BOUND: Mates at War | 18+

29 He's My Lovemate

I'm frozen, my body won't move. I can't go out and face my father right now. I'm a panting, disheveled mess and Roman is about to burst through the front of his pants.

I turn to scold him just in time to see him suck his finger into his mouth. The already uncomfortable wetness between my legs grows.

He smirks down at me, "you taste delicious."

Now is not the time.

He takes my hand possessively in his and drags my uncooperative body toward the group outside.

When we step outside my embarrassment evaporates when I see my father. While not an ideal situation for a reunion, seeing him makes my chest feel lighter.

I run into his arms. A sense of calm washing over me as he wraps around me.

He looks back and forth between Roman and my neck. His face is unreadable as he squeezes me against him again.

Roman is standing with his head high, no contrition or shame anywhere on his face, quite the opposite, he's glowing with pride.

"We were coming to find you. We need help, Ada." (Dad)

"I'll light a fire, we should sit," Roman nods to me before gathering wood with Dylan.

"Did the whole group make it to the camp?"

"We did, it's larger than I was expecting, four elves from our dominion are there."

There are so few of us left.

I push the sadness down, there are other issues to discuss right now. I have to focus on what we can do, how we can move forward. We need to keep the remaining elves alive, I have to focus on that.

"We lowered our arrows and sent for your father, now explain what the fuck this is," Finlas bites out angrily, "what are you doing with them? Why did you stop us from shooting? These are your friends?"

I open my mouth to try to keep him quiet but Roman's raspy growl cuts through first, "Watch your tone when you speak to her."

I watch as Finlas' face morphs from anger and confusion to rage.

"I'll speak to her however I please,this doesn't concern you..."

A large branch snaps like a twig in Romans hands as he stalks toward us.

"You will mind how you speak to my daughter, as the next Lady of Woodfell and chief over the woodland elves you will show her respect," my father says, authority dripping from his calm voice.

Roman wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me toward the fire, leaving Finlas angrily ranting to my father. I'm grateful for the language barrier or Roman would be out of control.

When the flames flicker and warmth spreads around us we move to sit. I'm worried about how this will go. Asking elves to turn their arrows toward the crown in an effort with wolves seems impossible.

I let out a shaky breath. Romans hand comes to rest on the back of my neck sending a shiver through me.

"There really isn't any way to ease into this so I'm just going to come right out with it," Roman starts, "the Queen killed the King and used Edyrm to cover it. The validity of the prophecy is unclear at this point but it doesn't matter. There isn't anything that I can say that will even begin to..."

He's cut off by outbursts from Finlas and his men. My father is quiet, pensive, the flames he's so intently watching, dance in his eyes.

Finlas pulls an arrow against his bow, the sharp tip pointed toward Cale, who doesn't move but his shoulders tense slightly, watching the arrow.

"It was a lie?" He screams, " we've been slaughtered, hunted like animals and ripped apart!" He heaves in angry breaths before looking toward Roman.
"You," his fury shakes his voice, "I know who you are, the great warrior, defender of the crown, the treacherous lying bitchs own son!" He turns his arrow, the point now aimed at Roman.

I lurch forward, putting myself in between them.

"Wait!"

I feel Romans hand on me, pulling me out of the way. At my side my father is on his feet, moving to stand between us.

"Wait, Finlas, please. He's done wrong, they all have and they see it now. When he learned the truth he could have kept it hidden, wiped us out and buried the evidence of all of the wrongs. He's trying to make it right, to fix it before it's too late, even if that means facing his sins."

As I speak the words aloud their truth hits me like being submerged in cold water. He can't change the past but he is changing the future.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? He's a savage beast, a vicious killer who has tortured and killed," Finlas screams, dropping the arrow to the ground, "why are you defending him? I see the way you're looking at each other, what are you doing?"

"He's my lovemate."

The elves with him gasp, their eyes darting back and forth between us.

"You're allowing this, Lord Ganor?" He turns to my father. He is visibly disgusted and it makes my blood boil.

"Allowing it? The universe wills it, I cannot stand in the way. Before they were born one soul split into two bodies. I can not allow or disallow anything. This is a chance to change the future, to bring our people back from the brink of oblivion, we shouldn't squander it."

"What you're asking can't be done! We can't trust them! Even if we could, there aren't enough of us!"

"We aren't asking anything of you, not at this point," Roman says quietly, "we need to gather more wolves, most will join us. Once everyone knows there will be outrage, we'll have the numbers on our side. Not everyone will join and for that, we may need archers. We would keep you at a safe distance with your bows."

"I'll help," my father says.

"Me too," one of Finlas' men nods toward Roman.

Finlas snatches his bow from the ground and disappears into the tree line.

"This isn't about you, we can't change our fate without you," the other mountain elf says before standing to join Finlas.

Roman is tense, his body is set like a spring under pressure. I try to make eye contact with him but he won't look up from the ground.

"It's probably best that you camp here, I will return to camp to speak to Finlas' father, he is more apt to see reason."

My father stands, pulling me into a tight embrace, "take care of my daughter," he tips his chin to Roman, "A cin, mel an hon," he whispers to me. (And you, take care of him)

Once we're alone on the ridge Romans men look uncomfortable. He hasn't said anything but his agitation is palpable.
"We'll go hunt..." one of them suggests and the others quickly agree.

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