Mated to the Warrior Beast
Chapter 254 254: EPILOGUE Part 4 (Tarkyn & Harth)

PATRON SHOUT OUT: Thank you Tessa Whalen for suggesting the name "Galia," which I think is beautiful. She's not a tiger, but I hope you'll like her anyway!

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~ TARKYN (two years after Peace) ~

Gahlya stretched her arms out to him, a forced pout on her tiny face. 'Noooooooooo, Dad! Don't goooooo!'

She still preferred to speak to them through the link because she struggled to make her lips and tongue say all the words she knew and understood.

"You need to speak it, sweetie," Tarkyn said gruffly, trying desperately to hide the pang in his chest.

His daughter, held safely in Jayah's arms, just grunted and stretched towards him until she threatened to tumble out of Jayah's grip.

'She knows who's more likely to give her what she wants,' Harth sighed good-naturedly in his mind.

Tarkyn tried not to wince.

After twenty years as a soldier and Captain, an Alpha of power and discipline, a male of strength and few fears, he'd thought himself immune to manipulation tactics. He knew that difficulty was needed in life to hone the blade of a person's heart. He'd thought nothing would ever undermine his resilience like his love for his mate.

But he had been shown his true weakness: His daughter's smile.

Or worse, her tears.

"It's just for a few days, love," he whispered, slipping closer to give her a hug. Gahlya wrapped her little arms around his neck in an iron grip that threatened not to release him. 'Don't you shift,' he sent her sternly, catching eyes with the ever-patient Jayah over his daughter's shoulder. 'Promise me.'

It was far harder to control a wriggling wolf than it was a pouting child. And the wolf could run. Gahlya had discovered young that she was able to pursue her parents—or anyone or anything else her curiosity drove her to investigate—in her wolf form, by scent, and that she was far harder to catch.

Her first year had been tough on all of them with his daughter appearing at very inopportune times… like security meetings.

Or when Tarkyn had whisked Harth away for a private moment among the trees.

'Dad—'

'Promise me, Gahlya,' he said sternly.

She pulled out of the hug far enough to meet his eyes, her own wide and threatening tears. He was rarely angry with her, but nothing could make her dissolve faster than her father's disapproval.

'But—'

He tilted his head and gave her the look that he knew would stop her protests, hating to reprimand her even softly right before they left. But if he didn't, she'd end up convincing him somehow that she needed to come with them.

And that wasn't going to do. So, Tarkyn reached back to pry his daughter's fingers from their latch around his neck. 'I love you, sweetheart. Your mom does too. But sometimes adults need time alone. We told you this was coming.

You're going to have a lot of fun with Gamma and Pop. You always do.'

They were the names she'd given Jayah and Skhal recently, after Harth had had to explain why Gahlya had no grandparents.

Gahlya had, at first, been heartbroken. But then she'd sat frowning on the couch for a few minutes before declaring defiantly that it didn't matter because Jayah and Skhal were her "Gamma and Pop" anyway, so there was no need to be sad.

Jayah had cried with joy. And the names had stuck.

'Promise me, Gahlya,' he sent her softly. 'Give me your word.'

She already knew how deeply her father held to his word—she'd used it to weasel any countless outings and treats from him.

And she knew that when he asked for hers, he expected the same in return.

Tears welled in her eyes, but even as she turned to bury her face in Jayah's chest, she wailed, 'I promise!' in his head.

Harth let out a breath from behind him and Tarkyn realized she'd truly been uncertain Tarkyn wouldn't give in to his daughter's pleading.

While Jayah comforted Gahyla, Tarkyn turned to his mate. 'You really thought I'd bring our daughter on our Anniversary trip?'

'You brought her for your birthday when we were supposed to take the afternoon,' Harth returned dryly, stepping forward to give her daughter another squeeze and thank Jayah for taking her.

Tarkyn frowned. Clearly his mate felt that she needed more of his undivided attention.

Well, she was about to get it. For days.

He smiled.

Harth turned from their daughter and caught his look and suddenly she was smiling too.

Tarkyn clasped arms with the patient Skhal who stood at Jayah's shoulder, then they turned and he hurried Harth away, doing his best to close his ears to his daughter's sobs.

But when they were finally on the trails out of the Tree City, his heart was light.

It had been two years of aiding the Alphas, of negotiating terms between peoples, training new warriors, and never having quite enough time in the day. But when he'd told Elreth he wanted a full week—ten days, if he could—to take Harth to the Lagoon, she hadn't even hesitated.

And now, here they were.

He took his mate's hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb.

She gazed up at him with the wicked little smile that he loved.

"What?" he asked, knowing exactly what she was thinking. Or at least, so he'd thought.

"I'm just excited to get you to myself," Harth said, biting her lip.

Tarkyn growled, but just as he was about to reach for her, to pull her into a kiss, she laughed and let go of his hand, darting forward with a giggled, "I'll race you!"

Then she was off, fleet as the wind darting down the trail.

Tarkyn, taken by surprise, gaped for a moment, then cursed and ran after her.

But he let her evade him for a little while. Just until he had justification to wrap his arms around her, pull her off her feet and into a kiss.

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