Chapter Four

KAEL

Kael carried Maya deeper into the forest, his powerful strides quickly creating distance between them and the human male. Maya was light as a feather to him, and having her so close to him made him never want to let her go. Her scent, an intoxicating mix of something uniquely her, filled his nostrils with every breath.

He could still hear the male's shouts fading in the distance, but Kael knew these woods better than any human ever could. He headed for a hidden cave he often used during extended hunts, a sanctuary where they could talk without fear of discovery.

As they approached the cave entrance, concealed behind a thick curtain of vines, Kael slowed his pace. He ducked through the green barrier, careful not to jostle Maya too much. The cave opened before them, a spacious cavern that nature had carved out of the mountainside over countless centuries.

Kael gently set Maya down on a bed of soft furs he kept for his stays here. He had added other touches over the years—a crude shelf holding various tools and trinkets, a fire pit surrounded by smooth river stones, and bundles of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling that filled the air with a pleasant, earthy aroma. He hoped she would like it, would like him.

Maya's eyes darted around the cave, her breath coming in quick gasps. She was probably trying to process what had just happened. Kael could see the mix of emotions playing across her face—fear, confusion, and a spark of curiosity that made his heart leap.

"You're safe here," Kael rumbled, his deep voice echoing slightly in the cavern. He kept his distance, not wanting to frighten her further, but every instinct screamed at him to gather her close, to protect and comfort his mate.

"Who are you?" she asked, her eyes wide.

He frowned. Did she not remember him? "My name is Kael Tallstrider."

"It is you," she said.

"You do know who I am?"

Her slow nod pleased him.

"You rescued me when I was a little girl."

He nodded again. Her nearness made him lightheaded. Kael struggled to keep his breathing controlled. A spike of desire tempted him to lay her back on the furs and strip her naked. There he would spread her legs wide and see if she tasted as good as she smelled.

"So," she said slowly, "your name is Kale? Like the vegetable?"

What? Broken out of his lustful thoughts by her questions, Kael couldn't help but laugh, the sound rumbling through the cave. "No. In my language, Kael means 'protector of the forest'."

"But you also speak English?" Her fingers twitched like she was looking for a pen or a pencil.

"And several others. It's been necessary to protect ourselves from the humans."

He watched as Maya's initial fear began to fade, replaced by the inquisitive gleam he remembered from their childhood encounter. She sat up straighter, her eyes never leaving his face. "Why do you need protection from us?"

Unable to be so far away from her any longer, Kael sat down next to her on the furs. His hand reached out of its own accord, gently stroking her hair. Maya's eyes fluttered at the touch, a small shiver running through her body, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into his caress. His body clamored for him to take her, make her his, but he knew he had to be patient. This would be too new for her to comprehend.

If she was a female of his species, he'd already be fucking her. He took a deep shuddering breath. "Long ago, my people and yours lived side by side in these forests. We shared knowledge, resources, and respect for the land." He paused, a wistful smile playing on his lips. "There are stories passed down through generations of human and Bigfoot children playing together, of shared harvests and joint hunts."

Maya listened, enraptured, as he described ancient ceremonies where both species would gather under the full moon to celebrate the changing seasons. He told her of Bigfoot healers who would share their knowledge of medicinal plants with human shamans and of human craftsmen teaching Bigfoot how to make simple tools.

"But as time passed," Kael continued, "humans began to change. They built permanent settlements, developed new technologies." He described how the first metal axes and guns had appeared in the forest, how the sound of chainsaws had begun to echo through once-quiet glades. "Slowly, the humans forgot the old ways, forgot how to listen to the forest and live in harmony with it. We became a threat to them and the new world they wanted to create."

Maya nodded. "And your people withdrew deeper into the wilderness."

Kael's hand moved from her hair to her back, stroking gently. "Yes. We had to. As human populations grew, we faced new threats." His eyes darkened as he spoke of forests cleared for farmland and towns, of hunters mistaking Bigfoot for game animals, of the growing fear of discovery and capture to be put in zoos or on display.

"Now," he said, gesturing around the hidden cave, "we live like this. Always hiding, always watching. We've had to adapt, learning your language by listening at the edges of campsites, understanding your technology to better avoid it." He described how his people would dismantle trail cameras, redirect hiking paths, and create false trails to protect their territory.

"The hardest part," Kael said, "is the constant fear. Fear that one day, we won't be quick enough, or clever enough. That we'll be discovered, captured, turned into specimens or attractions."

