Aodh cocked his head to the side, his brows pinching in the middle.
“One is among us.”
His brother glanced at Kai then back at him.“My mate?Are you asking for me to dismiss Aguya from the discussion?”
He spotted the low-tangerine hue along his brother’s markings.
“Fuck, no.”He waved a hand at his brother’s question.“I’m referring to the female somewhere in the territory between textile and my place.”
If Chumana had brought Avalore to the hall to eat, he figured she’d take her for more clothing next for no other reason than not to keep bringing Avalore something out of her closet daily.
Liekki winced as the silence around the table grew.
“Explain, Liekki.Who is this human?”
“My mate.”Fuck he’d said it.Shoving a hand through his long hair, more than a bit uncomfortable with his confession, but it was past time for it to be said.“The short of it is that when I returned from patrol a few days back, my beast discovered her running through our territory.She got injured and I helped.”
“Hurt?Goodness.Oh my.Is she alright?”Kai pressed a hand to her chest and leaned closer to the table as much as her round belly would allow.
“Yes.No.Fully recovered for the most part.”
“Why the fuck are you just now informing me?”Aodh’s voice was too calm, but the color in his scales had darkened to a deeper tangerine, and there were now flames in his irises that matched.
Liekki knew he was now addressing the Mckenna, not his brother.
Chagrined, Liekki stood.He was wrong but wouldn’t answer to his disobedience while sitting down like a youngling.
“I take full responsibility for neglecting to tell you, Mckenna.”Liekki shoved his fist in his front pocket.“However, this has been an unprecedented couple of days in the Thunder with the death, ceremony, wedding.”
Aodh growled.
Quick, Liekki held up a hand.“Those are not fucking excuses, I know.”He attacked his hair again with his free hand.“I’ve been struggling.”
That was all Liekki was prepared to admit.
Aodh’s coloring blended down to canary for an instant then faded completely.
Not only as Mckenna and second did they know each other, but their connection as brothers ran deeper.Liekki knew without saying more that Aodh would understand.
“It was bound to happen with the exchange with the human government, since you’ve done your utmost to fuck every of age Drahkelle in the territory and haven’t discovered a mate or claimed anyone.”
Liekki shrugged.“There are more than a few still lingering.”
He didn’t admit it had been a bit since the last time he’d done more than flirt with a Drahkelle.He’d spent more nights on patrol than finding himself between thighs and on the verge of disappointment once the buzz of his climax wore away.
Aodh scoffed.“Is she marked?”
“Yes.”Liekki glanced over at Kai.His brother’s mate was an anomaly.The familial connection to Drahks made their situation fated.
“I want to meet her.”Kai pulled at the belt of her robe, tightening it.
“I figured as much.”
“What’s her name?”
“Avalore.”Liekki swallowed.The tightness in his body at the mention of her name both calmed and disturbed him.
Aodh stepped closer to him.“You know you’ll have to present her before the council.They’ll be pissed we didn’t call in her appearance immediately.Especially after the situation with Morlie.”
