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At that, his ears pricked up. “You do not eat your meat fresh from the source?”
I shook my head. These werewolves had a lot to learn about humans, it seemed, for all that they spent their time stalking us.
“Ah.” Torr looked at the slice of venison he held, claws curling. “We left you the stag as a courtship gift. It was for you to eat.”
A shocked laugh burst out of me. “We thought it was a threat. That you were warning us about going into the Wood. The Father—” I cut myself off. I was not going to tell these hulking, clawed creatures that the Father had beaten me senseless over it, and then burned the deer’s body.
Draven was making a low grumbling noise against my back. His massive arms tightened around me. “It took us three days to find and hunt down that stag,” he muttered. “It was supposed to strengthen you for the journey home.”
Torr shook his massive head. “Among the Beasts, it is customary to present a new mate with fresh meat. It shows you our prowess in hunting, in our ability to care for you. And the new mate is strengthened by a good harvest, so she can bear strong young.”
I almost choked. Bear strong young?
Bear the children of Beasts?
“What did you do with the deer, Salem?” Ash asked softly over the fire. His blue eyes glinted with malice. Torr shot him a warning look, but soon his gaze returned to me, curious.
“I…” I took a deep breath. The Beasts had cared for me; I could not repay them with lies. But neither did I want to set off a war of carnage. “The Father declared it unholy. The deer was burned near the edge of the Wood.”
"How dare he.” Draven, a soft, comfortable nest only moments ago, was now tense around me. “That was a gift for you.”
“You’re leaving out parts of the story,” Ash said lazily. “It is amazing how much you can see of what goes on in Vostok from the tallest trees…”
I licked my lips, feeling a little nauseous. I’d had no idea that Ash might have witnessed it all.
No wonder he thought I was broken by those people, if he’d watched them beat me unconscious—and then I’d tried to save one of the bastards who had done it.
Torr and Draven were both staring at me with intense curiosity.
“Salem?” Torr asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Of course you don’t.” Ash was licking blood from his claws. “You protect them.”
Torr seemed to be slowly shredding the venison without realizing it. Blood dripped on the ground. “Tell us, Salem. Fire night is a night for truths.”
I felt backed into a corner, but the thought of just saying it aloud also relieved me. It was horrible to know that I would let the village burn, just to bleed off some of the poison from myself.
“Fine,” I snapped, glaring at Ash. “The Father made me… eat the sins that had caused the deer to show up. Obviously we did not know it was a courtship gift. He beat me for it, then he burned the deer. That’s it.”
The Beasts had gone dangerously still. For all their gentleness with me, I was not unaware of how deadly they were.
“But that is in the past,” I said firmly, placing my hand on Torr’s forearm. “And I got out of there. So we’re not going to start any crusades tonight. Please.”
Torr looked down at the shredded venison, ate it, then selected another piece from the pot. He threaded it on a stick and propped it over the fire.
I was touched by his solicitousness in ensuring I ate.
“Perhaps not tonight,” he agreed. “Tonight is for the truth, not for war.”
Relief gusted through me.
“Tonight you will learn of your blood and the history between us. Why you are our mate.” Torr took the hand I’d placed on his arm, wrapping it gently between his claws. His short, silky fur rapidly warmed my chilly fingers. “But in turn, you must be truthful with us. We are bound to protect and care for you now. Even if that means war with the humans, you will tell us everything.”
It was a high price. I wanted to keep my history to myself.
But the Beasts had cared for me, and I owed them something for that.
