Page 28 of His Human to Charm

It takes us three days to get back to the tribe with Dath’s help. We spend most of the day walking and taking frequent breaks since Thro and I are weaker than Toron and Dath. Toron also needs frequent breaks, not that he’d ever admit it to any of us. The gashes in his chest have healed for the most part, but every time we stop, we have to clean the wounds and reapply bandages since there’s always more blood somehow staining them.

Dath brought more dried olack with him when he came following the tether that Toron pulled. Now that I’m mated to him, I can feel it wrapped around my chest, just like Deja and Skylar told me about. I can feel it every time Toron thinks I haven’t looked at him in a while. He yanks on it hard, taking my breath away as he laughs to himself. I have yet to do it back to him because I’m afraid it’ll somehow hurt him, even though he would deserve it.

Thro is talking with Dath about his brother as we near the tribe. Thro’s brother, Marron, was at the tribe for a little while before leaving with Simone and Rallan to go back to his tribe. Thro has been talking about him nonstop, wanting to know everything that happened, if his brother is okay, and when he can get Marron back to our tribe. Dath told him we’d have to send a letter out to the other tribe because Thro has made it abundantly clear he does not want to return to his old tribe. The main reason is that he doesn’t want everyone there to associate him with the same males who thought to kidnap females and force themselves on them. I think another reason is that he doesn’t want to have to explain to everyone how he killed someone, which is fair.

By the time we make it to the tribe, Deja, Skylar, and pretty much every demon in the tribe is waiting for us. When Thro sees the crowd of full-grown males, he slows his steps until he’s behind me. I reach my hand back and take his in mine, something he hasn’t been opposed to a single time I’ve offered it.

Toron sees the young male hiding behind me, too, but instead of giving him a hard time, he positions himself in front of both of us. His eyes narrow on Thro, who seems to relax when Toron hides him. Toron gives a slight nod like he’s confirming to himself that he’s doing the right thing. I grab his forearm with my free hand, and he smiles down at me, a full black, toothy smile that has butterflies erupting in my stomach.

“So beautiful,” Toron whispers just loud enough for me to hear.

Well, Thro hears it, too, and his nose scrunches up like he’s not quite right with Toron being sweet to me. He’s had a hard time with it the entire time we’ve been journeying together.

It doesn’t help that most of the time, Toron looks like he wants to kill anyone who gets too close to me.

One night, Dath handed me the only pillow we could find in one of the safety buildings. Toron was up in an instant, claws out, reopening his wounds. They took it outside, where they snarled and snapped at one another until Toron calmed down. That moment was enough to renew Thro’s fear of my mate even though he was making progress in being near him. Thankfully, we’re starting to get back to him not fearing Toron most of the time. When he’s tense and angry, like he is now? Yeah, Thro still fears him.

Toron’s body tenses as a few of the others come running out to greet us. Deja throws her body against Dath’s and tells him that she’s never letting him leave again. Something about him being gone too much. Which is fair.

It took him three days to get to us. We spent three days in the safety building waiting for Toron to heal enough to come back to the tribe and then a three-day journey back to the tribe. Yril stayed back because he was still healing from his punishment. After I was taken, he went a little bloodlusty and carved up some of the other demons.

One of the elders is the first to approach Toron, Thro, and me. He moves slowly, keeping a wary eye on Toron like he might lash out at any moment. It isn’t until the elder gets closer that he finally lifts his arm and pats Toron on the upper arm.

“You are safe?” The elder asks. Toron nods, his eyes cast down, not meeting the older male’s. “Your mate is safe?” Another nod from Toron as the male looks behind him and gives me a soft smile. “And you brought a young?” The question is directed at Toron, so we wait for him to nod. The male gives Toron another pat on the shoulder before focusing his attention on Thro and me.

“I am Narrath.” He reaches a hand out to me, but Toron is quick about snapping his teeth and swatting it away. The older male, Narrath, seems to expect this and laughs a full belly laugh at Toron’s aggression. “Calm down. I did not realize you had not mated her yet. You seemed calmer.”

The words have Toron growling even louder, standing in front of me more. “I want to take my mate home,” he snaps at everyone within hearing distance. Then, he pierces the older male with his gaze. “My mate. She is your blood. I do not have to let you touch her, though.”

Narrath holds his hands up in a faux surrender. “Of course, my apologies to you and your mate.” He looks around Toron’s arms, much to Toron’s distress. “I will speak to my daughter another time then, yes?”

My eyes go wide, finally realizing that this is Toron’s father. Deja told me about him, about how he sometimes hangs around the great hall, but since the storms stopped, he’s been back in his own home. I meant to meet him, considering I was part of the family, or I am now, but I never made time for it before I was abruptly no longer in the tribe anymore.

“Yes, of course, I’d love to speak with you.” I try to get all of it out before Toron can fully push him away from me. I don’t want him to think I don’t want his company just because his son is being kind of an ass to him right now. Toron cuts me a look that tells me he’d much prefer I speak only with him right now, but he doesn’t snap his teeth at me like he does to everyone else.

“I’m taking my mate home,” he says again. This time, it’s directed at me.

Thro squeezes my hand a bit tighter, reminding me that he doesn’t want to be left alone in this tribe alone since he doesn’t know anyone and was just a part of the whole kidnapping me thing. Toron’s eyes flicker back to the young, his face falling, but at least he isn’t growling at him.

“What did your father teach you of mates?”

“Toron!” I hit his arm, not hard but enough to tell him he better not be about to embarrass me or Thro like that in front of everyone.

“What?” Toron looks down at me, genuine confusion on his face. “He either knows why we need to be alone, or he does not. If he does not, I will lie to him. I am not his father. I am not having that talk with him.”

“I can hear you,” Thro says awkwardly behind us, shuffling back and forth on his feet. “I know of mating. I am not a babe.”

Thro keeps his grip tight on my hand as he looks around us to the others still waiting patiently inside the tribe walls.

They’d all be around us asking questions if not for how bristly and on the edge of anger Toron is right now. I follow Thro’s eyes to where Skylar and a few of the other women are standing. Compared to all of the ginormous alien men, they probably seem like the safest option, and I’m quick about offering it.

“Thro, do you want to see if my sisters can give you a tour of the tribe?” I ask, loud enough that I’m hoping some of the women hear. There’s a commotion near the gate before one of the women breaks free and runs over to us. I glare up at Toron with as much fierceness as I can muster. “Do not hiss at her.”

Toron narrows his eyes at Kendra as she runs over to us, but he impresses me by stopping the hiss that starts to sound in his throat.

“Tight leash already?” Kendra cocks a brow at Toron and then gives me a wink. “Impressive.”

Toron’s lips pull back in a snarl, but he doesn’t snap at her or make any other sounds. As intimidating as he is, we both know he’s not about to touch her. For one, she’s Dath’s best friend, and two, she’s a human female, which means they treat us better than any of their brothers. It doesn’t mean Toron won’t try to scare her into backing away from me. I’m also wondering if a part of him feels responsible for Thro. He was there when his father was killed, and he knows Thro was responsible for saving me.

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