Page 30 of Beyond the Grasslands

“Genetics mostly,” I answered back with as I shifted my grumpy disposition to one that matched the playful smirk I pasted on for her benefit.

“Honesty,” she demanded.

I huffed and pulled my mate into my arms. “I noticed that you seem to have settled in, and while it pleased me on the surface to know that you seem one step closer to being secure in the pack, it also makes me a bit angry.”

“Angry?” Her head snapped back so she could look me in the eyes without moving her body away from mine. I nodded and leaned in to place a quick kiss to the tip of her cute little upturned nose.

“Angry because I don’t want you settled into a guest room.” I pointed at the robe that had been thrown over the chair. “That should be in my room - our room - thrown over a chair in there. Better yet, it should be on the floor because we were too busy disrobing you to care where it landed.” Heat flared in her eyes as a beautiful smile bloomed along with the hint of a blush across her cheeks.

“I want you.” It was a simple statement and Nika pulled closer as my voice lowered for her. “I want you in my arms, in my bed, in my life, and fully in this bond with me.” A hint of worry glazed over her eyes and I shook my head again. “Not pushing for that to happen this minute, but you asked for honesty, and that’s what was going through my mind while you were changing out that dress. I also want you to wear that for me again one day. It wasn’t fair that the only time I got to enjoy seeing you in it was shared with those two ancient assholes from the council.”

Nika laughed. “Better not let them hear you call them that.”

“They’d probably agree with me, considering they once had mates of their own.”

The only way to obtain a council position was to have been fully bonded to a moon-blessed mate and survived their deathat some point. For some reason, our long-ago ancestors deemed the people who had loved and lost their moon-blessed to be the wisest of us all. It wasn’t the only criteria anymore, but it was still a main point before a person could be considered for a spot amongst them.

“Do you think they will be able to do anything about whoever has placed sigils on members of your pack.”

“Our pack, and no, I honestly don’t think they will have any power over whatever is going on.” Something didn’t sit well with me about the two members who had come to visit our pack.

“They didn’t seem surprised. I imagine they probably perfected a great poker face, but they should have been a little surprised to find out that there might be a goddess, or someone claiming to be a goddess, amongst us who has caused all this havoc in the pack.”

“That’s what didn’t sit well with me. You’re right, Nika. They didn’t seem surprised.”

“Do you think they might be working with whoever is behind everything?”

I shook my head. “No. I think they might have had some similar instances with other packs that we haven’t heard about yet. My guess is that the council has kept things hush, hush. If I find out that has happened, and it costs this pack, and other members…” I let the thought trail off.

“Not just members. It cost this pack, in specific, its former Alpha and your former moon-blessed mate. It also cost you a dear friend.”

The fact that she could mention Catalina and Bethany to me without batting an eye spoke volumes of Nika’s character. She wasn’t plagued by jealousy or insecurities. My mate might deny that she was perfect, but every time we had an honest conversation about our feelings or what might be happening within the pack, she proved me right.

“You know what I really think?” I asked her as I pushed some of her hair back behind her ears.

“What’s that?”

“I think we have had enough chats about the pack, the council members, and anything that doesn’t pertain to the two of us. That bed looks slightly less comfortable than my own, but I bet the tradeoff of you in my arms will be worth it.”

Nika threw her head back and laughed. My eyes tracked to the scar that became visible as she did so. She never noticed my slight wince at the sight of it because her eyes had closed inadvertently. For that, I was thankful. I didn’t think it was possible to make up for what I had done to my mate, even if she didn’t think there was anything to be forgiven for. She bore a brutal mark from me, one that I would take back if I could, simply so it wouldn’t bring her pain or shame.

I knew what others thought of the mark. There was really only one reason for a person to have a mark that savage on their body. It spoke of violence, not respect. Normally. That wasn’t the case in our situation, but it would be the first thought anyone who saw it would have.

“No!” Nika hissed as her eyes opened and she realized what I must be thinking. “I wouldn’t change it. You came for me. In your desperation, you marked me directly after killing the man who took me from you. This,” she pointed to her neck, “is a badge of honor and I wear it proudly.”

I took a step back. “What?”

“You heard me. This is the mark of a shifter who refused to allow his mate to be claimed by another. It is the mark from a wolf who just killed my enemy, freed me from my captor, and took me as his own. Don’t you dare wish it away.”

“Did you forget how frightened you were of my wolf before?”

Nika shrugged her shoulders and moved away from me to turn down her bed. “I was disoriented and not quite myself,considering the trauma I endured. As soon as I was able to think clearly, and especially after reading your side of the events that happened leading up to this…” She touched her neck once more as her train of thought paused. “It only took me a day or two to realize what happened and come to terms with it, Thorin. You were the one who prolonged everything after that by hiding away from me. In case you haven’t realized yet, there is no disconnect between you and your wolf. He only took over to bring me to you - both times.”

She wasn’t wrong. I moved to where Nika had gone to the other side of the bed to turn it down as well and I pulled her into my embrace. She stood there and swayed in my arms with her back to my front and my arms wrapped tightly around her. In a way, I anchored myself to her because it was a comfort to hear how she felt, but even more so when I could hold onto her. There were moments where it felt as though Nika might slip through my fingers and I’d never get her back. Waiting to complete our bond wasn’t helping the situation, but she was worth the wait. A healthy bond was worth the wait.

“Do you think you can keep from marking me if we get in that bed together?” I teased as my fingers coasted down her arms and dug into her sides to tickle a laugh out of my mate.

“Stop it!” She yelped and tried to squirm away, but I wasn’t having it.

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