Ch. 81..90

Chapter 81

Following the lanterns along the forest path was easy. What was harder was gathering her courage when the path branched, and one trail led on under the merry glow, while the other descended into darkness within feet of where she stood.

It had to be the path to the pools. It was a well-worn trail, widened and hard-packed by thousands of footsteps. And, just as Kyelle had warned, no light at all.

Gripping the handle of the lantern tighter, Sasha pushed her shoulders back and forced herself to remember that her choices were bathing out here in the dark, alone, or showing up tomorrow in full daylight to bathe with who-knew-how-many men.

Pulling the towel tight around her shoulders and body, like a blanket, the skin on the back of her neck crawled as she stepped into the darkness and felt it close behind her, her steps lit only by the small circle of light cast by her lantern.

Thankfully, the path was short and in less than a minute, the scent of something warm and musky hit her nostrils as the bushes and undergrowth on either side of the path opened up and the yellow glow of the lantern reflected in ripples on the pool.

It was too wide for her to see the far end of it that was swallowed by the dark, but it swept out to either side of her, its banks clear and flat, hardpacked earth. The water itself steamed heavily as ripples wavered from her right to…

Wait.

Ripples?

Sasha sucked in a breath to scream as the hair on the back of her neck stood straight because something brushed her back. A wide palm clapped over her mouth from behind, just as she was assaulted by the most wonderful scent in the world, and the voice that made her heart sing, whispered in her ear, "Sasha?! What are you doing here?"

"Zev?" Her mouth was covered by his hand, so it sounded like, Yem?

"You shouldn't be here!" Releasing her, he grabbed the lantern and doused it so they were thrown into darkness so black, Sasha froze mid-turn, the entire world disappearing in front of her nose.

"Zev?" she whispered. "I can't see! Is that you?"

"Sorry!" he muttered. A warm hand appeared around hers, tugging her forward and into an even warmer chest.

A naked chest. That smelled like grass in the sun. Suddenly the crawling at her neck became a tingle and her breath rushed out of her nose.

Sasha cried with relief and threw her arms around his neck, dissolving into great, hiccupping sobs as his arms circled her back and pulled her in.

"Shhhhhh, baby. Shhhhhh, it's okay. I'm here. Oh, Sash, I'm so sorry."

She shook her head, her nose buried in his collarbones and clung to him, pressing against his solid warmth.

Zev was here. It wasn't a dream. He was really here in this strange place. And he was calling her baby.

One of his arms lay up her spine, his fingers fisted in the back of her hair, and he whispered in her ear, nuzzling her as he tried frantically to reassure her that she didn't need to cry.

He was so desperate, she almost laughed. But she recognized that as the edge of hysteria returning, and gulped deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

When she was finally calm enough to push back and look at him—her eyes had adjusted so she could see some of his features in the moonlight—she put a hand to his face to touch it, to be certain it was really him.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, her breath still catching in a sob.

"Pretty sure that's the question I should be asking you," he said and she could see one side of his mouth tip up into a smile. He put a hand to her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. "What the hell are you doing out here at night by yourself?"

She widened her eyes. "Zev! These people take baths together! They're all naked and… and they just… together!"

He gave a low chuckle that was so delicious, it raised the hair on her arms. "I'm so sorry I didn't warn you," he murmured. Then he pulled her close again and they clung to each other, their hearts racing in time.

Sasha was so desperate to reassure herself this was real, she squeezed him as hard as she could, but let him go quickly when he sucked in, wincing away from her clutch.

"What—"

"It's fine. I'm fine. Don't pull away. It was just reflex," he whispered, pulling her back into his chest when she tried to step back.

"You're hurt? From the fighting?"

He gave her a dry look. "That's why they call it fighting, Sash. It's not a dance off."

"But—"

"Don't worry about me. I heal fast, and once I get through Lhars, I have some tricks up my sleeve, okay? I just have to be careful with my own clan. I have to win them over, not frighten them into submission."

She searched his eyes. In the night they were little more than dark pools surrounded by white, his lashes thick and long enough to look like he was wearing eyeliner in the strange light. But they flashed, catching light in a way no human's eyes ever did and Sasha's breath stopped.

Zev froze. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes," she whispered. "I'm just… overwhelmed. So much has happened and you weren't there, and… Zev, I was so scared."

His face fell and he raked a hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Sash, I never imagined it would be like this when we got here." He pulled her close again, and even though she was shaking, it was such a relief to be close to him she just pressed her head against his chest and held him—careful to avoid the spot where his ribs hurt.

As they stood there together, sharing warmth, the night was peaceful, broken only by the rustle of a breeze in the trees, and the occasional bird.. Painted in moonlight and wrapped in his smell, for the first time in what felt like years, Sasha's body relaxed.

 

Chapter 82

Holding Sasha in the moonlight, inhaling her scent, soaking up her warmth, Zev's mind quieted in a way it hadn't in years. The worries and pressures of events, his fears for the coming days, even his hopes… everything sank to a tiny buzz in the back of his mind, a gnat to be ignored.

She was here. And she was holding onto him like she was afraid he would disappear. Stroking her hair, trailing his hands down her back, he shifted so they were pressed together from her knees to point where he'd tucked her head under his chin.

But the longer they stood that way, the more aware of her he became—his skin prickling, pebbling at the slightest shift between them just from breathing. He felt her on every inch of him, and his body woke up under her hands.

He didn't think she'd realized yet that he was naked and he didn't want to break the beautiful moment they were having. But he could feel her starting to shiver and he wasn't sure her goosebumps were entirely from touching him.

So, dropping his head to brush his lips to the side of her neck, he whispered, "let's get in the water where it's warm."

Her head came up and she met his eyes. He could see the questions in them. But either she was too tired to fight, or she'd felt, just like he had, that the need to be closer was… just that: a need.

His breath got faster.

She'd had the towel wrapped around her like a blanket when she appeared, but it had fallen to the dirt when he startled her and now she stood there in nothing but a long, shapeless cotton shirt.

While she watched, he slid a hand from her jaw, down her neck, brushing the side of her breast as he followed the line of her body down to that gorgeous dip in her waist, and the flare of her hip, then to her thigh where he stopped and fisted the shirt.

It only reached halfway to her knees and he was almost certain if he raised it, she'd be wearing nothing underneath. His body howled for attention, but he pushed it back. He hadn't even kissed her yet, but something drove him forward—the instinct of the wolf inside, to take and claim his mate, to cover her in his scent so that no other would dare touch her.

