Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

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*****

RETH

Reth entered the market that night and his skin felt too tight. His breath kept coming too quickly and he was sure he carried excitement in every step. He prayed his people saw it as his joy that they were returned and unified. But in truth, he was bouncing on his toes with the anticipation of seeing Elia again.

It took him several minutes to make it through the market, the people pulling him aside for greetings, thanks, and some tearful offerings of gratitude from mothers and grandparents who were sharing their first family meal in months. 

But there wasn't only joy in the market.

Most families had lost someone, or were close to those who had. For every family that laughed and chattered with the joy of reunion, another wept together for the loss of their loved ones.

The WildWood was going to take a very long time to heal. But for the first time since and he Elia had been pulled before the Elders, Reth was certain they were all going to make it through this. Those that were here, that remained… 

His mind skittered back to Lerrin, locked in a storage tree alone, except for his guards. And Suhle, likely somewhere here, though he couldn't pick out her scent.

If only he could unify those two he would feel that everything was right—or as right as it could be. He shook his head and kept walking towards the front. There was nothing he could do to fix that right now and he needed to get this night going. To get his people celebrating as much as they could. To bring them to the end of the night so he could leave and have his own reunion with his mate.

He'd barely taken his seat at the table, nodding at Brant and Aymora when he found himself frowning at the empty seat that was Behryn's, looking up and scanning the market.

"Where's Behryn?" he asked quietly so only Aymora and Brant would hear him.

"He got called out by Tobe a few minutes before you arrived," Aymora said. "Something to do with the patrols. I'm sure they're just debriefing him."

A tiny fizz of nerves started in Reth's stomach, but he pushed it away. The number of wolves that had refused the melding was so small, they couldn't pose a major threat anymore. He was certain of it. Even Behryn felt the threat was small enough that they could handle it with simple surveillance and vigilance.

So, why was his Second not here, then?

Reth greeted the people and announced the following day a day of rest and time for families to enjoy each other. "From this year forward we will recognize this day with the Feast of Reunion—a time to remember peace and that the effort to work together is worth the peace it will bring us all."

The entire market had cheered at that and his spirits had been lifted. And still Behryn didn't appear. 

The food was being brought out by the servers—brought to the Royal table first, of course, so that Reth was forced to ask the server to return for Behryn's order—when finally his best friend appeared, walking slowly but surely through the market. His face tight with tension. Reth was cheered that Behryn hadn't taken the back route, wasn't rushing. Whatever made his steps stilted, his shoulders tense, it wasn't a timely matter.

When Behryn finally pulled out the chair next to him and gave Reth a formal salute for the sake of the people, Reth only had to raise his eyebrows to get his friend talking. 

"I'm sorry, Reth," he said. "I have some bad news."

Reth went very still and watched his best friend closely. All possible options began to flip through his head—wolves attacking, the mind meld being a lie, conflicts between the tribes—

"It's about Elia." 

Reth's entire body went cold. 

Behryn raised his hands. "No, no, what I mean is, there will be a delay to your leaving to find her," he said hurriedly.

Reth's upper lip raised to bare his teeth. "No, there won't."

"Reth," Behryn said, putting a hand to Reth's arm and gripping it, hard. "I'm not making this up. I've just spoken with the patrols that scan for the bears and the portal region. A Silent One was sighted twice today—a female."

"What?!"

"I know. The second patrol tried to get low enough to scent them. It was hiding in a thicket, but they caught that sharp, medicinal scent you mentioned from the large one you killed last year."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Reth, but we need you to handle this before you go. She's could already be close. She was moving slowly apparently, but in the direction of the Tree City. If she attacks a bear in their hibernation…"

Reth's hand, that he'd been gripping in a fist, gave suddenly, the porcelain of the cup he'd been holding shattering under his grip and slicing the pad of his thumb before he realized what was happening.

There was a muttered curse from Aymora who immediately jumped forward to wrap a cloth napkin around his hand and put pressure on the wound, but Reth barely felt it. Servers rushed forward to take away the broken shards, and bring the King a new, fresh meal since his had been dangerously showered in pieces of broken porcelain.

When the hubbub died down and there were fresh meals in front of both Reth and Behryn, and Aymora was convinced the cut was minor enough to be allowed to heal without assistance, Reth looked at his plate and scowled. He'd lost his appetite.

What was the Creator doing to him? Delaying this again? He knew he should trust it, trust the timing, trust the plan. But he was so close. 

"It doesn't change anything. Have the fist readied."

"Reth," Behryn hissed, "We can't have a lone lion roaming the City region—"

"We won't," he said through his teeth. "I'm leaving in a moment and I will find her and will get her out of here. And then I will immediately go to the Portal and get my mate. Tell the fist to ready. If they haven't heard from me by high moon, they're to go to the Portal and stand guard until I get there."

Behryn sat back and stared at him. Reth met his gaze evenly. 

"Aymora?" Reth said a moment later when Behryn didn't speak.

"Yes."

"There's a female Silent One in the forest to the southwest. Bear country," he said carefully. "Patrols reporting that same smell that I caught on the Silent One last year. Would you join me to find her and help me move her, let me know if you recognize the scent?"

"Well, of course," she said hesitantly. "But is this a good time—"

"It has to be me," Reth said through his teeth. "We can't risk her getting to the City. But as soon as she's dealt with, I'll be going for Elia."

Aymora nodded, looking back and forth between Reth and Behryn, sensing the tension there. "Okay."

"Can you be ready to leave in half an hour?"

"You're going to leave the feast?"

"Yes, I'm going to leave the feast," Reth hissed, shoving away from the table and getting to his feet. "I am not going another night without my mate, so you can either help me do so safely and quickly, or you can stand back and judge, both of you."

Aymora and Behryn looked at each other and he didn't appreciate the sense that they were each considering his wisdom. But he also was too determined to care. 

"I'll be ready," Aymora said a moment later. 

"Good," Reth spat and turned on his heel to leave through the back door from the stage so he wouldn't have to answer any more questions.

*****

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