Page 56 of Own To Obsess

“You have done many things, Kardos,” Rozalia glowered, her hands shaking, anger in her eyes. “This is beyond my understanding.”

“You are not required to understand it,” he bit out.

“Do you think the tribe will forgive you if she dies?” Rozalia said. “You think anyone in the Isles will forgive you?”

“Everyone in the Isles has had plenty of things to say about her,” Kardos said, turning to Rozalia, the anger in his chest burning him. “When she emerges from those mountains, there is only one thing they can ever say.”

Rozalia shook her head, seemingly once again to be speechless, and stormed away.

Kardos kept his eyes on the mountain entrance, where he had been for the last week waiting for Shaya.

When his tribe had heard what happened, of course, there was an uproar. No woman had ever entered the discovery mountains before, and certainly no one who wasn’t an Alpha. It was the only thing, other than the weather and natural aging, that caused significant deaths in the Southern Lands. Some of the younger Southern Islanders felt the discovery mountains was an old, barbaric method of learning survival techniques, especially as it no longer had any influence on how tribe leaders were selected. The older generations thought it added significant weight to any Alpha who completed it, but couldn’t deny that many died trying to get out.

When the rest of the Isles heard that the Southern Isles’ only Omega was inside, many petitioned the temple to get Shaya out.

Zolt told Kardos that crowds of people descended on the temple claiming he was putting Shaya at risk for no reason; others demanded that high chief intervene and find a way to break their bond because Kardos did not deserve her.

But Kardos already knew that the high chief could not intervene in this matter—especially as her tour around Nyek could be considered her joining celebration. It was out of anyone’s hands. Tribe Nyek tried to request a gathering with him, but he refused. Since the moment his guard came back with her furs, he traveled to the mountains and remained outside, watching for her to emerge. Day and night.

Nyek members came to him, but as soon as they saw him, staring solidly at the mountain entrance, immovable and fixated, they simply joined his vigil.

Each day more members of Tribe Nyek joined him, until there was an entire crowd outside the mountains, settling down in camps and watching for Shaya. As the news spread across the rest of the Isles, more people turned up from different tribes to join them and provide support and supplies.

Kardos very much believed that some of them would not forgive him for putting her in there, but it was better they were angry at him rather than at her.

He couldn’t see how anyone could think she wouldn’t survive the mountains. She had all the relevant necessary skills and she was intelligent. There was nothing at all to indicate in her strength of personality that she wouldn't be able to figure the way out. He had done so himself at the age of thirteen, the youngest Alpha to ever complete the discovery mountains, and in only three weeks. He felt sure that Shaya would do it in a similar time or less, and then she would automatically catapult them both beyond any achievement the shinnos could make.

As the days wore on, worry and stress flickered through his belief, especially when the bond was no longer pulsing so brightly as it did when she was in his arms.

One afternoon, Severon from Tribe Jenzi, approached him.

“Greetings, Kardos.”

Kardos eyed him warily. “Greetings.”

Severon stood next Kardos and watch the temple with him, silent for a moment. “Your father is worried.”

Kardos glanced at him. “You spoke to him?”

“Yes.”

“He doesn't need to worry. I still intend to get the seat.”

Severon turned to look at him, incredulously. “He is worried about your Omega.”

Kardos frowned. “Why? She will make her way out.”

“And if she doesn't? What will you do?”

“It is not an option,” Kardos growled. “She will find a way out.”

Severon was quiet for a moment. “Your tenacity and drive and unfounded faith in your beliefs is something I've always admired about you. You say that you're going to do something, you do it. And you do it with honesty and integrity. But this…”

“This is no different,” Kardos said stiffly.

“This is your Omega,” Severon pointed out. “She is on her own, and you know there are no guarantees. Not with this.”

Kardos growled. “Are you here to tell me that she is not going to survive this? Because I will not speak of it.”

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