Scrubbing my face with my hands, I grumble loudly for the others to hear, “What happened?” I try my best to rack my brain for the missing pieces. Nothing comes to me. It’s blank, which is unusual. Transitioning from man to beast doesn’t change my cognitive abilities.I’mnot feral.
I’m not Fenrir, choosing to indulge in nothing but his carnal baser instincts. I’m not losing myself yet.
Am I?
No, we will be out from under the king’s hands before that happens.
“The mers bewitched you.”
It’s Rivern who speaks. Thankfully, one person can understand me in this place—well, two people can. I look around for the one person I’m desperate to see again. My heart picks up its pace, knowing she has to be near. It’s an unfamiliar feeling considering I spent so many rotations aloof to such trivial matters of the heart. No one has ever piqued my interest until her.
Towards the back of the curved rock wall lies a shell bed. Inside, resting, is a petite human figure, all creamy skin on display, scraps of cotton hiding the more delicate parts of her body.
Once my eyes find her, I can’t tear them away. She’s a balm to my soul.
Mate.It’s a resounding ringing bell in my subconscious.
What?Closing my eyes, green the shade of fresh leaves of spring assaults me. It’s like she’s everywhere. Even the smell of her finds me, sweet as honey, hinted with florals. This time, I scrub at my nose because no matter how much I want to partake of her flesh, my wolf would never agree to sharing. Not with two other bonded.
“She’s okay, just tired.” A hand lands on my shoulder, making me whirl to face the fae prince.
“Right. Fuck, I have no idea what happened since we fell through that hole. It’s all a blur.” I try to find snippets of pictures I can piece together. Coming up with nothing, I walk over to a stone-carved table inset into the surrounding rock face, taking a seat. Running my broadhand over the rough surface, I trace interconnected swirling patterns that have been carved into the rock.
“That’s because the mers can somehow cast magic over a creature just by looking into their eyes. The queen entranced you. She had you under her spell, and she wasn’t letting you go.”
Interesting.I may be one of the oldest living creatures of these lands, but the mers are still somewhat of a mystery. I knew where they resided. I didn’t realise the full force of their abilities.
Looking up into Rivern’s tanned, chiselled features, I wonder how we escaped.
“How did we get free of the magic?”
Splashing comes from the corner of the room. Moyrie dangles her feet in a semicircular pond, water trickling from the cave wall above.
“We?” He cocks his brow. “I wasn’t so susceptible to the mer’s charms. Once I saw what they had done to you, I could tell some magic was at play. I refused their advances. The bond was also a deterrent. Having any other female within close quarters, staring at my naked body, makes my skin crawl. I had a hunch that if you changed into your wolf form, the magic might lessen. So, I punched you, and you went all growly wolf on everyone.”
He sits opposite me, continuing, “Once you went all snarly, the mers gave us a wide berth, allowing us the space to walk away from the room they trapped us in. I followed the tug of the bond back to Dove. Since you had Dove in your sights, you haven’t left her side.”
“Did I hurt her?”If I turned feral, there is a possibility I could’ve been too rough with her.That thought alone sends a sharp pain through my sternum.
Rivern’s eyes are wide, confused. “No. You were too busy protecting her from everything and everyone else.”
My body relaxes at his statement. Hurting her isn’t an option. Sad green eyes constantly remind me that I rejected her in the Silver Sands.
She was disappointed when I left her and Rivern that moonfall.We can never be. I can’t. My wolf—
Mate.
There is that word again.She isn’t my mate. Shecan’tbe. Dove is already bonded to two others.
Over a millennium ago, when I’d only known my wolf form, I had a mate. She was a strong wolf, formidable in her desire to keep her pack safe. She should’ve been invincible, but in the face of three other Gods, none of us were unstoppable. I don’t know how I survived those God Wars. They said it was a kindness that kept me and my brother alive, companions for our fallen creator.
That was many rotations ago—a rhythm I no longer care to think about. The only thing time has done is make it harder for me to understand the workings of my own heart. I won’t take another mate, even if my heart wants it.
Gazing ahead, I notice a suspicious look overtake Rivern’s features, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking about.He’ll kill me if I break her heart.To be honest with myself, I probably deserve to die. It’s unnatural to be alive for so long.
Noise comes from the corner of the room, and I come face to face for the second time—that I can remember—with the lithe blue creatures. Large, wide-set eyes and delicate features distinguish them as the creatures they are—mers.
I move to stand, but the fae places a hand on my arm, halting me.
