“You’re doing great,” she says.
Her words fill me with pride. I take another section of her hair, making sure not to miss a single strand.
As I finish, my mate looks up at me again and says, “Thank you.” Her voice is so beautiful it wakes my cock. My body reacts, and I shift my weight. Yesterday’s activities have not calmed my shaft. I traced my tongue all over her, and her little sounds of pleasure were beautiful. Every sound she makes is beautiful, just as her face, her body, and her hair are. I love my mate’s hair.
“Can you teach me how to braid your hair?”
“Of course,” she replies, lifting her hands to section it into three parts. Body, mind, and soul—the sacred elements every vólkin knows. A braid isn’t just practical, it’s tradition, a symbol of unity. Human mates wore them often. Zephyr does too.
“You need to weave the sections like this,” she says, demonstrating the pattern slowly.
I watch intently, memorizing each movement of her fingers as they curl around the chunks of her hair. Left, right, left, right.
“Your turn.”
I carefully take the sections, weaving them together. The strands slip through my claws, and the pattern falters at first. It isn’t easy, so I try again.
By the third attempt, the braid takes shape, and I lean back, satisfied.
“You are beautiful,” I say as I admire her with the braid I’ve made.
Her smile, serene and lovely, is my reward. “My mother used to braid my hair when I was a child,” my mate says as she rises from the cushion. There’s sadness in her eyes, something I wish I could take away.
“This memory is special,”
She nods.
I cup her face, my thumb brushing over her cheek as I study her eyes.
“Thank you for this, Theron,” she whispers. “Truly.”
Before I think about it, I lean forward and trace my tongue along her cheek.
Her eyes widen, her face turning a delightful shade of pink. My little dove blushes so prettily. Good. I love seeing her like this.
“Yesterday’s healing session...” she murmurs, her voice trailing off as her blush deepens to a color reminiscent of ripe strawberries. “I... I feel good now, so...”
“Let’s go to the forest then,” I say, stepping back, though my gaze is on her glowing cheeks.
“The preparations are going well, Your Majesty,” Mina reports, her tone confident as she gestures toward the plans.
Noël nods. My mate introduced us to the idea of fabric shelters calledtents, explaining that they would house the females and nýmphí during our trials. Elder Aïna confirmed that human skin burns easily. Tents are good.Tomorrow is a significant day, one that will test our strength and unity.
I’ve decided to participate in the trials alongside my warriors. A leader should lead, not stand to the side while others do the work.
“We’ll meet tomorrow at dawn,” I tell Mina. She bows alongside Naïa and Essin before the three head off to continue preparations.
My mate turns to me, her expression curious. “What is it you want to show me in the forest?”
“First,” I reply, tracing my claws along her braid, “we’ll see if your body is fully healed and capable of walking long distances, my mate.”
“I would love that,” she says with excitement in her voice. “It’s been too long since I’ve trained. I’m used to constant activity. I’ve never rested for this long before.” Her gaze travels down the length of the braid I’m holding, her fingers brushing over it.
“Then we shall train as well,” I say.
As we step outside Ávera and into the forest, I take my time explaining the plants, animals, and natural elements to my mate. Her curiosity is insatiable, and each question she asks is like a spark, lighting up my honor to answer her.
To think that humans would deny their females access to such knowledge. It infuriates me. My mate, however, defies those limitations. She studied under her mother, learned everything she was taught, and asks questions without hesitation. She is everything they tried to suppress.
