Page 28 of Primal Vow

Or nothing but his own desires.

In the depths of the jungle, Taryn allowed himself to picture a different kind of future. One where the human at his side wasn't a distraction or a burden, but… something else. A man who laughed at Taryn's dry jokes, who gazed at him with eyes full of trust, who—

Taryn shook his head, the movement lost in the roar of the storm. He was going mad, entertaining foolish dreams that could never come true. He was a Borraq, second-in-command of his clan. He was tasked with nothing but the pursuit of honor and the protection of his people.

And the human at his side was nothing but a means to an end, a tool to be used in pursuit of a goal. Not a companion — not a partner.

Something that Taryn could never have.

With a growl, he struck out at the nearest tree, his fist impacting the thick trunk. The wood splintered beneath his blow, sap oozing out from the wound.

Great. Now he was acting like a young hot-headed cub.

In the heart of the storm, with the sound of the rain covering his frustration, Taryn leaned his forehead against the ruined tree. What kind of Borraq was he becoming, to entertain such foolishness?

A Borraq like Rael, perhaps.

The leader of Taryn's own clan was a man that Taryn would follow into the depths of any jungle, or the heart of any battle. Rael's focus and dedication to his people were unmatched.

But there was one thing that set Rael apart from every other Borraq alpha in the galaxy: the fact that he'd chosen a human as his mate.

Elian was a kind creature, with a spirit that saw wonder in the most ordinary of things. Whenever Taryn saw the pair of them together, it was clear that Rael felt his life was enriched by the human at his side.

But such a thing was unfathomable to Taryn. He was a warrior, born and raised. His life was nothing but battles and hunts, the protection of his people and the pursuit of honor.

And yet… and yet…

In the heart of the jungle, with the rain pouring down, a different kind of yearning stirred within him. Was it truly so impossible to imagine having a partner at his side, someone to share in the lighter moments of life?

And if such a thing was possible, was it truly so impossible for that partner to be a human with green eyes and a quick wit?

The sound of voices cut through the drumming of the rain.

Taryn's head snapped up, and he rushed back into the cave — and when he got there, a growl tore itself from his throat.

"This is all your fault!" Krye had Rhys cornered, the human's back against the cave wall. His sharp, hungry gaze was fixed on the beat of Rhys' pulse, clearly visible on the pale column of his throat. Rhys's jaw was set in a defiant line, but there was a hint of desperation in his eyes as he looked between Krye and the entrance of the cave.

The other warriors were on their feet, but they were frozen in place: torn between loyalty to their second-in-command, and the distracting scent that filled their senses, setting their blood aflame for action — for violence or for something else.

Taryn didn't hesitate. With a single stride, he was between Krye and Rhys. "Back, Krye."

Krye's gaze snapped over to Taryn, and for a moment, the young warrior's eyes blazed with challenge. His sharp features were drawn with a mix of hunger and frustration, his pupils blown wide.

Taryn's warriors were well-trained, but they were still young. They were still untested. It was clear that Krye was reaching the limits of his self-control, and he was seeking to test his leader.

Taryn didn't hesitate. He brought his full strength to bear in a single look, stepping forward into Krye's personal space, his eyes boring into Krye's…

The young warrior's defiance wavered, and for a moment, his features softened, his pupils shrinking back to their normal size.

Good. In the blink of an eye, Taryn put a hand on Krye's shoulder, spinning him away from Rhys and shoving him back towards the entrance of the cave. "Out— and the rest of you, too."

The other young warriors were still torn, their gazes fixed on the human. But Krye's distraction had broken the spell that had held them in place. With the clear display of their second-in-command's power, none of them dared to disobey. They filed out of the cave after Krye, dismissed.

Taryn was left alone with Rhys. The human's chest rose and fell with quick breaths, and his green eyes were fixed on Taryn's face. His scent was spiked with the unmistakable tang of fear. "Are you unharmed?" Taryn asked?

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Rhys tried to muster a carefree smile. "He was just arguing with the others, and then he tried to blame us being stuck here on me. Your boys are pretty dumb, Taryn — I don't make the rain. Then he got a little closer and all scary… I don't think he meant to…"

In that moment, as the human looked up at him with those wide eyes, something else stirred within Taryn. He'd felt it before: in the depths of the jungle, in the moments before he'd nearly crossed a line that could not be uncrossed, in the restless nights when he'd found himself unable to tear his thoughts away from the human at his side…

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