A small, warm curve of her mouth. “I love my life, Your Majesty,” she says. “No female was ever forced. Those who became vólkin did so willingly, and there are some who chose never to have cubs. We are free to live as we wish. Also, I like being able to speak and walk on two legs.” She chuckles.
Her words bring both comfort and guilt. As if sensing my thoughts, Mina tilts her head, her gaze soft.
“We are not broken,” she says. “We are whole. And we stand strong because of our choices.”
I nod. “Thank you,” I murmur, brushing a strand of wet hair from my face. “For telling me.”
Mina steps back, her tail flicking side to side. “Now, Your Majesty,” she says with a playful smile, “let’s not let the nýmphí finish all the preparations without us. You still need to get ready for tonight.”
Her tone pulls a smile from me. “Right. Tonight.”
23
TAMING THE WILD HEART
“Let the soul-bound wither where they kneel. Let the ash of love silence the land. What once howled beneath the moon shall sleep beneath our seal.”
—Council of Crown
Theron
Ilead my hunting party deeper into the forest, but my mind is not here. It’s with Noël. Every memory of her wakes the beast inside me, a need to protect, to provide, to claim.
To take what’s mine.
The moment in the stream replays endlessly in my mind. Her voice, the softness of her moans, the way she leaned into my touch, it’s maddening. I ache for her in ways that words cannot describe. I am becoming obsessive.
Last night, I ran until the stars faded. My body demanded it, the need was too much to contain. I pushed myself hard, leaping through the trees, the burn of muscle and the pounding of my heart barely dulling the fire inside me. When morning came, Istarted the hunt alone. Providing for her—it’s all I could think about. She deserves the best that this forest can offer.
But even as I hunted, I couldn’t escape her. So I gave in to my need more than once, unable to silence her moans in my mind. I sought release over and over, for hours.
Now, my warriors follow close behind, their movements quiet, but the tension is hard to miss. They’ve sensed my mood.
They’ve said nothing. Yet. They understand that today’s hunt is different. It’s not just for survival or for Ávera. It’s for her. To show her that I am the best male, her best choice.
“Stay alert,” I command. Zephyr and Kaël nod, their ears pricked and their gazes scanning the shadows. Every step we take is calculated, every sound in the forest noted.
“Will you tell us what happened?” Kaël finally speaks up.
Well that didn’t take too long.
“Theron, you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Zephyr adds. His respect is clear, but I can see the question in his eyes too.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” I answer, keeping my focus on the trail.
“Nothing to worry about?” Kaël snorts, his voice rising. “You snapped, Theron. You??—”
“Enough,” Zephyr cuts him off with a stern look. “It’s between him and his mate.”
I glance at Zephyr, grateful for his understanding. What happens between Noël and me is ours. It’s not something to be dissected or discussed. Her victories, I’ll share with pride. But our struggles? They’re private.
Even so, this struggle is mine. All mine. I can’t stop wondering what might have happened if I’d stayed with her. Would she have accepted me? Would she have leaned into the bond? Let it pull her the way I feel it pulling at me? Or would I have scared her away?
I force the thoughts aside. It’s too soon. She’s learning me, testing the waters of what we are.
We move in silence after that, the forest alive with its usual sounds. The rustle of leaves, the faint tread of paws, the calls of distant creatures—it all grounds me, reminds me of who I am and what I’m here to do.
“We should split up,” I say. “We’ll cover more ground that way.”
