450- The Hunter's Gift
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
The last few days had been the most boring of my entire life.
Eldoria was incredible, the girls were wonderful, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I had real friends.
But... it still wasn't my home.
In my usual routine, I spent my days at college. When I wasn't studying, I was visiting museums with my father or locked away in his office with a book in my hands. It wasn't the most exciting life in the world, but I loved every detail of it.
All I had been doing lately was following Aurelka and Lana around during their daily activities because I had none of my own. One day it was a picnic by the lake; the next, a trip to the school with Lunara, Celindra, and the children; the next, wandering through the forest in search of flowers.
The thing was, I didn't give a damn about the flowers.
Sometimes I stayed home with Nicoleta, the century-old she-wolf responsible for taking care of the Eldorias. She divided her time between Lunara and Edric's house and the homes of Anton and Myrion. Her only flaw was refusing to accept help, so all I could do was stand there and watch her clean every damned speck of dust that landed on the living room shelves.
I sighed and looked ahead at the vegetation surrounding the house. The book Lunara had lent me served as a distraction. Romance wasn't my favorite literary genre, but at least it kept me entertained.
I rested my elbows on the arms of the wooden porch chair and crossed my legs. Leaning my head back against the wall, I closed my eyes. The summer wind was warm, even in the shade, heating my skin and making me sweat.
I saw Anton only occasionally.
He was always busy, following his father from one place to another, observing how he handled things so that one day he could take his place.
He spoke little to me, almost as if he were avoiding me. On one hand, I was satisfied. I tended to react very strangely whenever I was around him, so keeping my distance was comforting. But... on the other hand, a part of me cared about that distance, that absence. And no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, it remained there.
And it wasn't all in my head. I knew he was avoiding me because Myrion, unlike him, was constantly stopping by his parents' house. Whether it was for breakfast or simply because he wanted to. I had also overheard them talking about Anton and trying to figure out why he had become so distant.
I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes.
Still, my biggest reason for wanting Anton around was to find out whether he had discovered anything about the Mercantes. He had promised me their heads if I agreed to stay safe. I had been keeping my side of the bargain, but I wasn't seeing the same enthusiasm from him.
My parents were dead, and my revenge seemed farther away with every passing day.
How long would this tedious peace keep me silent?
I jumped when I heard a heavy thud right beside me.
My eyes flew open in alarm, and I straightened in the chair, causing Lunara's book to fall to the floor at my side. The metallic, pungent scent of blood drifted into my nose.
Anton stood next to me, shirtless, his arms and abdomen smeared with blood. He wore only a pair of shorts and was barefoot. His breathing was ragged, and his blue eyes, flooded with silver, were fixed on me. His hair was tousled and swept back, as though the strands were fighting against the wind.
“What the fuck is this?” I whispered, horrified.
I looked down and found a...
Oh, gods.
A gray rabbit.
Dead.
The poor creature's neck was twisted, blood running from its nostrils and mouth.
“I brought it for you,” he said.
Speechless, I stared at him for several moments, trying to decide whether he was serious or merely mocking me.
“You did what?” I gripped the sides of the chair and dragged myself backward.
He rested one foot against the wooden porch railing, bending his knee. Placing his hands on his hips, he lifted his face and admired the scenery.
“You know... I've kept my distance from you these past few days. I wanted to understand how I would feel about that, considering my wolf seems to have a certain... obsession when it comes to you, and your wolf appears to be quite fond of me too.” He blinked, his long lashes fluttering as his eyes slid back to mine. “But then I started feeling kind of... strange, to say the least.”
“And then you decided to throw a dead rabbit at my feet?” I asked sarcastically.
He huffed.
“I'm telling my story. Could you stop interrupting me, please?”
“Oh, wow, forgive me. Please, continue,” I mocked.
“Today, I woke up with a deep urge to hunt something. While I was in the middle of the forest, ready to strike, I realized the urge wasn't mine—it was my wolf's. I think he wants to impress you.” He gestured toward the animal on the floor. “So, there's my gift.”
I stood from the chair, taking great care to avoid the dead rabbit. Straightening, I moved away from it.
“Gods, are you insane?” I asked, half-dazed, unsure how to react to any of this.
He pulled his leg down and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I can't believe this!” he barked.
“I can't believe this!”
“I hunt for you, bring you a gift, and you still have the audacity to call me insane?”
“A gift? It's a poor dead rabbit.”
“And did you want me to bring it to you alive? How was I supposed to feed you?”
I stared at him, wide-eyed and shocked.
I couldn't move.
Couldn't even react.
Because I couldn't believe he was serious.
But he was.
And he was offended.
I could tell by the way his eyebrows drew together and the grimace twisting his lips.
“F-feed me?” I stammered, taking an unsteady step backward.
The railing pressed against my back. I grabbed hold of it, my fingers rigid and tense.
He crouched down and picked up the rabbit by its hind legs. Then he straightened and extended his arms, holding it out in front of me.
“Males feed females. I hunted for you. I went into the forest and dedicated my time just so I could feed you, and this is how you treat me? By dismissing my prey.” He took a step toward me.
My heart began to race.
His nostrils flared.
His eyes shone with something predatory and abnormal.
“Do you think I'm not a good hunter? I can bring you any animal you want just to prove otherwise. I can wipe out this entire forest.”
Gods.
Did they really go around hunting and then present animals to women?
Oh no.
Please, no.
I shook my head.
“That's not necessary.”