“Thank you,” she said, blushing at his compliment.
“No, thank you. In only a few short days you have made this place feel more like a home than it ever did before,” he said sincerely.
“I'm glad to have been able to make you more comfortable here,” she said, feeling her blush spread.
“You're a remarkable female,” he said, looking at her with appreciation.
“Thank you very much,” she said, unable to keep from grinning at him and his sweet words.
They spent a quiet evening together, lying in each other’s arms and talking about their lives and their dreams. They made sweet love before sleep finally took him. She lay awake for what felt like ages, watching her brave, strong warrior sleep beside her. She drifted off to sleep even more in love with him that she had been when the day began.
***
When she awoke alone in the morning, she felt it like a physical blow. After the sweetness of waking up beside him the morning before, anything less felt empty. It was then that she heard someone outside the tent. She dressed quickly and rushed outside, sure that the stranger had returned but found a way to mask his scent from her. Instead, she found Luke leaning over the cooking fire.
“What are you up to?” she blurted out.
“I'm making you breakfast,” he said cheerfully.
“Why?” she asked skeptically.
“Well, you've been working very hard around here and cooking all the meals on top of that. It seemed like the least I could do,” he said with a relaxed smile on his face.
“I can take over, if you like,” she offered, feeling strange standing there, watching him do her job.
“Don't be silly. I can cook breakfast. I did have to feed myself before you came along,” he laughed as he stirred the eggs in the pan.
“Thank you for this,” she said with a warm smile. It was wonderful to be appreciated.
“It's my pleasure to do something for you,” he grinned, clearly happy to have pleased her.
“I really appreciate that,” she said, feeling a bit awkward suddenly.
“I thought maybe we could spend the day together,” he said, looking up at her as though he thought she might tell him she did not want to.
“Really?” she cried with excitement and disbelief.
“Yes, the new warriors’ training is coming along nicely. I think the others can handle it for the day. You won't mind spending the whole day with me, will you?” he asked, clearly wanting a definite answer from her.
“I would love it.” She threw her arms around his neck as proof of just how excited she was.
“Good, then it's settled,” he said, looking a little stunned by just how happy she was.
“Yes, I suppose it is,” she laughed.
“What do you want to do today?” he asked, realizing he'd made no more of a plan than just spending the day with her.
“I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it,” she said. Her plans for the day had all been centered on work at the tent.
“If you have no objections, I thought we might hike,” he suggested, as though he had planned it all along.
“Hike?” she asked a little surprised at the human nature of his suggestion.
“Yes,” he said with a smile.
“In our human forms?” she asked for clarification.
“Yes,” he said, chuckling at her question.
“I used to do that quite often. I think it sounds marvelous,” she said, remembering taking her sister on the trails when they were young girls to get away from the crying of the baby twins when they were newborns.
“Excellent,” he said, clearly pleased.
“Thank you!” she squealed, going up on her tip toes to kiss him.
“I'm glad to be able to spend the time with you. I'm sorry I have been gone so often since our mating,” he explained.
“I know you have other responsibilities,” she said. She understood that he had a life outside of their home together. She was just glad she had a mate who was considerate enough to care what she thought.
“You're an understanding woman,” he said, pulling her close again.
“Yes, it's easy to be so understanding with a mate as solid as you are,” she said sweetly.
“Thank you,” he said, kissing her gently before they sat down to the breakfast that he had made.
They spent the day together, exploring the woods they had both grown up in and seeing them through brand new eyes, the eyes of their love.
*
After their day of hiking, their relationship fell into an easy rhythm. She continued to work at making their tent a true home while he worked hunting and training the next generation of warriors. They spent their evenings making sweet love to each other and drifting to sleep in each other’s arms. Every morning, she woke up in Luke’s arms and it was the happiest that she had ever been. Every day, her love for him grew deeper and deeper. She was beginning to suspect he had developed some sort of feelings for her. She was sure it was not yet love, but she was confident that the seeds of such feelings could grow.
On one particularly sunny morning, he'd pledged to take another day away from his work to stay with her and her heart had skipped a beat in her chest when he had said it.
“It's a lovely day,” he said, unable to take his eyes off her as they sat across the table from each other.
“Yes, my dear. As usual, you are correct,” she said as he sat there with a silly grin on his face she'd never seen before. He looked so relaxed and it warmed her heart.
“What do you want to do today?” he asked gently, though the gleam in his eyes told her that he already had a plan.
“Oh, I don't know," she said noncommittedly.
"I would actually just like to lay here with you today and every other day. It's actually becoming a problem,” he said with a laugh, leaning back as he took a sip from his coffee. She could not imagine waking up to a better sight.
“Oh, it is? Perhaps I should try to be less appealing to you. I could stop bathing as often,” she said with a giggle. Many of the other werebear females did not bother too much with human hygiene but she had always loved the feeling of clean, freshly scented skin and it had not taken her long to realize just how much her mate appreciated her efforts.
“I don't think even that would stop me from wanting to spend every minute in your arms,” he said, rising from his chair to lean down and give her a lingering kiss.
“You say the sweetest things,” she said when he had finished, trying to catch her breath.
Suddenly he froze, putting his nose in to the air. “Do you smell that?” he asked, pulling her up from her chair and placing himself between her and the direction from which the scent was coming. It was moments like this, when he acted so quickly to protect her that she wondered if his feelings might be growing just as quickly as hers.
