Chapter 3

Since receiving that impossible call from Kayog four days ago, I'd gone through the entire spectrum of emotions, from intense joy to extreme stress. After waiting for more than five years, I had lost hope that he would succeed in finding my soulmate.

Discovering that she'd been a victim of abuse had my blood boiling with the need to crack that wretched male's skull. Saying that my protective instincts were firing on all cylinders would be quite an understatement. As much as it distressed me that those traumatic events made her not overly keen to marry, I was looking forward to being the rock she could lean on to get back on her feet. She was my soulmate. I would bring her the stability, love, and support she needed to heal.

Granted, it stung a little that she only agreed to come here out of desperation. At the same time, it filled my hearts with pride to be the one to provide her with a safe harbor in her time of need.

We wouldn't have a real marriage at first—which also meant none of the cuddling I craved. But I had no problem with that. Having our happily ever after once she was ready was more than worth the wait.

And she's so incredibly pretty!

Since Kayog sent me a 3D hologram of Farah, I'd been unable to tear my gaze away from her. By Zamorian standards, at 5'10, she qualified as small, especially compared to my 8'. Her slender body possessed all the right curves in the right places. Generally speaking, I liked females with a bit more meat. And yet, I could find no fault with her. Farah's skin reminded me of golden desert sand kissed by the reddish lights of the setting sun. She had the cutest bud nose, generous heart-shaped lips, and big, brown, doe eyes that screamed of innocence and vulnerability, which sent my protective urges into overdrive.

Kromor's teeth! I would have to shackle myself to refrain from smothering her in hugs the moment we met.

Unfortunately, for now, a highly disagreeable task forced me to cast all wistful thoughts of my woman aside. My stomach knotted with tension as I rang the chime to my parents' dwelling. I'd delayed this confrontation for as long as possible and was determined to keep it short. Considering I already knew the unpleasant outcome, I tried to enjoy a sense of normalcy until it couldn't be postponed anymore.

With Xoccoris being a matriarchal society, I couldn't marry without my mother's blessing. My father left town for a few days for a hunt. As he didn't have a say in the matter, his absence was irrelevant. Even should he disagree with my mother's decision—not that he ever did—she could never be swayed from whatever path she had settled on.

The door parted before me with a soft swish, the mechanism likely activated by a vocal command as my mother stood a few meters from the inner set of doors to the antechamber.

Talinsaya Skortheatis embodied the beauty, elegance, and strength of the Zamorian females. From her, I inherited my black hair and eyes. At fifty-six, she could easily pass for my older sister rather than my mother. Her greige skin, a paler shade than mine, was flawless and luminous. As was fashionable among our females, she was wearing a colorful sleeveless crop top with a matching ankle-length skirt with thigh-high slits on the sides.

She gracefully wiggled her fingers at me in a beckoning gesture, an inquisitive expression on her face.

"Krogal, there you are. Come in, son."

I crossed the short antechamber into the open space living area of my mother's dwelling. As I closed the inner doors behind me, she gently caressed my single braid Zamorian males always plaited their hair into. It constituted both a gesture of affection but also of status and dominance. Children belonged to their mother until she released them to their mates. The braid—often referred to as the leash—was the symbol of that ownership. No female but your mother, and later your wife, had the right to touch your braid.

"You wanted to talk?" she asked, curious but not worried.

"Yes, Mother. I have an announcement to make," I said in a formal tone.

"Oh? Should we take a seat then?" she asked, gesturing at the set of comfortable, dark-brown cushioned chairs and couches in the living area.

I shook my head. "If you don't mind, I would rather stand."

She narrowed her four eyes at me, tension seeping into her previously relaxed demeanor. I only remained standing for unpleasant discussions.

"Very well. I'm listening," she said, her voice a bit cooler.

"Kayog Voln contacted me to let me know he found my soulmate," I said, relieved that my voice didn't reveal how nervous I felt.

My mother stiffened, and her eyes widened in shock. "What?! How?"

I cleared my throat and ran a hand over my braid. "A little over five years ago, I contacted Kayog to look for her. He's been searching ever since. And at last, his efforts bore fruit."

"Why in the world did you not mention this to me before?" she exclaimed, disbelief laced with a sliver of outrage filling her voice.

"What was the point?" I asked with a shrug. "I doubted he would be successful. There was no point creating expectations that would likely never be met."

