Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

RETH

The thing no one ever mentioned about battle—of any kind—was the clean up. The sheer stink of it, the weight of bloodied bodies and broken hearts. When they'd left the Hallowed Grounds he'd known they would be coming back to clean it. that they couldn't allow the desecration of that ground to remain. But as he sat in Aymora's cave with her and Behryn, Hollhye, and Brant—whose ankle was being dressed and braced—it was the last thing he wanted to think about. So many other things, other people seemed so much more important. But they had to. He knew it. 

He was so sick of blood and death. But he had to ask the people that night and the following morning to band together in this, the cleaning and remembering of their dead. It would be ugly, but perhaps it would sober them enough to avoid further battle.

He could only hope.

Shaking off the dark thoughts, he went back to laying out for Behryn what plans he'd come up with so far.

"As long as the scouts don't interfere, just ensure that they actually go back to the encampment and remain there, I'll allow it," he said. He'd been angry to learn that Behryn had sent warriors after the wolves without speaking to him first. But everything had been so chaotic. He couldn't blame his Captain for doing his job. "Outside of that, monitoring only—let the birds circle and keep an eye out for groups or attacks. But let them be highly visible. We're not fomenting conflict here, we're trying to bridge the gap between peoples."

Behryn nodded. He seemed to be doing well. He'd stopped looking pale and even though Hollhye had a hand to his shoulder, Reth suspected that was more just her needing the reassurance, than him needing the support. 

He was chomping at the bit to get back to work, and she wanted him to drag his feet. But the truth was, Reth couldn't blame her. If the next few days went as planned he would be returning to his own mate, and even the thought of that made his heart pound. He needed her. She needed him. All true mates did.

Which sent him tumbling back into the impossible situation he'd left Suhle in.

As his friends bickered over the best way to monitor the wolves, Reth sighed. Walking Suhle away from Lerrin had been the saddest thing Reth had seen in a long time. The poor female was heartbroken, pale and shaking, but fighting to keep her determination. To believe that it would work out. She'd started to fight for him before they'd even left. But Lerrin was… well, stubborn was a nice word for it. He prayed the male wasn't cutting off his own nose to spite his face. That female adored him. 

And what would happen to Lerrin if he lost his connection with his love? Suhle herself said it had led him out of his hate. Would his hate return? 

The wolf would bear watching.

Reth just wished he could offer Suhle some reassurance. If the bond had been completed he was certain Lerrin wouldn't be able to deny it for long. But with it incomplete, who knew? He'd never heard of a True Mate denying their bond after realizing and feeling it. 

"Please don't kill him, Reth. Please." she'd begged him as they walked away from the prison trees. He had no reason to hold her any longer, so he'd told her to return to her home. She'd looked back over her shoulder, towards Lerrin, but she'd nodded.

He tried to imagine how he would feel if it was Elia back in that tree, under guard, and denying him… he thought it might actually cut out his heart. 

"Are you going to be okay?" he'd asked her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," she'd sighed, still swallowing tears. "Just pray. That is the very best thing any of us can do. It will take the Creator's own power to break through to him."

Reth had huffed. "I don't know about that. You got through his hate and rage towards me."

She shook her head. "No, Reth, that was the Creator. I was just a… mouthpiece. He saw the bigger picture, not just the landscape I wanted him to see."

Reth nodded. "Then trust that he can do it again," he said softly.

Suhle paled further. "I just watched him kill his best friend since adolescence because she lied to him and worked behind his back. He sees no difference between her and I. I suspect it was only the instinct of the bond that stopped him from attacking me. Whether you realize it or not, Reth, he is a male of great integrity. He struggles against evil and sees it very clearly. He was right. I should have told him. I was not listening to the Creator in that, I lived in fear and let it drive me. By the time I had seen what was needed, it was too late and there were too many things going on. I wish he would forgive me, but I will not condemn him for hating my deception. He was right. I did lie. I chose to. He gave me opportunity to be open and… I took his honesty and held it, but did not give my own in return."

Reth wasn't so sure about that, but he hadn't been there, so he hadn't commented. He'd walked her to the intersection of trails where he had to turn for Aymora's cave. There he'd hugged her and told her if there was anything he could do, she need only ask.

"Thank you," she'd whispered. Her hands had raised to her shoulders, as if she planned to lift her hood. A brief moment of confusion flashed across her face, then she shook her head and turned from him, walking down the path with her eyes up, but her shoulder stooped.

He prayed she would survive this. He'd never thought he would see her given over to a True Mate. He was so happy for her that she'd found one. Now, if the stubborn ass would just accept it… 

But that was a different problem for another hour. His friends were all staring at him now. Someone must have asked him a question. "I'm sorry, I was distracted," he muttered. "What?"

Aymora frowned and Behryn grunted. "What are you going to do with the wolf?"

Reth sighed.

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