Stallion Mage: A Horse Shifter Mpreg Romance (COMPLETE)

A Mage's Weakness

Alvarr kept his head down as he made his way through the camp entrance.  He ran into someone in man-shape.  "Excuse me," he said, turning away.  A shiver ran through him, reminding the mage that he was still not well. 

Broad hands on his shoulders stopped him.  "Stop, Alvarr," a low voice commanded in his ear.  Laren's.

No… anything but this.  He had to get away from Laren especially.  The mage struggled under the leader's unyielding hands.  "Stay away," he half-gasped.  "I am ill." 

The hands pulled him an inch closer.  Alvarr sensed the big man's strength in both body and spirit.  If only things were different. 

"Where have you been?"  Laren gave him a shake, and his fingers tightened.  "Why is staying in the camp at night so difficult for you?"

But things were not different.  Laren neither respected him nor trusted him.  Alvarr didn't want to meet the leader's eyes.  He did not need to see what the lead stallion thought thought of him.  "I went too far outside yesterday, and had to spend the night in a cave." 

"A cave?"  Laren's disbelieving tone had an edge to it.

"The Elders use it," the mage said.  A wave of weariness swept over him, and he swayed against Laren's hold.  "Please," he said, "I need to go to the healing hut." 

"Then maybe you shouldn't stay out all night," the leader growled.  But then, he did something Alvarr never expected.  He swung the mage up in his strong human arms and started bearing him toward the Elders' white tent. 

"You're burning hot," Laren muttered, taking long strides.

The world spun around the mage.  Despite his intentions, he had to close his eyes, and his aching head fell against Laren's muscled shoulder.  Something has not been right for a long time. 

Everything was changing. The fighting between those three, the Elder saying those things about his secret, the cave, and… Alvarr shuddered, and his mind shied away from the horrific discovery of the horn in the center of his forehead.

Laren gripped the mage tighter.  "You're getting worse, aren't you?  This is all I need," he said grimly.

Of course he sees me as another problem.  If only he knew that Alvarr's power had been growing like a vine during the rains, or that romeya was popping up faster than he could find it, or that every stream seemed to be polluted.  I just wish I had someone to talk to. 

The leader sighed, his broad chest moving against the mage's side.  "You can talk to…" he said.

Did Alvarr say that out loud? 

"You did."

Alvarr's stomach twisted at the thought of what else he might have said without his knowledge.  The cave painting?  His… horn?  Then again, if anyone should know, it was the tribe leader. 

"I should…"  Alvarr swallowed, trying to moisten his throat.  "You need to know something about-"

"Tell the Elders when we get there," Laren said, cutting him off.

"No, I have to expl-"

"I can't listen right now," Laren said, moving faster.  The leader sounded as though he was talking through clenched teeth.  "You couldn't possibly understand, but it's the Time of Breeding for us.  It makes some things difficult."
 
Alvarr's desire to tell him anything withered like blighted fruit.  A hot blaze of anger warred with his shivery weakness.  I couldn't possibly understand?  How could he say that, when no one understood what Alvarr was going through.  His entire year with the stallions had been difficult.