"You still should have told me!" she insisted with an irritated gesture of her primary right hand. "This whole time, I was looking for a mate for you!"

I nodded. "Correct, and you might have found her. There was a real chance she would be a Zamorian, right here on Xoccoris. Until my soulmate was found, we couldn't know where she would be. It would have been foolish of me to eliminate any option."

Mother huffed, not fully mollified, but unable to argue with my logic. "So what is she like?" she asked in a grumbling tone.

I couldn't help the wistful smile that blossomed on my lips. "She's a breathtaking human. Although taller than Belle, she's a lot more delicate."

The way my mother scrunched her face and rolled her eyes immediately had my hackles rising.

"Figures," Mother said, unimpressed. "Ever since Bayron's mate came here, you've been pining over humans. She's nice enough and a good mate for your cousin. But what's so special about her to make you shun your own people?"

"I have not shunned our females," I ground through my teeth, instantly aggravated to have her bring back that same old refrain. "The ones I met simply weren't for me. And the fact that Kayog found my soulmate confirms what I felt all along. Belle's arrival only helped me identify what I wasn't finding here."

She shook her head at me as if I was an oddity that defied any possible logic.

"Why are you so strange?" she asked, more to herself than to me. "Why can't you just be like your brother and the other Zamorian males? Where did I go wrong?"

"I am not strange," I snapped. "The fact that I have my own desires and ambitions—which happen to differ from yours—doesn't make me weird. It only makes me an individual. Why should I be a copy of my brother or someone else? What's wrong with being me? And above all, why is it so hard for you to just love me for who I am and the way I am?"

She waved both her primary hands in a dismissive gesture while giving me an annoyed look. "No one said I don't love you. That's all in your head."

"You certainly don't act like it," I countered, crossing my primary arms over my chest and fisting my secondary hands by my sides.

She ran her fingers through her long black hair cascading loosely over her slender shoulders, looking discouraged.

"It's just that you could be so much more! As your mother, it's my duty to push you to be the best you can be. It's not that I don't love you, quite the opposite. I try to reason with you because I love you!"

"Why is it so hard for you to understand that I already am what I want to be?" I exclaimed, exasperated and wondering why I was allowing her to drag me down that tired old slippery slope that never resolved anything. "I don't want those other things you wish for me. Fame, trophies, and bragging rights have never held any appeal for me. You already have Demar fulfilling your wishes and ambitions and bringing plenty of honor to your house. Why can't that be enough for you?"

"Because you are the strongest male on this entire planet!" she spat angrily. "You are my firstborn. You should be setting the example instead of laying it on the shoulders of your younger sibling. Your name could go down in history as our greatest warrior of all time! Instead, you're wasting your potential slapping bandages on animals."

I was so tired of hearing those words from her. Knowing replying would only send us down a pointless spiral of resentment, I merely stared at her, my face devoid of any expression.

She sighed and shook her head in discouragement, understanding that I was done with this topic. "There's just no reasoning with you. But fine, we'll organize your human's clanning. When will she arrive?"

"Tomorrow," I said in a cold voice.

"TOMORROW?! Seriously, Krogal, you could have given me more warning!" Mother exclaimed, throwing all four of her arms up in the air in disbelief. "Grrr, by Khivolt, you never make things easy. But fine, we'll sort it out. I already have brumar sweat for her. You must go hunt a grummoll today. And I need her measurements for her sacrificial gown."

While speaking, Mother's eyes flicked from side to side as she tried to inventory all the things she would need to organize a traditional claiming and bonding ceremony. The part of me that still loved my mother felt grateful that, despite my rudeness of dumping this on her at the last minute, she would go out of her way to make it the most spectacular wedding she possibly could. Sadly, as much as I wanted to believe it was out of devotion to her son, I knew her too well. This was all about her image.

"That won't be necessary, Mother," I said in a neutral tone.

She stiffened, an understandable confusion settling over her noble features. "What?"

I sighed and braced for the next and even bigger storm to come. "There won't be a bonding ceremony tomorrow or in the foreseeable future."

"But… I thought you said she was your soulmate?"

"She is. However, she survived great trauma and abuse from her former mate," I explained, not wanting to go into too much detail as it wasn't my story to tell. "Farah is scared and will need time to learn to trust me. We will simply have a legal marriage by signing a contract so that she can enjoy all the protections of citizenship. A formal wedding will have to wait."

