Page 72 of X'nath

I watched with satisfaction as he carefully redressed me, his touch possessive, before pulling me to my feet. There was something undeniably gratifying in how he handled me, and I finally let myself savor the feeling of his control.

As the haze of my lust dissipated, I looked at the lifeless body on the ground, missing a few limbs. “What are we going to do with?—”

X’nath kissed me on the forehead and let out an imperceptible whistle. “Let me take care of that. Do not worry your pretty little head over it. Yargol, escort our mate back to the village and grab Gorruk.”

Yargol trilled and weaved between my legs, guiding me away from the scene with a sense of purpose. I glanced over my shoulder at X’nath, my curiosity itching to ask more questions, but I held my tongue. Something in his eyes stopped me—an unspoken understanding that didn’t need to be questioned. His gaze softened, and with a teasing grin, he blew me a kiss, followed by an exaggerated human finger wave. It was so absurdly him that I couldn’t help but shake my head, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself.

I turned away, following Yargol’s path home, but my thoughts kept circling back to the chaos that unfolded in the forest while on our first patrol together. It wasn’t just the slaver or the bloodshed that stuck with me, but how far X’nath had come since I had met him. He had been so full of pride—too full, in fact—his arrogance often blinding him to the greater picture. I had spent so much time pushing him to see beyond himself,to recognize that sometimes humility could be as powerful as strength. I laughed at my own inner thoughts. Little did I know he was doing the very same to me, that even a survivor as strong as me could not stand alone forever.

Slowly, with each challenge we faced together, he learned to set his ego aside and recognize that true power came from standing as equals. He wasn’t just the warrior, and I wasn’t just the one who needed saving. Together, we were more than the sum of our parts.

There was still a fire in both of us, but it wasn’t the fire that burned with selfishness—it was the kind that blazed with purpose. The universe had bound us together, stronger than we ever could have been apart.

I had learned how to trust, how to let go of my own walls. I had become something more than the broken woman who had been sold on those docks. Together, we had found a balance—a dance of strength and vulnerability that neither of us had known we needed.

Home wasn’t just a place anymore—it was the space between us, the shared air we breathed. As I followed Yargol back, the weight of the day settled over me, and I felt the warmth of everything we had built. The past had tested us, but now, standing in the aftermath, I could see that all of it—every fight, every lesson—had brought us closer. We weren’t perfect, but we were real, and that made all the difference.

We had forged something stronger than pride: a bond that could withstand anything. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.

Epilogue

X’NATH

Isat quietly beside Yargol in the communal area, watching as the human women gathered in the center, chattering among themselves, speaking in their strange ways. They called it "girl time," a time for them to share stories and laughter—things I couldn't quite grasp but knew enough to let them have.

My mate, of course, was among them, though she hadn't been her usual self lately. She'd been distant, and though I gave her the space she needed, I couldn't deny the unease I felt every time she cried, often over things I couldn’t understand. But I stayed close, a steady presence when she needed it, even if she didn’t say so aloud.

The men were gathered around the fire, their voices low and rumbling, but there was a different energy in the air tonight. I could feel it. Vakgar, Karg, Korrin, and Greag kept casting me sideways glances, exchanging knowing looks between themselves. The kind of look men give when there’s something they’re not telling you.

Karg, ever the cheeky one, slapped me on the back. “You’ve been quiet, X’nath,” he said, his grin wide. “You look like a man who knows what’s coming.”

I looked over at him, confused. “What’s coming?”

Vakgar chuckled. “Don’t play dumb, brother. You can’t possibly be that dense.”

Greag snorted, tossing Bolg a piece of meat. “You’ve been so wrapped up in being the warrior you want her to see, you’ve missed everything going on right under your nose.”

I scowled, still not understanding when they were prattling on about.

Korrin smirked, leaning in a little too close for comfort. “It’s not your fault, X’nath. You’re still young, still haven’t experienced everything.”

I turned to face him, my expression hardening. What, exactly, had I, X’nath, son of Larek of the Savage Claw Clan, not experienced? I had fought in nearly every battle this clan had seen over the past decade, and I had been there for the raid that shaped our very future.

Gorruk was missing from the group of warriors, but we all knew why. Which left Korrin as the eldest here.

“X’nath,” Korrin began, his tone slow and deliberate, as if I couldn’t grasp something so simple. “Gracie’s been... off. She’s been emotional. But it’s not just her, is it?”

I glanced at each of them, suspicion growing. "What exactly are you getting at?"

Vakgar leaned back, crossing his arms, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “You’ve been so busy being the proud warrior, you didn’t even notice she’s carrying your child.”

For a long moment, I said nothing, trying to process what he had just said. Child? Gracie was with child? A surge of something fierce and raw twisted inside me, and my heart raced. I felt my face flush. How had I not noticed? Her passion hadburned as brightly as our first time, nothing in the bedroom had wavered. The only difference was what was happening when we entwined in each other’s bodies.

Vakgar’s words, Gracie’s change, it all began to fall into place. The mood swings, the tears, her distant behavior—it all made sense now.

Karg clapped me on the shoulder again, hard enough to rattle my bones. “Well, you’ve got a lot to learn now, X’nath. Seems like we both have a whole new fight ahead of us.”

I stared at the men for a long moment, trying to absorb it all. The thought of Gracie carrying my child... it filled me with something I wasn’t sure how to name. Fear? Pride? A bit of both.

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