Page 65 of Own to Obtain

“They would have died if they approached,” Kardos said simply.

Shaya peered at him. “There were thirty of them.”

“Thirty is nothing.”

“They were on horseback.”

Kardos just looked at her.

“And had weapons.”

“Shaya,” he said. “Why do you think I didn’t lift you and run when I killed the first man? I knew more were coming and we were in a better position to attack from appearing vulnerable. I had daggers I could throw at a distance to dispatch of at least half of them before they arrived. I would have eventually had their weapons, and I had Rozalia’s warming potion, which would have been detrimental in that heat.” He leaned closer to her. “And I had an overwhelming and burning need to protect you and our daughter. I assure you those men would have died.”

Shaya was quiet as she saw the determination in his eyes. “You already had a strategy?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” She played with his beard as she thought. “How do you know we’re having a daughter?”

“I don’t know, I can just tell.” He shrugged. “If I’m wrong, I will be just as happy.” He smiled down at her.“Assh rosoyen, Shaya.”

“What does that mean?” Shaya breathed, captured by the look in his eyes as she was every time he said it.

“There is no true translation for it in any other language.”

Shaya huffed. “Then how am I to know what you’re saying?”

Kardos didn’t reply, he simply placed a hand on her chest, his perfect eyes on her as he drew her close.

Shaya gazed at him and then felt for the bond.

The beast within her stretched and purred as she gave it her attention, offering her layers upon layers of emotions that increased the intensity of its presence until it was all she could feel. A strong beam of beautiful violence pierced the center of the beast where its heart was and the passion of it consumed her, wild and raw until she gasped. Love. He loved her. And he was right—nothing could describe what he felt for her because it was so pure and powerful; multi-layered with fierce devotion and desire, passion, and possession and more importantly, the overwhelming sense of home and family. And finally, she knew what he had said.

Looking up at him, she suddenly realized she was crying and as he brushed away her tears she said,“Assh rosoyen leh,Alpha-essh.Yettsyrm fra merritten ash etthon.”

I love you too, my Alpha. Thank you for bringing me home.

CHAPTER TWELVE

KARDOS

Kardos stood proud, his Omega by his side as Tribe Jenzi pledged their allegiance to the new high chief and chieftess.

Each island they had visited so far insisted on pledging their allegiance through prayer, which was not necessary for them to do, but each tribe organized it anyway—clearly compelled to do it.

It had felt strange doing the announcement tour without Shaya, but now that she was here, he could share the experience with her as he was supposed to. And it was clear she enjoyed traveling to each of the islands.

On each one, there was something that fascinated her and she made a point of asking the people about it—whether it was an unusual tree or plant, new food, or unusual clothing that she hadn’t seen anywhere else. Her interest in the things that made the tribe unique enthused the tribespeople, and by the time they left the island, she had new clothes, new plants, new food to take with her. Kardos eventually ordered that no more was to be made, but it was clear that she had won over the hearts of the Islanders across the Southern Lands.

It wasn’t a surprise to Kardos that this was the case, he had always known she would be loved by the tribes if only they got to see her true self. She’d shown her strength during the blizzards. The fact that they had both survived the collapsing mountain was an amazement to everyone, and it catapulted her into a level of fame that Kardos had not expected to happen so quickly.

While he was recovering, his land plot was constantly surrounded by crowds from Nyek tribe and more Islanders traveled to Nyek wanting to visit her. Gifts arrived every day and Zolt told him that mass prayers were being conducted across the Isles for her health.

Shaya had been mortified that they hadn’t prayed for Kardos, claiming that he was the one who was suffering and that their prayers should go to him, but all it did was reaffirm Kardos’ belief that she was more important than he was, which was how it should be.

Any time she received praise for her strength on the mountains, she continually referred to Kardos’ bravery in saving her and that he should be praised above all others. One man in Tribe Thothan gave her a strange look. “He did what any Alpha would be expected to do, my chieftess,” he remarked. “But you turned the izak-rock.”

“And she fed us the warming potion when it started to get too cold,” Kardos added. “She kept us alive.”

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