True North [True North series book 1/3]

I used both hands to shove Thoridor off me as hard as I could. The tingling feeling his tongue had left on my skin had reached a new high, now making me feel like my skin was on fire — a sparkly, not unpleasant burning.

“What is wrong with you?!” I yelled, wiping his poisoned saliva off my neck with my sleeve. “Stop licking me. And biting me. Stop touching me in general, you brute.”

Thoridor took a step back. “Believe me, I want to. It’s just my beast — he seems to like you.”

I stared at him, with one eyebrow raised. “You don’t fool me, Sire,” I said sarcastically, “take responsibility for your actions. And leave me alone.”

The whites of Thoridor’s eyes turned black. I stumbled backward in shock, landing on my behind. Thoridor rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, and when he opened his eyes again, they had returned to normal.

“He doesn’t like that,” Thoridor growled, “don’t provoke him. I haven’t hunted in a while, so he’s quicker to take over than normal.”

I stared at him before getting back to my feet. “Stay away from me,” I mumbled, and ran back to the clearing — back to Warrian.

He was waiting there for me, and relief took over his face when he spotted me. “Are you okay?” he asked, scanning me. His eyes lingered on the side of my neck, where Thoridor had licked me. I moved my collar up to cover the skin, which still felt a little tingly. I nodded.

“Did he do anything?” Warrian pressed, “or make you do anything?”

I crinkled my nose. “No, luckily not,” I said. I looked around. “I know it’s highly inappropriate,” I mumbled, “but is there any way I could sleep near you tonight? You’re the only one I feel safe with.”

The dimples in Warrian’s cheeks deepened as a smile spread onto his face. “Of course,” he said happily, “we’ll find a way.”

Warrian nodded to the servants building the tent, and I followed him there. We helped stack logs, and Warrian helped rekindle the fire in the stove, which seemed to be the only thing having survived the fight.

Soon, the tent was done, and servants laid out their beds all over the floor. They all slept on simple, sheepskin bedrolls, and I wondered if they were warm enough, on the frozen forest floor. Warrian had found a padded bench that I was certain hadn’t been there before, and beckoned me to come lay with him. I didn’t even feel hesitant when I lay down anymore — I was just glad to feel safe — and to finally get some rest. Warrian draped a sheepskin over us, and put his arm over me, clutching me to his chest. I was out in moments.

I dreamed of rubbing Tophyn’s back and feeding him honey straight from the jar. Of Nysander coming home with a satchel full of game. Of Elysora making them both stew, and remembering to make Tophyn spit into his Starvine pulp before giving it to him.

I woke to the gentle caress of a hand on the side of my face — fingers brushing the hair out of my eyes, and the pad of a thumb brushing over my lips, leaving a trail of sparks in their wake. I opened my heavy eyes, and jolted up as my surroundings dawned on me.

Warrian stirred behind me, and then propped himself up on his elbows. “Are you okay?” he asked sleepily.

I nodded, and smiled at his disheveled, golden locks. “You woke me,” I whispered.

“Sorry,” Warrian said, and yawned. “I’m not used to sleeping next to a female. Especially one that looks like you.”

I swallowed and looked away as I felt my cheeks heat up. “It’s okay,” I whispered, and lay back down slowly.

My muscles were sore and stiff from all of the day’s exertion, and lying on a too-narrow bench with a large male didn’t help.

“Are you comfortable?” Warrian asked, wrapping me in his embrace again. I nodded, and glanced at him over my shoulder.

“What does rejecting the mating bond mean?” I asked, after having lain in silence for a while.

“Hmm?” Warrian groaned. “You said the queen had rejected the mating bond,” I reminded him, “what does that mean?”

Warrian yawned again and shifted positions. “Must we do this now?” he asked. I shook my head. “No, it can wait,” I said, and lay back down.

Warrian sighed. “The mating bonds are bestowed upon us at birth, unbeknownst to us. It doesn’t click into place until much later though, usually not until both recipients are of age, and although you’ll feel drawn to your mate, it usually only becomes clear they are your mate after you first touch.”

He stretched before continuing. “And although nothing is stronger than the urge you feel to be with your mate after the bond clicks into place, both parties do have to accept the bond for it to unleash its full powers.”

“What powers?” I asked, happy he was finally explaining the matter. “The sharing lives — making us harder to kill, mostly, and pleasure, I suppose?”

My cheeks darkened, as I coaxed him to continue. “Pleasure?” I echoed quietly, making sure to stay as still as possible.

“Yes, Serin, pleasure,” Warrian said, and I could tell he was smirking. “There is no pleasure like sex with your true mate.”

I squirmed at his words, feeling a mix of embarrassment and excitement.

“I thought you weren’t mated,” I managed to squeak out. “I’m not,” Warrian whispered, inching closer to me, “not yet, anyway.”

“And what happens if one rejects the bond?” I asked, trying to extinguish the fire within me.

“It’s not pretty,” Warrian said, “It eats away at both recipients. It’s like denying yourself of… everything. That’s most likely why the King is the way he is. He used to look more like Thor, once. Now, he shifts at the drop of a hat. It’s taking its toll on him.”

I furrowed my brows, and looked over my shoulder, trying to make out Warrian’s face in the darkness. “About that,” I mumbled, “you just… shifted too. Are there any lasting effects?”

Warrian shifted around again. “Yes,” he said slowly.

“What are they?” I whispered, afraid to overstep. “My feet, mainly,” Warrian said, averting his eyes. “What happens to them?” I asked, forcing myself not to glance down. Warrian cleared his throat, and looked at me for a long moment.

“I have… my toes haven’t changed back fully. The talons — and the… for now, that seems to be all. I wasn’t in my beast form for very long.” I rolled back to my side again.

“How about Thoridor?” I asked, gritting my teeth in preparation for an angry reaction.

“I don’t know,” Warrian said, “you saw him more closely than I did. Did anything stand out to you?”

I thought about it, picturing Thoridor in my head. It was hard not to get lost in his enticing looks, but I forced myself to look beyond it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen his hands,” I said, just now remembering. “Do you think that’s what’s changed for him?”

Warrian shrugged. “Perhaps,” he said, “now let’s get some rest. We have a long journey to make tomorrow.”