Mated to the Warrior Beast-Chapter 186 - 186 Breakfast Fire

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186 Breakfast Fire

If you like music while you read, try โ€œDemons at the Doorโ€ by Written by Wolves. Itโ€™s what I listened to while writing this chapter! freโ„ฏ๐“Œe๐š‹๐ง๐˜ฐvโ„ฏl.๐œ๐š˜๐—บ

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~ HARTH ~

Harth had gone ahead to the breakfast fire. She wanted to see if she could find some extra meat for Tarkyn before he got thereโ€”surrounded by guardsโ€”because she knew he wouldnโ€™t ask for it for himself. And she was worried if he was there, the others might be difficult about it.

She shouldnโ€™t have worried. Her pack greeted her warmly and were happy to provide for her and her mate.

She was already setting up at the fire, an extra slab of the venison from one of the forest deer on the spit, when a soft hand touched her shoulder.

She turned, then leaped to her feet. โ€œSuhle! Youโ€™re here! How?!โ€

She didnโ€™t even think, just leaped to throw her arms around the older female, who laughed softly and hugged her back just as enthusiastically. โ€œWe were given freedom last night,โ€ she said softly, smiling when they pulled out of each otherโ€™s arms. โ€œI think Zev would like to have us shadowed, but they all agreedโ€ฆ itโ€™s good to see you, Harth. I was so glad when I learned that you were here safely.โ€

Harth nodded. โ€œWe only made it yesterday as well. Iโ€™m so glad they let you go free.โ€

.....

โ€œIโ€™m not sure it was a popular decision, but I will take advantage while I can. Iโ€™m so glad I found you.โ€

They settled down next to the fire, adding Suhleโ€™s breakfast rations to the spit so Harth could cook for both couples while they caught up.

โ€œYouโ€™re very brave to come here, but Iโ€™m so glad itโ€™s you. I know that theyโ€™ll listen to you, Suhle. I know they will.โ€

Suhle didnโ€™t look as certain, but she shrugged. โ€œIt was clear that we were the right pair to offer reassurance,โ€ she said. โ€œThough Iโ€™m not certain it will be heard. Zev isโ€ฆ very angry.โ€

Harth snorted. โ€œYou have no idea.โ€

โ€œI think I have some.โ€

That was sobering. Harth nodded and poked at the fire to keep the embers close together. โ€˜Did you learn anythingโ€ฆ useful last night?โ€™ she asked quietly, through the link.

Suhle shook her head. โ€˜Zev was very careful to ask all the questions and offer very little. He and Lerrin are a little too similar to be entirely comfortable with each other, I think. But he did seem to respect Lerrinโ€™s strength. I suspect we have shadows following us that we havenโ€™t perceived yet, though,โ€™ Suhle added dryly.

โ€˜Probably,โ€™ Harth sighed in the link. โ€˜Iโ€™m glad he wasnโ€™t so hard on you, though. He wasโ€ฆ very hard on Tarkyn when he arrived without disavowing Elreth.โ€™

Suhle tsked, shaking her head and looked away over the encampment, her beautiful eyes dark and worried. โ€˜The feeling here is very tense. I can understand it. I donโ€™t envy Zev the position he finds himself in. But that male is on a hair-trigger. I am far less confident of our ability here than I was before we spoke with him. But I do think he heard usโ€”heard our story. Whether he sees the correlation for himself though, I donโ€™t know.โ€™

Harth sighed. โ€˜At least he didnโ€™t try to split you two up.โ€™

โ€˜I wouldnโ€™t allow it,โ€™ Suhle replied simply, but the strength of will and certainty echoed in her words.

Harth gave a small smile. โ€˜Iโ€™ll be sure to warn Zev.โ€™

Suhle snorted, but then her face went thoughtful again before she looked at Harth. โ€˜And how are you? Is it good to be back among your own?โ€™

โ€˜Of course! I justโ€ฆ everything still feels so uncertain. I thought when Zev got loose things would get better, but heโ€™s so angry. Iโ€™m afraid of what will happen if he doesnโ€™t agree to the peace talks.โ€™

Suhle nodded. โ€˜Itโ€™s a very hard thing when the life you know is upended by your mate.โ€™

Harth gave her a searching look. โ€˜You said that you and Lerrin were kept apart for a long time at first as well. What happened when you accepted the bond?โ€™

โ€œIt was the most wonderful night of my life,โ€ she said out loud, with a quiet, distant smile. โ€œThere was nowhere I wanted to be, except in his arms.โ€

Harth nodded. She knew that feeling. And how torturous it had been until they could complete the bond. โ€œBut you had to leave, right? To stay with him?โ€

Suhle nodded and glanced at her from the side. โ€œI thought that might be something we should speak aboutโ€”the decision you may still be left to make.โ€

