Page 9 of Foxin' Around

He inclined his head in acknowledgement, but his eyes continued to track her movement around the cabin. “The evening are still cooler than even I like. And it rained a little earlier in the day. Naturally, you would get chilled in the damp air. May I ask why you ventured outside?”

She flushed, her eyes shifting toward the fire. “I wanted to thank you… for the duck. I didn’t expect you to feed me after I forced you from the cabin.”

Syrix chuckled quietly at her confession. “You entered the woods—in the dark—to thank me for half a roast duck?”

Her blush climbed higher and darkened. “And to say that maybe I was being a little inconsiderate. You are being kind, and I just kicked you out. I felt a little guilty.” She took a deep breathand expelled it when he smiled. “And it’s not just that. I admit that I’m really out of my depth here with all of this. Ever since the Ravening I’ve been jumping at shadows, running away from people out of fear that they may try to hurt me.”

“So that’s what you call it,” he observed quietly to himself.

“… and there isn’t even a gas stove and microwave that I can use for my practically nonexistent cooking skills,” she continued to ramble. “I’ve been eating things like packaged snacks the whole way here with the plan to just eat canned stuff from the pantry, only to find out that apparently my aunt and uncle weren’t so good at keeping things stocked as I remembered. I’m probably going to end up starving at some point to be honest, and?—”

“You were afraid that I would leave you here with no way to feed or care for yourself,” he concluded with a grin.

She winced. “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. And now I’ve heard it all out loud, maybe I should have just stuck with feeling guilty.”

He chuckled sympathetically. “So, it is not love or fleeting compassion for a male thrust outdoors, but desire for a provider. This is natural.”

“You don’t have to quite put it that way,” she grumbled. “I want to learn how to take care of myself. It’s not like survival 101 is something that was taught to school-age children. I feel bad enough about the fact that I’m basically doing a one-eighty here because I’m suddenly afraid that I will die out here alone. It’s humiliating to admit, and I’m ashamed that my first impulse is just to find a way to keep you here for entirely selfish reasons.”

And she was depending on him. His mate needed him. His heart melted and his head fur puffed a little with delight. It was an excellent opportunity for him to show her that he could be a considerate mate who provided well for her—and give him the opportunity to teach her how to survive in her new world, so thatshe would gain more confidence and capability and be secure in the life they would build together, and he would worry less about her whenever she ventured from the cabin. Perhaps it was better that she just wished to use him instead experiencing the natural infatuation humans often felt in the company of fox spirits. She would be more inclined to learn from him in order to survive rather than simply depending on him to care for her. This could only be beneficial to her, even if he had to suffer the occasional blow to his ego.

Having his mate strong and healthy was far more important.

He adjusted the blanket around her and gave her a comforting smile. “Do not feel guilt, sweetheart. It is a natural instinct for one whose world has been entirely upended. There is no shame in wishing to survive, and you were honest about it, which is commendable and more than what most would do.”

Even more than most foxes would do. They weren’t above utilizing whatever trickery was necessary to get what they needed.

Her nose scrunched adorably as she squinted at him. “You’re not even a little upset about that?”

“Of course not,” he assured her. “Why would I be upset to be needed? And even if you are wary, you clearly must trust me a little—enough to eat what I prepared and to wish to lure me into staying. This is all a good place to start.”

“To start what?” Her brow furrowed in confusion, and he merely grinned playfully.

“To start your lessons, naturally,” he lied.

It was not a complete lie as it did form a good starting point for him to teach her, but there was no reason to make her aware of his true motivation. In the end, although he drew her there with his magic, he wanted his mate to be enthusiastically willing when she entered his bed. He would not manipulate her, but nor would he show his hand as to what he ultimately desired. Hewould enjoy the game of watching and see how naturally things would unfold. It was possible that, in the process, she would choose not to become his mate, but that too was part of the game, and the risk of losing everything made it all the sweeter and more exciting for him.

Either way, he had no intention of binding an unwilling female to him. Using trickery to enjoy her company to give them an open opportunity to bond further was another matter.

Krystal’s sharp blue gaze searched his expression for a long moment, looking for any sign of deceit. His smile widened with pleasure at his clever mate and finally she laughed quietly under her breath.

“I don’t know if I’m crazy or if you are just that convincing—or maybe it’s just desperation talking—but ok, let’s do this,” she said, and her lips quirked in a faint smile.

“Excellent!” His tail puffed with pleasure, but he caught the tip with his ankle before it could make an unexpected appearance. “Now, are you still hungry? I am ravenous and that little walk worked up quite an appetite.”

Pink tinged her cheeks again and she nodded. “I probably shouldn’t. Half a duck is actually a lot for one person to eat, but Iamhungry.”

Syrix tsked as he led her to the kitchen and into one of the wooden chairs at the table in there so that she could comfortably keep him company while he cooked. “From what you have said, I gather that you have not eaten well at all since this…Ravening. Your appetite will balance back out. Besides, I do enjoy a companion with a healthy appetite.”

“I could at least help,” she objected as she began to pull off the blanket.

He shook his head, and he wrapped it more firmly around her. “You are travel weary. You have plenty of time to help me.Tomorrow we will cook together, but for tonight you will indulge my desire to feed you.”

She gave him a skeptical look but finally relented with a little nod and got comfortable at the table as he spirited around the kitchen, pulling together the ingredients he needed for something light. She was correct that the duck was a lot for her stomach already. Some roasted vegetables with bits of sizzling fat from the wild pig he’d caught and slaughtered and a dab of honey for sweetness would be a delightful follow up in his opinion.

Syrix hummed happily to himself, the weight of her eyes following him as he cooked. There was a true pleasure for him in carefully preparing every bit of food that would pass between his mate’s lips. His happiness filled him so completely that he knew he was smiling ridiculously when he brought the serving dish to the table and set it on the table between their seats. Krystal gave him an appreciative look and sniffed it.

“It smells wonderful.”

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