Page 4

My mind raced with questions and fears. How was I supposed to live here, in this alien world? How could I possibly build a life with someone so different from me?

As the night wore on, Thornix moved about the space, his presence a constant reminder of my new reality. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to wake up from this nightmare.

But when morning came, filtering through the living walls of our tree-home, nothing had changed. I was still here, still bound to a wood nymph, still lost in a world I didn't understand.

Thornix was already awake when I emerged from my sleeping area, his hands moving in intricate patterns as he seemed to coax fruit from thin air.

"You must be hungry," he said, offering me a handful of berries that glowed with an inner light.

I eyed them suspiciously. "What are those?"

"Moonberries," he replied. "They're perfectly safe for humans. And quite nutritious."

Reluctantly, I took one and popped it into my mouth. The flavor exploded across my tongue, sweet and tangy and unlike anything I'd ever tasted before. Despite myself, I found I wanted more.

As we ate in awkward silence, I couldn't help but study Thornix. In the soft morning light, he seemed less intimidating, almost vulnerable. But then he caught me staring, and his expression hardened once more.

"We have much to do today," he said, rising gracefully to his feet. "I must show you the boundaries of our territory, teach you the ways of the forest."

"Your territory," I corrected him. "Your ways. I'm not staying here forever, you know."

Thornix's eyes flashed with that dangerous light again. "This is not a temporary arrangement, Acacia. The sooner you accept that, the easier things will be."

"Easier for who?" I shot back. "For you? So you can have a nice, compliant little human mate who does whatever you say?"

"That is not—" Thornix began, but I cut him off.

"I had plans, you know. Dreams. I was going to find a way for humans to live freely, without being under the thumb of monsters like you."

The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I'd gone too far. Thornix's entire demeanor changed, the air around him seeming to crackle with energy.

"Monsters?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You know nothing of monsters, little human. You speak of freedom, yet you cannot see the cage you've built around your own mind."

He moved closer, towering over me. I refused to back down, meeting his gaze defiantly.

"I am not your jailer," he continued. "I am your mate. Chosen to stand beside you, to protect you. But if you cannot see beyond your own prejudices, then perhaps this match was a mistake after all."

With that, he turned and strode out of the tree-home, leaving me alone once more. I wanted to feel triumphant, to revel in having pushed him away. But I just felt empty.

As the day wore on, I explored the immediate area around our tree-home, always keeping it in sight. The forest was beautiful, in a wild, untamed way that both thrilled and terrified me. I felt like I was being watched. Not just by Thornix, but by the very trees themselves.

When night fell, Thornix returned. We ate another meal in tense silence, the air between us thick with unspoken words and simmering resentment.

As I prepared for another restless night, Thornix spoke softly. "I know this is not the life you wanted. But it is the life we have been given. We can fight against it and make ourselves miserable, or we can try to find a way forward together."

I wanted to lash out again, to push him away. But I was tired. So tired of fighting, of being angry. "I don't know how to do that," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Thornix's expression softened slightly. "Neither do I," he said. "But perhaps we can learn."

As I lay in bed that night, his words echoed in my mind. I didn't want this life. I didn't want this mate. But here I was, bound to both by forces I couldn't understand or control.

Maybe Thornix was right. Maybe fighting against it would only make us both miserable. But the thought of giving in, of accepting this as my new reality, made my chest tighten with fear and grief for the life I'd lost.

Three

Thornix

The vines erupted from the ground at my command, wrapping around the dire wolf's legs before it could lunge at Acacia. I felt the creature's savage intent through my connection to the forest, its hunger a red haze that threatened to overwhelm my senses.