ZOLAYA

It takes most of a day to travel what should have taken a leisurely afternoon. Some of the humans are wounded. Others are slow. And some, like my Air-ee, are quietly panicking. Some of the hunters get frustrated with our slow progress, and most of the females do not notice such a thing. My mate notices, though. She is finely attuned to the moods of others, and when Haeden makes an irritated grunt in his throat, she flinches. When Vektal encourages the others to pick up the pace, her sweaty hand seeks mine.

I want to reassure her that it will be all right, but I know words do not help. There is no time to sit and breathe together, as we have the last few nights. We must keep walking, but it frustrates me to see her sink deeper into her unhappy thoughts until I can tell she is on the verge of splintering. It is obvious in her eyes, in the sharp breaths she draws.

“Are you all right?” I ask. “Do you need to stop?”

“I’m fine.” Her gaze darts to the others and she flushes when one of the other females glances curiously in her direction. “I can keep going.”

I know she hates to be a bother, but this does not make me happy. She needs time to rest or her mind-avalanche will grow worse and worse. I grow more and more concerned, and when Vektal glances around at the trailing herd of new tribesmates, I signal him. “We wish to stop,” I call out. “Let us rest for a bit.”

Shorshie looks over and her gaze lands on my mate. Others stare, too.

Air-ee yanks her hand out of mine, horrified. “What? No! I’m fine. We’re fine!”

The chief pauses, watching me, and then indicates to the tribe that we should rest. “We will take one more break before we make it to the home cave.”

“A break? Now?” Haeden sounds irritated. “It is just over the next ridge.”

“The females are tired.” Vektal’s expression is unyielding as he slides his pack off his shoulder and offers a hand to his mate so she can sit down on it. “It is just over the next ridge, so a few more minutes do not matter.”

Haeden harrumphs and paces away, even as the other females set down their things and rest in the snow.

I turn to my mate, slinging my pack off my arm. Her hand is still in mine, but the look she gives me is tight and upset. Her gaze flicks from me to the others in the tribe. “I can’t believe you just did that,” she whispers to me.

“You need to rest.”

She jerks her hand out of my grip and crosses her arms over her chest. “I could have lasted a bit longer—”

“No.”

“Now everyone’s staring at me.” Her voice wobbles a little and her cheeks are red.

Is she embarrassed? I am surprised. I thought she would be glad. “Why would they stare?” I glance around and she is not wrong, the others are doing their best to look-but-not-look, averting their eyes when I gaze in their direction. It is clear that Air-ee is the object of much speculation though.

I begin to get uncomfortable. Perhaps I did do wrong. “I told them we both needed to rest,” I protest. “I did not say you.”

The look on her face is full of disbelief. “No one’s going to think you’re the reason we’re stopping, Zolaya. You just made me look weak in front of everyone.” Her face crumples and then she starts to weep. “Fuck, and now I’m weeping again. I’m not sad, I’m pissed and I can’t stop crying.” She swipes at her face, her movements quick with frustration.

I reach for her.

She snatches her hand away. “Just leave me alone, please. I need to compose myself.”

I bite back my own growl of frustration because this is ridiculous. “Air-ee, let me help you.”

“No,” she whispers, clenching her fists in front of her. “I told you I didn’t want to draw attention to us and what do you do? I can’t believe you did this to me.” She presses her fists to her forehead. “Just please…leave me alone for a few minutes, all right? I know I’m overreacting, but if you keep trying to talk to me, it’s just going to get worse.”

I frown, watching as she paces away a few steps from the group. Leave her alone? I cannot. I look at the other females, and sure enough, they are staring and whispering to one another. They have seen my mate cry and get upset, and now they will think badly of her. She is right in that I have made a mistake.

I do not know what to do to fix it.

She has told me repeatedly that she does not want the others to know of her problems. That she wants them to not think of her as odd or troubled. She does not like attention brought to her or her weeping. I grit my teeth in frustration, because I know I have caused a problem.

If only I could sweep her away into my arms once more and kiss her until she forgot about everything but me. Until the tears dried in her eyes and she smiled once more. I do not know how to be a mate to her. I am failing and her tears claw at my spirit, making me feel as if I have wounded her. It would be so much easier if I just took her into my arms like I did the other night and carried her off somewhere where we could have a few moments alone until she was ready to rejoin the others in the tribe.

I pause.

Why should I not do just that?

