out the last candle that was illuminating the room.

We laid there in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Taylor spoke again.

“I really appreciate all this Brexl. You’ve done a lot to make me comfortable in your cave. Hopefully you won’t be forced to share your space with me for too long. I think once I get a good night’s sleep, I’ll be able to figure something out.”

Was that sadness in her voice? Why would she be sad about leaving me? I was no one to be sad over.

“Stay as long as you wish.”

Please don’t leave me. A small voice inside me pleaded.

“I like having you here.”

“You do? You really don’t mind?” She sounded surprised. I needed to work on that. It was one thing for her to think I didn’t want a mate. It was another thing entirely for her to think I didn’t like her as much as I do.

“We are friends. You cared for me when I was injured. I will care for you now that we’ve returned.”

“That’s kind. Thank you, Brexl.”

She was silent for another moment before she said, “Goodnight, Brexl.”

“Goodnight, Taylor.”