Page 43 of Own To Obsess

Kardos nodded, but still tense. “These are the arguments consistent across the Isles?”

“Yes.”

“And what about Tribe Nyek? What do their voices say?”

“Most of them are in support of you,” he said. “But some are angry that you are tarnishing the Nyek name with your actions. Some of them believe you should be speaking to the whole tribe about your plans and decisions rather than allowing Tribe Nyek to be dishonored by the actions you’ve taken.”

Rozalia began to pace. “It is one of the things the tribe loved about you before,” she admitted. “It is worth thinking about.”

“I'm not going to make any decisions by group opinion,” Kardos said sharply. “I have explained before; there are times I request the input from the tribe, and that is what I prefer to do when relevant, but I cannot, and will not submit the health and safety of my Omega to Tribe Nyek. Especially not when some of them agree with the dissenting voices.”

“But they are used to contributing to decisions that impact the whole tribe,” Rozalia explained. “Maybe some of them blame Shaya for taking that away from them.”

“If they blame her for that, they shouldn't even be in my tribe!” Kardos bellowed. “She is my mate. They should be rejoicing and protecting her. She should not have suffered in this way by the hands of her own people.”

Rozalia nodded glumly. “I do agree with you, my shinno.” She dropped down into a chair and rubbed her face.

“I want a full report on the site of the incident and I want to know who did this,” Kardos demanded to Zolt.

“Of course, my shinno. It would be helpful if there is any information your Omega can give us to determine who it might be.”

“I know that,” Kardos growled. “But she is traumatized. I will provide you any information I can when I have it.”

Zolt bowed and left the room.

“How traumatized is she?” Rozalia asked, worry in her tone.

“Very. Our bond is… She is regretful that she is here,” Kardos said, his voice low. “She believes she can no longer sense her sister now that her hair is gone.”

Rozalia placed a hand on her chest. “Oh, Shaya,” she murmured. Her eyes closed as she shook her head and then her eyes flicked up to Kardos. “Can I see her?”

“No.”

“Kardos—”

“No, Rozalia,” Kardos growled. He paced across his study, agitation in every muscle. “You and Treska have spent more time with her than I have.”

“That is not my fault, my shinno,” Rozalia said evenly.

Kardos shot her a dark look. “She needs her Alpha right now,” he said. “And that is who she’s going to get.”

***

The next morning, after sending Shaya into flight on his knot, Kardos prepared them to leave his hut. He dressed her in one of her usual tunics as well as layers of different clothing items to keep her warm. She didn’t say anything but became more alert and watched his every move with a frown on her pretty face.

When he began to wrap one of her scarves around her head, she jerked away, glaring at him.

Kardos couldn’t help but smile at the fire that flared in her eyes and the surge of heat that pulsed within the bond. She was so beautiful when she sparked with annoyance.

Disarmed by his smile, Shaya stilled, uncertainty on her face.

Kardos began to wrap the material around her head again, and this time she let him, though she was extremely tense. He put on her furs, explaining to her that the Nyek furs came from a wild animal called a vad-tusk that could only be hunted during blizzards and snowstorms.

He lifted Shaya into his arms and headed to his hut’s back entrance where he pulled on her boots as well as his own.

Shaya buried her head into his shoulder as he trudged out into the snow, heading toward the holding area for his vehicles. When he approached his tobo, he placed her down next to it and she peered at it curiously as he pulled off the protective sheet.

“What is it?” she asked.

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