AARYN

He'd known the moment was coming, had pulled her closer and swayed against her because he grieved the loss of touching her. But knew he had to do it, too. He'd whispered in her ear, given her his heart, and she'd given hers right back. The weight of her head on his chest felt like home.

So, when the males closed in and began to pull him back, away, he wanted to fight. It wasn't his turn, but he yearned to fight. He tried to hold onto her, but his fingers trailed down her bare arm, the dress giving him nothing to hold. He saw her turn, to look for him, confusion all over her beautiful face. And it was an act of sheer will to let himself be torn from her. But he had to do it. He knew he had to do it, so he stopped fighting as he was pushed through the crowd, ushered to the other side of the flames where he would wait for her.

Gar and Reth both appeared—neither swaying or loose from the alcohol that afternoon, he was pleased to see. But then they stepped behind and beside him, to bracket him with their strength, and when he turned to look for Elreth he found her in the center of a crowd of males with their hands on her and he almost leaped out of his skin.

The snarl that rose in his throat was predatory and warning, and many of the males in the watching crowd submitted.

But Reth leaned in, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and held him back when he was about to leap forward.

"Don't be stupid," he muttered in Aaryn's ear. "She's coming for you. Look. Watch."

He noticed Reth didn't take his arm back, but kept it around Aaryn, barring him from moving forward as he watched his mate be touched and teased and tormented.

At first she simply ignored them, turning her head left and right, looking for him, pushing between the bodies and baring her teeth at any that forced themselves into her way. But the flames were between them, blinding her, and not knowing where he was, she couldn't find him behind the glare.

She growled and shoved a hand off that locked on her arm, but another took its place. Males pushing themselves into her path, gripping her arms, or stroking her back. Voices rose in a deep rumble so he couldn't discern individual words, but as Elreth's face twisted into a snarl and she bared her teeth, he pitied any male that broke the rules of the Rite and tried to touch her inappropriately.

She would bite his hand off.

Aaryn hoped she did.

"Easy," Reth muttered. Aaryn hadn't even realized he'd been straining towards her, Gar had an arm across his chest now too. "Don't worry, man, look at her. She's not even looking at those males, she's just fighting to get to you. Look at her!"

Aaryn was, and it soothed him to see her so single-minded, even when several males stood in her path at once.

But as she reached the edge of the first group of males—much faster than he expected, his heart rose with pride—then stuttered to a halt when a tall, dark male with a broad shoulders and a flashy grin, stepped into her path and Elreth, for the first time since Aaryn had left her, stopped, because Dargyn had stepped in front of her.historical

Aaryn's stomach went cold. Surely not? Surely she wasn't still tempted by the peacock? They'd.. they'd found peace with this.. hadn't they?

Dargyn put a hand to her waist and leaned in, whispering in her ear and Elreth's head gave a strange tilt.

Aaryn tensed, and Reth and Gar both tightened their grips on him, but then Elreth put a hand to his chest.. and she fucking roared.

Aaryn's heart leapt as she pushed forward, swiping Dargyn's hand from her, snarling when he followed, and others closed in. Aaryn lost sight of her for a moment behind all the taller, broader bodies of the males, but then there was another snarl from her, a male cry, and Dargyn's head whipped back and down, felled like a tree.

Aaryn snorted as he realized Elreth, despite the long skirt of her dress, must have tripped him, taken him to the ground, then stepped over him, through the first layer of the younger males—the hungry and the striving. She shook her head and plowed through them, catching Aaryn's eye every time her sightline was clear.

Reth squeezed his shoulder. "See, she comes for you, Son. Don't fear. She belongs to you."

"Don't fear her, but I'd be shit-scared if I were you about what she's going to do when she sees the females pawing you. We're probably going to have break tradition and tackle my sister to the ground to keep her from fighting your battles," Gar said dryly.

Aaryn chuckled, his heart beginning to sing. She was only halfway through the males and her eyes continued to haze with the smoke, but she hadn't stopped moving forward. Hadn't wavered a step.

She really was choosing him. He hadn't been aware of his fear of this.. hadn't thought deeply about it. But something, a knot within him, began to unclench.

She was his mate, and she wanted him—more than anyone else. No matter how the males placed themselves, no matter the pretty words, or pretty eyes they presented to her, she wasn't slowing down.

Aaryn would have cheered, but he knew his friends—and Gar—would never let him live it down. So instead, he kept his eyes on her whenever she was in view, and pleaded with her, cheering her on.

She'd made it through the rows of younger males, her peers, and those close in age. She had only a few more lines of males to reach and Aaryn was already beginning to look forward to holding her when something changed.

The crowds of males between them thickened as the older, wiser males began to close ranks in front of her.

And one.. one in particular stepped square into her path and for the first time, Elreth stopped dead. For the second before the males shifted his weight and put himself between Elreth and Aaryn, he saw her eyes flick up to his face and Aaryn wanted to scream.

It was Tarkyn.

*****

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