Chapter 12

Rojtar

Darkness like none other entered my vision the moment I spotted that unworthy male on top of Abby. My only thought had been to kill. But new sensations are rushing through me. Disbelief. Awe. Hope. Love .

“ Keeshla ,” I repeat the word, still not certain I am not being deceived by the sight of the mating marks that travel the length of my arm and move across my chest.

My skin tingles and the place where Abby still has not released her hold on my arm burns with heat that sends warmth through me and settles within my soul light that shines so bright to be nearly blinding. I am shocked to find her seemingly unaffected, as though she is unable to see it as well.

The dishonorable male lying beaten on the ground moans and breaks whatever spell that holds Abby and me bound. I glance down at him and the bloody mess. Not even the smallest amount of regret fills me. If my mate had not stopped me, he would be dead. It is no less than he deserves for his assault on my keeshla . The memory of her stripped of her chest covering makes the rage inside me flare to life, but I tamp it down. Only because Abby asked it of me.

I stand and reach out a hand for my mate, hopeful she takes it despite the blood that covers it. My heart skips a beat and my skin once again tingles when she lays her tiny fingers within my palm. She uses her free arm to keep her chest covering from falling off as she rises to her feet. With great reluctance, I release her. Not caring if I cause Lewis more pain, I yank the male’s covering from his body. He cries out, but I ignore it.

With the cloth in my grasp, I turn to Abby and offer it to her. I understand the humans are much more modest with their nakedness than Tavikhi are.

“For you to put on.”

She takes it from me and our fingers touch. That same jolt hits me and my hand twitches. She must feel it too, because hers also jerks slightly. I shift my gaze away to give her privacy and stare down at Lewis. Several beats pass before he opens the only eye he is able to. I wait until his sight locks onto me. From the way it widens and fear crosses his face, I know he sees me. I squat down again. He tracks my every move.

“It is only because of Abby that you are still alive.” My voice is low and deadly, but there is no misunderstanding me. “This is the only warning you will receive. If you so much as try to harm her again—in fact, if you ever come near her again—not even she will be able to save you. I swear to the goddess above, I will kill you and feed your body to a luani. If you do not believe me, ask Abby. I do not make any promises I do not keep. Is that understood?”

Lewis nods, but it is not enough. I want to hear him say the words.

“I will ask you again. Is that understood?”

He swallows and chokes out, “Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, I understand,” he scratches out through a rough voice.

I glare down at him a moment longer until I slowly push myself upright and turn to Abby. As much as I do not like seeing her wearing the worthless male’s chest covering and getting his scent on her, I liked seeing her in a torn covering less.

“He did not hurt you?” Making sure she was unharmed should have been the first thing I asked and guilt squeezes me.

She shakes her head. “You got here before he could.”

That is good. “Are you well enough to travel back to the village?”

“Yeah.”

I locate Abby’s spear partially hidden under a trendafili bush and pick it up. A quick glance over my shoulder finds her walking toward me. I hand over the weapon and she takes it.

“Come then.”

She hesitates for a beat. “I need to get the rabbits.”

I stare in confusion.

“Um, I think you call them leburin.” Abby points in the opposite direction of the village. “There’s a bundle not far from here that I caught today.”

Ah. “We will get these leburin, then.”

I let her guide the way until we find the bodies. She picks them up and I quickly count their numbers. It would appear she had an excellent day of hunting on her own. A mixture of guilt and anger fills me that I was not here to protect her.

“I am sorry.” The words are inadequate.

The furry lines across Abby’s brow shift. “For what?”

“For not being with you today. For allowing harm to come to you.” I turn my gaze toward where we left Lewis. “He should not have been able to hurt you.”

“It’s not your fault.”

It is kind of her to say, but the blame still lies on my shoulders. I will not argue with her though. Instead, I nod and start off for the village again. Abby’s footsteps follow and I slow my pace until she walks beside me. We pass where the unworthy male had been lying, but he is no longer there. It is probably best the coward scurried away. I do not ever want to set my sights on him again.

We do not travel far before I can feel the intensity of every glance she casts my way. I shift my gaze to meet hers.

“How did you find me?” she asks. “I’ve been out here for hours.”

“I tracked you.” Abby did nothing to hide her trail, which was easy to discover.

“Why? I mean, why did you come looking for me? Oh god, is Carter okay?” Her pace quickens.