To be close to her so her head couldn't be turned by another. And yet, as things stood, that could be a death sentence.

She'd gone still when he clenched her shirt in his fist, but he hadn't tugged it up. He cleared his throat, both their eyes fixed on that point where his hand was so, so close to baring her.

"I'll get in," he said hoarsely, gently brushing the side of her thigh with the backs of his fisted fingers through the cotton. "You can get undressed and follow. I won't turn around until you tell me to."

She nodded, her eyes wide and mouth slack, but she didn't stop him when he let go of the shirt, leaving a cluster of creases and lines in it as he stepped back, then forced himself to turn away and walked deeper into the pool until he was covered to his chest.

Behind him, the whump of the towel being picked up then the rustle of it thrown over a nearby bush was followed by the whisper of thin fabric on skin. A tantalizing image bloomed in his mind of Sasha standing on the banks of the pools, taking hold of the hem of the shirt and pulling it up and over her head, so it pulled her mahogany hair over her shoulders and down her back until she flung it onto the bush to join the towel.

Her breath shook, her teeth beginning to chatter, but she didn't say anything. He followed the soft sound of her feet on the dirt bank, then the ripple as she stepped deeper and deeper into the water, and the guttural groan she gave as her body was washed in its heat.

"Oh that's fantastic," she breathed.

Zev gave a little shiver of his own, but not from the warmth. He could feel the tiny waves in the water from her passage breaking on his back. Then suddenly she was there, pressing herself against his back, her hands at his waist, her cheek resting in the dip between his shoulder blades.

Zev could barely breathe. How had this happened? How had he gone from bathing in the isolation of being cast out, to naked and warmed by the full, soft press of Sasha's breasts on his back?

"Are you—" he broke off and cleared his throat. "Are you okay if I turn around?" he asked, his voice deeper than usual.

"Just a second," she whispered. Her hands came around to splay on his stomach, fingers wide as if she wanted to touch as much of him as it was possible to do at once. "I just need… a second," she breathed.

Zev nodded and let his head fall back, pulling his elbows in to pin her arms under his and sighing so deeply it felt as if he released something broken.

"Five years, Zev," she whispered, her voice so quiet he imagined a human wouldn't have caught it. "Five years I've dreamed about this. About what it would feel like to touch you again, to have you touch me. It's just… it's hard to believe it's actually happening. And even though I want it—I want you, Zev. I've never wanted anyone else at all. I've never trusted anyone else enough—I'm afraid too. This whole thing is crazy. And I can't be alone with you. And…"

She tensed, like she was waking up from a dream, and Zev felt the shift in her, as if she'd just realized what she was doing—and regretted it.

He couldn't let her regret it.

As she leaned back, lifting her head from against his back, he turned and took her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"I've waited five years, too, Sash," he whispered. "And not just to… sleep with you. I've waited to be close to you. To see you smile, and to hear your voice. I've waited for the day I could tell you you're my mate. Tell everyone you're mine!" he hissed urgently, his fingers tightening on her jaw.

She blinked, but her eyes sparked and Zev's heart fizzed.

"I know it's hard, Sash, but you have to trust me. I will never, ever let anything bad happen to you. I'd die myself first."

Her chest expanded, like what he'd said had released something in her. But then her brows pinched in over her nose. "How can you say that when you left?"

"I left because I was manipulated into believing if I didn't, they'd kill you. And they promised to keep you safe from everything else. The only threat to you was me, Sash. Being close to me. I thought… I thought I was keeping you safe."

"You broke my heart, Zev," she said in a tiny voice that cut his own heart to ribbons.

"I'm sorry, Sash. I got it wrong. I know that. But please… believe me. If I'd known, I would have fought. I left because I thought it kept you safe. I love you." In the moonlight, her eyes shone, glistening with unshed tears.

"I've waited so long to hear that again."

"You'll hear it every day that I'm still breathing," he whispered, dropping his nose to brush the side of hers, inhaling her scent. "I'm going to fix this, and then I'm going to claim you. And you're going to fight me on it, and I'm going to win you and then no one's ever going to stand between us again," he vowed, his lips just millimeters from hers, their breaths mingling. "Please, Sash… please believe me."

And then he kissed her.

 

Chapter 83

A shiver rocked Sasha's entire body the moment his lips brushed hers—soft, warm, and featherlight. The kiss was a question. A request. An entreaty.

She knew she shouldn't give in, should make him answer for… well, everything.

But having him there, so close, so warm, so sweet… whispering that he still loved her, wanted her, intended to claim her. It was everything she'd yearned for since she was a teenager. And being so close that she could smell him, feel him, see the water droplets trailing down his chest…

It all conspired to silence the protests in her wounded heart and fill her instead with a sparkling, glittering heat that raised goosebumps on her skin and made her breath suck in.

Then his lips dragged across hers again, slightly harder this time, and she made a small cry and pulled him in, her hands lacing at the nape of his neck.

One of his hands dragged down to the small of her back, pulling her against him until she felt his arousal, hard on her belly. But that wasn't what made her skin tingle and her breath come faster.

His kiss… his kiss was intoxicating. A dance of gentle lips and probing tongue, Of fingers dragged slowly, softly down the skin of her arm, then back up to bury in her hair and tug her head back.

Sasha arched against him as he pressed a thigh between her knees and deepened the kiss, still pressing his hand flat at her lower back and pulling her in tight, until the nerves lit up from the apex of her thighs, all the way up her spine, and she shivered again.

His breath thundered against her cheek, fluttering in her hair as he dropped his head to kiss along her jaw, the point of her chin, and down her throat.

She was arched so far back, her hair dangled into the water and still he leaned over her, covering her with his body and pressing her against him.

She'd never felt so exposed, and so safe in the same moment. Here with him in the dark, naked felt natural and she wanted to cry again. Because no man had ever made her feel that way except Zev.

Goosebumps chased themselves up and down her skin wherever his hand stroked. She opened her mouth and tilted her head, taking more from the kiss so that a growl of approval puttered in his throat.

Then, without breaking the kiss, he dropped his hand to cup the back of her leg, his fingers teasing the inside of her thigh, and pulled up to wrap her knee around his hip, his mouth opening over hers as he ground against her and a groan broke in his throat.

Whimpering again, Sasha clung to his shoulders, silently pleading with him not to stop, telling herself she was crazy, but deciding that, at least in that moment, crazy was exactly where she wanted to be.

