Page 5 of Hitched to the Wendigo (Monster Matchmaking #1)

CHAPTER FIVE

Eryx

I trudged through the howling blizzard, my senses straining to pick up any trace of Sakira. The wind whipped snow and ice against my face, but I barely felt it. My entire being was focused on finding her.

How could I have let this happen? One moment she was there, gathering herbs at the edge of our territory, and the next she was gone. I should have been watching more closely, should have known the storm was coming. The guilt gnawed at me, spurring me to move faster.

A faint scent caught my attention, nearly lost in the chaos of the storm. Sakira. My heart raced as I changed course, following the fragile trail. She couldn't have gone far in this weather, not with her human vulnerabilities. The thought of her out here, alone and freezing, made my chest tighten with fear.

As I neared the edge of the glacier, the scent grew stronger. Then I saw her, a small, huddled form half-buried in the snow.

"Sakira!" I roared, my voice barely audible over the howling wind. I rushed to her side, brushing away the snow that had begun to cover her.

Her skin was pale, her lips tinged blue. She was shivering violently, her eyes unfocused. Hypothermia had already set in.

I scooped her into my arms, cradling her against my chest. "Stay with me," I growled, though I wasn't sure she could hear me. "I've got you now. You're safe."

I needed to get her warm, and fast. The open mountainside offered no shelter from the relentless storm. But I knew these mountains like the back of my hand. There was an ancient cave system nearby, one that had been used by my ancestors for generations.

Holding Sakira close, I made my way towards the hidden entrance. The cave would provide shelter from the wind and snow, and I could build a fire to warm her.

As we entered the cave, the sudden silence was almost deafening after the roar of the storm. I moved deeper into the cavern, my eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness. The walls were covered in ancient rock art, depicting scenes of hunts and rituals from long ago.

I found a relatively flat area and gently laid Sakira down. She was still shivering, but her eyes seemed a bit more focused. "E-Eryx?" she mumbled, her teeth chattering.

"I'm here," I said, brushing a strand of wet hair from her face. "You're going to be okay. But we need to get you warm."

I gathered some dry brush and kindling from deeper in the cave and quickly started a fire. The flames cast flickering shadows on the cave walls, bringing the ancient paintings to life.

Turning back to Sakira, I knew what needed to be done. Her clothes were soaked through, leeching away what little body heat she had left. We needed skin-to-skin contact to warm her up quickly.

"Sakira," I said gently, meeting her eyes. "I need to remove your wet clothes. It's the fastest way to warm you up. Do you understand?"

She nodded weakly, trust shining in her eyes despite her condition. That trust meant everything to me.

I carefully removed her sodden garments, then stripped off my own. Pulling her close, I wrapped us both in the fur cloak I always carried. Her skin felt like ice against mine, but I could already feel my warmth beginning to seep into her.

As we lay there, huddled together by the fire, something shifted between us. The cave came alive around us, the ancient paintings pulsing with an energy I'd never felt before. It was as if the spirits of my ancestors were watching over us, blessing this moment.

Sakira's shivering gradually subsided, and color returned to her cheeks. Her breathing deepened, becoming more regular. Relief washed over me. She was going to be okay.

As she warmed, Sakira became more aware of our situation. I felt her tense slightly in my arms, no doubt realizing our state of undress. But instead of pulling away, she relaxed into me, her hand coming to rest on my chest.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice hoarse but steady. "For finding me. For saving me."

I looked down at her, struck once again by her beauty, her strength. This human woman who had turned my world upside down, who had shown me there was more to life than duty and tradition.

"Always," I rumbled, my voice thick with emotion. "I will always find you, Sakira. "

She tilted her head up, her eyes meeting mine. In that moment, something shifted between us. The air crackled with tension, with possibility.

Slowly, giving her every chance to pull away, I lowered my head and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was gentle at first, a question, an offering. But when Sakira responded, threading her fingers through my hair and pulling me closer, it quickly became something more.

Years of longing, of wondering if I'd ever find a true mate, poured into that kiss. Sakira matched my passion, her earlier chill forgotten as heat bloomed between us. My hands roamed her body, memorizing every curve, every dip. She was so soft, so delicate compared to me, yet I felt the strength in her, the fire.