"I see," Mother said, visibly displeased, not to say disgusted.

She always pictured me marrying one of our few battle maidens who would have elevated our status even more. The prospect of me choosing what she perceived as a weak and feeble woman distressed her. One more proof she truly didn't understand me.

"However, once my mate is ready for us to proceed, be fairly warned I will not have a traditional bonding ceremony," I said in a tone that brooked no argument. "I will not slaughter a grummoll in our arena."

This time, my mother gasped and visibly recoiled. "That is our way!"

"It is barbaric and uselessly cruel!" I snarled. "Proving my worth as a mate shouldn't require making a spectacle of killing a wild beast, and making it suffer for the amusement of the crowd."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You and your obsession with animals! Grummolls are feral beasts that need to be culled to protect our cities. And the kill is not gratuitous or wasted. The entire beast will be used to feed the guests."

"I will kill a grummoll for the feast. But it will be a swift, clean, and merciful death during a hunt."

"It's tradition! It's our way!" she repeated as if she thought I'd lost my mind.

"It's your tradition, not mine. And I have a pretty strong feeling it won't be Farah's either."

"You would truly dishonor our house like this?" she whispered in complete shock.

"Mother, I'm not trying to dishonor you or our family," I said in a reasonable tone. "I specifically came to you hoping to get your blessing for an alternative ceremony when the time comes so that I do not make unrealistic promises to my mate when she arrives tomorrow."

"There will be no alternative ceremonies," she said in an icy tone. "I forbid it. You will follow our way or not marry at all."

Despite knowing it would come to this, my hearts still broke at the finality of it all.

I nodded slowly and sighed with resignation. "Then I have no other choice but to renounce my house."

My mother visibly blanched and gaped at me in both shock and horror. "You would dare? For a human you've never even met?!"

"First off, I don't need to meet her to know she's the other half of me. If Kayog says she's the one, then it is an irrefutable fact. Second, even if she had been a Zamorian or any other species, my decision would be the same. My wedding day should be about my happiness, not yours. It will happen according to the rules my bride and I set for ourselves, not those imposed by others."

She snorted with disdain and looked at me as if I'd said something stupid. "And where exactly will you take that so-called soulmate of yours once you've been banned from this clan?"

I gave her a sad smile. "I haven't been banned. And should that occur, that will be Feidin's decision to make, not yours. As I highly suspected this would be the outcome of our discussion, I've already set a meeting with her to address my status within this clan."

My mother paled even more. This time, true fear entered her obsidian eyes.

"When?" she breathed out, flabbergasted.

"Now," I replied, matter-of-factly.

"I forbid it!"

I shrugged. "You are free to make your case to the Matriarch, as will I."

Despite the hurt lacerating my twin hearts, I plastered a mask of stoicism on my face as I exited her dwelling and made my way to the lift. She followed in my wake, berating me the whole time. I ignored her and remained silent as I entered the lift's cabin and as it raced down to the ground floor of the giant fortress that housed the closest families sharing our ruling clan's bloodline.

When we stepped into the hallway, Mother lowered her voice as she continued to feverishly whisper for me to get back to my senses before I caused myself and our family irreparable harm. We merged into the main hallway leading to the Gathering Hall where the clan's Matriarch—my aunt Feidin—and her mate Ugrul were currently hearing requests and grievances. A few people loitering outside the imposing, intricately carved doors leading into the massive room glanced our way with curiosity at the palpable tension surrounding us. The unusually panicked expression on the face of the control freak that was my mother fanned the flames of their curiosity.

The doors parted before us upon our approach, revealing the immense octagonal room that served multiple social functions of the clan, from dining hall to audience room, and meeting hall. Lining the walls, an elevated section contained enough dining tables to host all the clanmates living inside the fortress, but not those living in the other fortresses within our city walls. A few short stairs led down to the central area where performances were sometimes held or, like in this instance, where supplicants could make their requests to our leaders. Surrounding the central floor, a series of cushioned benches formed a mini-amphitheater where clanmates could bear witness to the proceedings. And right now, many of those benches were occupied.