Then, with a tortured moan, he let himself sink deeper into the water and pulled her up into his lap, still kissing her, until they bobbed in the water together, hands exploring, bodies yearning.

"Fuck, Sash," he groaned, his head dropping back when she rocked against him, the water rippling around them.

"I've missed you so much, Zev!"

His breath whooshed out of him and he groaned as he took her mouth again, forcefully this time, devouring her. Sasha locked her ankles behind his back and pulled him closer, grinding against him, shuddering at the delicious wave of jangling pleasure crackled through her body.

Then she felt him, there—right there. And she remembered the one other time they'd been here…

They were curled up on that tiny twin bed together, naked, the only sound in the room their panting breaths and the occasional smack of lips, or suck of mouth on skin. He'd rubbed himself against her until her body twitched every time he passed over her and she'd clapped a hand to the back of his neck and practically demanded he stop waiting.

Braced over her, one hand on either side of her shoulders, he'd pulled back, forced her to stop—even as he nudged at her core.

When she opened her eyes, she wanted to snarl at him, but there was a look of such awe, such love on his face, it stopped the words on her tongue.

"Are you sure, Sash?" he'd whispered, his eyes searching hers. "Are you certain I'm the one?"

The question had shaken her out of her arousal and tumbled her down into her insecurities.

"Why? Aren't you?" she'd asked quickly, breathlessly, trying to swallow the panting. "I mean, if you don't want to—"

"Are you fucking crazy, Sash," he groaned, his eyes going wide. "You're it for me. I'm gone. Done. Whether we do this or not. You own me. But… this is a big deal and I don't want you to be sad…"

She'd almost cried—in relief, and because his concern touched her so deeply. While he stared, she smiled, tried to let him see how happy he made her. How much love she felt for him. How absolutely certain she was.

"Yes," she whispered, then put a hand to his gorgeous jaw. "I want this, Zev. With you. Right now. Please?"

His eyes softened and his smile crept up on one side, pressing those little lines to bracket his mouth. "No need to beg," he said in a guttural drawl.

"Zev!"

But even as she slapped his shoulder, his face got serious. "I love you, Sash, you know that right?"

"I know," she said. She could feel her cheeks heating, but she didn't care. "I love you, too."

He shook his head like he didn't quiet believe it. But before she could say it again, he sank down to take her mouth, tilted his hips, and took her. And every thought Sasha had ever had flew out of her head at the onslaught of emotion and sensation that was, all at once, entirely new, and the most ancient and perfect thing she'd ever done…

Sasha blinked back to the present to find Zev staring at her again, water dripping from a strand of hair that had fallen loose to curl over his forehead, eyes wide and watching her.

Sasha smiled, her heart still buried in the memory, but her body very much alive and in the present.

"I still love you, Zev," she breathed, shocked that it had come out, but knowing it was only true, her heart dancing when his eyes leapt.

"I love you too, Sash," he groaned and kissed her again. Then he pressed his forehead against hers and sighed.. "Which is exactly why we can't do this now."

 

Chapter 84

"I'm sorry… what… what did you say?" Sasha said a little louder than was strictly necessary, her voice husky with desire and weariness. The resonance of it played down his spine like fingers on a piano.

"You have no idea how much I want to just… take you right now, Sash, but I never thought it would come to this, I just… I just wanted to be close to you. I shouldn't even be doing that. They're going to smell me on you tomorrow. You're going to have wash really good, and stay away from Lhars and Xar, because if they get wind that we've been together—"

"You didn't just… You didn't just tease me, Zev. Say you didn't tease me just to—"

"No! No!" he held her tightly when she tensed as if she was going to crawl out of his lap. The water rippled against her breasts and he had to force his eyes to stay on her face. "I wasn't… I didn't think it would go this far. I just wanted you to be warm and—you have to understand, Sash, in their eyes, I have to earn you. If I don't… they'll eat me alive."

"Earn what?" she asked sharply. "What the hell, Zev? I've known you were the one for me since I was seventeen—whether these people realize that or not."

He shushed her and stroked her hair. "Don't be upset, please, let me explain: You agreed to Xar's terms. That means whatever male would claim you not only has to have beaten the other males, but he has to display for you and you have to choose him. He has to earn you—publicly. If we do this now, Sash, they'll smell me on you in the morning—smell that we had sex—and in their eyes, if I did that in private when I'm cast out… it's as if you were raped. Your mating was stolen. I can't do that to you."

"But I'm asking you to!"

He groaned and kissed her again. Her hands clung to his shoulders and she pulled him in, rocking against him again, until he wasn't even going to have to enter her to finish this.

"Sash, stop," he pleaded, one hand at the back of her neck, leaning his forehead on hers. "Please. Please listen to me. This is for you. To help you—"

"That's what you said about leaving me! That's what you said about leaving and not coming back for five years!" she spat, tears in her eyes as she struggled to get loose from him. He didn't want to force her to stay close, so he let her go, staying low in the water. Once she'd twisted out of his lap, she did too, her arms keeping her upright as she glared at him. "I can't believe I fell for this again—"

"Fell for what?" he asked sharply. "There's no falling for anything, Sash. I'm not deceiving you. I'm doing what's right. You have to wait until I've worked my way through the wolf-pack, then the other alphas. And you have to let me display for you. And you have to make me work for it."

"Make you what?"

"Make me work for it. Don't just say yes the second I show up. You have to make me earn it—they have to see that you're a match for me. Show them that sass you've got. Show them how strong you are—don't give in. Make me convince you. Make me work for it!"

"Why?" she said, the water splashing as she threw her hands up. "If we already know—"

"Because they have to know, Sash. They have to know. Then no one will challenge it. That's how we end up mates, and I can sort the rest of this shitshow out. Please…. please… baby, I'm not saying this to toy with you, I promise. You know I want you. You know I love you!"

She stared at him, her forehead lined with worry, and eyes pinched.

"Sash?" he murmured, suddenly afraid. "You know that, right?"

Her chin trembled. "I want to," she whispered. "I want it to be true."

"It is true!" He slid forward in the water to pull her into his chest again and even though she didn't pull away, she was stiff. "Sasha, look at me."

He held her by the shoulders and demanded that she meet his eye. She was looking down at the water, her lips pushed into a frown, and it was sending terror jolting through him. But finally, slowly, her eyes lifted, though her chin didn't. She stared at him out from under her lashes and puckered brow, as if afraid of what she might see on his face.

He slid his hands up to cup either side of her jaw and keep her there, eyes locked.

