The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 230: His mate!

Chapter 230: His mate!

It was already late when they arrived at the shifters’ camp, the scent of pine and smoke lingering in the cool night air. Ren finally caught sight of Oak Village nestled between the trees, its lantern-lit paths winding around sturdy timber homes. Ogain stood tall at the gates, far too massive to enter.

"I’ll stay here," he said, his deep voice calm. Org said he argued with Sunkiath. As always, Griffins and Dragons would never come along easily. Griffins valued respect, and dragons were nonchalant and wild in attitude.

Ren nodded. "Orgeve and Arkilla will be in that cottage nearby," she replied. And then glanced toward a squat, stone-built house just beyond the gate.

The village was alive with quiet activity. Shifters moved about, some returning from scouting patrols, others talking in low murmurs. There was a comforting familiarity to it all.

"So, Daniella and little Dave were living here!" Ren said, her voice tinged with wonder.

Kai lifted her gently from the saddle and nodded. "Yes. We’ll be staying in that house." He gestured toward a large stone building with carved beams and smoke rising from the chimney. "It used to belong to the Elder of this tribe."

They started walking toward it, the dirt path was soft beneath their feet. Just then, a pack of wolves padded through the crowd, parting Bear shifters as they came. One by one, the wolves shifted, rising onto two legs in a ripple of fur and bone.

Ren lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact with the approaching naked wolves.

"Alpha Xander, Gamma Axe, let’s discuss the meeting tomorrow. The Luna Queen is exhausted. She spent the entire day healing wounded men." The Alpha King wished.

The two shifters gave respectful bows and stepped aside without a word. Later, Kai led Ren into the quiet warmth of their room, where their belongings had already been placed neatly. The hearth flickered dimly in the corner.

Kai added a few logs to the fire, watching the flames spring back to life with a soft crackle.

"Do you think they would take the bait?" Ren asked, her voice low as she unclasped her armor. The inking metal plates had grown stiff and suffocating after a long day, and she sighed in relief as they dropped away.

"Yes," Kai replied, his tone grim. "They’ll come, to kill us and to claim you. Think about it, Phoria offered her body just to bring Nimoieth back. She won’t miss a chance like this."

Ren walked over and helped him unbuckle his armor, her fingers brushing over the dragon tattoo and whip scars on his skin with tender intimacy. When they finally slipped into bed, Kai pulled her close, his arm looping around her waist, his palm resting gently on her belly, a quiet, grounding gesture.

"I saw them, our children," Kai whispered in her ear. "Two beautiful teenagers. Stubborn, curious, and natural-born tamers. Seraphina tamed a dragon, and Benkin had a griffin under his command."

He paused, letting the vision settle in the air, but Ren’s heart was already pounding.

"How?" she breathed. "Who gave them those beasts?"

Kai chuckled softly. "I don’t know. But in that future, you had founded a beast-taming academy. You called it the Tamers’ Academy. I suppose your grandfather was feeling generous with the royal vault."

A warm smile bloomed on Ren’s lips, one that made Kai bend to kiss the curve of her neck. The soft press of his lips melted into a low growl.

"Now tell me," he murmured, voice thick with curiosity. "Why was Elaika in the human camp? And what happened after she returned?"

Ren sighed, the weight of the answer pressing on her chest. "That was the Game of Fate, no doubt. She’s Alpha Xander’s mate. Could you ever have seen that coming?"

Kai shook his head slowly. "In every vision of the future I saw, she died protecting Thegara... and you. I never imagined she’d live long enough to swear loyalty."

Ren gave a small, bittersweet smile. "Yet Gloria turned her face from me."

"Yes," Kai said softly. "Not because she truly wanted to... only because she thought it would keep her people content. That’s not what your father taught her."

The memory clung to him like old blood, his hands soaked, screams ringing in his ears, fear that carved itself into his bones. He could still see it all.

Ren turned and slipped her arm around him, drawing him close. "They knew how to torment you," she whispered. "They found the demon’s weakness in that realm... and struck right at it. But I’ve been meaning to ask about that huge sandworm. I thought it was Elcasore, the prison keeper. But you said it wasn’t. So... did you see the Saint?"

Kai’s eyes lost focus for a moment as he recalled her presence. It was surreal. When she appeared, it was as if the world held its breath. She looked just like Ren, the one image that could quiet the storm inside him.

"She can appear as anyone you long for," he said at last. "And to me, she looked like you."

