Chapter 135: I thought I would be the male beside you when you carried cubs again
Druun lifted an enormous stone.
Not a normal stone.
A piece of cliff.
Twenty beastmen had spent most of the morning pushing, pulling, and swearing at it while thick vine ropes strained around the rock.
Druun walked over.
Bent down.
Picked it up.
The twenty males went silent.
He carried it six steps and placed it exactly where Tovan had been pointing.
Boom.
Done.
Tovan stared.
His mouth slowly opened.
Swanly approached carrying a bowl of potato stew.
"Tovan?"
He did not even look at her.
"Do you understand what I could build with him?"
Swanly followed his crazed stare toward Druun.
"He is not your pack beast."
Tovan finally turned.
Druun was already lifting another enormous stone.
"You do not understand."
"I absolutely understand."
"A wall!"
"You are already building one."
"A bigger wall!"
"Tovan."
"Higher watch posts!"
"No."
"Stone paths over the stream!"
"He is a living creature!"
"He can move half a mountain!"
Druun looked over at the shouting.
Tovan immediately pointed toward another rock.
"That one!"
Druun looked at the rock.
Then at Tovan.
Then, apparently deciding this tiny frantic builder was harmless, he picked it up too.
Swanly stared.
"You are encouraging him."
Tovan looked close to tears.
"I have never built this fast in my life."
Raku walked past carrying timber.
He looked at Tovan’s expression.
Then at Druun.
"You love him."
Tovan whipped around.
"I love what he can lift!"
Raku kept walking.
"Of course."
Swanly covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
...
Night settled over Ironwood.
The fires burned low.
Swanly found Kael alone beside the spring.
He was sharpening a stone blade.
She stopped in front of him.
He looked up.
Then continued sharpening.
Swanly’s ears flattened.
"Kael."
"Yes?"
"Look at me."
He did.
For two seconds.
Then looked away.
Swanly stepped into his line of sight.
He shifted left.
She moved left.
Kael shifted right.
Swanly moved right.
His eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?"
"Sharpening."
"You have been avoiding me."
"No."
She folded her arms.
"Kael."
He stood.
"I should check the guards."
Swanly blocked him.
He stepped around her.
She blocked him again.
"Swanly."
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"Move."
"No."
"I do not want to argue."
"Wonderful. Then talk."
His grip tightened around the blade.
"About what?"
"You know exactly what."
Kael went silent.
Swanly’s anger softened.
She stepped closer.
"Is it the pregnancy?"
Nothing.
"Kael."
His golden eyes finally met hers.
The pain there made her chest hurt.
"No," he said.
Then his voice cracked.
"Yes."
Swanly said nothing.
Kael laughed quietly.
Bitterly.
"I hate that it hurts."
She stayed still.
"I do not hate the young."
"I know."
"They did nothing."
"I know."
"I would protect them."
Her throat tightened.
"I know you would."
Kael looked toward the water.
"But every time your scent changes..."
His fingers closed.
"Every time Soren looks at your stomach."
His breathing became heavier.
"Every time someone says his young..."
He swallowed.
"I remember what I thought our life would be."
Swanly’s heart twisted.
Kael’s voice lowered.
"I thought I would be the male beside you when you carried cubs again."
He laughed once.
"I thought I would hunt for you. Sleep beside you. Feel them move."
He finally looked at her.
"I know it is normal for females to have more than one mate."
His eyes burned.
"That does not mean my heart learned how to share you just because the law says I should."
Swanly’s eyes stung.
Kael immediately looked away.
"I sound selfish."
"No."
"I am."
"You are hurt."
"That is worse."
"No, it isn’t."
He stared at her.
Swanly stepped closer.
"I cannot magically make this stop hurting."
Kael’s expression broke slightly.
She continued.
"And I will not lie and tell you nothing changed."
His throat moved.
"But you did not become less important because something changed."
Kael stared at her for a long time.
Then he lifted one hand.
Slowly.
Giving her time to move.
Swanly leaned into his palm.
His eyes closed.
For one moment, neither spoke.
His thumb brushed her cheek.
"My female."
Swanly smiled sadly.
"Your female."
Kael’s forehead touched hers.
No kiss.
No argument.
Just breathing.
For tonight, it was enough.
...
The next morning, Druun moved another section of wall.
Swanly watched him lower the stone.
That was when she noticed it.
A pale scar circling his enormous wrist.
Too straight.
Too deep.
Another crossed his neck.
Swanly’s smile disappeared.
"Druun."
The giant looked down.
She approached.
Kael immediately followed.
Soren appeared from the other side.
Naturally.
Swanly ignored both.
She reached toward Druun’s wrist.
"Can I?"
Druun watched her tiny hand.
Then lowered his arm.
Swanly touched the scar.
Her entire palm barely covered a fraction of it.
This had not come from claws.
Something had once wrapped completely around him.
Something powerful enough to scar skin that normal weapons could barely cut.
Swanly’s face softened.
"Who did this to you?"
Druun stared down at her.
She looked incredibly small from his height.
Tiny white ears.
Tiny hands carefully touching an old wound.
No fear.
Only concern.
Something in Druun’s expression softened.
His enormous thumb rose.
Kael tensed.
Soren’s tail lifted.
Druun gently tapped Swanly’s cheek.
Swanly’s head tilted with the pressure.
She blinked.
Then stared up at him.
"Stop that."
Druun immediately froze.
His thumb withdrew.
He nodded.
Once.
Very seriously.
Swanly almost laughed.
"You listen better than my cubs."
Miko shouted from somewhere behind her.
"No!"
Kael did not look amused.
Soren looked even less amused.
Nerin approached carrying herbs.
He saw Druun’s hand near Swanly.
Stopped.
Then quietly decided there were already enough jealous males in the immediate area.
Arion came from the opposite path.
"What happened?"
Swanly pointed toward Druun’s wrist.
"These scars."
Thalara had been walking past.
She stopped.
Everything about her changed.
Her forehead eye widened.
The roots beneath her feet went completely still.
Druun saw her.
His entire enormous body stiffened.
The softness vanished from his face.
A low sound rolled from his chest.
Thalara stared at the scars around his wrists.
Then his neck.
Swanly turned.
"You know what made them."
Thalara did not answer.
"Thalara."
"Binding metal."
Soren’s eyes narrowed.
"What kind?"
"Ancient."
Thalara stepped closer.
Druun stepped backward.
The ground shook beneath one enormous foot.
For the first time since meeting him, he looked frightened.
Not angry.
Afraid.
Thalara’s expression became unreadable.
"The same kind used in the prisons."
Swanly’s stomach tightened.
"Your prisons?"
Thalara’s forehead eye remained fixed on Druun.
"Mine."
A pause.
"And my sisters’."
Nobody spoke.
Druun stared at Thalara.
His breathing changed.
Then, very slowly, he lifted one massive hand.
He pointed directly at her.
His mouth opened.
One broken word came out.
"Mother."
Silence slammed across Ironwood Basin.
Thalara’s face changed.
"I did not create him."
Swanly stared.
Thalara looked up at Druun.
Then said quietly,
"But one of my sisters may have."