Page 4 of Night's Bride

Emily sucked in a breath but gave him what she hoped was a confident smile. “Of course. Your pelt is soft and thick, and you are just…” she faltered, heat rising to her cheeks, “amazing.”

A genuine smile pulled at the male’s mouth, and he bolted a chunk of meat. “My skills are nothing like Vrel’s. He prefers to remain within and near the den. He tends to the gardens and scouts the immediate area around the den for the best supplies, and crafts items for our comfort. Hunting and looking pretty is accurate for my skillset, though I do a lot of labor to help Vrel with his work. I dig the garden and the clay from the ground and cut the wood.”

“He makes our furnishings,” Vrel quickly inserted with a scowl. “And many of the things that we require to make our meals. He does the majority of the food preparation as well and has been learning about foods that humans like.”

Emily pursed her lips, impressed despite herself. Between the two of them, they were like the living embodiment of a domestic divinity. It was no wonder that they lived comfortably just the two of them. She wasn’t even certain what she could even contribute to that. She didn’t possess any great domestic skills and had been, in fact, preparing to go into a bookkeeping field within the capital.

“I… I am not sure how to compete with that,” she admitted with a chuckle. “I never had any great skills around the house to boast of. I can clean and cook well enough to get by. I have neat penmanship and organization skills, however, and can keep a ledger and do other accounting.”

She was certain that they didn’t understand what half of that was and yet the males only smiled encouragingly without a hint of mockery or doubt creeping into their expressions. Instead of casting doubts on her usefulness, they encouraged her to open up more and talk about her experiences with work and life in thecitadel until the forest had fallen completely dark and she was yawning around her words.

Only then did they gently suggest that she get some rest and follow her back to the sled where they curled up on either side. Vikt’s sharp teeth gleamed in the firelight as he yawned hugely but then settled down on her right with a heavy sigh, his belly facing her while the denser fur of his back faced the elements. Vrel had assumed the same position at her other side, and the warmth from their large bodies cocooned her completely beneath the furs as they slept peacefully through the night.

Chapter

Four

CHAPTER 4

Vrel shyly glanced toward their mate, his mouth tugging in a small smile. She was so pretty, tiny, and soft. More than that, she was strong. She hadn’t complained once during their long trek back to the northlands and had instead frequently worn a smile on her face even when the days were gray with falling snow. He observed her covertly as she explored her new home. Her expression was one of interest and open admiration, and he felt the same emotions boiling within him, but for other reasons.

His admiration was reserved entirely for the female standing before him. He admired her ridiculously tiny, pert little nose and the round fullness of her cheeks framed by stray locks of sleek brown head fur of the deepest hue. Even her mouth looked soft and delicate with its perfectly defined shape and dusky pinkish-brown hue that invited exploration in the way the softest petals of a flower begged to be touched.

And she was theirs. It defied belief that such a female could ever belong to him and Vikt. Truthfully, he would not believe it if he did not see her standing within his den with his own eyes. She was truly their mate to care for in all ways.Allways, even her most secret desires. What sort of desires did such a delicate human possess? Would she even be able to accommodate them? It did not seem that Evelyn had any such trouble with her triad, but Emily appeared far more fragile. She would have a tiny cunt, that much he was certain, and his mouth went dry at the thought of it stretching and clenching around his cocks as he rutted her throughout the Withering Nights.

A shiver ran over him and he turned away abruptly, swallowing a pant as he fought to control himself. How would they even survive the Withering Nights? It was close at hand and neither he nor Vikt were alphas. How would they even be able to tempt a female into copulation? Even lying night after night in the cold snow to douse their passions had not relieved him of the hot need that plagued him night after night. Now there would be no relief from their need by sleeping in the snow, and when their rut descended upon in the heat of the Withering Nights, it would be nearly impossible to ignore. Panic fluttered within him, and he exchanged an anxious look with his twin. It was not comforting in the least that he was not the only one concerned.

