549- The Hunter's Heart and the Nest of Life
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
Months Later...
The soft sound of leaves being crushed under firm feet caught my attention. I looked toward the tree line and saw Anton emerging from the forest. Shirtless, sweat glistened on his bronzed skin, the muscles of his chest and arms tense as he carried the body of a deer over his shoulders with an ease that never ceased to impress me. His eyes were fixed ahead, focused, as if every movement of his were tuned to nature itself around him.
He had been hunting nonstop for the past few weeks. There was something primal in his instincts, something that called him to the forest whenever he could. And every time he returned, my heart raced, stronger than the day before. It was as if seeing Anton like this, connected to his wild side, to the wolf he carried within, awakened something in me, something I didn't know how to control.
The wind brought the smell of the forest mixed with Anton's scent, sharpening my senses. I watched him with an intensity that bordered on reverie. Every muscle that moved beneath his skin made me feel heat rising through my body. My hormones were on edge, a natural response to his proximity, to the power he exuded effortlessly.
He smiled at me, that half-wild, half-amused smile that made me forget to breathe. He approached with firm steps, the deer slung over his shoulders as if it weighed nothing.
"Here's your dinner," he said, dropping the body to the ground in a fluid movement.
Near where we were, there were two other dead deer and four rabbits, all piled up.
"I don't know what your problem is with the forest animals, but if you keep hunting like this, they'll go extinct in no time," Aurelka mocked, sitting on the veranda railing.
Myrion scratched his throat.
"Let him do all the work, that way I don't have to worry about going out to hunt too."
I approached, without saying a word, unable to take my eyes off him. Every detail, every inch of his skin seemed to scream the truth of what we were to each other. Destined, mated. Even so, this connection grew stronger every day. I felt something growing inside me, a need so visceral I could barely control it.
"You hunt so well," I purred, blinking slowly.
"I'm the one who's not going to clean all that up just because Anton decided to freak out and destroy the entire forest," Vladren retorted.
I placed my hands on his defined chest, feeling the warmth of his skin against my palms. I stood on my tiptoes and brushed our lips together, pulling away afterward.
"Is this one good enough for you?" he asked, his eyes fixed on mine, his pupils dilated.
I looked at the animal and wrinkled my nose in disgust, my stomach turning at the sight.
"I'm not eating it," I warned, crossing my arms in front of my body.
He roared, took a deep breath, and spun on his heels, disappearing into the forest again.
"Damn it, can't you lie?" Myrion complained. "We're going to be screwed with all this meat, my father is going to make me clean it too."
"Hey, weren't you the one supporting Anton's incessant hunting?" Lana taunted.
"I did, before he decided to gather meat for the whole year and I was forced to clean everything."
I rubbed my fingers on the flowery dress I was wearing, still looking at the forest where he had disappeared. My heart was beating fast and I couldn't stop smiling, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction with his hunting for me. It was as if he were perfectly fulfilling his role as a companion.
Myrion stood up from the rocking chair, snorting in irritation.
"I'm going after him and see if I can knock some sense into that head." He pointed a finger at me. "Whatever the hell your problem is, solve this shit and leave the fauna out of it." He shot off with hard, hurried steps.
"If Myrion can't contain him, we'll have to call Edric and see if he can resolve this."
"I know he's at the lake with my mother, I can go to them if necessary," Aurelka said.
Mira and Nerea played with stones, next to the veranda, being supervised by Vladren's watchful gaze. I heard footsteps and looked to the side, finding Celindra and Lyris approaching slowly.
"What's going on here?" Lyris asked. She found the animal bodies and sighed. "Are we having some party I don't know about?"
"Yes, the endangered animal party," Vladren retorted.
"I don't think I understand," Celindra commented.
"Anton is kind of freaking out. He's been wanting to hunt and kill all the animals in Tharnak. He does it nonstop, without rest. He's already brought all of these and went after more," Lana explained. "He sort of wants to make Thalyndra try raw meat no matter what, he's determined to do it. So, every animal he brings and she doesn't approve, he goes back for another."
Celindra and Lyris exchanged a look. I noticed Vladren also nodded, almost imperceptibly.
"If our guess is right, I believe he's going to be like this for a while. For us, we just need to be patient and help clean all this meat," Celindra replied.
"And what's your guess?" Aurelka asked. Lyris looked at me.
"Thalyndra, can I use your bathroom?"
"Of course, just go in."
She released her wife's hand and headed toward the house, crossing through the front door. For a second, I stood still, waiting, but something vibrated inside me like an urgency to follow her.
I tried to stay firm, standing still where I was, but I couldn't.
My heart raced as my quick footsteps echoed through the silent house. I knew Lyris had gone to the bathroom, and the idea that she might enter our room made me uneasy. Not that she would intentionally violate the space, but I needed to check, to make sure my territory was protected.
I pushed the bedroom door open and, as I entered, my eyes immediately fixed on what had become the center of my world in recent days, although I still didn't know why and didn't understand the meaning of all that madness. It was almost instinctive, something I couldn't control.
In a way, I stopped trying to find any meaning in my actions, especially those linked to my instincts.
Anton's clothes were scattered across the bed, forming a chaotic tangle, but which, to me, made perfect sense. Each piece of clothing carried his scent, which brought me a feeling of security and desire at the same time.
The sheets were bunched up around the clothes. I had pulled them up, to the sides, wrapping myself in them, creating a kind of cocoon, as if the fabric itself could protect and shelter me. Anton's t-shirts were in the center, where I lay at night, his heavier sweaters around them, and his pants thrown in an almost careless but deliberate way.