His hips moved like pistons, and he clawed at me as we fucked. I whispered in his ear, biting his ear lobe and grazing my teeth along his neck and cheek, before nipping his lower lip, urging him on, begging for more, imploring him to give me everything he had.

I could feel it surging within him. It was making every part of him tremble and shake. It was too much for him to handle and if he held it inside any longer then he might have spontaneously combusted. The only recourse he had was to release it and I wanted it. I wanted all the heat and passion. I wanted to feel how much desire he had for me. Yes, I was greedy, damn it, but didn’t I have a right to be? All my life I had seen how men desired me, how they leered at me, how so many thought they had a free pass just because I was a woman. Even my professors, even the kind ones, took a chance as well, believing that their position of power meant it was easy for them to get a leg up on the competition,and a leg over me. There were patients who ogled me as well and tried to use the sessions to engender a sense of attraction between us, a line I would never have crossed.

Everyone felt entitled and so I had guarded myself carefully. I had prevented myself from becoming a victim to them and giving myself to them simply because they had begged and begged relentlessly, wearing down my resolve. No, I had been cautious, and perhaps I had even pushed away some men that were genuine and not driven by a sense of conquest, but it was all in the name of maintaining boundaries and a level of self-control. I had deprived myself of so much and now it was my turn to indulge my wildest impulses. It was my turn to take the power and enjoy whatever I wanted to enjoy and by God I was going to enjoy it. I lost myself in Typhon and in the throes of orgasm as he shuddered inside me, the pulsing heat spurting out and filling me up, just as Kull had. I was groggy and drained, and I slipped off him, my entire body sparkling and throbbing. I smiled and staggered back. It felt as though steam was pouring off me and I was moments away from burning up completely.

So, I did the only sane thing. I hopped off the bank and dove into the water, straight into Kull’s arms. I beckoned for Typhon to join us. He was still recovering from the intensity of the orgasm, but he managed to push himself up and ran into the water, jumping in and splashing us with the spray from his impact. I screamed with delight as I took him into my arms. I turned between them both, wanting to enjoy them as much as I could because in the back of my mind I couldn’t escape this thought of war. I had no idea how long this happiness was going to last, or even if we were going to escape with our lives. I swam towards the waterfall, allowing them to chase me and I lost myself in the hazy mist created as the water hit the lake. As I looked into their eyes, I wondered if Typhon and Kull were thinking the same as me. Were they also trying to ignore theinevitable, or were they unconcerned about the threat of war? They had been born for it after all.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Typhon

We awoke at dawn the following morning. We slept together, with Ambrosia nestled between Kull and myself. She smelled sweet. I brushed her lips with mine and squeezed her hand.

“Are you feeling good about today? Do you know what you’re going to do?” she asked.

“I’m not sure it’s possible to feel good about any of this but I think it’s clear what must be done,” I said. Kull murmured in agreement as he stirred himself. We rose and left the small habitat that had been given to us. We joined a feast and when we asked for Vali, were told that he would be able to see us after he had performed the morning ritual. We did not have to wonder about this for long.

Vali emerged wearing a long cloak that draped across the floor. He held a staff made of gnarled wood, as well as a stoic expression. Around his head was a simple crown, a circlet of smooth wood. A hushed awe came over his people and they stopped their conversations. Out of respect, the three of us remained silent.

“My people, it is time for us to once again thank Mother Nature for bringing another blessed day to us. We must always cherish every day because we never known when it is going to be our last. The world is filled with dangers and there may be people seeking to undermine the natural balance of peace. We are tasked with an obligation to fight against that where possible. I will not lie to you. There may be dark days ahead but that doesn’t mean this world is going to fall into darkness forever. We are the army of light and we can push back againstthe shadow of evil. Trust in yourselves and in the world around you. Mother Nature has given us everything we need to protect her. Do not stray too far from home today as I will address you again later but for now enjoy the offerings Mother Nature has blessed us with and enjoy each other as well,” as he spoke he gestured towards the food that had been placed upon the table. It did not interest me too much, for it consisted mostly of berries, fruits, and nuts. I don’t know how they managed to keep up their strength when they consumed so many weak foods.

