Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

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ELIA

When Brant and Behryn left she was exhausted—and frustrated with herself. She couldn't even talk to people for a couple of hours without needing to sleep?

When Reth had leaned down to pick her up, she'd wanted to sink into his arms, then into the furs—still in his arms. But she knew… she knew if they did she would only fall asleep. And she was desperate for some time with Reth that wasn't full of fear or tension.

It was a relief when he agreed to stay in the Great Room for a while.

Then he sat with her, and she almost cried from the sheer joy of just being close to him—his fingers in her hair, his hand sliding up and down her calf.

But then he curled his head onto her belly, holding her hip with one hand, and the flat of her pregnant stomach with the other, and he began to talk to Elreth, and Elia wept.

Silently. Without hiccups, tears streamed down her face at the sight of her huge, strong mate, tucking himself around her belly and murmuring to their daughter. All thought of sleep left her. She wouldn't miss this moment for anything.

As he rumbled and murmured, made jokes, and told stories to her stomach, Elia rested one arm on his massive shoulders, and dragged the fingers of her other hand through his hair just to be touching him.

There was a place, just below the hair at the nape of his neck where his skin was lighter, not as burnished by the sun, and she touched it, traced it with a fingertip. It seemed an oddly vulnerable spot on her hulking, alpha male. A visible match to the tenderness he was displaying that squeezed her heart in a whole new way. And she knew she'd never recover.

Reth has a friend was protective and fearless, open and authentic.

Reth as a lover was generous and selfless, passionate and… he lit fires in her that she'd never known existed.

Reth as a King was admirable and so strong, he made her feel like there was nothing to fear.

But Reth as a father…

She loved Reth with every fiber of her being. She had since the first day they'd been reunited. But this? Reth as a father was devastating. All that power and strength held in check to touch with such gentleness, his voice an intoxicating mix of delight and love, protectiveness, and curiosity. And his smile…

When he'd look at her stomach, right before he'd leaned down to put his cheek against it, she'd felt a flash of jealousy—just for a moment. She didn't want him to look at anyone else with the same delight he felt for her. But then she remembered who that smile was for, and her heart broke wide open.

She leaned forward, putting her arms as far around him and her stomach as she could. Weepy, she tried to kiss his head and between the bulk of her stomach and her swollen breasts, she could barely reach her lips to him. But she pushed, then rested her forehead on him.

Reth sighed happily and moved his hand from her belly, to cup her arm.

For a moment they just held each other, and Elreth, without speaking.

Then, clearing his throat to cover for his emotion, Reth began to talk again. And Elia's heart broke all over again.

"You'll be like your mother, I think," he said, his voice low, vibrating against the side of her belly. "Strong, even if others can't see it. They might underestimate you because you are female, Elreth. Don't let them. You are every bit as fierce and as powerful as me. You are my daughter. Anima will tremble when you walk.

"But don't ever let your power be a weapon, little one. Watch your mother. Listen to her. Hold onto her heart of love for people. Use the compassion she shows to bring your people close. Earn their loyalty with your love and honor. Do not frighten them into it. If you can do that—take the best of both of us—you will be the best ruler Anima has ever seen.

"I know you can do it, Elreth," he whispered, then kissed her belly. "And I cannot wait for the day I can see it."

A sob broke in Elia's chest. "Oh, Reth!"

She shook with her tears, overflowing out of love and relief and pure joy. He shushed her and pushed up to sit, pulling her into his lap and holding her close, stroking her hair as she clung to his neck.

Her tears dripped from her cheeks to his collarbone. But neither of them let go.

"I love you so much," she whispered against his chest. "I was so scared without you, Reth."

"Shhhhh, Love. It was terrible, I know. But you're here now. Don't focus on that. Focus on what we have, not what we lost."

"I'm still scared, Reth. I wake up scared. I want to smile and something will startle me and… I'm just scared all the time."

His arms around her tightened. "Tell me," he murmured. "Tell me what scares you."

She shivered. "I'm afraid of the shift—afraid that I'll get lost and not be able to come back to you. I'm afraid of not being to deliver Elreth safely. I'm afraid of losing you… even more than the others, Reth, I'm so scared of losing you. Aymora's story—"

"Her story is tragic and I wouldn't wish it on anyone," he said firmly, but quietly. "But it is not our story, Elia. Don't let yourself go there."

"But it could be. When she described how she felt about her mate… about his goodness and his strength. How she didn't question him because she was certain he would be the hero… those are all the things I feel about you, Reth. That's the things that you are."

He grunted and his fingers fisted in her hair. "Thank you, Love." They breathed together, then he sighed. "Thank you," he repeated. "But can we agree that you have never hesitated to question me?"

He chuckled and it broke the tension. Elia found herself in that strange place—crying and laughing at the same time. She pushed back far enough to meet his eyes and linked her fingers behind his neck.

He stared at her with such love, his dark eyes glowing for her. One of his huge hands flattened against her back, the other lifted to use a single finger to push strands of hair back from sticking to her tears.

They stared at each other then, and Elia's heart, overwhelmed with too many different emotions, just stilled.

As her mate stared love and adoration, promises of protection, and certainty of his own ability to keep her safe, Elia could finally, for the first time in months, breathe easily.

She wasn't sure how long they sat like that, just drinking each other in and wallowing in their love. But it was a moment she'd never forget. It touched her soul. And when Reth tipped his forehead against hers and whispered her name, she closed her eyes and kissed him—tenderly, softly, and with every ounce of the love she felt. 

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