AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Killikblinked at her, looking briefly bewildered — and then his expression cleared, and he laughed, bright and almost merry. “Ach, no,” he said. “Iscented his death upon you from the start.Wewell knew the measure of this man, and this only raised you in my eyes, ach?Mademe see you as a better woman for my wolf.”
Wait.Wait, wait, wait.Killikhad — known?He’dknown she’d killedLordScall, all that time?Andoh gods, hadUlfarrknown, too?
ButLouisa’sglance up towardUlfarrsaid that yes, yes, he had — andLouisahad kept it from them, that entire time.Anddamn it, they’d both even hinted at it, hadn’t they?They’dboth given her opportunities to tell them, to be honest with them.Youcan speak truth to us, ach?Andno matter what this is, we shall yet stand beside you, and keep you safe…
“I’msorry,”Louisacroaked, blinking back and forth between them. “I’mso sorryIdidn’t tell you.Iwas so — so afraid of it, for so long, andIjust wanted to — forget.Tokeep it buried forever, where it might be — safe.”
Butthere was no judgement in their watching eyes, only patience, or even sympathy.ThoughKillik’shead tilted, his brows raising, as if he was… waiting.Wantingto hear the rest.
“LivingwithLordScallwas like being trapped in a nightmare,”Louisamade herself say, her voice catching. “Ihad to watch everythingIsaid, everythingIwore, everythingIdid.AndifIangered him, or gods forbid, lost my temper in return” — she gulped for breath — “he would do whatever the hell he wanted with me.Shoutat me, throw things at me, pressure me into his bed, lock me in the cellar.Ieven went into debt to buy a townhouse inDusbury, all on my own, just to escape him — butIhated being trapped there too, with no forest or horses or fresh air, and nothing productive to do with my time.Butit was enough to get by, to keep up appearances, and there was nothingIcould do against him, and — and —”
Shewas breathing too hard, butKillikwas still above her, still inside her, his hair still shielding her face — and above him,Ulfarrwas still here, too.Shecould speak this.Shewas safe.
“AndthenIfound out aboutScall’sinfection,” she whispered. “ThereasonIkept having those miscarriages.Andhe didn’t just do it to me — he was infecting other women, too.Killingthem, just as carelessly as he killed the orcs he kept warring against.Andthen he started turning his attention towardJoan, andIjust —Ijust couldn’t bear it anymore.Ihad to do something.Hadto — try.”
Hervoice broke, but above her,Killiknodded, and pressed a soft, quiet kiss to her mouth. “Youdid well,Louisa,” he murmured. “Youdid all you could to care for your kin, and keep them safe.Thisis what any goodSkaiwould do, ach?Thiswas the hand ofSkai-kesh upon you,Iken.”
Thehand ofSkai-kesh.Itwas just whatUlfarrhad told her, too, back on their very first night together — and despite her prickling eyes, her too-tight throat,Louisafelt her breath exhaling, her body sinking heavier into the earth.Intorelief, into safety, into… peace.
LordScallwas dead, and she was alive.Shewas whole.
“Butthis was yet a heavy burden for you to bear, most of all alone,”Killikadded, his eyes shifting onLouisa’sface. “IkenIought to have sought deeper for your truth, and taken more care with you.Oughtnot to have pushed you so much, or fought you, asIdid.Mostof all” — he sighed — “uponthis.”
This.Hemeant his hips grinding against her, his hard body still buried inside her, andLouisaswallowed, shook her head. “Butyou were so patient, too,” she said thickly. “Youhelped me so much.Bothof you.”
Killik’shead tilted again, listening, andLouisadrew in a deep, shaky breath. “Yougave me all those lessons,” she whispered. “Youguided me, and encouraged me, and made this — safe.Youshowed me an entirely different side of it, and gave me joy, and safety, and peace.Andnow” — her voice cracked — “Itruly love doing this with you.Bothof you.”
Shedarted a glance up atUlfarr, who was softly smiling toward her, his hand stroking warm against her hair.WhileKillik’smouth quirked up, and relief — or even approval — glimmered in his watching eyes. “Ach,Idid scent this upon you,” he said lightly. “Youcould not hide your longing for strongSkaiprick, ach?”
Louisasmiled and rolled her eyes back toward him, but then felt the smile fading, twisting into a grimace. “Idid hide,” she whispered, “the son part, though.”
Killik’smouth pursed, his breath slowly exhaling. “Ach, you did,” he replied, quiet. “Butmayhap this was also the hand ofSkai-kesh, and a great gift toward us.ForIwould not have chosen you in my hunt, hadIknown.”
Hewouldn’t have chosen her.Aconvulsive shiver rippled upLouisa’sback, her eyes briefly closing — but wait, that was another kiss fromKillik, firm on her mouth. “Agreat gift,” he repeated. “Forwith another woman, with a new son,Iken —IkenIwould yet have left, ach?”
Right.BecauseKillikhadn’t wanted the woman to begin with, he hadn’t wanted another son — and above him,Ulfarrgave a low growl, a sharp nip at his ear.EnoughthatKillikwinced, and sighed, and twisted up to meetUlfarr’seyes.
“Icould not have leftSune, ever,” he said, harder. “AndmayhapIcould not have stayed away from you forever either,Wolf.ButIshould not have cared for this woman, or shared your bed with her, or wished to make her our —”
Hebroke off there, butUlfarr’seyes cleared, and he nuzzled atKillik’shair again, drawing in a deep, relieved breath. “Ourmate,”Ulfarrfinished firmly. “Youwish for this also, ach, pup?Forthe three of us?”
Louisa’sheart skipped, her eyes widening, as a shivery thrill flashed up her spine.Ulfarrstill wanted to make them mates?Allthree of them, together?
Butabove her,Killikhesitated, his eyes carefully searching hers. “Butmayhapyoudo not wish for this,Louisa,” he said. “Youdid not wish to be a wife, ach?Andwhilst matehood bears no legal standing amongst humans thus, it is yet much the same.”
Right.Louisainhaled as she considered that, turning it over in her thoughts.Butthere was no judgement inKillik’swatching eyes, no impatience, no command.AsifLouisatruly could… choose.Couldchoose to say yes, or no.Orperhaps…
“CouldIjust… think about it, for a while?” she finally asked. “Isthere any… rush?”
Killik’sgaze again angled up towardUlfarr, butUlfarrshook his head, and gave a soft smile toward her. “Weshall be glad to wait as long as you need,Louisa,” he murmured. “Andwe shall be here whenever you are ready — or even if you are never ready at all.Youhave granted us so much, and we should be most honoured to grant you whatever best pleases you.”
Louisasagged heavy against the earth, sinking into the truth of it, the relief of it.InbothKillikandUlfarrgiving her the choice in this, recognizing her autonomy, respecting her needs.Makingit clear that this truly wasn’t about the land, or the camp, or their kin.Theycared about her.Hers.
“Thankyou, sweetheart,” she whispered, with a slow smile back atUlfarr’swatching face. “Andyou know, if you’d really like to please me, maybe you could…”
Sheshot a meaningful glance towardKillik, but oh,Ulfarrwas already nodding, the comprehension glinting warm in his eyes. “Ach,” he murmured, as he pressed another kiss againstKillik’shair. “Ishall yet take a mate tonight.”
Therewas a jolt of stillness, and thenKillik’seyes snapped wide, his head whipping around to stare up atUlfarr’sface.ButUlfarronly smiled back at him, fond and wicked, as his hand gently loosened the chain still aroundKillik’sneck. “Ihave waited long enough,” he said. “Andtonight,Killik,Ishall finally make youmine.”
