Happy new year everyone! 2024 you've got so many hopes and dreams riding on you!
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It took two days before I could bring myself to get out of my room.
My instincts demanded I hide away, wait in the safety of my nest for my mates to return, for them to make everything safe again.
But I couldn't do that.
Because information inside the palace spreads out to the neighboring towns.
Meaning there was a mob. Outside the palace at the moment. Demanding the head of Evander.
I'm so tired. . .
My people were outraged upon hearing that I had been wounded and my daughter threatened.
The story about my injury and the entire situation got out of control with every person telling it. . .Eventually getting to the point that my people assumed I had been mauled and my attacker was defended by the palace guards and was currently residing on the throne.
I love my people. . .But the headache I have from dealing with them. . .
Sighing, I settled down heavily on the throne in the palace throne room, utterly exhausted.
''You going to be okay there Theo?'' Sophia asked softly, leaning down over my shoulder as she spoke.
''Yeah, I'll be good. . .Just tired is all'' I whispered, tilting my head back to look up at my friend as I spoke.
The faintest, tempting smell drifted towards me as Sophia sat down on the floor next to me, chatting with me as my mind slowly drifted.
''D-Did you go see Evander today?'' I asked abruptly after a while, very bluntly changing the topic as I tried to pull myself out of the slight scent induced daze I was in.
She smells distantly like him. . .
It sort of soothed me. . .While he isn't one of my bonded mates. . .He is a destined mate of mine. . .
''Yeah, I did. The guards are angry at him for hurting you and as such have refused to bring him any food or water'' Sophia explained, making me frown slightly.
Sure I wasn't happy about the other man harming me and down right pissed at him trying to hurt my daughter. . .But I didn't want him suffering. . .I didn't want anyone to suffer.
Looking down at said daughter, I reached a hand up to scrub at my eyes, trying to shake myself fully out of the scent fog.
''I'll bring him his food tonight. . .Would you be able to contact the scouts and messengers? See if my mates are anywhere close to home?'' I asked quietly, a. . .Tiny hint of desperation in my voice as I made that request.
Sophia gave me a look that bordered on pitying before nodding.
''I'll do that, In the meantime, there are a few problems that require your attention if you're up for it'' Sophia asked quietly as a few guards entered, pretending to not be checking up on me. . .Like the thirty or so other guards who had come through over the past few hours had done.
Taking one more, steadying breath, I nodded, steeling myself for a long day.
--- Time skip ---
My daughter was tucked safely under my loose fitting robes, resting right over my heart as I carried a wooden tray holding baked root vegetables, rye bread, fruit slices and a cup of clean drinking water down the endlessly winding stairs of the deepest parts of the dungeons.
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Feathers and Claws (MxMxMxMxM)
Romance-Temporary Hiatus- After his tribe gets attacked, Theo is thrown abruptly into the dangerous world. With no home left and in the grasp of the enemy, He must do his best to live. Maybe he'll find people to help. . . Maybe he'll find his mates. . . Ma...