Page 19 of Enchanting Her Mate

Mek jumps from Jo’s shoulder to mine as we enter the forest surrounding the village. The sound of distant laughter meets my ears, and I smile at the thought of Jo returning after such an awful event to finally claim her rightful place as Prime Hexrin. It takes a great amount of courage to do such a thing, even though Nalba’s injury was not her fault.

I do not think anyone blames Jo for Nalba’s memory loss, either, but my tiny witch has a soft heart, and––

Wait.

When did I start thinking of her asmytiny witch? No, Jo is justatiny witch that I am currently having magnificent, life-giving sex with, and that is all there is to it. She is certainly not mine. She cannot be. I have no mate. My handlers said as much.

I also do not wish for Jo to be put in a position where she must choose between me and her coven because I know she will not choose me.

“Jo!” a voice calls the moment we step onto the main path that runs through the center of the village. It is Ava, the healer with the puffy black hair and the sparkling smile. “Alu, hi!” she adds gleefully when she sees me. She gives Jo a hug and reaches her arms out toward me to do the same, but Mek caws loudly, causing Ava to back away and offer a small wave instead.

Soon we are surrounded by members of the clan, buzzing with excitement at Jo’s return, and cautiously curious by my presence at her side. I overhear a few whispers from the golden beings with the same maroon hair that Jo has––members of the coven––though I cannot make out the words they spoke. I assume it is about me, though, by the strange looks I am receiving.

Kate and Niro approach the edge of the crowd, and when Kate sees my horns, she pushes her way through. I hear “Pregnant lady coming through” as she places a hand on her growing belly, and everyone instantly takes a step back to give her room.

“You’re back!” she cheers when she reaches us. She notices the bird on my shoulder and tries to mask a slight grimace. “Oh, hey, Mek.”

“You have brought the bird here,” Nirossanai says haughtily. “Why?”

Bracing myself for another lecture on how I should send Mek back into the jungle, I sigh. But before he can say another word, Jo reaches up to stroke Mek’s beak, and says, “Mek is family. We chose not to leave him behind.”

My brother looks taken aback by Jo’s response, or perhaps it is because she responded at all. Either way, I am pleased when he does not speak another word.

The clan leads us directly to the food hall, and we take our seats between Kate and Niro and Chloe and Varrek at the table in the center. Plates stacked high with junasii bread, some kind of root mash, and berries are put in front of us. The coven does not join us at the table, and I do not see them after we begin eating.

“Here,” a gruff voice says from behind me, just as two mugs filled with frothy orange liquid are placed in front of us, the liquid sloshing over the sides. “Ale.”

It was the scarred male who led the battle against Bzzsil Chi, I notice as he stomps off. “Thank you!” I call out, but I do not think he hears me.

The new human females are seated at the very end of the table––there are five of them––and they are shooting assessing glances our way.

The table grows quiet as we focus on our meals, with occasional friendly chatter and questions about Jo’s stay at Kate and Niro’s caves. It does not seem as if anyone here knows that Jo has been staying with me for the last several days. I suppose that is fine, as I am not sure how I would explain the reason for it.

“I lied and said my bird friend was possessed so that I could shove my tongue inside Jo’s delectable cunt”does not seem like the kind of statement the clan would be eager to hear. Not during mealtime, anyway.

Kate’s gaze returns to us repeatedly, a secret smile playing on her lips as she watches each interaction I have with Jo. She does not prod, however, which I appreciate.

Once we finish our meals, I follow Jo to the coven house and up to her room. “Oh,” she says, disappointment deepening the creases in her brow as she looks around the space we are going to share. There is a bed, but it has been pushed against the far wall, and several items are scattered atop the blankets and all over the floor. “I guess they have been using my room for spell practice.”

Mek leaps off my shoulder and flies in a loop around the room before settling into the deepest part of one of Jo’s many pillows while she and I gather the items from the bed and floor and place them in the corner of the room.

“I see you have returned.”

Jo gasps at the sound of the male’s voice as she whirls around to face him.

Ah, Tibik.

He leans against the door frame with his arms crossed, the crinkles around his mouth and eyes growing tighter. I can tell he means to intimidate with his posture and tone, but it does not work. A single flick of my finger against his forehead would send him flying through the walls and into the bushes outside.

“She has,” I reply, straightening my spine and lifting my chin defiantly. “And she is not going anywhere.”

Tibik purses his lips as his squinty gaze moves over me. “Why isshehere?” he asks Jo without looking away from me. This male tries to intimidate me, but he fails again.

“I am with her,” I reply, silently daring him to question us further.

He chooses not to and eventually walks away while grumbling something under his breath.

Jo closes the door behind him with a huff. “I need to speak with him tomorrow, and I am not looking forward to it.”

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