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Eventually his body relaxed and it was no longer torturous to walk alongside Harth on the trail and not take her. Eventually her questions broke through and his mind was distracted from that vision of her rippling body—though he still looked forward to the day he might see it again.

Harth continued to babble her questions about this world and the people who inhabited it.

He explained that the southern and northern ranges created a natural barrier, hemming the WildWood between them. That the only tribe that lived outside it was the Bears—who had a tense and difficult history with the rest of the Anima.

“They have gone to war with the other Anima in living memory,” Tarkyn said, his voice dark. “We always have to be careful to watch for them when they’re moving. But most of the time they prefer to be alone. It’s really only a problem in winter after a sparse summer. The last time we had trouble it was because they were drawn further down into the lowlands than usual to find food.”

“Are there any other clans out there?” Harth asked.

“Not that we know of. Though it sounds like we may have some of your creatures here now. That will be interesting.”

Harth looked a little troubled. He made a mental note to ask her more about the creatures at a time when he wasn’t trying to be romantic.

For the sake of this evening which was supposed to be relaxing, he changed the subject then. He turned her attention to their future and painted the picture he hoped and prayed daily would eventually come to them. He spoke to her of the WildWood, the tribes, the hierarchy… how, when all these issues were sorted out, she would be embraced by both the Pride, as his mate, and the Lupine tribe as a wolf.

.....

“Technically, you’ll belong to the Lupines, but the Pride will welcome you as a surrogate daughter.”

Harth looked very thoughtful at that. And not happily. “And our offspring… if we’re able to have them?” she asked quietly.

“They will belong to whichever tribe their animal belongs to—but again, embraced by all. The Anima raise our children together. I can’t wait, Harth. I can’t wait until we can bring our children among the pride, whether they’re lions or not.”

They reached the outlook an hour later.

Tarkyn spread out the fur he’d brought and they sat together, watching out to the North, the massive and intimidating peaks of the Northern Range looking like the Creator’s own teeth rising out of the ground.

The mountains were virtually impassible, yet stunningly beautiful. And he discovered Harth emotional, looking at them.

“They have snow,” she said with a little sniff. “It reminds me of home.”

He held her to his side, but she wiped her eyes quickly, shaking her head. Her skin glowed in the evening light, warmed by the deep pinks and oranges of the sunset in front of them.

Tarkyn found his own chest tightening at the sight. He’d forgotten she would feel that.

“What is it?” she asked quietly, putting her hand to his chest.

He blew out a breath. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come here alone and wished for this moment.”

As they watched the sun disappear behind mountains, the rays cutting across the sky like blades over the trees, Harth cleared her throat.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful… except you.”

Tarkyn snorted. “I am a male, and an Alpha. I am not ‘beautiful’.”

But Harth insisted. “Yes, you are, Tarkyn. And not just your body. Your heart. Your strength. Your integrity… all of it’s beautiful to me.”

Tarkyn was stunned to silence. He took her hand and twined their fingers, holding it on his thigh and seeing how much smaller her fingers were against his. It made his heart thump. A rush of protectiveness washed over him. But to his chagrin, his agitation was beginning to rise again too.

Harth felt it. “It’s bothering you that you aren’t home. Maybe we should go back?” she said slowly, clearly not excited about the idea.

Tarkyn shook his head. “No. Gar knows his sister. And El… I hurt her—emotionally and physically. She’s far more likely to forgive me if she has time to miss me. Besides, I can’t be there when Zev gets out. it’s important that I’m not seen to be associated with that.”

Harth sighed. “Why can nothing be easy? Why can none of these people see that my people are good?”

Tarkyn sighed. “Can you see that El is good?”

Harth was quiet, even in his mind.

He took her hand. “She is, Harth. She’s strong and she has a temper. But you’ll never find another female more loyal or more giving to those she protects. Her fear is driving her right now. She lost her family to that conflict—and almost lost her mate. It was only a year ago and she’s young. She’s… been scarred.”

“So are we.”

He nodded. “And that’s why I’m going to make sure that your Alpha is free, and my Queen understands that you’re good too—all of you. I can’t wait until the day everyone is seeing clearly and we’re all in this together. Then everyone will see how wonderful everyone else is.”

Harth smiled at that as he sent her an image of Sasha and Elreth hugging. She leaned into him and hugged him, snuggling her face into his chest.

Unable to resist, he pulled her to sit between his thighs so he could hold her and watch the sunset over her shoulder.

After that, they sat together quietly, barely moving or speaking as the Creator painted the sky in blazing red, then purple and pink, and then… finally… darkness.

It was only when the night had truly descended and the rock beneath them began to chill that he finally sighed and got up to lead Harth back to the cave.

But he never stopped praying that together they would find a way through this that would allow them to return to this mountain, and this spot, to watch the sunset together again without this cloud hanging over them.

He never stopped praying for that.