Acotar and Tog [Discontinued, Will be deleted]

We Will Serve and Protect

The mud squished under our boots as I winnowed Feyre and I back to camp, just outside my mother’s cabin where Cassian was already waiting for us.

“Well, it’s about time,” he said loudly, a shit-eating grin plastered all over his stupid face. Illyrian males in the vicinity tore off into the sky taking women and children with them. And my senses went ballistic .

Fuck.

Shit.

Fuck.

Feyre jolted, her arm reaching out to touch me, when I whirled around and a snarl louder and bolder than the roar I’d unleashed finishing inside my mate ripped past my lips. I couldn’t help it. I’d thought the bond had been intense, mating with her, but what I felt then with another male looking at me - looking at Feyre - it didn’t compare. “Hard ride?” Cassian said. He tied his hair back, ready to make good on his promise to beat my ass into the earth for fucking Feyre.

For fucking my mate. My mate. Cassian with his hazel eyes and Illyrian wings was staring at my mate.

“When he bashes your teeth in, Cassian, don’t come crying to me,” Feyre said, sounding entirely composed and unbothered. For my sake. I could feel the bond between us, taut, and Feyre on the other side silently willing me to see straight. It helped - a little. Until Cassian crossed his arms and made those muscles in his biceps bulge.

“Mating bond chafing a bit, Rhys?” he said. Feyre looked carefully between us, lips tight. I could do this. For her, I could do this. I’d told her to be patient with me, and Cauldron boil me over, she was. But Cassian - Cassian merely looked my mate up and down and snickered. “Feyre doesn’t look too tired. Maybe she could give me a ride-”

I exploded into him, keeping only enough sense about me to avoid knocking Feyre over and bringing the High Lord’s powers to my fingertips. Cassian laughed - laughed - when my fist connected with his jaw and blood fell from his mouth. He sent his own return blow with vigor, and we pummeled into each other for so long, I lost track of time.

But it felt good, I soon realized. And Cassian was the only person alive who could take it, could spin it out of me without taking any real damage. And enjoy the act while he was at it too.

I was dizzy, high off the bond and tense and on edge. But I was always going to be that way and Cassian knew it. As the time drained and mud met blood on our leathers, I felt some of that horrible ache drain out of me. He’d done that.

Cassian had once said that he was going to wipe the floor with my ass the day Feyre bedded me, and I had known I would only stand a chance of besting him if that day happened to be because Feyre and I were mated, something I thought would never happen. But it had happened. And we were here fighting because of it. And as I stood over Cassian, chest heaving and so full of raw adrenaline to pull my brother out of the mud when it was all over, it turned out that I was right.

The last of the tension was washed away stepping inside the cabin and spotting Feyre waiting for me with Mor. One look and our eyes burned up the entire room.

I didn’t even say hello to Mor before I had Feyre pushed back on the table, my hands working to get her open for me to fuck, and Cassian and Mor made a quick exit. Feyre held on tight as I took her roughly. I hadn’t even bothered to remove my pants, just enough to get my cock free. But the release was enough, especially as Feyre’s voice climbed high enough to sing my name to every male hiding in the skies.

Cassian smirked through the open doorway when we were finished, handing me a towel. Mor was nowhere in sight until we’d cleaned up and made ourselves presentable enough to winnow home.

To Velaris.

High above the city, just as the sun had set, I held Feyre’s hand and together, we led ourselves down the hall to the dining room at the House of Wind. Where our inner circle was gathered waiting for us.

Cassian, Azriel, Amren, and Mor stood. Stood, and bowed all in unison facing Feyre. I squeezed her hand as she stared at them wide eyed and it was Amren who announced, “We will serve and protect.” Each of them placed a fist at their hearts. It was so much more than what I’d ever thought would come at that first initial dinner.

Feyre blinked at them rather sheepishly, but didn’t look at me for help. “Thank you,” she said, the words almost sounding like a question rather than a declaration. “But I’d rather you were my friends before the serving and protecting.”

And it was Mor, my blood, who stepped forward, beaming, and said, “We are. But we will serve and protect.” I felt the bond loosen. From where I stood ever so slightly behind Feyre, I poured all of my thanks and gratitude into the look I gave Morrigan, gave all of them.

“Now that we’ve settled that,” I said, taking Feyre to the table, “can we please eat? I’m famished.” Amren opened her mouth, a delectable curve taking shape, and I snapped out, “Do not say what you were going to say, Amren.” Cassian almost snorted. Almost . But he still grinned at me ear to ear. “Unless you want to have it out on the roof.”

Finally we sat. And my Second turned to Feyre. “I heard you grew fangs in the forest and killed some Hybern beasts. Good for you, girl.”

Mor snorted. “She saved his sorry ass is more like it. Poor little Rhys got himself in a bind.”

She handed Feyre a glass full of wine, and Cauldron damn me, my mate snickered. “He does need unusual amounts of coddling.”

Azriel choked into his wine glass, and the two shared a look. Instantly, just like that, my blood heated. And Feyre felt it. She tore her eyes away from Azriel, and we... we let the moment pass, easier for her than I. But the rest of dinner was peaceful. And pleasant. And everything I’d ever wanted in life.

My friends.

My mate.

My family.

Not my anything, but certainly my everything.