“Yes, who is that? It is familiar,” she said, going up on her tip toes to look over his shoulder to see if she could make out who was approaching them. Luke growled and pushed her further behind him, which was, though frustrating, rather sweet.
“It's my father's aide,” he said, turning quickly to her as he spoke. Though she would've thought the knowledge of whom was approaching would relax him, but it did not.
Jarthen had been his father’s most trusted aid for decades, but something about his pending arrival had Luke even more on edge. He gripped her arm to keep her close to him and she wondered what thoughts were running through his head. He clearly sensed a danger that she did not. Perhaps her love for him was clouding her wild bear instincts.
“What do you think he wants,” she asked, clinging on him as closely as she could. His physical proximity brought her comfort, no matter that the situation.
“I don't know, but I don't like it,” he grimaced. Still, he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek to reassure her.
“Me either,” she said, a shiver going down her spine.
“It'll be OK,” he said as they saw Jarthen enter the clearing.
The look on his face was not comforting. He seemed just as uneasy as they were, which told her that he might not be the threat, but he was bringing them news of something that could ruin their happy life together.
“Luke,” he said, bowing slightly. He stayed a respectful distance from them, but she felt as though he might as well have taken a hammer to their peaceful little world.
“Jarthen, what are you doing here?” Luke asked without taking his hand off Kalia.
“Your father and the elders sent me,” he said, shaking his head and clearly showing his displeasure at the news that had brought him to them that sunny morning.
“Whatever for?” she asked, earning her a surprised look from Jarthen and an amused smile from Luke. In their culture, women did not take part in such conversations when their mate was present, but Luke didn't seem to mind. She'd come to realize that he appreciated her spunk and individuality.
“You are both to report to the elders' lodge right now,” he answered with a grim look on his face.
“Immediately?” Luke asked, looking as though he might transform to his bear form from the sheer anger he was experiencing.
He was shaking and she gently put her hand on top of his to calm him. Transforming in that moment would only have delayed their trip to the elder’s lodge and she knew he was just as anxious as she was to know why they had been summoned.
“Yes, I did say right now,” Jarthen snapped, clearly not used to anyone questioning the messages he carried from the chief.
“What's the meaning of this?” Luke asked, working hard to keep his temper in check.
“My only instructions were to go and fetch you both,” he said, looking a bit sympathetic.
The sympathy in his eyes made her more anxious than the spark of anger and annoyance she had seen before. For a man who had seen so much to look upon them with pity, she knew something awful was coming their way.
“But why?” Luke pushed, unwilling to enter the situation without some indication of what they were to be facing.
“I cannot tell you. You'll know soon enough,” he answered, giving Luke a stern gaze that might have made a lesser man cower, but it did not phase Luke in the slightest.
“Alright. Go on ahead and we'll be there as soon as we can,” Luke said. Though he knew they had no choice but to do as they'd been told, he would do it on his own terms. He didn't intend to be escorted by a babysitter sent by his father.
“Alright, but don't dally. You're expected soon,” Jarthen said, raising his finger in warning.
She could tell from the expression on Luke’s face he very much wanted to tear the finger from his hand. Instead, he squeezed her hand tighter and inhaled deeply. Maiming his father’s emissary would do no good in the long run.
“We'll not be long but we need to be prepared to face the elders. We need to be at our best.”
“I understand,” he said, before turning on his heels and walking away. He knew Luke well enough to know pushing him further would do no good.
“Thank you,” Kalia called after him as he vanished. “What's happening?” she asked, turning to look at Luke’s face and waiting for his answer.
“I don't know,” he said, shaking his head. He pulled her close to him and she inhaled his scent, savoring this last moment they had before whatever trial they were about to enter presented itself.
“This can't be good,” she sighed, wishing they could just run the opposite direction. She didn't care about the tribe or customs, all she cared about was Luke and their life together.
“It'll be fine. I'll make sure you're OK,” he promised, holding her even tighter.
“I trust you,” she said honestly.
No matter what was to come, she knew that he would make sure that she was safe. She only wished that she were brave enough to tell him how much she loved him before that happened. Still, it was one thing to suspect your mate didn't love you back, but having him respond badly to her confession would be another thing entirely.
“Come on, if we don't get there soon, they'll come for us,” he said, looking as reluctant as she was to leave their sanctuary.
They made their way quickly towards the elder’s lodge. Kalia had only been there after her father had passed away. It was there that the elders had performed the afterlife ritual and ensured his spirit traveled to the afterlife. She was fairly sure Luke had spent more time there, being the son of the chief. He didn't hesitate as he made his way there, telling her she'd been correct in her assumption. Still, her mind had time to consider a multitude of reasons why they could've been summoned and none of them brought her any peace of mind.
As they entered the antechamber, Kalia’s senses began to tingle. She knew then something was wrong, and it had something to do with not just Luke, but her as well. She knew it the second she smelled her mother’s scent radiating from behind the doors to the elders’ meeting room. She'd thought the tribe itself was facing a danger that required the chief to call his son in to service. She'd thought Luke was going to be pulled away from her to lead warriors in battle. Now, she knew they were the target of whatever threat presented itself.
“Something's really wrong,” she whispered to him as they waited to be announced to the chief.