"You're mine," he hissed urgently. "That is never going to change, no matter what. Five years? It's nothing. I haven't stopped thinking about you and wanting you every day in that entire time. No matter what they do, Sash, they can't steal that from us, okay? Whether we do this now or in a week, nothing changes between us. What I'm trying to protect you from is them!"

Her throat bobbed, and he prayed. She didn't look away, but the worry lines and tension didn't leave her face either.

"Do you believe me?" he asked.

Sasha took a deep breath and blew it out and it fluttered against his chest—which just made his cock twitch. This was not the time!

"Sasha?"

"I believe you that you mean it right now, Zev," she said reluctantly. "Maybe I shouldn't, but I do. But the question is… will you still feel that way in a few hours when I'm not in front of you?"

"Don't ever doubt it," he rasped, then cupped the back of her neck and pulled her into a kiss, poured himself into the kiss, insisting that she listen.

A long minute later, they were both panting again when Zev finally eased back to look at her. Her eyes fluttered open, slightly glazed, her lips full and plump from the kissing.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "Never doubt it, Sash. I'll prove it to you," he whispered.. Then kissed her again.

 

Chapter 85

The man befuddled her. There was no other word for it. She'd gone from happily walking into a normal night, to crossing worlds. She'd gone from walking to the bathing pools to be brave in one way and a coward in another, to grinding herself against the love of her life in the hot water.

And she'd gone from doubting every word that came out of his mouth, to certain they were destined to be together forever.

He could turn her head—and her heart—on a dime. It was so unfair. But she was too tired to fight it.

"Can you… come back to my house?" she asked quietly, embarrassed. Knowing he'd hear the unspoken invitation in it.

"Absolutely not," he said, though his voice was heavy with regret. "If anyone visited and smelled me at your place… let me explain this, Sash: Because choosing a mate is such an important decision for a Chimera, there's a bunch of… rules around it. Some of them don't apply now because we're both adults and you're human, but in my world, the decision to mate is taken really serious. Most Chimera never do it until their mate is already chosen and they've been through the rituals. Then they leave together—kind of like a honeymoon—to try and get her pregnant.

"But the thing you need to understand is, there's a whole process they went through to get to that point. He had to fight off the other male's attention to keep her for himself. Then he had to display for her and she had to accept him—and that all happened publicly. So every male in the vicinity knows and can scent that they've chosen each other.

"And that's not even covering how the hierarchy comes into play, and making sure that every male that was supposed to have a shot at her has had their chance.

"If a male in the Chimera were to sneak into a female's home, or steal her away, and mate her before they'd been through that, it's like… it's like he stole her chance to make sure there wasn't someone else better suited for her. And stole the other males' chances to make sure they aren't the one for her.

"Doing that is a betrayal. A violation—to her, and to the other males. The few who've done it have been cast out, or killed. I have to keep my hands off you—I have to stay away from you until I've earned the right to display for you. And then when I do, you have to make me fight for it. Show attention to some other males at first, as if you're trying to decide between us. And when you do accept me… play hard to get. Make me win you. Don't just throw yourself into my arms… no matter how tempting it might me," he added with a chuckle.

Sasha slapped his chest, but somehow it turned into a stroke and they both stopped breathing for a moment at the beauty of the sensations they felt when they were skin to skin.

"So, I can't touch you until you've fought through all these guys?" she asked wistfully.

He shook his head, his eyes still on the place where her palm rested on his pec. "No, and even once they're forced to acknowledge me, you can't give me any special attention. You can talk to me then—even flirt. But you can't single me out."

"But… we've already mated!" she pouted.

"Yes, but they don't know that," he said. "Not really. Not in a way they understand. We have to walk through this, Sash. For them."

She shook her head and ground her teeth. How was it possible that after being torn apart for so long, they were forced to keep their distance anyway?

"How long is this going to take?" she asked quietly, letting herself float up against him again so her breasts pressed against his chest.

Zev cleared his throat and lifted one hand from the water to stroke the side of her floating breast with the backs of his fingers. "A week, at the most," he croaked.

A week? Sasha wanted to cry. "And you're certain you can beat all these males?" she asked quietly—fearfully—Yhet said it normally takes months to do this."

"Well, sure. But it's also usually someone who hasn't done it before—and who doesn't have the allies I have. I'm already only one male away from being ranked—at which point the wolves will have to acknowledge me. Though some will try to refuse to do so until I've beaten Lhars."

At mention of his brother, Sasha winced. "How bad is that fight going to be? You two seem so similar."

Zev looked at her sharply. "You've been talking to Lhars today?"

She shrugged uncomfortably. "Yhet and I ran into him in the forest. Then he came and sat at our table. Kyelle said I couldn't ignore him because he's an Alpha."

Zev gave a low growl. "Ran into him, my ass. He's following you."

Sasha frowned. "No, I only saw him that one time—"

"Just because you didn't see him doesn't mean he wasn't there. My brother is cunning and very intelligent. Don't underestimate him, Sash. And don't give him any reason to think you're interested. He's a dog with a bone if he's encouraged."

Sasha's stomach swooped when she thought of the way she'd acknowledged him in the forest with Yhet—just completely forgotten to be aloof—and the smug smile he'd had at the dining table when she was polite to him.

"What would make it encouragement—just so I know what to avoid?" she asked carefully.

"Just don't… sparkle at him," Zev grumbled.

"Sparkle? What?"

"That thing you do, when you smile and you look up at guys when your chin is down. It's… you have no idea how sexy you are, Sash. If you make him think you're happy he's around—even if you don't say the words, but just make him feel like you like that he's close by—he will not give up."

Sasha blinked remembering her words the night before.

It's good to see you, Lhars.

She swallowed hard. "I don't know about sparkling," she said nervously, "but the only person I want to be sexy to is you, Zev."

"Do humans always talk about it as sex? Or is that a joke between you?" The voice, warm, but very quiet, appeared somewhere in the bushes at the bank of the pool.

 

Chapter 86

Sasha gasped and Zev whipped around to face the bank, pulling her behind him and growling, even as he registered the voice, and who owned it.

"Jhon, we didn't plan this. She came to bathe when others wouldn't be here. She didn't know I would be."

"A likely story," his best friend chuckled. "Better not let the pack get wind of this, Zev. They'll have your hide."

"I know. I was just explaining—she doesn't understand the hierarchy and the mating rituals."

