Page 14 of Primal Vow

Until the humans had shot him down.

Rhys was panting heavily, his steps faltering as he fought to keep pace. Sweat gleamed on his brow, and his shoulders sagged with exhaustion.

For a fleeting moment, Taryn was transported back to those days of training with his brother. The urge to reach out, to guide and support the weaker form beside him, was startlingly visceral.

He quashed the instinct, jaw clenching. This was no bright-eyed youth eager to learn the ways of Vasz. This was a human, one of the very vermin responsible for robbing Taryn of the bond he'd cherished—

Rhys stumbled, his knees buckling. Before Taryn could process his own actions, he was there, gripping the human's arm to steady him.

Rhys lifted his gaze, eyes widening with a mixture of surprise and wariness. Taryn found himself caught in that startlingly green stare. Up close, he could make out the finer details of the human's features: the sharp angles of his jaw, the dusting of freckles across his nose, the sheen of perspiration along his brow. "Thanks," Rhys said, his voice tentative and questioning.

Heat that had nothing to do with exertion flooded Taryn's veins. He jerked back, releasing Rhys as if burned.

Disgust welled up within Taryn. He was letting himself become distracted, entangled by instincts that had no place in his life any longer.

Without sparing Rhys a second glance, Taryn turned and continued onwards, the rope leash held firmly in his grip. He could not — would not — allow himself to be distracted again, no matter what inexplicable impulses the human stirred from within him.

It was a lapse, nothing more.

One he would not allow to happen again.

A low whistle from one of the boys up ahead shattered the weighted silence. Taryn's head snapped towards the sound, his body tensing.

"I see tracks," Jorah called out in a hushed tone, his eyes glinting with the thrill of the hunt. "Look, there at the edge of the grass! Small and bipedal, heading northeast into the ravine."

Taryn's lips peeled back in a feral grin, baring his sharp fangs. "We move swiftly and silently," he commanded in a low rumble, already starting forward with purposeful strides. "Do not let them sense our approach. We will surround them and strike as one."

The warriors fell into formation without hesitation, the result of years of training and discipline. Even the most boisterous among them had shed their youthful bravado, their focus now entirely on the hunt.

"And as for you…" Taryn said, turning to Rhys. It was the work of a moment to gag Rhys, to slide a cloth between his parted lips. Knowing it was futile, Rhys didn't struggle, though his bright green eyes held Taryn's gaze the whole time, burning with fury.

"There," Taryn said. "I dare not leave you behind, but I will not let you warn them. Try to signal the others, and I will remove your tongue myself."

Rhys flinched at the threat, anger and fear warring across his features. For a moment, Taryn was certain the foolish human intended to protest further.

But then Rhys simply gave a tight nod, holding Taryn's hardened stare.

The brief confrontation left an odd feeling churning in Taryn's gut — a strange blend of satisfaction at the human's capitulation and an inexplicable sense of… regret? As if a part of him had hoped for more defiance, for a fiercer show of the resilience he couldn't help but grudgingly respect.

Taryn shook off the discordant sensations, refocusing on the matter at hand. There would be time to unravel the knot of conflicting emotions later. For now, he had a duty to uphold — a duty to his clan, his people, and the world they had sworn to protect at all costs.

Gripping the rope tightly, Taryn gave it a firm yank. Rhys stumbled forward, falling into step beside the warrior as they continued their silent advance.

The hunt was nearly over.

Taryn's heart thundered in his chest as he and his warriors closed in on the place where the humans were hiding: a cave, one of many that riddled the formations of the land. There were footprints in the dust of the entrance, heels sunk deep into the soft ground. They'd carried something heavy with them — equipment? Taryn wasn't sure.

A quick hand signal brought his team to a halt. They fanned out in perfect formation, muscles coiled and blades at the ready. Taryn could sense the eager anticipation thrumming through them, the thrill of the imminent clash.

Taryn tied Rhys to a tree. "Stay," he rumbled.

If the human had any sense of survival, he wouldn't. The smartest thing to do would be to try to flee while Taryn and his boys were busy. Rhys just looked up at Taryn with baleful eyes.

Good enough. Taryn turned from him, his gaze meeting that of each of his warriors in turn, allowing a fleeting moment of shared purpose to pass between them. Then, with a final sharp nod, he gave the signal to attack.

They surged forward as one. Taryn led the charge, his blade gripped in both hands as he slipped into the cave with lethal intent.

Only… there was no cry of alarm. No frantic scrambling as the humans roused themselves to offer token resistance. The cave remained eerily silent and still, devoid of any sign of life.

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