Free Web NovelChapter 32: Chapter 32: Kael, I said no, Do not make me fight both of you
Swanly slowly turned her head and looked up at him.
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Soren did not answer immediately.
That somehow made it worse.
His tail was around her waist. His cold hand was still over her wrist. His chest pressed against her back, hard and unmoving, and the scent of river water and snake scales flooded her nose until her ears twitched from it.
For one very stupid second, Swanly’s body noticed things it had no business noticing.
He was cold.
Not just emotionally cold. Literally cold.
His skin against her arm felt like smooth stone left under moonlight. His hold was firm, his fingers long around her wrist, his tail heavy around her body, and his breath moved near her ear so quietly that it made her skin prickle.
Then her brain woke up and screamed.
This lunatic had grabbed her because of a lighter.
Kael surged forward with a snarl so vicious that the cubs jumped.
"No!" Swanly shouted at once, twisting in Soren’s hold. "No fighting! You will die! Sit down!"
Kael did not sit down.
Of course he did not.
His ribs were still healing. His mouth still had dried blood at one corner. His body was stiff with pain, but none of that mattered to him when another male had his tail around his female’s waist.
His mind went red.
The snake was touching her.
Holding her.
Pulling her into his chest like he had the right.
Kael wanted to tear that white tail apart scale by scale, even if it killed him.
Swanly saw it on his face and almost lost her mind.
"Kael, I said no," she snapped. "Do not make me fight both of you."
The cubs looked from Swanly to Kael, then from Kael to Soren.
The eldest’s little chest puffed again because Papa was angry, and if Papa was angry, he should also be angry. He took one tiny brave step forward.
The second grabbed his tail with his teeth and pulled him back.
The smallest stared at Soren’s tail around Swanly’s waist, then at Kael’s claws, then at Swanly’s angry face. His small mouth trembled.
"Mama stuck?"
"I am not stuck," Swanly said, while absolutely being stuck. "I am being held hostage by a cold rope with a face."
Soren looked down at her.
His silver eyes were flat, but something in them moved.
"Fire kills."
Swanly blinked.
Then stared harder.
"What?"
"You went near fire."
"I was making fire."
"That is what I said."
"No, that is not what you said. You said it like I walked into a river full of teeth."
Soren’s grip tightened just slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her that he could move her wherever he wanted if he chose to.
Swanly hated that.
Soren hated something else.
He hated the sharp terror that had moved through his body when he smelled the fire-spark. He hated that his tail had moved before his mind. He hated that he had pulled her to him without thinking, not because of the seed, not because of the claim, not because of the law, but because some deep snake instinct had screamed that fire would burn what was his.
She was not his yet.
The thought made his jaw tighten.
Not yet.
"You need your life," he said coldly. "Do not put it near flame."
Swanly stared at him like he had lost the few parts of his mind the system had not bitten.
"I know what I am doing."
"You do not."
"I very much do."
"You are soft-skinned. Fire will eat you faster than bark."
"I am not bark."
"You are easier to damage than bark."
Swanly’s mouth opened.
Then closed.
What was she supposed to say to that?
The second cub suddenly peeked from behind Kael’s leg and whispered, "Mama knows fire." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
Swanly pointed at him immediately. "Thank you."
The second cub’s ears perked with shy pride.
The eldest, not to be outdone, nodded hard. "Mama makes fire good."
The smallest sniffed. "Fire scared. Mama not scared."
Swanly softened for half a breath.
Then Soren’s tail shifted around her waist, and she remembered she was still being held by the snake man who had crushed her mate in front of the entire tribe.
"Let me go," she said.
Soren looked at the cubs.
Then at Kael.
Kael’s claws were still out. His golden eyes were fixed on Soren’s tail like he was choosing where to bite first. He was in pain, and Soren could see that. The panther’s body held itself too tightly. His breath was too controlled. One hard strike would send him down again.
But he would still attack.
That was annoying.
It was also useful to know.
Soren released Swanly.
She stumbled forward, and Kael immediately caught her with one arm, pulling her behind him even though the movement made pain flash across his face.
Swanly slapped his chest lightly.
"Stop doing heroic things with broken bones."
"They are not broken."
"They made a sound."
Kael looked away.
That was not a denial.
Swanly narrowed her eyes. "I hate all males."
The smallest gasped. "Mama hate Papa?"
"No. Different hate."
The cubs looked confused.
Swanly did not have the strength to explain emotional categories to babies.
Soren moved toward the fire bundle.
"I will make it."
Swanly turned so fast her hair nearly hit her cheek. "You?"
"Yes."
"You just grabbed me away from it because you think fire is a demon, and now you want to make it?"
Soren’s expression did not change.
"I said I will make it."
Swanly stared at him.
Then she glanced at Kael.
Kael looked back at her, and for once, he did not even try to hide his opinion.
Let him burn.
Swanly almost laughed.
Almost.
Then she looked back at Soren and shrugged.
"Fine. Go ahead."
The cave became silent.
Soren’s eyes narrowed.
He had expected argument. Fear. More words. He did not expect her to agree.
Now he had to do it.