My hearts constricted further. As there had been no major issues to be discussed today during the open hearings, I had hoped few people would witness what would inevitably be an embarrassing moment for my mother. Whatever our differences, I did not wish her ill.

Kraslo, one of our clan's most talented chemists, was currently standing before our Matriarch, pleading his case. Feidin—who was an even more beautiful, slightly older version of my mother—was sitting on the dais, on a stone throne next to her mate Ugrul. My cousin Varkuth—who was her firstborn son—was sitting to her right. Although he also had a smaller seat on the left side of his father, Bayron had not taken his rightful place there, but settled instead on one of the benches surrounding the floor, his mate blissfully snuggling in his lap.

When Varkuth lifted his head to see who just entered the hall, I nodded at him to signal that I was ready to speak with his mother once she concluded the current matter before her. He smiled, and blinked in acknowledgement, having no clue what was about to go down.

Realizing the imminence of the inevitable, my mother gave up any pretense of restraint.

"Enough of this nonsense. You're coming with me!" she hissed.

Simultaneously, she grabbed my braid and pulled on it hard to force me to follow her out of the room. It stung, but I didn't move an inch. Instead, I closed my hand around my braid above hers, and yanked it right out of her grasp.

"My braid is no longer yours!" I snapped. "You don't get to touch it anymore."

Her startled gasp resounded loudly in the deafening silence that had descended over the room. My stomach sank as every eye turned towards us in disbelief laced with horror. Normally, if a male could not be reasoned with, his mate—or in my case my mother—merely had to take hold of our ‘leash' to end any discussion, and the male was expected to submit. Refusing her command indicated the type of rift that would be deemed grievous if not irreparable.

"Kraslo," Feidin said in a gentle tone, "if you don't mind, we will continue this later."

The chemist nodded graciously and cast a concerned look my way. I gave him an apologetic smile to which he responded with a nod meaning it was all right. That didn't erase his troubled look, reflected on every face as he went to take a seat on one of the benches near the dais.

"Krogal, approach," Feidin said in the same gentle tone while her mate's gaze flicked between my mother and me. "You had requested an audience. It seems that it is indeed needed."

"My son is mentally unwell and clearly unfit to speak right now," my mother interjected preemptively as she hurried to stand in front of me, blocking my path.

Our Matriarch's features hardened as she stared at her younger sister. "He doesn't look confused or delirious," she countered before looking at me behind my mother. "Come, Krogal."

Undeterred, my mother once more blocked my path when I tried to circle around her. "I am his mother! And I say he's not fit!"

"Must I remind you that I am your Matriarch?" Feidin retorted in an icy tone. "I say he is fit. You would do well to mind me, Talin. Now, Krogal, speak freely."

My hearts bled for my mother, but I steeled my resolve as I successfully circled around her this time and came to stand in front of the dais.

"I wish to emancipate from my mother's house and sever my blood ties with her," I said in a calm tone.

Loud gasps and shocked whispers resonated throughout the room. Even the ever-stoic Feidin and her mate appeared shocked by my declaration.

"You see?!" Mother exclaimed. "He has lost his mind!"

"Quiet, Talin!" Feidin said to my mother menacingly before turning back to me, her expression softening. "That is an extremely serious decision, Krogal. Maybe family mediation—"

"With all due respect, Matriarch," I said in a soft but firm tone, interrupting her, "we are past that. This decision was a long time coming, and now we're out of time."

"Out of time?" she echoed, her confusion reflected on many faces.

"Kayog has found my soulmate, and she will arrive here tomorrow."

"Oh, hell yes!" Belle exclaimed, making a few people laugh, and even drawing a small smile from me. "Congrats!"

I nodded in thanks, and my hearts filled with affection for her, while a few other people in the room also extended their congratulations.

"That's wonderful news, Krogal!" Feidin said, reclaiming my attention. "This should be a time for celebration and unification. Am I to understand that your mother withholds her consent?"

"No! I was ready to give him a proper bonding ceremony, but he refuses to fight a grummoll to prove himself worthy of her, like a coward!" Mother exclaimed.

"That's enough out of you!" Feidin shouted, jumping to her feet, her anger palpable. "You should be ashamed to speak in such a way about your own firstborn son. Anyone with a brain knows that Krogal is no coward. Frankly, I'm more disturbed that, as the woman who raised him, you would be shocked that he wouldn't want to observe this ritual. He is a veterinarian, and an excellent one at that. Everyone knew he would balk at slaughtering a beast as part of the bonding. How did you not?"