Harth bit her lip. โ€œI hope there wonโ€™t be a needโ€”โ€

โ€˜If you had asked me what I thought before we arrived here, Harth, I was utterly confident that it would only take time to bring our peoples together. But on seeing Zev last night, feeling his tension and angerโ€ฆ I am no longer certain. I prayโ€”I will be praying ferventlyโ€”that he can find forgiveness and hope. But it was clear to me last night that without the staying hand of his trusted advisors, he would never have accepted us among your ranks. He is not seeking peace. Heโ€™s seekingโ€ฆ victory.โ€™

Harth closed her eyes for a moment. It was exactly how sheโ€™d been feeling too. And it was so frightening. โ€˜I worry about that, as well.โ€™

Suhle nodded. โ€˜You should follow your heart, Harth,โ€™ she said simply.

Harthโ€™s eyes flew open and she turned her head to stare at Suhle, who looked back at her calmly. โ€˜Iโ€ฆ what?โ€™

โ€˜I can tell you, as someone who had to leave pack and home to stay in the arms of my mate, I never regretted it a day. Not once. When you have found your Oneโ€ฆ nothing else is worth as much. Nothing else will comfort you for losing them, or even being separated.โ€™

Harth swallowed and nodded. โ€œI know. I never wanted to leave, even when things wereโ€ฆ hard with the others. But I wondered about bringing him hereโ€ฆโ€

Suhle watched her carefully, her expression cautious for the first time. โ€˜Iโ€™d tell you something that could beโ€ฆ unpopular.โ€™

โ€˜Please, just say it. I donโ€™t know anyone whoโ€™s been through something like this the way you have.โ€™

Suhle took a deep breath and looked into the fire as she spoke, not leaving her eyes on Harth, letting Harth examine what she said.

โ€˜My mate is a strong male,โ€™ she said carefully. โ€˜Whether he wants to admit it or not, he was created to leadโ€”and he doesnโ€™t feel right in himself when he isnโ€™t.โ€™

Harth nodded. โ€˜I mentioned that to Tarkyn last nightโ€”he said he was trying to be submissive. I could have laughed!โ€™

Suhle smiled, but still kept her eyes on the fire. โ€œOur mates have much in common, Harth,โ€™ she said, then glanced at Harth from the side.

Harth nodded. โ€˜I agree.โ€™

Suhle licked her lip and looked at the fire again. โ€˜Do you see thatโ€ฆ Tarkyn has the humility to lower himselfโ€”and Iโ€™m certain he would do it for you. He adores you.โ€™

Harth smiled, her cheeks warming. โ€˜I adore him too.โ€™

โ€˜Which is as it should be,โ€™ Suhle said warmly. โ€˜Butโ€ฆ it seems to meโ€ฆ you mentioned that you are not a high ranking wolf in your pack. Yet youโ€™re very strong. Did you not seek it, orโ€”โ€™

โ€˜Itโ€™s a combination of factorsโ€”the humans kept me away from the packs from the age that I might have started pursuing a position in the hierarchy. So I never found my place. But also I findโ€ฆ I want to have the choice about where I put my energy and time. And the more I watch leaders, the more I realize theyโ€™re always sort ofโ€ฆ corralled.โ€™

Suhle let out a big breath, nodding. โ€˜That is certainly true. Pursuing leadership is pursuing responsibility. And that never leaves you free to justโ€ฆ choose.โ€™

Harth nodded. โ€˜Iโ€™m happy to be where I am and to justโ€ฆ influence what I can.โ€™

โ€˜Do you see that your mate isnโ€™t soโ€ฆ flexible?โ€™ Suhle asked very slowly.

Harth glanced at her, but the older wolf just kept staring at the fire. โ€˜I think so?โ€™ she said.

โ€˜Iโ€™ve known of Tarkyn since he was very youngโ€”still adolescent. And although we spent most of that time apartโ€ฆ watching him over the past year or so it wouldnโ€™t have mattered if Iโ€™d known him when he was young, I would have seen itโ€ฆ he is a very strong male, Harth. He is an Anima who truly stepped into what he was made to be.โ€™

โ€˜I agree.โ€™ She sensed that Suhle was working towards something, but she wasnโ€™t sure what it was.

โ€˜Soโ€ฆ I think that your mate, like mine, will never be fully satisfied to simply sit back and allow events to play out around him. He was Created to lead, to push, to influence.โ€™ Then Suhle did turn to look at her. โ€˜Harth, Tarkyn is very humble and I think for that reason, doesnโ€™t always see himself clearly. Butโ€ฆ he will never be himselfโ€ฆ not his true selfโ€ฆ in a place that would stifle that in him.โ€™

Harth tilted her head because for a moment she wasnโ€™t sure why Suhle seemed to think this was such a big deal. But then she grasped it, and her heart sank.

*****

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