Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

LERRIN

The was the first time since the attack that Lerrin had woken naturally, rather than because pain stabbed him back to consciousness. He opened his eyes to the early morning light and let go of a breath.

His body still hurt, but something had finally healed overnight. That feeling he'd been nervous about—as if something within him, something that tethered him to his life, was frayed and ready to snap—was gone. He rolled, wincing at the remaining pain, but thanking the Creator that for the first time he felt as if he would find his way back to his normal self. The herbs and massage Suhle had been doing was finally working. Then as he rolled onto his side, he found Suhle, curled into herself, her hair falling over her face, still deeply asleep and everything else went out of his mind.

She was so beautiful, her light hair falling over her cheek like spun starlight. Her slightly darker lashes long and brushing her cheeks that were pressed forward because she had her hands curled together under it.

He yearned to touch her, but he didn't want to wake her.

She'd spent almost every moment with him since that awful day of the meeting and the terrible pain he'd felt afterwards.

She'd bullied one of the wise-women into seeing and treating him the following morning, then the only time she'd left was to get meals, or do laundry or gather resources they might need. Because they had to be ready. Reth had warned them. And Lerrin could hardly wait. Now that his body felt like it was healing properly.

He took a deep breath and his ribs only ached instead of stabbing. But when he breathed out, his breath fluttered the hair on Suhle's face and she blinked awake.

"Sorry," he whispered, combing her hair back off her face as her eyes found his.

"Don't be," she whispered back. "If you're awake, I want to be."

He shook his head. He truly did not deserve her. Her devotion, her selflessness, or her attention. But he would not deny the gift of it by pushing her away anymore.

She was his mate.

They had not cemented the bond—he refused to take her here where males stood right outside the door and they could be interrupted at any time. But it was becoming harder and harder to keep his hands from her.

Her lips pulled up into a small smile and she leaned forward, taking his mouth gently, a soft, almost chaste kiss. But then they both sucked in, and he pulled her close, and she arched into him and… and they were once again fighting the battle.

Even in his pain he'd struggled not to paw at her when she was so close and so warm. But then one of the guards had made a comment to the other when she'd been walking out and Lerrin had very nearly gone for the male's throat when she blushed.

He refused to put her in this position where she had to battle her fears in order to be close to him. So he'd been doing his best to keep his distance. But when she grabbed his hips like that and pressed against him—

They sprang apart when the guards outside stomped to attention. Someone was coming.

Suhle rolled out of the blanket and to her feet, fully dressed, combing her hair back from her face and working to braid it. She hadn't worn the hood in days—or had it been weeks?—and he didn't miss it. He enjoyed seeing her face. But he did wonder what it meant for how she saw her position now, with him. Whether she felt shame because of his conviction, or… or whether she was merely changing in preparation for their new life.

She turned to say something and caught him watching her, and she smiled.

Her smile opened his heart the way the sun opened a flower.

Lerrin blinked. She was reducing him to a poetry spouting beta. The urge was there to growl something, to make himself appear stronger than he was, but instead he returned her smile. "Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning," she returned as behind her the door opened and a large shadow stepped into the stretched rectangle of light left by the doorway. The Lieutenant of the guards.

"Get up," he said gruffly. "You're being called to the Security Council."

Suhle sighed, but she didn't say anything, only rushed over to the side of the tree where she'd left her large basket, scrambling to get it over her arm. "I'll wait for you to return," she said quietly as Lerrin got out of the furs, "and in the meantime—"

"No, you're to come as well," the Lieutenant growled. "The King's orders."

Suhle looked at Lerrin, her eyes widening.

It must be time, he sent to her.

She nodded, but turned it into looking down at her basket, then shrugging. "Very well, lead the way," she said to the Lieutenant.

He looked at Lerrin, one eyebrow up, but Lerrin only reached for the herbs he'd been told to chew every morning, then turned back to the guard. "I'm ready," he said.

"If you say so," the lieutenant replied.

They made a strange procession. Lerrin still sore, but walking more freely, bracketed by two thick guards with the lieutenant at his back. Suhle bringing up the rear.

Lerrin tipped his face to the sun as the trail passed through a gap in the trees and he took a deep breath of the cool morning air.

He wished he could hold Suhle's hand, instead of being ushered by these guards. But his heart thumped with anticipation because he was almost certain. If Reth was calling them to the council, it must have been determined that the time had come for them to leave. And that meant… that meant no more nights on a cold floor. No more males watching over his mate.

No more company at all. He would be free. And Suhle with him. And… and they would have all the time the Creator gave them…

He swallowed hard and pushed away the thoughts. He should not get his hopes up. He should only pray and watch and hope.

Oh, how he hoped.