Page 1 of Hitched to the Wendigo (Monster Matchmaking #1)

CHAPTER ONE

Eryx

I crouched low on the jagged peak, my eyes narrowed against the biting wind that whipped across the Andes. The scent of pine and snow filled my nostrils, but beneath it, I caught something else. Something human.

My muscles tensed as I scanned the valley below. The terramare settlement was a patchwork of stone and thatch, nestled between two mountain ridges like a secret waiting to be discovered. Smoke curled from cooking fires, and the distant laughter of children carried on the breeze.

I growled low in my throat, a sound of frustration more than aggression. These humans thought themselves safe in their little haven, but they did not understand the dangers that lurked just beyond their borders. Dangers like me.

But I wasn't here to terrorize them. Not today. I had a different purpose, one that had driven me from my territory and into these unfamiliar peaks.

A rival tribe had been encroaching on my land, leaving their stench on trees and rocks, a clear challenge to my authority. I'd tracked them here, determined to end this territorial dispute before it escalated into an all-out war.

As I prepared to move down the mountainside, a fresh scent caught my attention. It was subtle at first, barely there beneath the cacophony of smells from the settlement. But as I focused, it grew stronger, more distinct. My nostrils flared, and I felt a primal stirring deep in my chest.

This scent was unfamiliar. Unique. It called to something within me I couldn't quite name.

Intrigued, I changed course, moving silently along the ridge to get a better vantage point. As I drew closer to the source, I realized it was coming from the outskirts of the terramare settlement. My eyes, far keener than any human's, zeroed in on a tiny figure working on what appeared to be an herb garden.

It was a woman, her auburn hair catching the late afternoon sun as she bent over her plants. Even from this distance, I could see the skill and care in her movements as she harvested leaves and berries, placing them gently in a woven basket at her feet.

I watched her, transfixed. Her scent grew stronger with each passing moment, as an unfamiliar tug pulled in my chest. An invisible thread connected us, pulling me towards her with an inexorable force.

A gust of wind carried her scent directly to me, and I inhaled deeply, savoring it. That's when realization hit me like a physical blow. This wasn't just any human scent. This was the scent. The one I had been unconsciously searching for my entire life.

She was my genetic match.

The shock of this discovery momentarily distracted me from my surroundings. It was a rookie mistake, one I hadn't made in over a century. But in that instant of vulnerability, I heard the telltale snap of a twig behind me.

I whirled around, teeth bared, and face to face with Kragen, the leader of the rival wendigo tribe. His massive form loomed before me, eyes glowing with malice and territorial fury.

"Eryx," he snarled, his voice a guttural rumble that shook the very ground. "You're a long way from home."

I straightened to my full height, matching his imposing stance. "I could say the same to you, Kragen. You've been leaving your stink all over my territory."

He grinned, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. "Perhaps it's time for new leadership in these parts. The old ways are dying, Eryx. The human settlements are expanding. We need to push back, remind them of their place."

Anger rose in me, a red haze creeping into the edges of my vision. "The old ways keep us alive, you fool. We coexist or we die. There aren't enough of us left for all-out war."

Kragen's eyes narrowed. "Coward," he spat. "You've gone soft, living so close to these cattle." His gaze shifted to the settlement below, and I saw the hunger in his eyes. The madness.

Without warning, he lunged at me, claws extended. I sidestepped, barely avoiding the slash aimed at my throat. His momentum carried him past me, and I used the opportunity to drive my elbow into his back, sending him stumbling.

But Kragen was fast for his size. He recovered quickly, spinning around with a roar that echoed across the mountainside. I winced, knowing the sound would carry to the settlement below. We needed to end this quickly.

We circled each other, looking for weaknesses, for an opening. My wendigo nature coursed to the surface, the primal urge to rip and tear threatening to overwhelm me. But I pushed it down, forcing myself to think strategically.

Kragen charged again, but this time I was ready. I dropped low, using his own weight against him as I flipped him over my shoulder. He crashed into a boulder with a sickening crunch, and I heard the snap of bone.

But wendigos are notoriously hard to kill. Even with what must have been a broken arm, Kragen struggled to his feet, his eyes now glowing with an unnatural, feral light. He was losing himself to the bloodlust, becoming more beast than thinking creature.

I knew this would end in only one way. With one of us dead.

I steeled myself for what I had to do. As Kragen charged once more, I stood my ground. At the last possible second, I pivoted, grabbing his good arm and using his momentum to slam him into the ground. Before he could recover, I was on him, my hands around his throat.

He thrashed and clawed at me, drawing blood, but I held firm. I looked into his eyes as the life slowly drained from them, watching as the madness faded, replaced by a last moment of clarity. Then, with a last, rattling breath, Kragen went still.

I stood slowly, my body aching from the fight. The wind had picked up, carrying with it the scent of blood and death. But beneath it, I could still detect that other scent. Her scent.

I turned back towards the settlement, my eyes searching for the woman in the herb garden. But she was gone, likely retreated inside at the sound of our battle.