Since I no longer have to restrain myself, I clasp her arm gently and she stops to stare down at where we are connected. “Carter is fine.”

She slowly relaxes.

“I came to find you to make sure you were all right and to see how your hunting fared since I have not yet had the chance to get you a smaller spear.” It is something I will remedy as soon as we reach the village.

“Oh. I thought you’d forgotten.”

“I did not. Before you head out the next time, I will make sure you have it.”

Abby jerks. “You’re not going to forbid me from going out hunting anymore?”

My brow bones shift. “Why would I do that?”

She gapes and gestures behind us. “Because of what happened back there.”

My jaw clenches. “ That will not happen again, because you and I will be hunting together from now on.”

I take off walking again and Abby catches up quickly. “What if I don’t want you coming with me?”

“Then while you do your hunting I will do my own in the same vicinity. You will not even see me, although I will be nearby to hear you call out if you need me.” While I do not understand why she never wants to ask people for help, I will respect her choice to the best of my ability while also making sure she remains safe and unharmed.

She does not speak for several beats, but I can sense her gaze on me still. We continue moving with quiet between us until Abby once again breaks it.

“Are we going to talk about those marks that appeared on your body? I mean, I understand what they are, but not how it is going to affect things.”

I am surprised she is acknowledging them. I suspected she would do her best to ignore the fact they appeared and that she is the one who triggered them. “I am not sure there is anything to talk about.”

If Abby fears I will force her to be my mate, then she would be wrong. She has made it more than clear what her thoughts and feelings are in regards to mates and kits. It does not matter that my soul light burns hotter than the sun within my chest. Her wishes are important.

Once again, she grips my arm and forces me to stop. I stare down at her and wait.

“Well, I’m pretty sure there is something to talk about.” Abby gestures at my shoulder and chest with her finger. “Those are mating marks.”

“Yes.”

“They showed up after I touched you, which I can only assume to mean you think I’m your mate,” she says.

“I do not think it. I know it.”

She’s already shaking her head. “That’s not possible.”

“Why is it not?”

“Be—because,” Abby sputters. “Because I don’t want to be your— anyone’s —mate. It’s nothing against you personally, so please don’t think that.”

“It does not matter what either of us want. Deeka has decided.”

She groans. “I don’t care what your goddess has or has not decided.”

I have to smile at her annoyance. “It does not work that way. But if you worry I am going to force you into accepting our mate bond, then you can set the fear aside. I swear to you on my honor, Abby, that nothing will change between us unless you choose otherwise.”

Without waiting for her response, I continue the trek back to the village. She will either believe me or she will not. Once again, her footsteps follow and she is at my side again.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“One of these days, keeshla , you will no longer question my honor. I do not say things I do not mean.”

Silence falls between us again as we draw closer to home.

“I’m sorry,” Abby says some time later, disturbing the quiet that settled. “For questioning you. Nothing you’ve done so far leads me to think you’d lie to me.”

A mellenje calls out and I answer it with one of my own. Several beats later, we exit the forest and cross through the large bari field to enter a second, smaller group of trees. We pass through to reach a narrow field and the front gate of the village where two warriors stand guard. Their gazes land on me and widen at the sight of the mating marks that now decorate my body. They dart several glances between Abby and me as we walk past them, but neither say anything.

“Would you like me to take your kills to the tanning tent, or would you like to deliver them yourself?” I glance over at her.

She pauses for a beat before deciding. “I’ll take them, if you don’t mind. Then I need to change clothes. I don’t want to wear this shirt any longer than I have to.”

Nor do I want her to wear another male’s coverings. Especially that male’s. I nod in acknowledgement. “I will see you at the evening meal then?”

Again, Abby hesitates. “I’ll be there.”

I watch her walk away before going in search of Zander. While he still leaves for the occasional hunt, he most often remains within the village and helps Benham train the younger warriors to fight. Especially since he and London will be welcoming their first kit soon. I am happy for the shefir and shefira, but also envious. Not only of their mating, but of the fact they have created new life and another member of our tribe will be born.

Talek was one of the last kits to arrive amongst a mated pair. In fact, Zander and London were the first to have formed a mate bond within our village since Talek’s birth. Up until then, it had been every unmated Tavikhi’s fear that he would be the last of us since it had become clear that there would be no more mates among our people. Every turn since the shefira arrived on this planet with the rest of her tribe sisters has been a celebration of hope.

Something I had almost given up on. Until now. Until Abby.