page12 (1/2)

Aehako is suddenly ate, brother," he says in a soft voice "No one is hurting her Our chief will take good care with all the females, because his is included"

"But No-rah—"

"Does not know she has resonated," Aehako says in that reasonable voice "Give her time to wake up Let her come to you Otherwise you will scare her"

I groan, running a hand down ht His words are sensible, but…they are not what I want I want to cradle her inshe sees when she awakens I want my mate After so many turns of the seasons alone, with no one to return home to, I want my family

I do not want to lurk in the shadoaiting for her to notice me I want to stand tall and proud next to her I want to see her sives my shoulder another friendly pat, but I push him away I move over to Vektal, where he sits in the bloodied snow, his hands on his knees At his side is his mate, Shorshie, her eyes closed and her face pale

I sit next to hi back on my haunches

"Was it you?" he asks, not looking up from his mate's still form

I knohat he asks Was it me that resonated and did not speak up? "Yes," I say "No-rah is mine"

"Let her approach you first," he says "The feie is very protective of them I will not have her upset"

I clench my jaw, but nod I will sit here and wait And hopefully when No-rah opens her eyes, she will see me…and she will smile I have been patient for this many turns of the season Surely I can be patient a little longer My hands for females Worry pounds in my chest What if they do not awaken? What if they are too old to take a khui? Too sick? What if…I bite back the worried questions that rise to ue Vektal does not have the answers, either I feel I h "I am…overwhelmed," I admit "I did not expect resonance to feel like this"

He grunts

"Have you been walking around like this for days now?" I ask, in awe I cannot ierpits My body aches for my mate My cock…well, I will not think about my cock, other than that it aches, too