His best friend, tall, muscular, and light everywhere that Zev was dark, finally stepped out of the bushes that rimmed the mineral pools. He was grinning from ear to ear, and Zev internally groaned. He was not going to live this one down soon.

Especially since Jhon knew how he'd pined for her after he'd left the human world. His friend had been a needed support and encouragement during those years. But now there was an edge in his smile that Zev understood.

It must have seemed very unfair that Zev left and threw the rest of the Chimera into chaos, and yet still ended up mated first. Jhon wasn't a complainer—Zev would have trusted Sasha's life in his hands. And her mating ritual. But that didn't mean he wanted to twist the knife in his friend's heart. Jhon had yearned for a mate just as strongly as Zev ever did.

"It's good to see you, brother. I wasn't sure if you'd remember."

"Of course I remembered. I just had to make sure to avoid actually seeing anyone. I don't want to be the reason Xar decides to slit your throat."

"Wait, is that a risk?" Sasha piped up from behind him. She'd pressed herself into his back again, covering herself with his body. And he loved it. But his body loved it too.

Jhon was going to mock him until his hair turned gray.

"You know you can't do this, right, Zev?" Jhon said a moment later.

"Like I said, it wasn't planned. And we're already bonded, Jhon. Do you have any clue how hard it is to stay away from her?"

He could have kicked himself as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Of course Jhon didn't. He'd never found his mate.

"Well, you're going to have to say goodbye, Zev. You can't risk this. For her sake."

"I know, I know."

"Why don't you let her out and I'll walk her back to the house Kyelle found for her."

"Thank you," Zev said, mourning that he wouldn't have any more time alone with her for now. But he turned to face her and took hold of her head, leaning into her ear. "Same time, same place, any day that you can." Then he kissed her quickly, then turned away to start walking out of the water.

Jhon raised an eyebrow at the squawks and hissed whispers of Sasha behind him, reminding him that she was naked.

"Do me a favor and turn around?" Zev asked him. "The humans are different about this stuff. She needs to get herself dried and dressed before you look."

His friend sucked in a long breath, but he'd been around the humans from the Team enough to know that they had strange ideas about many things, so he just shrugged and turned his back, folding his arms to wait.

Sasha was still hissing at Zev that she couldn't get out of the water with him there, when Zev trotted out of the water and crossed the bank to pick up her towel and put himself on the back between Jhon's back and Sasha, holding it open for her.

Sasha glowered at him, but knowing anything she said could be heard by his friend, she covered her chest and thighs as best she could and darted out of the water into Zev's wide-open arms. He wrapped her in the towel and began to dry her carefully—being wet in the winter air was no joke. Even Chimera could fall to serious illness if hypothermia set in.

So he rubbed her skin vigorously, all over, until it was blushing and pink everywhere, then threw the cotton shirt over her head and growled. "Next time you bring dry clothes or another blanket to wrap around you for the trip home. This towel is damp now."

Sasha grumbled about men who disappeared for years then turned up being bossy, but he could hear her teeth beginning to chatter before she'd muttered the words.

"Get her back to the tree, now," he said, quickly to Jhon. "I'll wait here for you. I need to talk to you."

Jhon nodded then leaned down until he was almost nose to nose with Sasha, catching himself before he actually rubbed on her which was a relief. "I know this has been quite the day for you," he said with a slow smile. "But you are my best friend's mate. You are safe with me. And I will ensure that you are safe with anyone else while you're in my presence. I would rub you to show you my truth, but I understand you humans don't do that. So, please, take my word for it."

Sasha's eyes went wide. She stared at Zev, who smiled around gritted teeth. Jhon had always been the charmer, and having the golden wolf so close to his mate made Zev want to bite something. But he knew he couldn't put her in safer hands.

"I'll see you soon," he whispered to Sasha as she nodded at Jhon. "And don't worry. I've got this under control."

Jhon snorted, but didn't say anything when Zev shot him a glare.

Sasha put her hand out of the damp towel to hold his face. "I don't want to leave you," she admitted after a second.

Zev knew he couldn't embrace her. Some of his scent would have been diluted by her being in the water, but there was already enough of him on her to raise eyebrows in the morning if anyone who cared to pay attention got close.

"Remember everything I said," he said with a glance towards Jhon, as if that were the reason he wasn't touching her. "It remains true. Rest and enjoy yourself as much as you can. We'll be together soon."

Jhon was frowning when he turned away to walk back into the hot pool. But he didn't say anything and Jhon obviously thought better of confronting him then, because he only turned, offered his arm for Sasha to hold in the way they'd been taught that the older humans used to do. Then led her away from the pool and into the dark, until he couldn't see her anymore, or smell anything except the trail she left.

Sinking back into the pool, Zev sighed and let himself lay back and float, staring at the stars and moon glowing high above.

And then he started praying.

 

Chapter 87

Despite her emotional turmoil, Sasha slept well. Between the time in the hot pools, and seeing Zev, once she'd gotten back to her new house, she'd fallen into the bed and slept without waiting until the birds were chirping outside and the sun was making orange shapes on the wall.

True to his word, Yhet was waiting for her outside when she got dressed and ventured out. He beamed at her, his voice booming his good morning as he beckoned her to follow him to the trough for breakfast.

"Do we have to call it a trough?" Sasha said, wrinkling her nose. "It sounds like something cattle eat out of."

Yhet frowned. "Well, the goats might qualify?" he suggested, then threw back his head and laughed until his voice was booming through the trees.

Sasha made a mental note never to amuse Yhet when she wanted to be discreet.

Half an hour later they were at a table and Kyelle had joined them again, but no one else that Sasha recognized. They'd only had to warn her away from almost greeting people twice. She was getting better at remembering.

Instead she'd used the time to watch all the males that milled around, eating and chatting, trying to get her head around the fact that all of them were shapeshifters.

"How many different types of Chimera are there?" she whispered to Yhet. "How can you tell who is what? Is it rude to ask?"

Yhet blinked and looked at Kyelle, who also looked confused.

"We can scent them," Kyelle said a moment later when Sasha looked back and forth between them, wondering what she'd said wrong.

"I can't," Sasha said, looking around at all the males gathered at different tables. "How am I supposed to know who's a wolf and who's a tiger and who's an owl… and whatever else—"

"You've met someone from each of the clans already," Yhet said carefully. "In terms of numbers, there are more wolf Chimera than anything else—the humans seem to prefer them. But we have the mountain goats—Ibex, hares, owls, tigers and of course, sasquatch," he said with a grin. "There are others, but they do not integrate with the clans."

