The Beast Within Us

Chapter 28: ↭ Yara & ⑄ Chala

↭ Chala had said little after Yara finished her reveal of emotions. The ironic situation niggled at the back of Yara's mind in a funny sort of way. It was not often that Chala was the person of the pair to be speechless, and Yara decided she did not like her hewan without much to say.

Her hewan.

How long had Yara been referring to her as so? As the female in question laced their fingers together like perfectly matched puzzle pieces, Yara felt the strange phrase was fitting. Yara was her warden and Chala was her hewan. The strain of anxiety on Yara felt easier to bare day-to-day with the comforting safety net of her ward nearby.

Yara flinched in surprise as Chala abruptly arose, the clattering of the chair mimicked her own shocked squeak as Chala swiftly pulled her from the inn. The wardeness tried to keep her composure as her guards stirred uneasily behind her, but Yara herself felt anxious with the sudden change in Chala's behaviour. Despite her muddy emotions, Yara held tight to her companion's hand as if it were a lifeline and as if she feared her body would float away without it

Chala led her far enough away from the small village that Yara could no longer hear the sounds of civilization. The forest was cool and dim, with only the soft sounds of wildlife to accompany the pair.

"Chala, what-" Anything Yara had begun to say died on her lips as Chala pulled the warden intimately to her. It was a soft, gentle peck and the hesitant stillness that followed made Yara's heart flutter. Chala wants you back, just say yes!

Yara blinked back into the steel gray eyes of the hewan briefly. Her usual brisk and cold gaze was different under the haze of emotion that whirpooled around them. The round, intelligent eyes that questioned her affection were no longer cautious steel, but compassionate pools of liquid silver. Yara's pale skin flushed and she allowed her weight to fall into the security of Chala's embrace as she gave her affection away freely.

The kisses exploded in a world of passion, Yara allowed the woman to pull her tightly to her. Her slender hands gripped at the hewan's clothing fiercely as her burning lips threatened to singe them both. Chala's hands moved as well, the kissing evolved into something much more romantic and intimate as they slowed. They grew deeper and Yara's hands moved to wrap around the woman's waist and press her hips against Yara's own. In that moment they were no longer warden and ward, hewan and human, they were simply one being created from passion and pain, lust and love.

Yara panted heavily as Chala finally pulled away from her after some time. The flurry of white hot emotion inside her core threatened to yank her back, but Yara allowed the soft purr of Chala to comfort her. It is only the beginning.

Yara was once again at a loss for words, and could only stare wide-eyed into the face of her newfound lover. What would she give to stay here with Chala forever? Anything. ↭

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⑄ Chala's hands clasped together behind Yara, her arms resting lightly on the other woman's hips much in the same way the wardeness was positioned. The tigress chose to thread her limbs through the space between Yara's body and arms, relishing in the close contact while they both could spare the time. It reminded her of their time spent before bed every night, but it was far more pleasant with their new relationship. She wouldn't have to smother her emotions any longer, or endure confusing pangs of guilt tinged jealousy when she'd see Yara and Darryn together at times.

She sighed. Letting that sink in completely, she hadn't realized how much such things had weighed on her conscious at times, fully unaware of the emotional wear and tear it put her through even at the back of her mind. The tigress clutched Yara tighter. She felt selfish, here with the ex-lover of her sick friend who'd just confessed her feelings to her - reciprocated feelings. But perhaps Chala could indulge in a little selfishness after everything that'd happened within the month that all of this transpired.

Her chest rumbled with another purr, and her expression was all mischief and heat - not that Yara could see it of course - as she kissed up the column of her warden's neck, stopping at her jawline. Such was her indulgence. Chala had long since realized how much she enjoyed teasing the other woman, and now here was another facet for her to make use of.

But then the tigress heard footsteps - the familiar thumping of blundering men. Perhaps Yara might've also caught the sound, but only if she strained; such a thing wasn't easy given her current distraction. Chala frowned and pulled back, withdrawing from their compromised positioning but still keeping contact. She held the other woman by the shoulder as she turned to look around, unsheathing her claws for precaution. Protecting Yara always came first.

When the soldiers came into view, the tigress relaxed a little, thankful that it hadn't been another threat to fight off, and turned back to her charge. Unfortunately that proved to be a mistake. One of the men shouted her collar's trigger word, a loud and angry vincio that caused her to grunt in pain. Chala released Yara before the change, determined not to hurt her in her throes, as the confusion made it difficult to block out the agony of shifting against her own volition. ⑄