What would they do? He doubted that he could even convince his cocks to extrude, much less engorge enough to make fully mating possible.

“This… is not what I expected,” Emily observed aloud, interrupting the panicked lope of his thoughts and drawing his gaze back to her as she walked past him through the main room, running her hand along the mantle of stone hearth.

For a moment he was lost. His mind was so preoccupied on his dismal prospects for performance, and he stared at her blankly until she chuckled and gestured around her.

“This is not quite how I envisioned a Ragoru ‘den’ would look,” she explained with another low laugh, the sound of which rushed up his spine pleasantly.

“It is not a traditional den,” Vikt replied around a nervous cough, his ears flicking in betrayal of his nerves. No doubt from being interrupted from the same obscene thoughts that Vrel had also been suffering from. “These dwellings were already here and long abandoned by the time they were found and made into a home for us. Like all Ragoru, we modify it as necessary to make it more comfortable for us to live in, but it is mostly left intact and utilized for convenience. And in the hope that it will make the transition to the clan lands more comfortable for human mates arriving here.”

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, and she nodded. “That is sweet. I would have gotten along just fine in something simpler, but I know there are many who would appreciate familiar comforts. Not that I will say no to all of this,” she admitted with another burst of soft laughter. “This is far more than most get to enjoy even in the capital.”

“It meets your approval then?” Vrel inquired cautiously. He just needed to be certain.

“Oh yes,” she agreed with a sigh, and her smile gradually bloomed and spread across her face. “It is beautiful. While it is more than I am accustomed to, it will certainly be no hardship to live here.”

Some of the tension gathered in the center of Vrel’s chest eased and he smiled back at her, his concerns about mating dissipating even as the heat within his belly stirred when she tugged her cloak from the gentle curves of her frame, creating an enchanting tapestry as firelight and shadows played over her every contour. It was only then that he noticed that the heat he felt was not only rising within him but was also filling the room around him from the fire dancing in the hearth. Itseemed that someone from the clan had kept watch for signs of their impending arrival and had prepared their den for them to welcome their mate. Possibly Sabol. The male’s willingness to help even the most stubborn, scarred, and reluctant of Ragoru had become almost legendary among their closeknit clan.

And of course Sabol would have recalled that humans needed more warmth than Ragoru required. Vrel eyed Emily uncertainly, recalling once more that Evelyn was larger and possessed a thicker frame. It was possible that it was not yet quite warm enough for their female.

“You are certain you are warm enough?” he fretted as he stepped forward to take the cloak before Vikt had the opportunity to. “If you would like to continue wearing this while we build the fire higher, it will only take a moment.”

“No, no, this is perfect,” she assured him. “Besides, any warmer in here and I imagine it will be miserable for the both of you with all that fur.”

Vrel grunted and turned away with her cloak, unable to deny it. It was not yet beyond a temperature that he found comfortable, but it would not take much to make him overheat and have him panting without a scrap of dignity. He focused on the cloak instead, clutching it to him as he headed to the small storage space near the doorway that Evelyn had informed him was to hold such things. He could feel Vikt’s eyes following him enviously, but he ignored it. He made the first move so the opportunity to care for Emily was his at this time. His twin would find another opportunity to demonstrate his affection for their mate.

“Are you hungry?” Vikt’s voice rumbled from behind him, and Vrel fought the urge to smile. Of course the male would go directly to looking for an opportunity to feed their mate. Vikt’s first urge was always to feed everyone he cared for. “I have some root vegetables and there is some meat in the snow box—no,that is not the right word—ice box,” he corrected with a note of triumph.

“Perhaps in a moment,” she murmured, and Vrel glanced over at her curiously as he closed the storage space back up again. A pink color flooded her cheeks as she glanced back and forth between them. “Actually, since we are finally home, I was kind of curious how this mating thing works.”

“Works?” Vikt croaked, suddenly hoarse. His ears flattened to the sides nervously and he shot an uncertain look back at Vrel.

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