Page 34 of His Human to Learn

What can I say? I am a male, proud of how beautiful my mate is. How can I not wish to show off to everyone that this is the female whose soul I have managed to woo? I am proud of this. Probably more proud of her than I am of anything else I have ever done.

"Keep your hands on the table while we talk to your leader," Tori tells me in English.

Ralleth does not understand her words, but his mate does and tries to hide her smile. I hold my hands up and very purposefully place them on the table in front of me. Tori is right to ask it of me, though. I very much want to place my hands up her skirt.

I tried to convince her to let me fill her underwear with my seed before wearing it, but she told me that this could make her sick. It was one of the worst things I have ever heard in my life, but then she told me I could spill myself on her, and she would rub it into her skin if I wanted to do that instead.

Again, I am a blessed male. How could I not want to parade my female around the tribe on my shoulder, claimed as mine?

"Joll attacked me the first night of the mating ceremony," I say.

It is not something that will keep me up at night, and I most definitely do not need to protect him. I have not said anything before now because I wanted everyone in the tribe to know he was a liar.

I understand a male wanting my mate. She is easily the best mate to have ever lived. But that means I need to work hard to protect her.

Joll put her honor into question, and I wanted her to have the ability to reject him on her own, to prove to everyone that she did not choose him and would not be bullied into a mating just because he was making it out as though he was her mate. He thought to corner her by spreading lies and forcing her into a mating ceremony, and she was able to tell him in front of everyone that she did not want him.

"I do not know if Joll, Ere, or Nillin struck first. Thro might be able to tell you that." I continue telling them what happened. "But one of the three hit me in the back of the head. Thro says he and Jen saw a club left where I had fallen, so I assume that's what they hit me with. While I was passed out, they kicked me a few times, or that's what Jen told me. She was busy trying to hold Thro back so he wouldn't get hurt, so she missed some things." I tense behind Tori, needing to explain a little bit more. "I do not blame Jen for not seeing much. I am grateful to her. She is a small female and managed to hold my brother back.Them not being found is how they were able to follow Joll and his friends."

"You told Kal that Thro found you out in the trees on his way back to the farm," Ralleth says. It's not so much a statement as it is a question about how much of that is true.

"Thro and Jen followed Joll and the others as they dragged my body out into the trees. They took me the opposite way of the farms." I frown and flick my eyes down to Tori because I do not want her to hear this next part and worry more for me. Or really, I do not want her looking for Joll so she can slice into him herself. "If Jen and Thro did not follow them, I do not know when I would have been found. I was taken to a section that is not meant to be hunted for a few more days."

I hear the growl in Tori's throat right before she whips her head around, an accusing glare in her eyes. I might find it frightening if it did not make my cock come to attention in an instant. I like it when she is ferocious. It reminds me of the bite in my neck that is healing nicely.

"Calm, little mate, I am here, and I am yours." I move my hand to squeeze her thigh. I want to push my hand even higher and stroke the hair between her legs, but she might try to kill me if I do it right here in front of Ralleth and Olivia. She cares very much about what they think of her.

"You are mine," she grumbles as she turns around to face Olivia and Ralleth.

Olivia gives her a knowing look, and Ralleth beams at me like he understands the pride in having a female claim him. It is wonderful. I can only imagine how wonderful it must have been for Ralleth since no one in his tribe ever thought they'd even see a female again.

"Well, thank you for telling us what happened," Ralleth says, looking to his mate to ensure there is nothing else they need to say. "We will leave you to your food."

Ralleth and Olivia have just left their seats across from us when two others take their spots. Erkoz and Xoth are two brothers who have no reason to be talking to us, not when they are most likely scheming something. I have not known Erkoz to do anything that did not involve much scheming. I should know because Thro wants to be just like him when he is a grown male.

"There is some news that we must tell you." Erkoz's voice is serious for the first time since I've known him.

"No one has seen Joll, Ere, or Nillin since Joll was kicked out of the mating ceremony." Xoth picks up where Erkoz stops. "Kal escorted Joll out of the mating ceremony area, and Almaac escorted him back home. Ere and Nillin were allowed to finish the mating ceremony, but never showed up last night."

"I know nothing about where they have gone," I say, my brows furrowing as I try to figure out why Xoth and Erkoz are telling me this. "Do you think I have something to do with it? I am not an aggressive male. I swear this, you can ask anyone."

"No, no," Erkoz cuts in. I do not realize I am shaking as hard as I am until Tori is twining her fingers in mine. "We do not think it was you." Erkoz's eyes fall on my little mate, still trying to soothe me with her soft touches.

"Have you seen your wardens recently?" Xoth asks my mate, who goes stiff in my arms.

I have a single moment to figure out what I am to do. It is an easy decision. Beren would do anything for those he claims as his. Now, it is my chance to prove that I would do the same for him.

"I was with Beren and Lyath right before the mating ceremony," I say, sitting up a bit straighter and moving my hand back to Tori's thigh to squeeze it and tell her to let me handle this. I do not know if she will play along, but I hope she knows I am doing this to keep her blood—our blood—safe. "I left them in my home right before the mating ceremony. Tori asked me totake her home soon after the ceremony started. Almaac's mate can tell you this is true. When we got to our home, Tori's family was there to celebrate with us."

Erkoz's brows pull together, and he gives me a disgusted look like he can think of nothing worse than having family in his home when he only wants to be with his mate. I can think of many things worse, but I understand why he does not appreciate what I am saying. Xoth is the clever one between the two, so he is the one I am worried about seeing through my lies.

"You took Tori home to claim her as your mate, and instead of doing that, you celebrated with family?" Xoth asks, giving me a look that tells me he does not believe me.

"I claimed him out in the trees," Tori pipes up from my lap, leaning forward in a challenge. "I couldn't wait and wiggled free of his hold so I could suck him off right out in the open."

Xoth and Erkoz look a little ashamed of hearing about my mate doing mate things with me. I would not have been as vulgar as my sweet mate in my lie, but it appeases the males' curiosity and makes them feel too awkward to ask follow-up questions.

"Make sure your blood knows they were with you in case anyone comes asking questions," Erkoz says, giving us both a look that tells us he and Xoth will support us in our lies so long as we do not give them any reason not to.

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