"What are they?" Sasha felt like a child who had never learned to filter her curiosity, but she felt so off-balance, so ill-equipped for this world…

"Everything," Yhet said sadly. "Generally they do not hold the appearance of humans, which is why they choose to stay in the forest and live as the creatures do. But their minds… their minds are human. Or human enough. They understand our language and…" he trailed off nervously, glancing at Kyelle as if asking for help.

She sighed. "Sasha, the creatures of the forest are… tormented. They are experiments that did not go well, and their lives have been reduced, or painful because of it. Some are human minds trapped in an animal's body. Others are strange mixes—unable to find clan or mate because they are the only one of their kind that exist. And some…" Kyelle's lips thinned. "The reason the humans do not venture into the forests of Thana is because there is evidence that some of the creatures have plans for revenge, or… that they wish to punish their makers." She shuddered, and Sasha's blood ran cold.

She'd walked through the night alone the night before, just casually concerned about being naked, not even pausing to think that some kind of monster of science might be waiting to leap upon her from the bushes.

"Won't they think I'm one of the people that did this to them, then?" Sasha asked, horrified that she'd just been trudging through the forest all night without any clue. Though Zev and Jhon hadn't seemed worried about it.

"I don't believe so," Yhet said, his smile a touch too bright. "You lack the medicinal smell of the Team. At most they might wish to question you."

Sasha swallowed. "How, exactly, does a Chimera who isn't human question someone?"

Yhet shrugged like it was no big deal. "It depends on the Chimera."

Kyelle put a kind hand to her arm. "Don't let him frighten you, Sasha, the Chimera are intelligent, whether they can communicate to you in your language or not. If you ever find yourself facing one of the creatures, speak to them just like you would to us. They'll understand you. And they all know Zev. If he's with you, you'll have nothing to worry about."

That was what Zev had said too, she realized, when they first arrived and had started talking about these creatures, but they'd gotten side-tracked by learning all that was happening within the Chimera of the village.

Sasha dropped her head in her hands and sighed. Despite her nap that afternoon, she was exhausted. And terrified. And missing Zev. And angry at Zev and… and… and…

"Do they ever come into the village?" she asked faintly.

"No," Yhet and Kyelle said emphatically, and at the same time.

Kyelle continued. "They live as creatures do—avoiding us as much as possible. And even in the forest if they saw or scented you, they are most likely to stay out of your way. Just… just stay within the sentries of the village if you're worried about it."

She said the words like Sasha had no reason to be worried, but if she was going to trouble herself…

Sasha sighed. But before she could respond, Dunken appeared from nowhere at the end of their table and rushed to her side.

"Get up, now," he said, tugging at her arm. Sasha got to her feet, and he was already pulling her away, Yhet following and Kyelle watching them from the seats, a worried frown on her face.

"Already?" Yhet asked as Dunkin dragged her by her wrist towards the trees.

"Yes. Unannounced. Even Xar was taken off guard. The twins are still here and he doesn't know where they went or whether the humans found them on the way in."

"The… what?! The humans are here?" Sasha yelped, hurrying after Dunken.

"Yes," the man murmured, shooting her a look for quiet. "And we need to get you out of here before they realize who you are. Yhet, you can't be with her, you're too obvious. I'll take her. We'll be watching from the fox hole."

Yhet nodded, reached out to squeeze Sasha's arm and rumbled, "Do what he says, he'll keep you safe," then peeled off among the trees, making a great deal more noise than he had before, and laughing loudly.

"What is he doing?" she whispered to Dunken as they hurried deeper into the forest.

"Creating a diversion," the goat-man said with a grim smile. "The human's are always half-afraid of him, so it keeps them on their toes.. C'mon, we can't risk them catching any sight or scent of you."

 

Chapter 88

Dunken was a man of few words, Sasha discovered. She wanted to ask a dozen questions, but he led her quickly away from the village—so quickly, she struggled to keep up. Soon even if she could have found the words, she didn't have the breath to speak. Apparently he noticed her panting though, because a few minutes later he hesitated, urging her to squat behind some trees and rest for a moment. "I'm going to explore the best path to the position where we can observe without being observed. You wait here, and do not move!" he whispered urgently.

Sasha, wide eyed and grateful for a chance to breathe, just nodded and did as he said. But when he disappeared completely a moment later—no sound or sight to even show which way he'd gone—she suddenly realized just how alone she was.

Visions of Dunken leaving her there to be found by the other humans floated in her head, but Sasha shoved them away. Zev and Yhet both trusted Dunken. She would too. Until he proved himself untrustworthy. Which made her think of him ratting her out to Xar or the humans, and that, by the time she'd found out he'd done it, it would be too late to decide not to trust him.

She was still sitting there, stewing in a cycle of fear and determination when he popped up again, right in front of her.

Sasha sucked in a gasp and he clapped his hand over her mouth, holding a finger to his lips until she nodded, then he leaned into her ear. "Move as quietly as you're able." Then he tipped his head in the direction they were going, stood, and offered her a hand to her feet.

To Sasha they walked through the forest out of sight of the village. She had no idea where they were in relationship to the places she knew, only that Dunken was being very careful to walk silently, and urge her to step only in his own footsteps through the snow and dirt under the trees.

She wasn't sure how long they walked, but soon she realized they were curving around to the right. Soon she heard a babble of voices, like the rush of the sea, but she couldn't make out any of the words.

Then finally, as the noise grew louder and the voices became discernable, they stepped to the edge of a deep dip in the earth, where the trail dropped behind a cluster of trees, both alive and fallen trunks and boulders, to a creek, thin enough even for Sasha to simply step across. At its other side the ground rose again, but the trail disappeared under more boulders and a massive fallen tree.

Sasha frowned as Dunken trotted down the side of the dip, hopped across the water then began to climb the other side, looking over his shoulder to beckon her to follow. Then he seemed to disappear underneath the massive trunk of the tree that slanted out from the boulders and dead trees above the creek, to meet the earth on this side.

Blinking, Sasha hurried down and managed to step across the little creek without getting her feet wet. Then, as she began to climb the other side—steeper than it appeared, and somewhat slick—a thick, masculine hand appeared underneath the trunk of the tree. She grasped it and swallowed a yelp when she was yanked up, underneath the rotting log to a small space on its other side.

