Eris Vanserra | Ignis Aurum ✓

Chapter 16: ERIS & ALBA

"I got you. I got. No worries. You are safe now. I am getting you out of here."

Eris was awakened by the soft whisper of Alba's —of his mate's— voice.

She panted heavily, crying and brushed her hand over his head, wiping away the blood and damp strands of hair. It seemed like all anger about that female vanished within the blink of an eye. Her soft eyes, the pain on her face, her hand's brushing over his head, it was already enough to forgive her. But could he really? Already? Ever?

There was another noise, he could hear something pant. It was the panting of his hounds. Good boys, he thought.

"Marcialla, I got him. Come here, help me!" Eris heard her shout and watched Alba look around.

"You are safe. Nothing can happen." With that being said, Alba leaned down and pressed a kiss to her mate's brow. All he could do was smile weakly, there simply was so much pain...everywhere. The gesture, her kiss, had seemed so out of place but felt so damn right.

"How—?" Eris croaked. Alba's soft, cool palm landed on his cheek again a tear from her met his skin.

"The bond. We are mates, Eris. I believe you have suspected it too... that we are mates. But yes, that is how I found you. I felt you. I felt that you are hurt. That you are in danger. And well, actually I did not find you alone. Your hounds, they did. Good boys!"
"Yes, they are. Odin and Fenris," Eris breathed, his lips curling. "And you came to save me? You told me to go to hell, I think I already was on the right path."
A sob ripped itself free from Alba. "Yes. Of course, I came to save you. I am so sorry for—"

"Oh holy gods and Mother and Cauldron. I really wouldn't have been able to stand the chaos if you had been dead."

Alba gave the female called Marcialla a dead pan when she crouched down.

"Well, High Lord, you most definitely have seen better days, but nothing we cannot fix, eh? We gotta get you out of here, patch you up and then well, then..." Marcialla's lips formed a feline almost wicked grin. "Then we get you so fit that the two of you can stay in the sheets for at least two weeks and that you can perform as well as you did in the hut that stormy night back then."

Her eyes going wide and a beetroot red filling her cheeks, Alba swatted Marcialla's biceps. The Day Court female just gave her an innocent smile.

"Ignore her, alright? Marci can winnow and she will winnow us back to...to the Forest House? Should we go there? And then a healer will look over you, alright? Everything is going to be fine. I am so sorry," Alba whispered, dipping her head and kissing Eris' brow again. She left the rest unsaid. There was too much to be sorry for, where should she start.

"Alright," Eris croaked. His thoughts had stopped when Marcialla had started revealing all those things. And even through the pain bliss and purely male pride filled the High Lord at this revelation. And Alba had come to save him. She had apologised as well.

"You think you can get up? You have to get up so we can winnow," Alba breathed, sliding one arm under her mate's upper body.

"And we have to get out of this forest immediately! There is a fucking spider on my foot and one building a nest in your curls, Al," Marcialla shuddered and knelt down on the ground next to Eris. "Please, tell me you can walk, High Lord?"

Groaning loudly when the two females tried to lift Eris up to stand on the ground, he dipped his chin. "I think I can," he breathed, pain obvious in his voice. Alba and Marcialla managed to make him stand up straight. The wounds on his chest weren't as bad as those on his legs. Alba cringed, shuddered and drew in shaky breaths. Her heart was beating rapidly, her body trembling.