Ren narrowed her eyes, scowling playfully. "Did she do anything to you?"

Kai chuckled, lips curling into a teasing grin. "What sort of things, little wife?"

Ren bit her lower lip, feigning innocence. "You know exactly what I mean."

"No," Kai said softly, his voice low and steady. "She’s a Saint, bound by the laws of the heavens, loyal beyond question. She’d never do anything improper... certainly not seduce a demon."

He spoke while his thumb gently traced the curve of Ren’s lips, slow and deliberate. Her sweet jealousy stirred something deep within him, a hunger, a longing he had buried beneath duty and battle. But he didn’t want to hurt her, not tonight. The war still loomed, and desire was a dangerous distraction.

He kissed her lips with warmth and restraint, then offered a quiet smile. "Get some rest. You’ve done enough for one day."

With that, he closed his eyes. But Ren didn’t. She remained still, watching him. Her gaze wandered to his thick black lashes, fanned against his cheek, too beautiful for a man. It was weird, she thought, that all the wars hadn’t taken that beauty from him. But she was glad and grateful for it.

She tightened her hold around him, whispering, "Don’t ever leave me again."

Then she closed her eyes, burying her face into the steady rise and fall of his chest.

The next morning came with rattling windows and a howling wind. Just as they’d suspected, yesterday’s peaceful silence had only been a gentle warning, before the wild storm.

Kai slipped out of bed the moment the windows rattled again, fastening on his armor piece by piece. It was still dim outside, just before dawn when shadows still clung to the earth.

"Isn’t it too early?" Ren mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Wife," he said, smirking as he adjusted the last strap, "do you remember where we are?"

Ren scratched her head, blinking. "Right... battlefield."

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I’ll wash up and check outside," he said before heading to the washbasin near the door. After splashing water over his face, he turned to her once more. "I’ll send Arkilla to stay with you. Don’t leave without letting me know. We need to find out if the giant’s roaming nearby."

Ren nodded, still sitting in bed as he stepped out with quiet urgency.

About half an hour later, while Ren was braiding her hair in front of the mirror, there was a knock at the door.

"Can I come in?" Arkilla called.

"Yes!" She stood up.

The tall warrior stepped in, carrying a wooden tray with a simple breakfast, bread, cheese, and a handful of nuts.

"This is all I could find," Arkilla said, setting it on the table.

"It’s perfect. Come, sit and eat with me," Ren offered warmly.

Arkilla shook her head. "I already ate. We were up early, Elaika was noisy."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"She came to stay with us last night," Arkilla explained with a snort. "This morning, I forced her to help the chefs."

Ren chuckled, and then her tone shifted. "What about Alpha Xander? The potion’s effect should be gone. He’ll know soon."

"I think he already knows," Arkilla replied, lowering her voice. "The way he looked at Elaika... it was strange."

~*~

In the woods~

Elaika was gathering fallen branches, dragging them one by one through the damp underbrush. The storm had battered the trees hard, and the kitchens would need more wood soon. Judging by the wind’s sharp whistle through the trees, the storm wasn’t finished, it might rage for days, maybe worse.

She had nearly reached the edge of the camp when a hand shot out from behind a tree, seizing her arm and yanking her into the shadows.

Startled, she raised her hand to strike, but then she caught his scent.

Alpha Xander.

Her heart kicked violently in her chest, as if it, too, recognized the storm in him.

"Alpha Xander," she gasped.

His eyes were burning, equal parts longing and fury.

"Elaika, you were so drowned in your thoughts, you didn’t see or feel me!" he said, voice low and hoarse, " Why were you running away from me?"

She dropped her gaze, shame cascading through her like cold water.

"No..."

"Liar," he growled between clenched teeth. "First you kill two of my Omegas. Then you vanish with Zaira to murder our Luna Queen and a human princess. Next, you reappear on a patrol like nothing happened. Then you vanish again to join the human camp next time. And now..." His voice trembled, "now you’re fucking my mate?"

Elaika’s eyes burned, but the tears didn’t come, not like before. Once upon a time, her tears were her shield. Then, they were gone. She couldn’t even cry.

"I made mistakes I couldn’t fix," she enunciated calmly, forcing coldness into her voice. "I came here to die. Reject me and be done with it."

"Reject you?" he snapped, running an aggressive hand through his hair. "You think that would be enough?"

"Then kill me," she hissed, raising her chin. "Do it."

For a second, his fury flared so sharply, that she truly believed he would.

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