The others will laugh, of course. The females will titter that I have dragged my mate away to take her to my furs. The other hunters will smirk that I am not able to control myself. But the attention will be on me and not her, just as it was the other night.

I rub my chin, contemplating. This might embarrass her more. She might fight me and the others might step in, thinking I aim to upset her. My chief will think I’m a fool who cannot control his cock. I glance over at my mate, who faces away from the group, her back to me. Her shoulders are stiff and as I watch, she raises a hand to her cheeks, swiping away at more tears. No one comes to talk to her. No one knows how to comfort her.

But I do.

My course decided, I march across the snow to my chief’s side and clap his shoulder. “I can wait no longer,” I tell him. “I am taking my mate to our cave so we can have privacy.”

Vektal gives me a puzzled look. “You were the one that called for a rest.”

“I did. I changed my mind.” I move to my mate and grab her by the waist. Air-ee gives a startled, choked cry and her arms flail, smacking me across the face as I sling her over my shoulder. I give my chief one last grin and then jog away with my mate squirming over my arm.

Laughter fills the little encampment.

“Did he really just take her away—”

“I think so—”

“Someone can’t keep it in his pants—”

Good. Let them focus on me and my shortcomings. When Air-ee squawks like a wounded scythe-beak, I smack her bottom to quiet her. “I am taking you away to seduce you, my mate. Try to stay still.”

“Seduce me?” One small fist hammers against my back. “I swear, I am going to kick your butt when you set me down. Are you crazy?”

“No. I am getting you away from the others.” And I continue across the landscape. Haeden is not wrong; it is a short walk to the home cave. We will be there before the suns move a knuckle’s width in the sky. Once there, we can claim a cave as our own. A storage cave will be empty already, I think. One of those will suit me just fine, so long as we have privacy.

She sputters again. “They are going to think you are crazy!”

“You are not wrong,” I agree cheerfully. At least now they are thinking I am the problem and not Air-ee, though. I am quite happy with this. I caress her bottom, because it is delightfully close to my face with her over my shoulder like this. “Be still and practice your breathing. We will be home soon, and I will take you directly to a private cave.”

I can feel her stiffen. “What about meeting the others—”

“It can wait until you and I are good.” On this, I am firm. She is not being introduced to everyone else until she is calmer and less anxious. I want the avalanche in her head to go away first. And I know that when I lick her cunt until she comes, she becomes languid and happy. Content.

I will just have to lick her cunt until that happens, and then she can meet the others. I like this plan. It is a good one, and we will both be pleasantly happy with the outcome.

Proud of myself, I pick up the pace even as I head down the now-familiar trails toward the home cave. The snow is less deep here, the trails hard packed from many boots moving up and down them regularly. The scent of smoke is faint on the air, but it is there and it fills me with a sense of pleasure. Almost home. I cannot wait for my mate to come to enjoy the close-knit family that is our tribe. In time, I think, she will.

For now, I must focus myself on her and her needs.

The path slopes downward as I move toward the mouth of the cave, and little Farli bounds out to greet me, all long awkward legs and girlish enthusiasm. She pauses when she sees I have my mate thrown over my shoulder. “Zolaya, what are you doing?”

“Ho, Farli.” I gesture at my mate’s bottom but do not stop walking. “I am taking my female to our cave so we can mate. We resonated.”

Air-ee makes a strangled sound in her throat, and I can feel her body go stiff.

Farli moves to jog at my side, her expression curious. “You resonated?”

“I did.” I cannot keep the pride from my voice.

“How wonderful! Is that why you are back sooner than the others? Wait…did you say cave? But you sleep in the hunter’s cave with the others.”

“That will change now that I have a mate. We are taking the storage cave. I am sure it was cleaned out in anticipation of the group’s arrival.”

Farli makes a little exclamation in her throat as she jogs at my side. “Well, yes, but Vektal will decide—”

“He can decide, but know that it is mine, much like this is mine.” I pat my mate’s bottom again, delighted by Air-ee’s awkward squawk.

“Shall I tell the others you’re here? The elders are so excited!” She claps her hands and peers behind me, beaming at my mate. “I am Farli! I cannot wait to have more sisters. I—”

“Farli,” I tell her patiently as I head into the large entrance of the cave. “I brought my mate ahead of the others because I wished to have time alone with her. You can greet my Air-ee when we emerge from our cave. Later.”

“I’m right here,” Air-ee says, grabbing my swinging braid to let me know she is displeased with me. “You don’t have to talk around me.”

