Page 29 of Stolen By The Beast
I stole a glance at Juniper, who was busy staring at the world around her. Her expressions were amusing to watch, especially those that she described as ‘disgust.’
As I continued to stare, her lips quirked upward in the smile I always wanted to see. “Karvik, just ask me what you’re thinking.”
“How do human couples bond and solidify their connections?”
The question was out before I even realized I had spoken aloud. I shook my head, unconvinced Juniper didn’t possess some magic abilities and had used it on me.
Juniper blinked at me, her green gaze wide. “Oh, er… bonding can mean different things to different people. Some people get married. That’s a form of bondage—pun intended—others date one another.”
I was sure she’d answered my question, but Juniper’s words didn’t make a lot of sense. “Do human males give their Chosen something to symbolize this bond?”
“Oh, yeah. Rings are standard, but men gift women with all kinds of jewelry and other preciouses.”
This delighted me. My ivory saroque that I planned to carve just for Juniper would surely be a prized gift in her eyes since her society valued this among bonded couples.
This momentarily gave way to the rolling sickness I’d felt earlier—nervousness.
What if she rejects my saroque?
A memory of the tiny female touching my mating part flitted through my mind, followed by the memory of how she tasted.
Saliva pooled in my mouth at the thought. The fleshy folds between Juniper’s legs were a delight to explore, the flavor of her unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
And I was hungry for more, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—just take from her without giving something in return.
Juniper deserved better, and I would prove my worth to her. She wanted to be with me. I just needed to give myself permission to accept the two of us together.
And now I would give her the perfect gift and finally have something I thought I'd lost the chance for…
A mate.
Chapter Nine
Juniper
Afterhoursofhiking,we stepped from the thick forest into a small clearing. We’d climbed high enough that we were able to look down on a gurgling waterfall and the river it was feeding.
Around us, the trees had taken on the various shades of gold and crimson that signaled fall was in full swing, and winter was just around the corner.
“It’s perfect,” I whispered, staring in wide-eyed wonder at the colorful landscape sprawled out in front of me.
A brisk gust of air lifted the tattered remains of my dress and blew my long hair wildly around my face. Goosebumps raced along my exposed skin.
We needed to build a shelter quickly if I was going to survive the coming cold. My only other option would be to have Karvik cuddle me 24/7… which honestly sounded like a fabulous idea.
Karvik must’ve noticed my reaction to the breeze. Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around me, using his fur to block out most of the chill. “Why is it perfect?”
Tilting my head back, I peered up at him. “It’s like a slice of heaven on earth! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!”
Karvik’s glowing eyes studied the view in front of us, then he shrugged. “This is a piece of land. There is water, dirt, and plants. It will provide for your needs. I fail to understand how its attractiveness matters, but I am happy it pleases you.”
He wanted me to be happy. That tidbit of knowledge made my heart squishier than a roasted marshmallow.
Karvik might not understand love, but his actions showed how he felt and that was more than enough for me.
I twisted around in his arms, and reaching up, I placed my hands on the smooth, angled bones that made up his face. Going up on my tip-toes, I pulled his face down to my level and gave him a kiss on the bridge of his nose.
“What was that?” Karvik was confused, but made no move to free his skull from between my hands.