Her eyes went wide. They were in a room… almost. To Sasha's right the pile of boulders and dead trees made a wall, with only a few gaps scattered here and there at different levels that allowed light and sound through. The boulders and trees continued to stack and made an arch over their heads. Any gaps had clearly been filled from inside by clay and small plants until the ceiling was solid. With the gap under the tree behind her, she stood in what looked like a natural dome, completely dry and separate from the rest of the forest.

As soon as she was up and on her feet, Dunken stepped over to the gaps at the front, where the light came through and peered through, frowning.

When Sasha followed and found gap at head-height, she was surprised to see that they'd circled the village and were now on a slight rise above and to the east of the center of the village where she'd first seen Zev greeted by the other Chimera. The voices she'd been hearing were a rising tide as more and more men flooded into the village square. At first Sasha could only see Chimera in the crowd and wondered if perhaps the humans hadn't arrived yet. But then she noticed a cluster of activity near the trail they'd followed to come into the village that day, saw Xar in a long robe with that thick fur scarf around his neck, and his hair flying in every direction as if he'd been raking his hands through it. Alongside him stood to men and a woman, all dressed in the strange black clothing like the body suit Zev had fought in, though they also had tool belts at their waists, and wore what looked like hiking boots and beanies. The woman had a thick vest on over hers similar to a fishing jacket, with many pockets and spaces to hold small items.

The three of them were in what appeared to be a heated discussion with Xar.

"What's going on?" Sasha whispered. "What does it mean that they're here?"

"They must know about you," Dunken said grimly. "There's no other reason for them to have shown up again so soon—and it's why Xar looks like he just swallowed a lemon."

Sasha couldn't see the King's face that clearly from this distance, though it was clear he wasn't happy. "But… if they know I'm here isn't he just going to give me up? Why are we sitting here? Shouldn't I be running?"

Dunken snorted. "The humans have many advantages over us, Sasha-don, but their senses are dull. Xar accepted you among the Chimera and the females are prized. He won't betray you."

Sasha-don? "What did you call me?" she asked, looking at him.

Dunken went still for a moment, then shook his head. He never turned away from their view of the people outside. "It's nothing. Just a Chimera title. A slip of the tongue. Forget I said it," he said.

But she had the distinct impression he was suddenly a lot more tense than he had been a moment earlier.

 

Chapter 89

"Look, Xar has convinced them to search the village. I just pray Zev has hidden himself somewhere safe. If they find him, it won't matter whether they find you or not."

"Should we go—"

"You go nowhere, and move nothing," Dunken snapped, turning away from the hole to glare at her. "This is the fox hole. It is surrounded by foxglove to cover scent. It allows a view of the village, and we'll be able to hear when they speak to the crowd. The humans are so sight-blind and nose-dumb, they will never find you here unless you call their attention to this location. A location they are not aware of. So you stand here quietly, and you do not move from this place until I tell you to."

Sasha blinked. Part of her bristled, wanted to tell him where he could shove apparent confusion about who was the boss of her. But reason argued that he likely knew a lot more about what was happening out there than she did—and how to navigate it safely. So she scowled and folded her arms, but nodded.

Dunken smiled then and his entire face went from stony to brilliant in that simple step. "Very good, Sasha," he said. "You're learning."

"Learning what?" she asked bitterly. "How utterly out of my element I am here?"

Dunken shrugged. "Perhaps. But also… we have found the humans often resistant to adopting the hierarchy, forcing us to press our strength on them. If they would only understand the benefit of a society where everyone knows their place, and who stands over whom… many of our conflicts could have been avoided."

"Conflicts? I thought you said Xar did whatever the humans wanted?"

"He does now—mostly. Though as you can see, he isn't giving them what they want in this moment. In any case, I wasn't speaking of Xar, but the humans. They stumble into our people with their stupidity and ignorance of Thana, believing dominance comes only from force—that the threat to kill is akin to strength." He blew air from his nostrils, frowning and shaking his head like he was trying to free himself of something. "If they would only learn—as you have apparently done—to listen and understand that we advise and choose the path that is for good, perhaps we could find a way to exist together, instead of in oppression."

Sasha chewed on that as Dunken turned back to watch the crowd. But Xar was still arguing with the humans, and the crowd continued to mill and talk.

Sasha couldn't see a single female.

"That's because the few we have are kept hidden from the humans," Dunken growled. "We cannot risk losing them."

Sasha frowned harder. "This oppression… if you're so much stronger and your senses so much better, why aren't you all just rushing them, killing any human that enters Thana until they leave you alone? There's so many more of you than them."

Dunken turned to stare at her. "Are you not familiar with guns? With the many weapons the humans have? Not only those that kill, but those that can stop even Yhet in his tracks—or shut down a Chimera's mind. There are those that make any of us fall as if struck dumb, and those that could annihilate our entire people in a matter of minutes. Are you not familiar with these? Are they not common in your world?"

"Well, of course, but—"

"The humans would kill us. Execute us—including our females and offspring. While we could set a trap for them, once they realized what was waiting for them on this side, they would simply send bigger numbers with more weapons. And we would lose all chance of being reunited with our females," he said sadly, as if he had already lost hope of that.

Sasha reached for his arm. "I'm sorry that this has happened," she said genuinely. "I hope I can somehow help… I mean, I don't know how, but—"

"You can convince Zev to take back Alpha," Dunken said. "I know he is reluctant. He believes the people wouldn't have him. But they will. I'm certain of it—more than certain, many have told me. And even those that are angry at him… I believe if he would challenge Xar, they would not work to Xar's aid. Not any of the healthy ones, anyway."

Sasha swallowed. "I mean… I don't get to talk to him right now, but once I do I can ask…"

Dunken gave her a flat look from the side. "I know about the pools last night."

"What? How?"

"Zev passed a message through Jhon… Jhon was greatly amused by your fear of nakedness. He has not had the pleasure of spending time with human females in a context for that to be demonstrated. He howled."

Sasha scowled at the crowd outside. "It's a… a difference in our societies," she said primly. "If you all showed up in my world and just started walking around naked you'd end up in prison."

Dunken's amusement faded from his features. "I fear we already are, Sasha-don. But your point is taken. I will endeavor not to chuckle at your naked-fright again."

Sasha wanted to bury her face in her hands. She didn't want to talk about being naked—or even about not being naked—with men!

Thankfully, before she had to respond, Xar lifted his hands, and she and Dunken both went silent, waiting to hear what would be said to the crowd below.

"My people, please be at peace!" Xar intoned formally. The babble of the crowd faded as all the men turned to look at him and the humans that now stood to either side of him, their faces grim, eyes scanning the crowd as if they were watching for trouble.