Slowly her chin lifted and her eyes watered as she smiled. Closing the gap, I leaned in letting my lips touch hers. The kiss instantly warmed my loins as her nipples hardened.

We came together slowly, reverently. My huge form gathered her into my arms as I prepared to claim her as my forever mate. The heat of her body seeped into my skin, igniting a fire deep within me. I inhaled deeply, her scent filling my nostrils with a heady mix of arousal. This wasn't just physical desire, it was a joining of souls, a fulfillment of the bond that had been growing between us since the moment we met.

As we moved together, the cave pulsed around us, the ancient paintings glowing with an otherworldly light. Each thrust sent waves of pleasure coursing through my body, and Sakira's heartbeat raced in sync with my own. Her soft gasps and moans echoed off the cave walls, mingling with my deep growls of satisfaction.

In the aftermath, as we lay tangled together, catching our breath, a pattern appeared on Sakira's shoulder, one I'd never seen before. It looked like a birthmark, but the design was intricate, almost like a tribal tattoo. I traced my finger over the lines, watching it shimmer in the dim light. A shiver ran down my spine, and a sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach. What could this mark mean? Was it a sign of our destiny, or a warning of challenges to come?

I held Sakira close, our bodies still joined as I nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent, letting it soothe my troubled thoughts.

"Sakira," I said, my voice filled with wonder. "Look."

I turned slightly, showing her my own shoulder. There, in the same spot as hers, was an identical mark. A tribal symbol I'd seen in the oldest wendigo texts, one that was said to appear only on true soulmates.

Sakira's eyes widened as she looked from my mark to hers. "What does it mean?" she asked, her fingers tracing the pattern on my skin.

"It means," I said, my heart swelling with joy and disbelief, "that we were always meant to find each other. That this, us, is more than just an arranged match. It's destiny."

Sakira's eyes filled with tears, but she was smiling. "I think I knew," she whispered. "Deep down, from the moment I saw you. I was just too scared to believe it."

I pulled her close, overwhelmed by the depth of my feelings for this remarkable woman. "No more fear," I promised. "We face everything together from now on."

As we lay there, surrounded by the ancient cave paintings and the echoes of the past, I felt a sense of rightness settle over me. This was where I was meant to be, with Sakira in my arms.

The storm outside began to quieten, but we were in no hurry to leave our sanctuary. We had all the time in the world now, and I intended to savor every moment with my true mate, my soulmate, my Sakira.

As the fire crackled and popped, casting dancing shadows on the cave walls, I found myself studying the ancient paintings more closely. They told stories of my people, of great hunts and battles, of rituals and celebrations. But there was one section that caught my eye, one I'd never paid much attention to before.

It depicted two figures, one clearly a wendigo and the other unmistakably human, standing together with their hands clasped. Between them was a symbol, the same one that now marked both Sakira's shoulder and mine.

"Sakira," I said softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. "Come look at this."

She stirred in my arms, her eyes following my gaze to the cave wall. I watched as understanding dawned on her face.

"It's us," she breathed, her fingers reaching out to trace the painted figures. "Or people like us. A wendigo and a human, together."

I nodded, my mind racing with the implications. "This painting is ancient, older than any written history we have. It means that unions like ours, they're not new. They've happened before."

Sakira turned to me, her eyes shining with a mix of wonder and determination. "Then why all the resistance? Why the fear and hatred between our people?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Time has a way of twisting things, of turning allies into enemies. But this," I gestured to the painting, "this proves that it doesn't have to be that way. There's hope for a different future."

She nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "A future we can build together. "

Her words filled me with a warmth that had nothing to do with the fire or our shared body heat. I pulled her close, marveling at how perfectly she fit against me.

"You know," I said, a hint of mischief creeping into my voice, "there's an old wendigo tradition. When a mated pair discovers their soul marks, they're supposed to stay isolated for several days, to strengthen their bond."

Sakira raised an eyebrow, a matching glint of humor in her eyes. "Oh really? And how exactly does one strengthen this bond?"

I growled playfully, nipping gently at her neck. "Oh, I have a few ideas."

