34

X E N O S

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I've always liked the first hours of the morning. Fine rays of sunshine, cool wind, dew on the grass. The perfect first training session or the first perfect run through the forest. But today was anything but perfect. I wasn't rested, having slept less than three hours, just the occasional nap in the woods when my wolf almost passed out from exhaustion. This was the second night I wasn't with Arya. And it almost killed me.

Nonetheless, I couldn't be with her. Every time I looked at her, the darkness shot through my veins, searing me and summoning my personal demons. I wasn't really here, finding myself over and over again that night. Even her shaken expression when I told her I was going to run through the woods without her felt like someone had stuck a knife in my chest and then spun me around.

My wolf roared and jumped against his cage. Yes, he was right, it couldn't go on like this. Without Arya, I was just a walking corpse. I had to get the danger out of my way, tear Echinda to shreds, and protect Arya. Then everything would be fine again. I would be safe in the knowledge that no one could hurt her, my demons would vanish and I could finally pull her close to me again.

When I saw Aramis on the intermediate wing, I instructed the soldiers to continue training, crossed the training field with big strides and entered the wing through the arcade arches.

"Shit damn," Aramis cursed, stopping in front of me. "You look awful, dude."

Wow, what a compliment too, thanks. "We need to talk for a minute." I ignored his oh-so-nice comment and leaned against the pillar. "I hear Zaira found out what's wrong with us."

"Yes." pure pride.

"Then we'll finish everything tonight."

"Today is the ball," Aramis reminded me, frowning slightly.

"Exactly. We'll party into the night, and then we'll attack.” It was the only way, because until then Arya was distracted and it was the only way I could keep her out of it. Me and I growled in unison. We would protect our mate Arya would not come to harm. Whatever those terrorizing shadows in my body meant, this time they had nothing to do with my decision. I'd been late before, never would be again.

"Xenos, do you think this is a good idea?" Aramis eyed me.

"It's a done deal." Aramis was my best friend, but I was king. And I had to keep my kingdom safe - that decision was mine alone. "We'll bring children and omegas into the bunker, and a unit of my soldiers will protect them while my best people and we face Echinda."

His green eyes flashed. "All right." He held out his hand and I took it. "You blindly followed me to war once before, I will do the same for you, “Faruh.”" “Brother”.

I nodded, not daring to say more than, "Thank you."

Then Aramis raised his eyebrows and grinned slyly. "Well then, I'd better go."

Frowning, I wanted to look after him when a finer, more delicate hand rested on my shoulder. Arya stepped into my line of sight.

"I was looking for you."

“I've been waiting for you,” were the words she didn't utter, but when I searched for reproach or anger in her face, the shadows in my chest awoke anew and the screams echoed in my ears. Arya's expression twisted in pain again, but I couldn't go to her. I could not find and turn off the source of all the agony she was going through. She was too far away. Separated from me by this goddamn lattice.

"Xenos?" Hands that shook me. "Xenus!"

I blinked.

"What's going on?" She stood right in front of me, clutching my face and looking at me with concern. "Tell it to me!"

Still those screams - full of fear. I closed my eyes. "It's nothing." I needed to get away from her, and even though everything inside me was screaming at me to grab her the fuck and not let go, I pulled her hands from my face. "Why were you looking for me?"

She stood very straight, hands clasped behind her back. "I wanted to ask you to come with me."

The chill in my chest was still there, but now that we were no longer touching, it didn't spread any further. I looked at her questioningly. "To where?"

“Zaira has discovered it's not a simple blood oath. It's a soul bond. Echinda ties ribbons.”

I froze. “ Ribbons? Like a mate tape?”

"So to speak." She struggled for the right words. "The bond lacks any love, it's only subject to raw control." Her gaze strayed from me briefly and she looked across the training field into the forest. “We Gis also bind our souls together independently and even if many people think that this connection automatically lasts forever, that's not entirely true. We have customs that can break these bonds again."

All of a sudden, the images faded into the background. I growled. "You can't untie mate ties."

Now she smiled and her eyes wandered back to me. She grabbed my chin and kissed me on the mouth, laughing. ““Purasu ! “Fool! I'm not talking about mate bands like you guys have - or” our”. I'm talking about the customs of my tribe. We make a union of souls in a sacred ceremony, man and woman of choice. While it doesn't happen often and is frowned upon, there are couples who want to give birth."

I put one and one together. "So you want to join the “Retanis”." I noticed that she still counted herself with them and not with my - “our” - pack. I should have tackled it now, couldn't neglect this fact. “After the ball” I promised myself.

““Aee”. I need to speak to the elders.” A hesitant look. "So, are you coming with me?"

My claws tore the skin on my palms. Icy acid squirmed through my body, spreading down my arms to my fingertips. “I have to stay here, my pack needs me now. We can't miss a training session and I have to organize all safety measures for the ball.”

Her lips were pressed tightly together and she seemed to have difficulty with the next word. "“Please”."

Blood kept dripping from my hands onto the floor. "Reah will come with you and guide you through the portal."

An angry snort. "I understand, “Your Majesty”." She turned sharply.

I escape. "Arya!"

But she had already disappeared into the palace.

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