And one, Sasha noticed, the largest of the two guys, who stood just a foot or so away from those that bracketed Xar, had his hand on the gun in a holster at his waist.

Sasha saw it then… how the humans looked to these men—these Chimera. She was reminded of Oska's insistence on looking for a fight—except the man next to Xar looked like he was looking for a reason to shoot people.

And there was no accountability at all, she realized with a start.

These humans had no reason not to kill Chimera. What would happen to them if they did? Nothing, that's what. Sasha's stomach yawned into a pit.

No one knew about this place in her world. In her society, even those at conflict—at war—were accountable to the other people for any deaths they caused. But here?

Here there was no safety net. There was no watching eye of the law, or of morality.

These other humans were god here, she realized.

And one of them stood there with his hand on a gun.

 

Chapter 90

Zev crept through the trees, barely breathing. He'd heard Xar call the males to order a minute earlier, but he'd been so distracted thinking of Sasha, he hadn't paid attention to what was happening and was still creeping a wide berth around the village to his hiding place. The humans might search when this was done. He didn't want to leave any trail they could follow.

He walked slowly, silently, knowing the humans were unlikely to be paying enough attention to hear any of his movement over the crowd. But there was no harm in taking extra care.

He passed within fifty feet of the fox hole and caught a whiff of Sasha in there with Dunken. His heartrate eased a little then. His friend had done as he'd asked. He was relieved.

Yhet had been the one to find him and warn him the humans were there. Technically he should have gone to his cave and hidden until they left—Yhet had said he'd let him know. But Zev was deeply concerned. He knew Nick wouldn't be among the team they'd sent. But to have gotten people here so quickly… it spoke volumes about how important he was to their plans, and how quickly they were willing to break their own rules to keep him in his place.

The gateway wasn't safe for humans. That the teams were coming through frequently—and now at unplanned times—meant they saw their work here as primary to their goals.

Thana had always been little more than a zoo them to before. What had changed?

Even so, humans he could handle. As long as they didn't send an army of avatars through, he was certain he'd be fine.

Sasha on the other hand…

She didn't understand at all who she was dealing with, and until he could explain it to her, he had to trust her willingness to listen to males she'd known only hours. He shouldn't have been kissing her last night, he should have been filling her in on all the dangers here, all the ways she was vulnerable—and who could be trusted to help her in situations like this.

He prayed Dunken hadn't had to get too aggressive with her to keep her in check. She was sassy when she was frightened—especially if a guy made her feel like she'd been marginalized. Zev huffed a tiny chuckle remembering the time at a high school party when some drunk guy had made some comment about her ass.

Zev had whirled, knowing the male was actually challenging him. But before he could even take a step, Sasha was in the guy's face, tearing him a new asshole of his own.

Zev stood behind her, grinning, just in case. If the male lost his control and decided to lay a hand on her, he would find it torn off by Zev before even Sasha's tongue could flap. But in the end, there'd been no need. She had known the guy since he was small and she'd belittled him in front of the whole party.

All the other females in the room had cheered. And when she turned away, her hair rippling like a flag behind her as she stormed away, Zev had followed in her wake, almost delirious with desire for her—but not before he shot the male a warning look over his shoulder to quell any chance the male's pride would get the better of him. If he tried, he would face a helluva lot more than whips from Sasha's tongue.

When they'd gotten outside, he'd grabbed her wrist and tugged her behind a hedge, pulling her into a kiss before she could even speak. And when they finally came up for air, she'd been gaping at him. "What was that for?"

"For not being intimidated," he'd whispered, then nipped her earlobe. "Your strength makes me want you."

They'd fought the wanting for so long… then given in not long after that.

Falling into memories of that night reminded him that he'd held her, naked and wanting, the night before. The palms of his hands itched to be on her skin again. He growled and shook his head. But as he circled the village until he found the tree he'd been looking for, not far from the fox hole, he couldn't completely shake off the tension within him that wanted—needed—to claim her. To make sure every male in the vicinity knew it.

Even now, knowing she was in that small space with Dunken made the alpha authority within him snarl. He wanted to crawl in there and display for her, to dominate Dunken and kick the male out on his ass. Which was ridiculous. Dunken would never try to take Sasha.

Growling at himself to cool off, Zev turned his attention back to the village square—distant enough that it took his wolf-eyes and ears to make out the expression on Xar's face, and to hear the voices.

He hoped Sasha was hearing this from her spot.

"Chimera! Hear me!" Xar called, scanning the crowd, that was still growing as Chimera arrived from hunting or out on patrols. "Our human brothers need our aid. They have lost one of their own—a feeling we know well—and they seek her here. I have assured her we have had no visitors from the human world except their own teammates, but they fear we may have been deceived, or their… friend may have entered without our knowledge. Does anyone here have knowledge of a new female? A human?"

A murmur rippled through the crowd of gathered males. Zev wasn't nervous that they would reveal Sasha—any female was so precious to the Chimera, they wouldn't give her up without a significant fight. But he was concerned about any incentives they might give Xar, or someone else of rank, to give him up.

Those who didn't want to see him take power again would have reason to betray him. And if he was found, it would be only a matter of time until they found her as well, with or without the Chimera's help.

"Please, brothers, speak if you know of anything. Our human friends are very tense. This female is valuable to them."

Hearing the Chimera King, the Alpha of the Clans, refer to the humans as friends, set Zev's teeth on edge. But he just clenched them harder and kept listening. His opinions on Xar's attitude to the humans would keep for the day he was acknowledged by the tribes again.

"Perhaps then, if you have not seen a human female, perhaps you have seen our former Alpha? The wolf, Zev?" There was a glint in Xar's eyes that should have warned him. But Zev had never imagined, never even considered— "As Alpha, I bring you terrible news about your former leader, brothers. Please, if you know anything of his whereabouts, offer it up. The humans need to return him to their world, for he has been tasked with breeding the females in an effort continue our race."

"What do you mean, breeding the females?" a voice cried from the crowd. Zev's stomach went cold.

Xar gave a cold smile. "I have just been informed that Zev has been mating all of our females for the past three years, while we await their return. He has formed some kind of bond—not the normal mating bond, something unique and… well. Our friends need to return him to the females before his absence creates difficulties for them. So let's help them, since I'm certain, like me, you would like nothing more than to close your teeth on his throat."

Zev swore as a great cacophony of howls, barks, and cries rose to echo around the forest of Thana.