“Perhaps Mother Nature gives them all they need,” Kull scoffed when I made the comment aloud. I chuckled in response. For some reason they thought of Mother Nature as a tangible thing. The Moon was the only goddess. Everything else was false but it wasn’t their fault for falling prey to such a concept. It was easy to fall into a trap. I wasn’t about to judge them for it. If it gave them belief and courage then it would prove to be a necessary tool in the fight we were about to wage.

Vali stripped off his cloak and handed it, his staff, and his crown, to another of his people. He then noticed us and came straight towards us. There was a grave look on his face. “It is time we decide our course of action. The longer we take, the more time Vance has to enact his plans,” he said as he led us to his office. It was a round room located in a hollowed out trunk of a wide tree. The wood was old and thick, while there were no leaves on the branches. Vali explained that the roots were dead. Upon the floor was a makeshift map of the forest, with locations marked for the various outposts. We stepped carefully over this and looked at Vali. His face was drawn as he stared at the map.

“I want to believe that there’s a way to stop Vance. Please tell me that I’m not a fool for wanting to believe this,” he began.

Kull and I shared a glance. “I don’t think you’re a fool but it’s not going to be easy. You have to ask yourself if you really want this fight, because a lot of people are going to die. If youwant, you could run away and leave Vance to do what he likes,” I said.

“I can’t do that. The forest is under our protection and I’m not about to forsake that. What kind of leader would I be if I crumbled when I was first tested? No, we need to fight and we need to stop Vance from advancing.”

“What are those?” Ambrosia asked, pointing to the markings on the floor.

“Those are the outposts we’ve discovered. There could be more but I’m confident that we have marked them all. If the one we saw yesterday was any indication, these are all filled with soldiers ready to form an army. Once they’re good to go, Vance can lead them through the forest and do whatever he wants. With so many under his command they can seize a lot of territory in a short amount of time,” Vali explained.

“And if I know Vance, he’ll have specific targets in mind. He’s only going to begin this war when he’s confident of winning and not a moment before,” I said.

“So we have to make our chance count. We can’t afford a moment of hesitation,” Kull said.

I gazed at the map, thoughts and stratagems turning over in my mind. I frowned and pursed my lips.

“We’re going to need to find a way to hit them all at once. We can’t afford to wait to take out these outposts one by one. As soon as Vance learns what’s happening, he’s going to retaliate and if he gets that desperate he might even bring the soldiers to the fore.”

“Even before they’re ready?” Kull asked.

I rolled my shoulders. “I wouldn’t put it past him. It’s not as though he cares about their well-being. If they’re good enough he might accept that to deal with any threat against him and that’s another thing, we’re going to have to deal with him. He’sdetermined to wage war and leaving him alive is only going to delay the problem. It’s not going to solve it.”

Vali sighed heavily and looked despondent. “We are not that numerous. Our army cannot be everywhere at once. We are also not equipped for a full frontal assault. We have always fought using subterfuge and stealth. These are the advantages we have. In a straight fight I fear our chances are not good.”

“I don’t suppose they would be but I think there’s a way for us to fight according to our own advantages. If we presume that these other outposts are like the one we investigated it means that they’re only manned by a handful of wolves. You should be able to find a way to draw them out. Split up your forces and make sure that you subdue the wolves. Do everything you can to prevent them from escaping, otherwise they’ll return to Vance and he’ll learn what’s happened.”

Vali nodded. “We should be able to send teams to each of the locations and strike simultaneously. If we do encounter any difficulties then we shall retreat and send word of warning.”

“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Kull said.

“What about the soldiers?” Ambrosia asked. “They’re people as well. What are you planning to do with them?”

I breathed deeply. “If Vance is convinced of their loyalty I am not sure we will be able to reason with them. Their loyalty will be to the Alpha. It might be better to destroy them before they become aware of what torture this life can be,” I said.