Page 35 of Golden Desires

Ky comes in then and washes his hands in the sink before he sits down, immediately diving into the plate that Cill made up for him. Goldie’s focus on the table only drifts long enough for her to watch Ky take a few bites, he won’t look at her though, so I distract her from her pouting.

“Tell me what you see,” I say, wanting to know how she views the monsters, and if she can interpret the love.

“I see,” she trails off, as she looks from one story to the next, the furrow in her brow as she concentrates might be one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. “Sadness, here.” She points to the image of a female monster clinging to a small child. My mother, when our village was attacked. She’s holding Kylan as she cries.

“What else?” I nod, pushing my plate away.

“Heartbreak and loss,” she whispers, a tear glistening in the corner of her eye, before she moves on. “Family, I think.” She trails her finger over the vague image of a human woman, Ma, and three small monsters. “Love,” Goldie whispers, when she reaches the image of larger monsters surrounding their human mate. Her and us. I wish I could tell her the truth of what the carvings mean, but I can’t risk scaring her away. Soon, I’ll tell her soon. For now, I can tell her the lore.

“Here, eat while I tell you the story.” I slide her plate in front of her and wait until she takes her first bite.

In a low tone, I sit back and begin the story my mother and father used to tell us.

“It was said long ago that the people who had inhabited the depths of the mountains were fierce in body and spirit. Domus Silva. The People of the Forest.”

“However, they did not easily welcome newcomers, and when the humans arrived, the Domus Silva were weary of their intentions. They would often retreat into their deep cavernous homes to hide and avoid the humans.”

“But the greed of the humans made them persistent. The caves and mountains of the land were thought to hold riches and minerals beyond measure. Rather than barter or work with the People of the Forest, those seeking to take advantage of the land tricked them and forced them further into the depths of the mountains. The humans called them Monsters.”

“The battles that followed lasted many generations, across many settlements. The humans had no honor, and fought with fire and weapons, attacking in the night, killing innocents.”

“The women and children of the Domus Silva were slaughtered without thought and left for their husbands and fathers to find their mutilated bodies. Terrified of losing their most precious and vulnerable, the People of the forest became the Monsters in the mountains. Killing anyone who might be a threat to their people.”

“Victory was short-lived for the humans when they found they could not safely reach the depths of the caves and mountains as the Domus could, often returning with tales of gruesome monsters and many of their number dead.”

“The People of the Forest faded into tales of hideous, bloodthirsty monsters, who kill and murder indiscriminately.”

There is a heavy silence in the air as I finish the tale. I’m not expecting the sheen of tears in her eyes. She’s finished eating and has pulled her knees up to her chest as she listens.

“Sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying. I know it’s just a story, but it’s sad, isn’t it?” she asks with a sniffle, looking at me with her big, blue eyes that seem to shine brighter after her tears.

“It is sad, Little Omega, and it’s not just a story, it’s history. But a history that was twisted, and distorted over time.”

“The survivors of these people were able to carve out a life for themselves in the caves and hidden valleys of the mountain range. They became even more reclusive to protect themselves.” Cill’s voice is full of sorrow. Goldie reaches a hand out to touch his arm softly, feeling the draw to soothe her mate. She’s listening to her instincts more now.

When she looks up to me, I can see that she’s making the connection of what this story means to us. Her frown deepens for a moment, before her eyes are drawn back to the table. The sob that escapes her makes my chest ache, as her tears fall freely now. She caresses the image of Ma and us. Then of the two monsters lying side by side, their eyes shut forever. Then the image of her.

“These were your ancestors, this is your story. The love story is to your people. To Alma. To your birth parents.” The sadness in her voice has my instinct to soothe her taking over, and I stand, unable to resist the pull to her. Taking the seat on her other side, I pull her chair close to mine and wrap my arms around her. My pheromones filling the air around us to settle her.

“They were,” I say gently, as she buries her face against my chest. The purr I release is new for me. Not a sound I’m used to making. It’s not as strong as Ky’s, but it seems to relax her further. I don’t tell her that it’s also the love story for my mate, for her. That the monsters aren’t a metaphor, but that we really are beings with talons and fangs. She’ll learn that with time.

“We are fortunate that our ancestors found a way to survive.” Ky’s fist clenches as he looks down at the table to the carving of our mother wrapped around him.

“There are many tales we can share, but I think it's time to sleep, pretty Omega. Why don’t you try out my bed tonight? It will give Ky a chance to spread out in that tiny bed of his,” I joke as Ky picks up a roll from the table and throws it at me. I catch the thing midair and finish it in a few bites. Goldie giggles at the interaction, as she peeks out from where she was hiding against my chest. Her features are still clouded with touches of sadness, and I want to chase the pain away. There’s something else there too. Interest. Fuck me. Her heat will come soon, is that why she’s drawn to the idea of sleeping in my bed tonight, or is it just her desire to be closer to me?

Cillian leans into her space as he takes the plate from her.

“Let me take this for you, my golden girl.” He dips his face into the crook of her neck, pressing a lingering kiss there, before pulling away with a wicked smirk. “You’ll be trying mine tomorrow, Goldie. Fairness and all that.” Goldie blushes bright red, hops from her chair, and flees.

I laugh at the Omega as she rushes down the hallway and into one of the rooms, the door clicking shut. Ky looks after her with longing, and I stop by his side to rest a hand on his shoulder.

“Tomorrow, brother. Let Goldie see more of the real you. Take tonight to rest. She needs all of us, and soon she’ll need our knots. Her scent is ripening. You need to trust yourself, like we trust you.” I nod to both men as I head down the hallway in search of the perfect shirt for my Omega to sleep in tonight. She’s been collecting them, and I can’t wait until we can show her the nest, and she stocks it with her treasures.

Chapter Seventeen

Goldie

I retreat down the hall, escaping the sound of Aldair’s laughter and Cillian’s heated promise as I shut the washroom door behind me.

---