Chapter 9

Rael”s eyes scanned the dense foliage, searching for any telltale signs of edible vegetation. His senses were attuned to the slightest movement or change in the environment, a skill honed by years of survival in the wilderness.

He glanced back at Elian, who was diligently following his instructions, carefully examining the plants Rael had pointed out. Despite the human”s initial clumsiness, Rael had to admit he was a quick study, adapting to the alien surroundings with a resilience that demanded respect.

”Like this?” Elian asked, holding up a leafy plant with vibrant purple veins.

Rael nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. ”Exactly. Those leaves are rich in essential nutrients.”

Elian beamed at the praise, his curls bouncing as he tucked the plant into his makeshift satchel. The sunlight danced across Elian”s features, accentuating the sprinkling of freckles that adorned his nose and cheeks.

Shaking himself from his reverie, Rael turned his attention back to the task at hand. He couldn”t afford to be distracted by the human”s charms, no matter how alluring they might appear.

Two extra weeks of travel. Rael had already been heading home after a long journey when he”d first found Elian. Now that they had another two weeks ahead of them, his supplies were dwindling. It would slow them, but they”d have to forage as they went.

As they continued their foraging, Rael couldn”t help but steal glances at Elian, taking in the way his slender form moved with grace. The human was so different to Borraq. Even the weakest Borraq was bigger and heavier than Elian. Elian”s quickness and nimbleness never failed to catch Rael”s eye.

Elian must have sensed Rael”s gaze, for he looked up, their eyes locking.

Clearing his throat, Rael tore his gaze away, focusing instead on the task at hand. ”That should be enough for now. We should keep moving.”

As he taught Elian how to forage for food in the wilderness, the human”s wide eyes fixed on him in rapt attention, something had stirred in Rael. Something warm, something sweet.

He”d never met anyone like Elian. The human was a paradox, as confounding as he was charming. Rael had expected a cowering, broken creature, someone who would beg for mercy as soon as Rael got the drop on him.

And yet, despite the very real danger Elian was in, the human had a spirit to him. He cracked wry jokes at the worst times. He challenged Rael. He looked at Vasz with a sense of wonder that was completely out of place for a captive, as if every single part of the planet was worth paying attention to.

And he”d made Rael laugh. No one had done that in years.

Rael was going to miss him.

But he had to turn him in.

There was no other choice. The bounty on Elian”s head was what Rael needed to save his own clansman.

And humans were the enemies of the Borraq. There was no future for Elian, not on Vasz. There was nowhere that he could go that Borraq wouldn”t find him.

Rael couldn”t let himself think about that future for Elian. He couldn”t let himself think about the moment when other Borraq would take the human away, about the moment when Rael would be free and clear with his bounty money in hand, about the moment when those endlessly hopeful blue eyes would meet his own for the last time…

Rael”s instincts prickled, shaking him free of his thoughts. Something was wrong.

In one smooth motion, he threw himself forward and tackled Elian to the ground.

A spear whistled through the air above them, narrowly missing both Rael and Elian. It embedded itself in the ground, quivering with the force of the throw.

Rael”s eyes snapped to the weapon. It was a Borraq spear.

And it had been aimed at Elian.

Rael snapped around to face the source of the attack. He bared his teeth and roared, a sound that was half challenge and half fury. He was answered by an annoyed snarl from the other side of the clearing, and a tall Borraq stepped out from the underbrush.

And Rael knew him. ”Korvax!” he growled.

”Rael.” The other Borraq — a tall, scarred beast of a man, lean and blade-sharp — smirked. ”No harm meant to you, alpha. I was just casting a hook for an interesting little fish.”

Korvax was a lone wolf, a clanless warrior. Rael knew him well. He was always lingering around outposts, implied in all kinds of under-the-table schemes. He was who people traded with when they needed warfront materials of unclear origin, or who they called when they had someone to hunt down and teach a lesson.

And somewhere along the line, Korvax had discovered that Rael had a human in tow.

The bounties on humans were dead or alive.

And clearly Korvax had decided which one was easier for him to collect.

Rael snarled. ”It makes sense now. The military representative being called away, the offer of lodging…”

Korvax”s scarred face brightened, taking that as praise of his smarts. ”One quick bribe to ensure that he was called away before you could get to him, and then another to get your little fishie where I wanted him.”

Korvax”s smile remained in place, but something in his gaze darkened. ”Or, that was the plan, at least, until you wasted my bribe. Why not take the offer of lodging, and leave that human somewhere nice and easy for me to collect? Pfah. That receptionist won”t give refunds, you know.”

Elian stepped behind Rael, eyes wide. ”Stay out of my business,” Rael snarled back. ”This one”s mine.”

”Is that so…?” Korvax shifted his weight from foot to foot, acting bored and idle. ”It”s a long trip to Yattara. Those are some dangerous roads. Anything could happen along the way. Let”s work together and split the bounty.”

Anyone who was foolish enough to take Korvax up on an offer like that would soon wind up dead in a ditch. Rael squared up. ”I”ll split your head from your shoulders. Leave.”

”Nothing wrong with working together.” Korvax cocked his head, trying to peer around Rael”s body to get a better look at Elian. He grinned. ”Or maybe you want the human for more than the bounty—”

Rael lunged for him.