Maya placed her smaller hand over his. The touch sent a jolt of desire through Kael's body. "That must be terrible," she said, her voice filled with empathy. "To live with that fear every day, to watch your home shrinking around you."

Kael nodded, grateful for her understanding. As he continued to speak, detailing the challenges his people faced in the modern world, he found himself drawing even closer to Maya. Her presence, her attentiveness, her genuine concern for his people—it all served to reinforce the bond he felt between them.

By the time he finished speaking, Kael realized that they were sitting side by side, their bodies touching. The air between them was charged with an electric tension, a mixture of intellectual connection and physical attraction that made his skin tingle.

As they talked, Kael became increasingly aware of Maya's scent. It had changed subtly since they had entered the cave, taking on notes of arousal that made his head spin. He could see the effect he was having on her—the slight flush of her cheeks, the quickening of her breath.

But even as need coursed through him, Kael felt a pang of guilt. He had responsibilities to his people, a duty to protect them. How could he have a human mate?

"There's something else," Kael said. "And I don't want you to be afraid."

"I'd never be afraid of you."

He chuffed out laugh. "When we met fifteen years ago, something connected us mystically, spiritually, cosmically?" Kael frowned. "I do not have the words for it in your language. The closest is a Tlingit phrase: Ixsixan."

She repeated it back to him, and his vision blurred.

"Kael?" she questioned. "Are you all right? What does it mean?"

He leaned in closer, his lips just a breath away from hers. "Let me show you," he murmured.

As their lips met in a tender, exploratory kiss, Kael felt as though his entire world had shifted on its axis. Everything he had ever known, everything he had ever believed in, paled in comparison to the feeling of Maya in his arms.

The kiss deepened, passion flaring between them like wildfire. Kael's hands roamed Maya's body, marveling at the softness of her skin, the delicate curves so different from the females of his own species. Maya's fingers tangled in his fur, pulling him closer with a desperation that matched his own.

But even as desire threatened to overwhelm him, Kael forced himself to slow down. He broke the kiss, panting slightly as he rested his forehead against Maya's. "It means ‘I love you'."

"W-what?" she asked.

"You are my destined mate."

Maya's jaw dropped. "I'm your what?"

"Among my people, there are some who are born with a deep connection to another soul. It's rare, but when it happens, it's unbreakable. From the moment I first saw you as a child, I knew there was something special between us. It wasn't until I caught your scent on the wind yesterday that I knew you were mine."

He watched as Maya processed this information, her brow furrowing. "How is that possible? I'm human, you're ... well, you're ..."

"Bigfoot?" Kael supplied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Maya nodded, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Yes. How can we be destined for each other?"

"I don't have all the answers," he admitted. "But I know what I feel. I've been waiting for you to return ever since that day in the forest."

"This is all so overwhelming," she said softly. "Part of me feels like I should be terrified, or at least skeptical. But being here with you feels right, somehow. Like I've finally found a piece of myself I didn't know was missing."

Kael's breath caught in his throat. He leaned in closer, drawn by an irresistible force. "I've waited so long for you. But this is complicated."

"I know. And I have so many questions, so many things to consider. I didn't even know for real if your species existed until now. I mean, in my heart I knew. But sometimes, in the cold light of day, I wondered ..." She trailed off, her gaze dropping to Kael's lips.

Kael could hear Maya's heart racing, could smell the intoxicating scent of her desire. His own body thrummed with need, every instinct urging him to claim his mate.

But he held back, knowing that this moment was pivotal. Whatever happened next would change both their lives irrevocably.

"Maya," he whispered, bringing one large hand up to cup her cheek. "My beautiful, brave mate. What are you feeling? What do you want?"

Maya leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment. "I want to understand. I want to learn everything about you, about your world. And I want ..." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I want to explore these new feelings I'm having right now."

Kael's heart soared at her words. "What feelings?"

"Uncontrollable, unreasonable ..." She looked up at him, wide eyes. A wave of desire flushed over her and into him. "... connection. It feels like I've known you all my life."

He nodded.

"It doesn't matter that you're not human."

"This bond goes beyond species." He leaned in closer, his lips just a breath away from hers.

"My head says this is wrong, that this is too quick, too bizarre."

He paused. He didn't want her to feel that way. Moving away, he stopped when she followed him so they were touching again.

"My heart, though. It's beating too fast, and it's aching for you. My body is aching for you too."

"I can ease that ache," he murmured.

"Yes, please." Maya sighed and lay back on the furs.