Kaël steps forward, his earlier lightheartedness gone. “There’s more, Theron. We picked up the scent of dried blood nearby. Strong enough to linger, but no sign of a body. No trails to follow either.”
A low growl rumbles from the assembled warriors. They share in my unease. The scent of blood with no clear source could only mean one thing: magic. And dark intentions.
Orïon crosses his arms. “I think it was human blood.”
Zephyr nods. “The air felt strange. Even the forest around the campsite felt... different, like it had resisted whatever ritual was practiced there.”
“For so long, we’ve known only the stories from our elders about the lands beyond the barrier. But now, with these strange scents, these ritualistic markings... It’s clear that whoever came here had a purpose.”
The warriors exchange uneasy glances, some shuffle on their paws, some lean on the table.
“We’ll have to investigate further,” I continue. “I want to understand what we’re dealing with before it encroaches on Ávera. Elder Aïna has a greater understanding of the world outside our lands. I’ll go with her to the site and uncover what I can.”
I pause. The new moon marks new beginnings, the time to honor our leader’s arrival with the welcome ceremony. It’s vital,especially with my mate’s doubts, that everything goes perfectly. Any delay could threaten the order until the bonding ritual.
I take a breath. “No, I’ve changed my mind. Three will accompany Elder Aïna to the border. Ívar, Yoren...” I pause, assessing the warriors before me. “And Nér, you’ll lead the patrol. Report every detail back to me by dawn.”
The three nod in unison.
“Until then,” I add, “we maintain our watch. All of you, keep your senses sharp and track every movement, every sound. If you catch the scent of blood or magic again, report it to me immediately. Ávera is our sacred home, and we will not allow this new world to darken it.”
The warriors press their paws over their hearts, and so do I.
“We are protectors first,” I say, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “For Ávera, for our leader, and for the future of our people.”
Without a moment’s pause, the warriors tilt their heads back, ready to release a howl. But I lift a paw, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.
“Hold it,” I say. “I’d rather not startle our new leader—at least not tonight.” I lower my paw, and a few of them grin. “There will be time for howling soon enough,” I add, my smile widening. “For now, let’s keep it calm. My mate is adjusting. Let’s not make her wonder what kind of beasts she’s come to live with.”
I roll my shoulders, the tension easing with each slow circle.
“Get ready for tomorrow,” I say to bring them back to focus. “It’s a big day for all of us. Make sure Mina meets with my mate in the morning.”
My mind pulls back to Noël as soon as I dismiss them. I haven’t left her side for long, and already, I feel her absence like a hollow space. Tomorrow will be difficult, I can hardly bear to be away from her now. I spent a mere two days with her.
Time to go home. To our home.
I stride back toward our quarters, very excited to see her again. As I walk in, I’m met with a sight that roots me to the spot.
There she is, sitting in the stream, facing me,completely bare. The glow from the stones dances over her skin, every part of her bathed in the soft light. Instantly, my cock twitches, the need to be inside her threatening to be the death of me.
“Theron!” she gasps. Her gaze falls to my unsheathing shaft, and a flush rises on her cheeks as she averts her eyes. “What are you doing here?” Her voice is small and flustered as she sinks down into the water.
“Can’t a vólkin enter his own home?” I tease, unable to hold back a smirk.
She presses her lips together, looking everywhere but at me. “I thought you went to... to your own house,” she mumbles, moving closer to the edge of the stream to hide herself.
Stepping farther in, I chuckle and shake my head. “This is my house, little mate. Our house.”
Her blush deepens. How can a furless species be so arousing?
“Wait here,” I say, walking away. My cock only grows from her scent filling the room. It’s the best feeling a vólkin could have—a mate’s scent that consumes everything.
I want her to sit on every plush and every fur. To walk in every corner so that, wherever I go, her scent will meet my snout.
Moments later, I return with a small wooden container in my paws, which I open to reveal a dark paste. The fragrant scent of herbs fills the air.
She looks at me, eyes round and curious. “What is that?”
