Mated to the Warrior Beast

Harth was breathing heavily behind him. Through the bond, he could feel her, cold with terror, hot with hope, her body trembling. She was terrified and praying.

Everyone waited to see what Zev would say, but then it occurred to Tarkyn: His mate had already made it clear.

When he’d been in there with them alone, Sasha had stared at Zev and tried to reassure him. “I’ll make them stay outside so you can breathe.”

It was what had made Tarkyn realize what was truly going on with this wolf-the animal fought the man.

Tarkyn had had bouts of claustrophobia-dreams in which he’d been buried and unable to breathe, feeling as if his chest was crushed.

He’d always woken in a cold sweat, his heart racing as if it would burst.

Those were the nights he’d yearned most deeply for a mate-not for a body to take for pleasure, but for a soft, warm place to fall. Arms to hold him, and a heart to soothe his.

.....

Was that what this male dealt with all the time, closed in like this?

After the bonds he’d woken to, probably. And if he’d spent time in his life locked in, or controlled by cruel masters... well, Tarkyn couldn’t blame him.

Tarkyn’s skin shivered just at the thought of waking bound the way they’d held him. He’d never been tortured in that way, though as a young soldier he’d had some training that had been deeply disturbing.

But that meant that this moment, right now, was Zev’s release. His control. Even if he didn’t want to kill El, he was finally the one calling the shots. And he wouldn’t want to give that up. He needed to feel that to breathe.

Damn.

Tarkyn took one small step to bring Zev’s eyes back to him. “You can have me,” he said quickly.

“Tarkyn, no!” Harth gasped.

“I’ll come in there unarmed,” he said, pulling his knife from its sheath and dropping it to the planks under his feet. “I’ll talk to you. I’ll listen. I’ll trust you. I won’t fight unless you hurt me. But let her go.”

‘TARKYN NO!’ Harth screamed in his head. “He’s not himself! He’s too scared and hurt. He’ll-”

Tarkyn sent her warm, softly lit images of himself holding her, stroking her hair, soothing her... he let her catch her own scent in his nose-the rich fullness of it and the way it fed something in his heart. And he let her feel the ache in his chest and his body when she was close.

Then, without another word, he turned towards the guard who’d been given the key and instructed him to open the cell door. No one else moved or spoke, so the guard hurried forward to do as he’d asked.

“Lock it after me,” Tarkyn said, his voice a low murmur as he walked into the cell and pulled the gate shut behind him, then stepped to the other end of the cell so Zev wouldn’t think he was coming for him.

He could feel Harth’s jittering terror and he tried to soothe it, but Zev still hadn’t let Elreth go.

When the guard had locked the cell and stepped away, Tarkyn cleared his throat. “Take the spear. I’m at your mercy now.”

A breath shuddered out of Zev.

“Please,” Sasha breathed. “Please.”

With a quick whine that rolled into a growl, Zev suddenly released her, shoving her backwards. Elreth stumbled back, hands at her throat, but straightened almost immediately-out of reach of the bars-as her mate rushed to hold her.

She trembled from head to toe, but she pushed Aaryn off without looking at him, even her hair quivering in the still air.

Zev still had the hand of the guard locked. He snarled and turned his attention to the guard, whose chin was jutted out and his hand still gripped around the spear-which stopped Zev taking it through the bars.

“Give it to him,” Tarkyn ordered the guard with such a rush of authority that the guard released his grip as if it burned.

Zev yanked the spear through the gap in the bars, then turned on Tarkyn pulling himself back far enough that no one could reach him without coming through the cell door. He leveled the spear at Tarkyn, though he was still far enough away he’d have to throw it.

Tarkyn didn’t let himself react.

“Leave. All of you,” Tarkyn said, his voice clipped with tension. Harth gave a little cry, but he shook his head without breaking Zev’s gaze. “Leave us alone completely. I’ll tell Harth through the bond when we’re done talking and she can bring a guard to unlock the door. Let us talk. Let me hear him. Let him be heard.”

There was a silent moment where everyone considered his words-but to a man they realized that Zev had a spear leveled at him, and Tarkyn was calm.

There was nothing to do but follow the order.

Elreth gave quick, quiet orders for everyone to leave. She stood there, trembling, but chin high and eyes ablaze, until everyone else had passed her. She waited until she was the last, then turned towards the door, her eyes catching on Tarkyn’s for the briefest second... her face unreadable.

For a moment, Tarkyn wished he could talk in her mind too. But then he was grateful that he couldn’t. Because he knew what she would say. He knew the fear she was feeling-and the accusation she’d carry from this moment.

He’d saved his mate first.

If Zev had been truly homicidal, Tarkyn would have been too late.

He’d never intended it... but he had broken his vow.

Cold chill twists in his stomach as the Queen disappeared into the rectangle of sunlight at the door, then it closed firmly behind her.

Zev watched them all leave, then turned back to smile at Tarkyn.

The chill in his stomach got worse.

*****

POSTED 29 November 2022 AFTER publication so you aren’t charged for the words:

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