The two Borraqs fought fiercely, hitting the ground. For a moment, it could have been any two beasts in the wilderness, fighting for dominance. There was no law, no society, no morality — just two predators, each trying to prove that he was the stronger one.

Rael swiped his blade at Korvax, but the other Borraq was fast. He narrowly twisted out of the way, only copping a scratch across his cheek. Blood welled up from the wound, but Korvax only grinned wider. ”That”s the spirit!” he said, his voice filled with the same sort of encouragement that he might offer at a friendly game of cards, as if he and Rael weren”t currently tearing each other apart.

Korvax lunged for Rael, but Rael was faster. With a swift movement, he brought his knee up into Korvax”s gut, winding the other man.

Korvax was a beast, but he was a lean lone wolf up against an alpha in his prime. He was lighter than Rael, and his reflexes were a little slower. Just a little, but it was enough. He roared in frustration as Rael pinned him to the ground, his blade at Korvax”s throat.

”Stay out of this,” Rael growled. ”The human is under my protection.”

Korvax”s eyes flicked over to Elian — now huddled by a tree, far from the scrap, but watching intently.

Elian could have taken the chance to run. Entangled with Korvax as Rael was, Elian would have had quite a head start.

But he hadn”t. He”d waited, eyes fixed on Rael as Rael fought for him.

Something inside of Rael blazed like a sun at that.

Korvax”s grin widened. ”Your protection, eh? I”ve never seen someone get so possessive over a bounty before. What”s the matter, alpha? Is there something special about this one?”

Rael”s snarl was low and dangerous. ”If I see your face again, I”ll kill you.”

Surprisingly, Korvax”s grin didn”t waver. ”Interesting,” he said, and then he laughed.

Rael hauled them both up from the ground, and threw Korvax away from him. Korvax staggered to his feet and leapt away, putting distance between the two of you. ”It”s always a pleasure running into you, Rael. Do try to stay alive until I see you again.”

And with that, he was gone, disappearing into the foliage as if he hadn”t just narrowly avoided being killed.

Rael sat there for a moment, breathing hard. He”d won the fight. That was the important thing. He”d protected Elian from being kidnapped right in front of his eyes. That was the important thing.

But despite the victory, a cold sweat broke out on the back of his neck. Korvax was never this bold. He was a lone wolf, a carrion-eater. He never showed himself to alpha warriors, never dared to interfere boldly with hunts.

For him to openly declare his intentions like this… It meant that he was absolutely certain that he could take Elian away from Rael.

Rael”s eyes flicked over to where Elian was watching from behind the tree, face pale and trembling in fear. The human was in danger. He was being hunted by the worst scum of the Borraq, and he couldn”t do anything about it. He was completely defenseless.

Rael couldn”t let himself think about that. He couldn”t let himself think about anything other than the huge sum of money that was going to be his, once he turned Elian in…

But despite himself, Rael”s gaze softened. Before Rael could think twice about the action, he reached out and gathered the human into his arms.

Elian was small and slender, his body fragile in Rael”s hold. He was warm and soft, a sharp contrast to the hard, muscular bodies that Rael was used to. The human trembled in Rael”s embrace, and Rael realized that he was shaking with fear.

The fight with Korvax had barely raised his pulse. But now, with the human trembling in his arms, something hot and fierce roared to life in Rael”s chest. It was a wild, primal feeling, something that demanded that he protect this small, fragile creature at all costs.

Holding Elian close, the scent of him filled Rael”s senses. It was more than just the heady smell of a human, more than just a simple biological urge.

It wasn”t just a human.

It was Elian.

Desire surged through Rael, hot and fierce. His instincts roared to life, screaming at him to claim Elian as his own.

Using all his willpower, Rael forced himself to shove Elian away from him. ”Stay back,” he growled, his voice rough with the effort.

Elian stumbled backwards, shock and hurt flashing across his face. ”What?” What”s wrong, Rael?” He looked at Rael”s face, realizing what was happening, and then his brows knit together in thought. ”I… I trust you not to lose control.”

”You shouldn”t,” Rael said.

He turned away from Elian, clenching his fists in frustration. It was bad enough to betray his own instincts, but to do it in front of the human, to show him just how much of a monster Rael truly was…

Elian didn”t understand. He couldn”t. He was a sweet creature, not cut out to be around Borraq. He was an anomaly, a paradox, a puzzle that Rael”s mind couldn”t help but be drawn to, even in moments when he desperately wished it would focus on something else.

And he smelled so damn good.

If Elian was a Borraq, Rael wouldn”t have to hold back. The way his body was reacting, the way Elian felt in his arms… It was pure, simple — primal.

If Elian was a Borraq, Rael would claim him as his mate.

But he wasn”t.

Elian was the enemy of his people, and Rael had to remember that.

No matter how much his body demanded that he claim this pretty little thing, clever and brave and trying his hardest, as his own.

With a growl of frustration, Rael tore himself away. ”Come on,” he said. ”We”re going to have to move before that jackal”s done licking his wounds.”

Elian hesitated. ”I”m sorry,” he said. ”I didn”t mean to—”

”Silence,” Rael snapped. ”Just follow me.”

They moved in silence, the moment of peace from before now replaced with a tense undercurrent. Elian kept casting worried glances in Rael”s direction, as if he was afraid that Rael was going to snap at him again.

And the concern only made Rael feel worse.