Page 5 of Rhaz’s Redemption (Shifters of Valo Prime #6)

Rhaz

Is fifteen leaves enough? I wondered to myself.

I’d noticed earlier that Beatrice was running low on the racka leaves she used to write things down on.

My people remember our history through stories that we pass down from generation to generation, but it seems her people write their stories down.

I’ve gone into the female’s cavern when they weren’t there once to see what her stories looked like, but the scribbles on the dried leaves were too unfamiliar for me to read.

If I were a different male, one who was not cursed by his father’s blood, I would have asked her to teach me to read her stories or to have her read them to me.

It would have been a good excuse to spend time with her and I would have cherished every word she spoke.

But I am a cursed male, and she should stay far away from me.

So instead, I gather leaves and placed them on a shelf in the storage room when no one is watching.

“AH!” A scream echoed through the woods and my blood ran cold. That sounded like Beatrice.

I shifted into my badger form and ran as fast as my legs would take me, but I stopped short when I heard a familiar growl.

Beyond the brush I could see the thick tendrils that made up the jagwa’s fur.

I tracked it’s movements and nearly stopped breathing when I saw Beatrice laying on the ground.

She tried to get up but cried out and fell back to the ground the moment she put any weight on her right foot.

I didn’t let the beast get a step closer to my ma-...my Beatrice. I left from my hiding spot and landed in front of the jagwa that threatened the one person I held most dear.

It growled and attempted to slash me with it’s claw tipped paws, but I was too fast. I dodged the blow and struck the under belly of the beast. It howled and knocked me off my feet with it’s tail.

I rolled along the ground to dodge it’s next blow than sprang to my feet in time to hit the beast again.

I dug my claws into the beast’s neck. It struck my back with claws of its own leaving a gash I would have to tend to later. I was not the fastest shifter in my dekes, nor was I the fiercest, but I was unkillable which was a blessing and a curse all on its own.

I shrugged off the fading pain and checked that my kill was no longer breathing. Satisfied that it was truly dead, I made my way to Beatrice.

She was clinging to a tree trunk in order to remain upright.

“What happened? Why are you out here?”

All my fear shifted into a familiar rage. She was injured. She could have died.

“I tripped over a rock,” Beatrice gently touched her ankle and hissed at the pain. “I think its sprained or maybe even broken.”

“This should not have happened,” I growled. “You are not allowed past the clearing.”

Beatrice lifted her chin in a show of defiance that I found entirely too arousing.

“Not allowed? I am an adult with free will. I am allowed to do as I please.”

Unfortunately, I could not argue with that.

“It would certainly please me if you never left the clearing again,” I replied as I picked Beatrice up before she could argue.

Her weight in my arms was a pleasant feeling.

She was not as light as some of the other females and for that I was grateful.

Her curves were pleasant to look at and even nicer to touch.

I did my best to push those thoughts aside as I carried my luminescence mate back to the mountain.

I did not want her to know how much I truly desired her.

“Hey!” She yelled and squirmed in my arms. “I’m sure I can walk with some assistance. You don’t have to carry me.”

“I have no desire to see you exposed to the cold or the wild beasts of the forest any longer. I will carry you and you will stop squirming.”

Beatrice relented and held herself stiffly as I walked.

“If you need to…take a break I’d understand.

” She spoke so softly that if I didn’t have advanced hearing I might not of heard her at all.

Did she doubt my ability to carry her? Did she see me as a weak male?

I did not want her to find me attractive, but I could not allow her to believe I was weak.

She felt perfect in my arms, and she had a pleasant weight to her. I could hold her all day.

“I am a strong hunter. I do not need a break.” I emphasized my point by holding her higher up on my body. My injured back protested, but I ignored the pain.

“Of course not,” she rolled her eyes. “Forget that I mentioned it.”

“Done,” I growled. I would like for nothing more than to forget that Beatrice viewed me as weak.

I carried her into the mountain and straight to Sozu. “She is injured. Can you assist her?”

“Put me down!” Beatrice demanded and I gently set her down on one of the cushions.

“I’m so sorry Sozu. I’m sure it’s just a sprain. You don’t need to waste your healing powers on me.”

“It would not be a waste,” I growled. “You are in pain and need healing.”

Why is she fighting this? Does she not see how valuable she is? She is kind, gentle, strong willed, beautiful, and…perfect.

Beatrice looked up at me with a shocked expression on her face. “I just think other people might need Sozu’s assistance more than I do.”

“We will let Sozu decide,” I huffed.

The young male looked at us with wide eyes.

We’d clearly interrupted a game that he was playing with Talia, Sarah, and Jax.

They all looked up at me with fear in their eyes.

Everyone but Jax who knew me better than most. He knew I’d never hurt anyone here.

I just liked to give the impression that I would so no one made the mistake of getting to close.

Jax patted Sozu’s shoulder and pointed to Beatrice’s ankle to get the healer’s attention.

“Right. Uh, I’m happy to heal her. May I touch your arm?”

“Yes,” Beatrice sighed with defeat. “That would be fine.”

Sozu touched her arm and the tension she’d been carrying in her face and shoulders immediately melted as he took away her pain.

Seeing her relaxed eased something within me as well.

Like it or not Beatrice and I were connected through luminescence.

I would always care for her well being and as long as I was around she would be safe.

Safe. She should not have been out there on her own.

The idea of her being in danger raked against my soul and before I could think about what I was doing I lifted her into my arms again and carried her to the room the human’s shared. This was the safest place she could be.

I remembered the leaves I’d picked up for her before I came to her aid and pulled them from my bag and put them on a shelf.

“Where did you get those?” she asked, her face a mask of confusion.

“The same place you do,” I kept my answer short and gruff.

“Why?”

“We were low. So I got more.”

She crossed her arms and frowned, “I don’t understand why you’d trouble yourself to gather these leaves when I’m the only one who uses them.”

“Why not?” I didn’t elaborate further and quickly left the room.

I was planning on leaving the mountain again when I heard a commotion at the entrance.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I heard unfamiliar voices floating through the cavern.

I let my claws descend from my fingers and itched to fully shift as I approached the entrance.

No matter what I found there I’d fight it. I would keep Beatrice safe.