Farli just giggles and gives me a knowing look. “I will tell the others. Shall I bring you more blankets just in case?”

“I like that idea,” I tell her with a nod, and she races off. Anything to get Farli away. She is just now reaching the age where she is curious about mating, but I do not have time—or the desire—to teach her anything. My only focus is my mate, and so I continue into the cavern with a look of determination, daring anyone else to get in my way or try to stop me.

Farli races off into the cave ahead of us. “Zolaya’s here,” she calls out. “And he’s got a human female he’s taking to the storage cave to mate with!”

“Oh my god,” my Air-ee says quietly. “No she did not just do that.”

I pity the male that ends up with Farli as his mate. She will keep him running in circles, of that I have no doubt. I pat my mate’s leg. “It is all right. They will think I am wild with resonance and unable to control myself.” They are not entirely wrong. Even now, my khui is singing so loudly that I can feel it in my teeth, and my cock is responding to the realization that I am about to have my Air-ee alone.

Perhaps this was not such a terrible plan after all.

A few people emerge from their caves, and chuckle at the sight of me, swaggering in with a female tossed over my shoulder. Vaza looks fascinated and steps forward. “Show her to us, Zolaya—”

“Later. For now, she is mine.” I gesture back behind me. “The others will be here soon enough. Gawk at those females if you like. This one is Zolaya’s.”

Old Kemli just shakes her head, smiling. “I feel sorry for any female that has to put up with your antics, young hunter.”

I just grin at her and head straight to the storage cave. It is located off to the far side of the main cave, one of the last nooks along the enormous circle that makes up the cave itself. I duck my head to enter and then pull the privacy screen over the entrance behind me without pausing. Privacy is one thing my Air-ee needs right now and I do not want to chance nosy Vaza coming over to take a look at my human.

Once the screen is over the door, I gently set my mate down on her feet. I am sweaty from my jog here, but pleased with myself. I have solved the problem. No one will be looking at my Air-ee like she is too weepy. If anything, they will feel sorry for her for having to deal with my “antics” as Kemli says. I beam proudly to her.

She frowns at me and slaps my arm, hard.

“Ow! Why did you do that?” I rub it, surprised. It stung a little, but Air-ee is not strong enough to leave a mark.

“Because I can’t reach your face?” she snaps. “What the fuck was that all about?”

I lean in to whisper at her. “That was me getting you away from the others. Now they will not think about your crying.”

“No, now they just think we’re sex addicts!” She gives me an exasperated look and puts her hands on my hips. “Zo, they’re all going to think we came here specifically to fuck!”

I am pleased she is using my nickname. That means she is not as angry as she was earlier. It is a start. “Well, of course they do.”

“No, no ‘of course.’” She shakes her head at me, clearly shocked. “Haven’t you ever heard of privacy? My god!”

“My mate,” I tell her, clasping her arms so she cannot hit me again. “We resonate loud enough to shake the walls of this place. They know we are bound to fack.”

“Fuck. It’s fuck. And god, I think you’re right.” She whimpers. “This is like the walk of shame times a thousand.”

“What shame?” I am confused. “There is no shame in being with me. Resonance is a great gift.”

“It’s a human saying. Pay me no mind.” Air-ee hangs her head and she slumps. “I didn’t want to stand out when we got here, Zo.”

“And you do not,” I tell her easily. I release one arm with a squeeze and when she does not smack me again, I cup her cheek. “Look at how many pairs have resonated. Our chief brings home a new mate. The unattached hunters will be sniffing around the unmated females. You will be one of many, my lovely resonance mate. And they will think I am a besotted fool who could not wait a few more hours to get his cock inside his mate.” I lean in and give her my most playful smile. “And they will not be wrong.”

A tiny, watery little chuckle escapes her. “I don’t like that you’re sabotaging yourself to try to protect me, Zo. It’s sweet, but really—”

“I do nothing of the sort,” I tell her, and lean down so we are of an eye-level. “Do you think this is all for show? Do you think I do not want you? Do you think I am immune to your tears and your worry? I know you are stressed and unhappy. I know your mind-avalanche has been growing since last night. Let me look a little foolish if it eases your worries.”

She lets out a tremulous little sigh. I can feel her quivering, feel that she’s growing more brittle by the moment.

I sit down on the floor and invite her to sit with me, patting the hard, familiar stone. “Come. Sit.”