As I stood there, torn between pursuing her and dealing with the aftermath of the fight, I felt a vibration against my skin. I reached into a hidden pocket and pulled out a small, glowing orb, a communication device given to all tribal leaders by the Magnus Terra overseers.

The orb pulsed with an urgent message. With a sense of foreboding, I activated it, watching as glowing symbols appeared in the air before me. As I read the message, I felt my world shift on its axis.

DNA match confirmed. Genetic compatibility: 99.8%. Location: Terramare settlement, Southern Andes region. Proceed with claiming ritual as per Interspecies Breeding Protocol.

I stared at the message, my mind reeling. The woman in the herb garden. My instincts had been right. She wasn't just any human. She was mine .

The implications of this were staggering. A genetic match of this level was incredibly rare, especially between a wendigo and a human. It meant our offspring would be strong, potentially bridging the gap between our species in ways previously thought impossible.

But it also meant I would have to claim her. Soon. The Interspecies Breeding Protocol was clear on this point. Once they confirmed a match, the monster had a limited time to complete the claiming ritual before other interested parties could intervene.

I looked back towards the terramare settlement, my enhanced vision easily picking out the small herb garden where I'd first seen her. A possessive growl rumbled in my chest at the thought of anyone else trying to claim her.

But as my initial surge of possessiveness faded, doubt crept in. How would she react to being claimed by a monster? The woman I'd seen had seemed so gentle, so at peace among her plants. The thought of forcing her into a union she didn't want left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I shook my head, trying to clear these conflicting thoughts. I needed to focus. First, I had to deal with Kragen's body. Then I would need to return to my territory to prepare for the claiming ritual. It would have to be done properly, with all the ancient rites observed.

As I set about my grim task, my mind kept drifting back to the woman. Even though I hadn't seen her face clearly, her scent and essence already marked my soul. I wondered about her. What was her name? What made her smile? Would she ever look at me with anything other than fear?

The sun set by the time I finished burying Kragen's remains. I stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the terramare settlement one last time. Lights were flickering to life in the windows, and I could hear the distant sounds of evening activity.

Somewhere down there, she was going about her life, unaware of how it was about to change. Unaware of me, the monster who would be her mate.

With a heavy heart and a mind full of questions, I turned away from the settlement and began the long journey back to my territory. I had much to prepare, and little time to do it.

As I traveled through the night, my thoughts were a chaotic swirl of anticipation and anxiety. The wendigo within me rejoiced at finding my genetic match. It urged me to rush back, to claim her immediately, to mark her as mine for all to see.

But the part that had learned patience and strategy over my two centuries of life counseled caution. This wasn't just about satisfying biological imperatives. If I wanted any chance at a real partnership, at proving that monster-human unions could work, I needed to approach this carefully.

How does one court a human woman when you're a seven-foot-tall monster with glowing red eyes and sharp claws? The absurdity of it almost made me laugh out loud as I loped through the moonlit forest.

By the time I reached the borders of my territory, the first light of dawn was breaking over the eastern peaks. I paused at a swift-running stream to wash away the dirt and blood from the previous day's fight. As I splashed the cold water on my face, I caught my reflection in the rippling surface.

Red eyes stared back at me, set in a face that I knew inspired fear in humans. Sharp cheekbones, a firm jaw, ash-gray skin that seemed to absorb the surrounding shadows.

The claiming ritual would need to be performed soon, but there were preparations to be made first. Gifts to be gathered, my living space to be made suitable for a human occupant.

I reached the entrance to my den, a cave set high in a cliff face, accessible only by a treacherous path or by flight. An unfamiliar scent caught my attention. Another wendigo had been here recently.

I tensed, ready for another fight, but then I recognized the scent. Lyra, my second-in-command. She must have come looking for me when I didn't return yesterday.

Sure enough, as I entered the cave, I found her pacing anxiously. She whirled to face me as I ducked through the entrance.

"Eryx! Thank the ancestors, you're back. When you didn't return, I feared the worst." Her eyes narrowed as she took in my appearance. "You look like you've been through hell. What happened?"

I sighed, moving past her to sink onto my bed of furs. "Kragen's dead," I said simply.

Lyra's eyes widened. "You killed him? Alone?"

I nodded, then filled her in on the events of the previous day. Well, most of them. I left out the part about my genetic match for now. That was personal.

Lyra listened intently, her expression growing grave. "This changes things," she said when I'd finished. "Kragen's tribe will be out for blood when they learn of his death."

"Let them come," I growled. "We'll be ready."

She nodded, but I could see the worry in her eyes. Lyra had always been the more cautious of us, preferring diplomacy to violence. It was why we worked well together.

"There's something else," I said, deciding it was time to share the full story. "I received a message from the Magnus Terra overseers yesterday."

Lyra's eyebrows shot up. The overseers rarely communicated directly with us unless it was a matter of utmost importance.

"They found my genetic match," I said, the words feeling strange on my tongue.

For a moment, Lyra just stared at me, shock on her face. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her features. "Eryx, that's wonderful news! A true match is so rare. Wait." Her smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. "You said you were near the terramare settlement when you got the message. Is she...?"

I nodded, confirming her unspoken question. "She's human. Living in the settlement."