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Chapter 530: Heartstrings

RETH

Behryn gaped. "You\'d just… let him go? And trust him to stay out of trouble?"

Reth growled. "Of course not. I would escort him to the end of the WildWood and bid him make his own way from there."

"How would you ensure he never returned?"

"Firstly, the guards can watch to ensure he crosses the plains. But once they have returned, we would guard against him in the same manner that we guard against every other threat," Reth snapped, losing his patience. "With diligence and patrols, and a good eye for our own defense."

"We missed the encampment."

"And we will not make that mistake again. Have you not been continuing the bird patrols?"

"Of course, but they will only get more clever now that they know we know what to look for."

"Have you considered that they might not be planning a second rebellion? That the melding was real."

"Yes," Behryn said baldly. "I\'ve also considered that it is stupid to see what I want to see, and not plan for the worst."

The males around the room murmured to each other, discussing the options. Reth waited, but no one raised protest—or agreement. They seemed willing to wait until Reth had made his decision, though not entirely easy with it.

"I have been clear," Reth said. "I will not sentence him to death unless something changes. And the moment it changes, I assure you all that I will. But if we assume that Lerrin is not going to give back in to the evil that took the wolves from us, then what we need to figure out is how it looks today. Tomorrow we can take care of tomorrow." He sighed. "For now, he will remain a prisoner, and one who cannot take visitors. Once we have the people in their homes, the rations distributed, and we have looked to quell any rebels… then I will see where we are with Lerrin and the wolves, and I will make the decision then."

A discussion began then about the rebels that might still remain among them—the one part of this entire situation that still had Reth losing sleep. He knew—with certainty—there had to be spies among them. The question was whether any of their leaders still remained. And what they would do with their limited numbers if they did.

But as the discussion continued, Reth\'s mind turned once again to the bedchamber and his weak and at risk mate.

Aymora still hadn\'t come out. He prayed that meant she and Elia were reconnecting. Elia needed a female\'s touch. Although Aymora could be brutal at times, she was wise, and she had compassion. Especially for Elia.

Hopefully, they were enjoying each other and would be able to do so until he was free.

His heart yearned to simply get up and walk away from the males, but he knew he couldn\'t. He had to lead all of his people, not just his family.

Then he remembered the sight of Elia this morning, curled into the furs, deeply asleep, but her forehead still lined with worry, her thin shoulder pushing out from under the fur, her skin pale.

It was like taking a knife to the gut.

Please keep her safe, he prayed. Her and Elreth. Don\'t let either of them be stolen from me. Please.

But of course, there was no answer.

He would have to just wait and see…

*****

LERRIN

When the door opened that morning, he was still in his furs with his back to the door. But instead of the adrenaline rush he normally experienced with the guards came for a visit, his heart sank.

Only Suhle entered with those quiet, shuffling steps. He could feel her eyes on the back of his neck, and he froze. If he turned, she would be there, her eyes on his… those pools of bright love and hope that continued to shine, no matter how cold or indifferent he pretended to be. They were breaking him down, those eyes. He had to steel himself before he rolled over to see them.

But even catching sight of her from the corner of his eye shook him. He only made it to his back, then covered his face with his hands as if he were still waking up. In truth, he was a coward hiding himself from his mate.

The female who would have been his mate, he corrected himself.

"Are you… well?" she asked, her voice a little too high and thin.

His instinct was immediately to check her and he did so without thought—turning his head quickly and scanning her from toe to crown. She had that shaken quality in her voice that was usually only there when she\'d caught unwanted attention from a male.

"Are you?" he asked carefully. There were no marks on her clothing or person that he could see. But there were high spots of color in her cheeks, and her eyes has that shining glint that often preceded tears. "What happened?" he asked, though she hadn\'t responded.

He was half out of his furs and getting to his feet when she startled, lifting her hands to stop him. "Nothing! I\'m fine!" she rushed to whisper. "I only…"

"What?"

"The guards."

"What. Did. They. Do?" His voice was dark with promise of what would happen to them if they had touched her. She blinked and her breath came faster.

"They only tease," she said breathlessly. "Truly, they mean well. But they believe I come to… service you."

Lerrin stalked across the room, brushing past her, forcing himself not to stop as he was hit by her delicious scent. He reached the door and—as he suspected—the guards hadn\'t locked it. He yanked it wide and the two guards who had been chuckling with each other outside immediately turned, their spears pointed at Lerrin\'s throat.

"Back up!" the older of the two snapped. "Or I will open your throat!"

Lerrin raised an eyebrow. He stood there naked, without weapons, in a doorway, while they were armed, and there were two of them. He was good, but not that good.

Well, not with the slop they\'d been feeding him, anyway.

"If either you or any other guards say another inappropriate word to her, I will have your throat," Lerrin snarled.

The guard blinked. But he was disciplined and not easily distracted. "Get. Back," he said through his teeth. "Now."

Lerrin stepped back and folded his arms to show that he was not defending himself. "She comes in good heart to lighten my load and you cheapen her devotion to the Creator with your coarse implications. Do not do it again. Do not allow your brethren to do it. I wish to remain in peace, but I will not stand for her honor being disparaged!"

The lieutenant eyed Lerrin for a moment. He didn\'t lower the spear, but he gave a single nod. "I will pass the word around."

The second guard, younger, huffed. "Why would you care about the honor of a rebellious wolf?" he muttered.

Lerrin and the lieutenant both glared at the male. An equine if Lerrin didn\'t miss his guess. "Shut your mouth until you\'ve grown some hair on your balls," the first guard growled. "The honor of a female is the honor of a female, no matter her tribe. If I can own my wrong, so can you. Or you can dig cesspits for a month until you learn to!"

The guard muttered, but Lerrin nodded. Then he closed the door and turned on his heel to return to his furs.

Suhle stood in the middle of the floor, her mouth slightly agape—and smiling.

Lerrin\'s stomach sank again.

"Thank you, Lerrin," she said breathlessly. "I didn\'t—"

"Go," he grunted, returning to his furs without meeting her eyes. "This is not the place for you."

He caught the confusion on her face before he passed her, and his stomach clenched. But he didn\'t stop, dropping to the floor to pull the furs over himself again, and turning his back on her.

"I… but…"

"Go!" he barked. "Do not force me to throw you out bodily!"

Her breath caught and held. Lerrin didn\'t move.

He didn\'t hear anything until the door opened and there was a low murmur as she greeting the guards on her way back out.

He wished his chest didn\'t tighten, as if bands of steel encased his ribs.

He had done the right thing.