Besides, I have been gone for too long now. I need to show my face to remind them that I’m still alive. Brokk will be wondering what happened to me.
“What is that? Will it bite me?” My Omega is staring at my tyrlee with a wary expression on her beautiful face. I suppress a grin.
“No.”I am the only one who will bite you. You are mine.
In the short time since this delicate female entered my life, I have been overtaken by a protective instinct stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. I would do anything for her. I would die for her. After a lifetime of feeling disconnected from others, I finally feel like I’ve come home.
Is this what they call the soul bond?
Her melodic voice interrupts my thoughts. “Will it carry both of us?”
Taking her in my arms, my nostrils flaring at her scent, I lift her carefully, and seat her on the tyrlee before getting astride the mount myself.
The Omega gives a little squeak as I make a clicking noise to the animal and we set off. I wrap my arms around her, marveling at how right she feels within my embrace.
This is where she belongs. Right here. With me.
I push back the wave of dread at the thought that we’re heading to the palace. There will be other Alphas. Will they be able to control themselves around my new mate? I’ve given her the claiming bite, but I don’t know enough to know whether this will be enough to deter them. If any Alpha should touch her, they will die, but I do not want to have to kill anyone else.
Now I understand Khan’s behavior at the Council of Kings when I scented his Omega. At the time, I thought he was overreacting. If I was skilled with words, I’d seek him out and ask him how he keeps hismajestasafe when she has to be around other Alphas.
Or I could keep my Omega locked up, to keep her safe.
No. No creature should ever be confined, unable to breathe free air or feel the suns’ light upon their skin.
“Is it far? Are we going to the palace?”
I’m deliberately maintaining a slow and steady pace on the tyrlee so as not to startle my lysia flower, and she seems to have settled enough to resume her chattering.
I’ve never known anyone to talk so much—at least, not to me. She has so many questions, and I have no answers.
Once again, I am the idiot orphan. Feral. Never belonging. I could open my mouth but my replies would be nothing but stuttered grunts. More animal than Ulfarri. Shameful.
“I could do with a bath. Does anything like soap exist in this place? Ugh, I have so many questions. What are you going to do with that animal you killed? You just left it there, in the clearing!”
There’s a pang in my chest. She thinks I'm capable of killing for pleasure. Never. I kill to protect my people, and for food. No other reason is ever good enough. “Food,” I tell her. I stumble over the words, but force them out in a grunt. “Meat for my men.” I’ll send my men to collect it. Usually, I would bring home the kill myself, but I saw how upset she was at the mere sight of the carcass, and wanted to spare her.
“Oh.”
I wish I could see her face.
“Your men? So you really are king?”
“Yes.” It feels like an interrogation, and I suppress the urge to growl.She’s merely curious, I tell myself. Just because I’m not comfortable with words, doesn’t mean she feels the same way.
Her plump ass is nestled against my groin, jostling with every step the tyrlee takes, and my cock has once again stiffened in my breeches. I must still be in rut, to be aroused by such a simple thing. Will I be able to concentrate on anything when it ends?
Right now, all I want to do is turn around, hasten back to my cave, lay the little female out on my furs, and—
“Oh my god, that’s so pretty!”
I look to where she’s pointing. It’s a lykka bird, perching on a nearby branch. They are beautiful with their impressive teal, violet, blue, and gold plumage, and curved silver beaks. They’re also vicious creatures, especially during mating season, known to bite unwary intruders.
I understand their instincts.
It’s odd, how I can sense my Omega’s emotions. Right now, she’s feeling excitement, apprehension, and a tiny lick of lust.
She lets out a groan. I’ve let my hand wander to that sweet, slick spot between her legs. I wasn’t even aware I was touching her there. The feel of her soft, wet folds reminds me what it’s like to be buried deep between them, and I let out a growl of pleasure as my cock jerks.