"It is our tradition!" Mother exclaimed as if it was self-evident. "So what if he's not fond of that practice? Surely, he can cast aside his preferences for one day?!"

She glanced around the room for support, and further blanched when she found none.

"Why should he?" Feidin asked, sounding genuinely confused. "Is it not his wedding?"

"And these are our customs!" Mother countered. "Are we now going to live in a clan where everyone switches things up on a whim just because? It is our duty as females to ensure the protection of our ways and traditions."

Feidin nodded slowly. "You are correct in saying that traditions are important."

"But so are moral values and identity," I interjected. "While I never agreed with the bonding ritual, I've respected it and stood by my clanmates for each of their ceremonies. And today, I expect to receive the same respect. More importantly, my female survived serious trauma. She will require time and care to heal. Barbaric displays are the last thing she needs right now. No offense to anyone, but as much as I like to fight—and you know I can trample any of you with little effort—I will not take part in this ritual slaughter. Above all, I won't have my mate offered as a sacrifice when she is still this fragile."

"That is fair," Ugrul said, his approval resonating loudly in his voice. "As your house's protector, it is your duty to act in the best interest of your mate's welfare."

"If she's too weak to face our customs—" Mother said.

"Enough!" Feidin snapped, interrupting her sister again. "Are you so oblivious not to see that you are further alienating a son ready to sever his bond with you? Clearly, serious mediation is needed."

"No, Matriarch," I said in a respectful but firm tone that brooked no argument. "Like I said, we are past that. You've always been more of a mother to me than she has been. I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for you, and I acknowledge your good intentions. However, this is done. I will not have my mate subjected to Talinsaya's authority. I came here to request you sever the bond with my mother. Should it be refused, and although this is my home, I will chop my braid off and leave if I must."

"Krogal!" Feidin exclaimed in a shocked whisper, as many other gasps and disbelieving mutterings rose from the crowd. "You would become a pariah! You can't make yourself homeless, and especially not with your mate's imminent arrival!"

I shook my head. "I have already spoken with the Azamphir Clan Leader. Should it come to that, Tomu will welcome me, with or without my braid."

Feidin waved a dismissive hand, her displeasure visible on her beautiful face. "That's unnecessary. You are beloved among our people. You are of this clan and of my bloodline. Azamphir Clan can set their sights elsewhere. This is your home, and here you will stay. As your differences are clearly irreconcilable in the short term, I will grant you your wish. From this moment forth, I sever your bound to Talinsaya Skortheatis and take you into my home, as my son."

"Thank you, Matriarch," I said.

"You cannot do this!" Mother hissed. "You cannot take my firstborn from me! How can you humiliate me like this, your own sister, over his folly?"

Feidin shook her head, her disappointed expression reflecting the emotions coursing through me. "You silly female. Even now, you think of your pride instead of the pain you're inflicting on your son. I warned you this day would come if you didn't change your ways. Just be grateful he agrees to stay with us. I strongly suggest you take the next few weeks and months working on yourself and on earning back his affection before you permanently lose him."

I couldn't tell if sorrow or humiliation prompted the tears welling in my mother's eyes. Whatever the cause, it broke my hearts to see her storming out of the room. The gentle rustling sound of Feidin's long white skirt reclaimed my attention. I watched her gracefully walk down the few steps of the dais to come stand before me. I blinked to staunch the tears pricking my own eyes and swallowed past the lump in my throat.

Squaring my shoulders, I took a deep breath before extending my braid to my aunt. It felt odd, almost sacrilegious to see her take it and run her palm over it in a gentle caress. The compassion in her yellow eyes almost wrecked me.

"For what it's worth, Talin loves you in her own clumsy way," Feidin said in a soothing voice.

"I know," I said sincerely in a tired voice. "So do I."

Her face softened with approval. "Good. Then things can be mended in due time, as they should be. As painful as this has been for both of you, I believe it was needed to open her eyes. Trust that she will fight for you. It will be a long journey for her, but she will reclaim you."

"Thank you, Matriarch," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"You're welcome, son," she replied affectionately. "Now, tell me what you need to properly receive your mate."

I smiled at my aunt, my hearts filling with love.