523- Eternal Embers: The Birth of a Lifemate
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
"Strangely well. Tired, but not weak." He smiled, his lips stained with my blood.
"Your life is linked to mine from now on, Little Beast. I am not a common wolf, therefore my life expectancy is greater than others. It doesn't change your strength, but it makes you more resistant, just like I am. I won't die from belladonna, so neither will you. And you won't live for five hundred years anymore, but for seven hundred."
I opened and closed my mouth, in shock.
"We... mated?" He nodded.
"There's still the best part, but we can do it when we're more alone." He winked.
I felt my cheeks burn with shame. Edric sighed.
"I hope you're alright with this choice."
"Perfectly fine," Anton cut in.
Omar let out a low whistle, reminding everyone that he was still there.
"They're not going to like this at all."
Anton narrowed his eyes, his features becoming brutal again.
"Do you want to kill him?" he asked. I let out a tired sigh.
"You can do it for me."
"What kind of death do you want for him?"
"A nice slow and painful one, please."
"With great pleasure, Little Beast." He looked at his sister. "Aurelka, stay with her, Thalyndra is still weak and it will take her some time to recover."
Anton stood up and the she-wolf sat beside me, Lana settling on the other side. They looked at me and smiled in relief. Myrion finally stepped away, and then Edric and Vladren approached.
The heir of chaos walked toward the Mercante with heavy steps. He was a man in form, but an animal in gestures. Dominated by his primordial instincts, he writhed with deep hatred, with the purest desire for blood and death.
"Ripping out your heart would be too easy, just like your head," he whispered in a hiss. "My companion asked for a slow and painful death. You killed her parents and tried to kill her, I could spend the rest of my days torturing you, tearing off parts of your body that would regenerate, only to do it all over again, but I have a commitment to Thalyndra that is much more important than wasting time with a wretch like you."
Omar laughed, his face much better, his body healing the wounds caused by Myrion.
"I'm trained to deal with pain, pup, do what you want, nothing will shake me."
The smile Anton cast at him made my hair stand on end.
"Myrion, can you get some alcohol?" he asked, without taking his eyes off the Mercante.
The Eldoria laughed.
"But of course I can." He raised a finger. "Just wait a minute." He barely finished speaking and shot through the forest at a speed that turned him into a blur, making leaves fly around him.
"I wish he were this willing when I ask him to do some lumberyard task," Vladren commented, and Edric laughed.
"Tell him the reward is the death of someone he hates, and Myrion will do whatever you want," Aurelka advised.
Vladren huffed.
"You don't even need to ask for DNA."
"May I know why?" Edric mocked.
"He's chaotic like his father. In fact, all of your pups are, only Aurelka had the decency to take after Lunara."
Myrion returned before they could continue the conversation, carrying a gallon in one hand. He threw the cap far away and poured the liquid over Omar. The strong smell of alcohol hit me. When he finished, he threw the empty gallon at him and took a step back, moving away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of matches, extending it to Anton.
"I anticipated it and brought everything you would need."
Anton nodded, thanking him. He took the matches from his brother and lit one of them, smiling without stopping.
"I hope that in your training to withstand pain, you learned how to deal with fire," he murmured, sounding mocking.
Omar said nothing, but the panic in his eyes was enough to satisfy Anton. He took a step back and then threw the match at him. A wall of flames rose, consuming him completely in seconds. The Mercante let out a groan of pain and tried to thrash about to put out the fire.
I watched with satisfaction his pained expression, the noises he made. His skin peeled off, being swallowed by the fire. The smell of burning flesh wafted through the air. His blood dried as he melted, disfiguring him. I stared at the holes that grew in parts of his body, increasing with each second the flames consumed him.
It was a slow and very painful death, just as I had asked. I didn't look away, satisfying myself with what I saw, knowing that he had been one of the murderers of my parents, that my promise was being fulfilled once again.
His eyes melted, the viscous liquid sliding down his cheeks. His hair disappeared, as did his eyebrows and eyelashes.
He thrashed a little more, trying to stay quiet, but unable to withstand the intensity of the pain, letting out small groans. He breathed with difficulty, lasting much longer than a human would be capable.
The smell of burning flesh began to turn my stomach. Lana had her head turned away, avoiding looking at him, while Aurelka stared at him with a taciturn expression.
Omar stopped moving and breathing. The flames continued to consume him, even when death found him.
I blinked, feeling exhausted.
I closed my eyes, and then I blacked out, without even being able to fight the exhaustion that immediately consumed me.
...
I knew where I was before I even opened my eyes. The warm, soft, cozy bed, smelling of fresh pine and wild jasmine, the tranquil and pleasant atmosphere, the feeling that I was in my home, where I belonged.
I let out a sigh and opened my eyes, finding Anton's bedroom.
I looked around, noticing that I wasn't wearing the same clothes as before, but rather one of his linen shirts. Although I didn't remember going to bathe, I was clean, as if someone had taken the care to wash me for greater comfort.
I rose onto my elbows, finding him sitting on the sofa. The furniture was no longer facing away; it was facing the bed, and Anton was on it, staring at me as if watching over my sleep.
"How do you feel?" he asked, seeming tired. For the first time, I noticed purplish marks beneath his eyes.
For a moment, I was silent, trying to understand what I was feeling. There was nothing unusual, aside from the horrible hunger I felt.
"I'm fine," I replied, my throat scratchy and dry.
"You slept for two days."
"Two days?" I gasped, in shock. He nodded.
"You were exhausted, lost a lot of blood, got stressed, and... we mated, which also requires energy."
Ah, yes, many things had happened all at once.