She laughed, the sound echoing off the cave walls and filling my heart with joy. I captured her lips in another kiss as we tumbled back onto the fur and joined again as mates.

As the storm continued to rage outside, we lost ourselves in each other, exploring and learning and loving. The cave became our own private world, a cocoon where nothing existed but us and the deepening bond between us.

Later, as Sakira dozed in my arms, I found myself reflecting on the journey that had brought us here. From the moment I'd first caught her scent, I'd known she was special. But I could never have imagined the depth of the connection we'd form, the way she would challenge and change everything I thought I knew about myself and my place in the world.

I thought about the fear in her eyes when we first met, the way she'd gradually opened up to me, showing her strength and compassion. I remembered the night she'd stood up to the other wendigo females, proving her courage and earning their respect. And now the discovery of our soul marks, the ancient paintings that hinted at a shared history between our peoples .

A destiny unfolded greater than either of us had imagined.

Sakira stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She smiled up at me, and I felt my heart skip a beat. How had I ever thought I could live without this, without her?

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, her voice still husky with sleep.

I brushed a strand of hair from her face, marveling at the softness of her skin. "About us. About how far we've come, and how far we still have to go."

She nodded, her expression growing serious. "It won't be easy, will it? When we go back. There will be those who don't understand, who will try to tear us apart."

"They can try," I growled, pulling her closer. "But they won't succeed. What we have, Sakira is stronger than their fear, their prejudice. We'll show them a better way."

We sat in silence for a while, watching the play of light and shadow on the cave walls. The storm outside had finally begun to abate, the howling wind dying down to a gentle whisper.

"We should probably think about heading back soon," Sakira said eventually, though she made no move to get up.

I nodded, reluctant to leave our sanctuary but knowing we couldn't stay forever. "You're right. The others will be worried, especially after the storm."

We dressed slowly, stealing kisses and caresses as we did. Even though we were no longer skin to skin, I could feel the connection between us, strong and unbreakable.

Before we left, I took one last look at the cave paintings. "We'll come back," I promised, both to Sakira and to the spirits of my ancestors who seemed to linger in this place. "This will be our special place. "

Sakira squeezed my hand, a soft smile on her face. "I'd like that."

As we stepped out of the cave into the crisp, post-storm air, I felt a sense of renewal wash over me. The world seemed brighter somehow, full of possibility.

We made our way down the mountain, hand in hand. The journey that had started with fear and uncertainty had led us here, to a love deeper and more profound than either of us could have imagined.

As we neared our den, I caught sight of Lyra waiting at the entrance, her posture tense with worry. When she saw us, relief flooded her features, quickly followed by surprise as she took in our clasped hands and the new intimacy between us.

"Eryx! Sakira! Thank the ancestors, you're alright," she called out, rushing to meet us. "When the storm hit and we couldn't find you, we feared the worst."

"We're fine," I assured her, my arm instinctively tightening around Sakira. "Better than fine, actually."

Lyra's eyes narrowed, her gaze flicking between us. Then her eyes widened as she caught sight of the matching marks on our shoulders, partially visible beneath our clothing.

"Is that..." she breathed, unable to finish the sentence.

I nodded, unable to keep the pride and joy from my voice. "It is. Sakira is my true mate, blessed by the ancestors themselves."

Lyra stood there for a moment, shock evident on her face. Then, to my surprise and delight, she broke into a wide grin.

"Well," she said, shaking her head in amazement, "I guess that settles things, doesn't it? No one can argue with the will of the ancestors. "

Sakira relaxed beside me, clearly relieved at Lyra's acceptance. "Does this mean the others accept us now?" she asked hesitantly.

Lyra's expression softened as she looked at Sakira. "It won't be easy," she said honestly. "There are centuries of fear and mistrust to overcome. But this," she gestured to our soul marks, "this is unprecedented. It will give us a strong argument for unity between our peoples."

I nodded, grateful for Lyra's support and realistic assessment. "We have much to discuss," I said. "But first, we need rest and food. It's been an eventful day."

Lyra smirked, a knowing look in her eyes. "I'm sure it has. Go on, get inside. I'll make sure you're not disturbed."