Page 17 of Betrothed to the Yeti

Once a wretch, always a wretch. I’m just employed now.

With renewed anger, I shout garbled syllables between hiccups and sobs. I slap my hands against the doorframe and call my sisters' names. Where the hell are they? Was it so easy to forget me? How could they continue to live peacefully while I was sacrificed to the Yeti? Do they assume I’m dead? I provided for my family when my father couldn’t. My sisters had a dry place to sleep and scraps from Nawang, because of my cheese—when they weren’t scarfing that down too.

“Let it out,” Pabu says over my shoulder. He stands close enough that I feel his heat on my back, but I can’t face him. My screams turn to hoarse rasps that score my throat with each ragged breath. “Release the pain. Whatever is locked inside, let it go.”

“My rage kept me warm—held me up,” I blubber. His furry arm circles my shoulders and his gigantic palm rests on my opposite shoulder. The band of strength guides me to rest against him. My arms fall lifelessly to my sides.

“Trust me to provide heat and comfort,” he whispers into my hair. “You no longer need the pain to hold you upright. I will catch you.”

Blood smears onto his gray fur when I clutch his arm. I open my mouth to scream, but release nothing. Wolves gather at the top of the hill overlooking the garden to devour the steaks. They grunt and chuff. Are they thanking me—like the religious prayers to Pabu? The Protector God at my back feels more real and loving than the spirit I was raised to believe in. I melt into his embrace and absorb his strength.

Slowly, my panic attack ebbs and clarity takes its place.

We watch the wolves eat and snap at one another. Alarms ring in the back of my mind. This is unbelievably dangerous. A wolfen feeding frenzy will give them the courage to attack us in the doorway, but I can’t make my limbs move. Trust in Pabu clicks into place.

Pabu will move us inside and lock the wolves out if they approach.

I let go of the fear—but not just of predators. No more starving. My surrender to his care brings tears to my eyes. Before long, I’m weeping into the fur on his arm. He squeezes me closer. I bury my face in the fur on his chest. We don’t move except for my shaking shoulders. I pour out my sorrows in a jumble of words concealed by sobs. I’m out of control, but he holds us steady. My energy drains. He holds me up when my legs can’t anymore. The last of my emotional outburst releases over the snow, leaving space to welcome Pabu into my heart.

Chapter 10

Pabu

“I’m taking you to Gamma,” I declare. “Before you argue, this is important to me. You say Alpha proves human settlements are evil and yet, you haven’t ventured to Gamma, Delta, or Beta—”

“Because traveling between villages, I’d be eaten by tigers! There is a reason humans need a Protector God,” she says with a huff. Tendrils of dark hair dance around her face. Her layers hide her slight curves, but the way she holds her fists to her hips is a tease of her slender silhouette. I love the way she has a healthy figure instead of the skeletal, starving waif she was upon entering my care. With her flushed cheeks and pursed lips, she’s beautiful. Light caresses her features when the world around her is dark. If she saw herself through my eyes, would she believe me?

“So, a Protector God shall carry you,” I retort with a beaming smile. “Go feed Ku Huang and get her ready to be alone for a while. No more arguments.” Ku Huang stays here. Jaya stays in my arms. I won’t be swayed when the potential of losing my new family is so great.

“Fine.” She throws the handle of her pickaxe to the ground before clapping her mittens together. I bite my lip to hide my smile at her mini tantrum. Does she look for a reason to fight and therefore cancel the outing…or could she be at war within herself, too? While her outburst suggests she would work her hands to the bone if I let her, she’s still compliant. Jaya’s not afraid to fight man or beast. Her quick retreat gives me hope.

“Come and hold my shoulders. I’ll carry you,” I say, bending down to one knee. We will move faster than predators can stalk us and cast a larger shadow. Those animals who dare to attack a Yeti hoping to snag his smaller companion won’t look twice at a super-bulky Yeti traveling alone.

She raises an eyebrow until it disappears into the hair crushed to her forehead by her hat. Softly, hesitantly, her hands touch my shoulders. I give her no time to reconsider and stand at my full height. She squeals as her feet leave the ground. I sweep my arm under her knees and pull her against my chest. Belonging sweeps through my heart and glows within me. Could she learn to love me—even behind the bitter fortress she built around her heart?

My deep breath is to soothe myself more than her, but her answering breath shifts something within me. Yes, she is my wife on a technicality, but do I dare try to gain her trust and capture her heart? Hope radiates from my being as we make our way to the human villages. Once she sees the good-natured villagers of Gamma, maybe she will discover the bliss inside of her. That happiness will melt her resolve and perhaps then—and only then—will she be ready to love someone. Or does she already have that capacity? I suppress my jealousy over her love for Ku Huang. Whining to her that she’ssupposedto love me as my wife would do nothing but widen the emotional cavern between us.

My long strides devour miles of frigid wasteland. Excitement propels me. Jaya is docile and quiet. I would do anything to know her thoughts, but can’t risk shattering our truce. Is she cozy in my arms? She doesn’t shiver, so for once, she must be warm. Is she curious about Gamma? She should be full of questions. Maybe she’s nervous. Could she think I’m giving her away?

Like I would ever let her go.

I know just the place to take her to observe Gamma! We ascend to the top of a snow pile that appeared a year ago. From the top, we can look into Gamma like a snow globe with humans scurrying around like mites—too far to see their facial expressions, but close enough that we aren’t spotted. While Jaya watches the people, my head will be on a swivel. Dangers hide in every shadow. I can smell a lurking predator from this vantage point. Hopefully, the position will be enough to keep the desperate creatures away from Jaya. I want nothing to interrupt her observations of a happy human colony.

“I could have walked,” she says without fire as I lower her to her feet.

“We would have been slow targets for wolves and cats—”

“Are we?” she asks with panicked eyes. She leans around me as if they are waiting at my back to pounce on her.

“Or I didn’t want you to struggle through the deeper snow and freeze from wearing wet clothes. I still don’t—” I plop onto the snow and pull her into my lap. She rocks and elbows me until she’s turned her back to my chest. Our platonic pose is now indecent, and my shaft threatens to extrude. Her pert backside is nestled at just the right angle. With each wiggle, our thighs rub. My hands rest on my knees for balance, but she’s caged in my embrace. She enjoys the heat I give off because she leans quietly once settled.

“Gamma is organized exactly the same as Delta. They call themselves the twin villages and have festivals together. Even though there is one Seer per generation, there is a temple at the north edge of every village. The big building—”

“I get it,” she says, sulking. “Let me guess, the building with a Yeti carved into the front facade is your temple. The fusion factory is the building with crystals and light bursts carved around the top. The biggest building with rectangles at the top is the brothel, right? I don’t understand what you hoped to show me by bringing me here. Alpha is the same as Gamma.”

“Actually, no,” I reply, failing to hide the smugness in my voice. “The building with the rectangles is the library. Gamma and Delta organized schools inside their libraries where all can study the old texts.”

Her gasp is delicious and strokes my ego. “No one relies on the memories of the Elders? Do expect me to believe the Delta and Gamma Leaders give up their control of knowledge? Aren’t they afraid of revolt?”

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