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*****

~ TARKYN ~

Tarkyn did his best not to reveal that he was analyzing as much of the combat of these two wolves as he could. Granted, they were in human form and would have other tricks and skills in their beast forms. But even this was eye-opening.

Tarkyn found himself humbled, suddenly grateful that he wasn’t required to fight Zev one-on-one.

He couldn’t quite bring himself to certainty that he would win.

When Zev’s mate, Sasha, approached, he’d been wary. But she’d proven thoughtful and far more open than he might have hoped.

He knew Elreth hoped for her to be instrumental in bringing peace, so he took the risk of splitting his attention between the fight and what he could learn there, and discussing the issues with her—but he asked pointed questions.

.....

When they’d appeared in Anima, Harth had been insistent that it was actually Sasha at the top of their hierarchy. Yet it was clear here that Zev was leading—at least publicly.

To learn that the submission between them was so… fluid was a shock to Tarkyn. And yet, it made sense.

He shifted his position, wincing against the pain in his ribs and back. That fucking wolf really hadn’t held back. But Tarkyn had been injured before. That wasn’t what made his skin feel too tight, and his heart scream.

No. That was the sense of his mate, curled somewhere nearby on the cold ground, fighting tears of pain.

She felt everything he felt, and her soft heart…

Tarkyn blinked and sucked in as deep a breath as he could afford with the broken ribs, praying that she’d sense his calm and be eased by it.

She was beside herself—from the pain, and out of fear for him.

‘I am well, love. Don’t worry.’

‘I can feel the pain in you, Tarkyn. Stop lying to me.’ Even in his head her voice was tight with the pain.

Sasha had stopped talking to consider his words, and he was using the time to watch the two wolves—now, finally, tiring, but still vicious in their attempts to force each other to submit.

It was only another minute, while Sasha squatted silently at his side, and Skhal hovered at hers, before Zev finally managed to pin his brother to the ground, one hand gripping his brother’s chin and jaw to bare his throat.

“Submit,” he snarled. “Don’t make me hurt you further. Submit!”

Lhars growled and struggled one final time—Zev’s arm trembling with the force it took to keep him under control. But then finally, his brother slumped and turned his head, submitting. He’d turned away from them, so Tarkyn couldn’t see his face, but he wondered what expression the male had on his face now.

It was clear he’d provoked Zev to the fight—an attempt to let him exert some control and spend some of that pent-up energy. Tarkyn had approved, especially when it had stopped Zev from spending that energy beating him. But would it work?

It would depend how deeply down the rage-hole Zev had gone.

Was this a vent to his rage? Or only fuel to the fire.

When Zev finally pushed to his feet, panting heavily, and offered a hand to his brother, Tarkyn tensed. He was about to find out.

Sasha also stood as the two of them faced each other, Lhars’ jaw set and flexing, though he didn’t drop Zev’s gaze.

He wasn’t ashamed of the loss.

Strong male.

“Keep your mouth shut,” Zev muttered.

“Keep your head on your shoulders,” Lhars muttered back.

Tarkyn held his breath waiting to see if that would set Zev off again. But though the male growled, he turned away leaving his brother at his back.

The ultimate show of trust.

So the male knew he’d been baited?

Tarkyn was intrigued.

But then Zev turned toward him and Tarkyn tensed, waiting for the verdict. When Zev’s face tightened as he approached, Tarkyn made a quick decision.

“I will not fight. “I do not fight,” he said quickly, dropping his eyes to the dirt between them in obvious submission. “I come to forge peace—to bring our people together, not to forward my own gain, or my Queen’s.”

“Not this bullshit again,” Zev spat. “You can’t do anything but forward your Queen’s gain by putting a leash on me!”

“I don’t seek to leash you, or the Alpha of the Chimera. I come to seek freedom—”

“You come because I broke out of your prison and now you find yourself with a wild wolf on your doorstep.”

Tarkyn did lift his eyes then, holding the male’s gaze. “You broke free in part because I aided you.”

That stopped Zev in his tracks. “Which is the only reason you were able to enter our territory and remain alive without cutting all ties to your Queen. My debt to you is paid.”

Tarkyn narrowed his eyes. “You bind and beat me, and call your debt paid?”

Zev sneered. “You dare talk about imprisoning as if you don’t deserve it?”

“I spoke against your caging from the start. I acknowledged you as a warrior, and urged the Queen the free you, to soothe—”

“There was no soothing at that point, she’d already threatened my life and the life of my mate and child. You want me to believe you wouldn’t have done exactly the same thing in my shoes?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then you’re stupid.”

“No, I’m suiting my words.”

Zev squinted at him. “I’m sorry… but what?”

Tarkyn took as deep a breath as he could. “I came in peace. Even when you took me, even when you harmed me, I remained in peace. I am proving to you that my reason for being here has nothing to do with aggression or a desire to—”

“Enough of the fucking circles about peace—you fully acknowledge your loyalty to a Queen who clearly doesn’t share your self-control or strength, so while I’ll happily give you my respect as a warrior—as you put it—you are living in a dreamworld if you think I’m just going to let you walk among my people trying to tell them that your Queen is anything other than a fascist, narcissistic bitch!”

The offense at Elreth’s position alone made Tarkyn’s teeth clench. But he understood that he was dealing with a male who’d been pressed to his limits, and snarling was only going to get him beaten further—and poor Harth battered with him.

So, groaning against the pain of the quick movement, he pushed forward so that he knelt facing Zev, clasping one hand to his chest, his words tight through the pain.

“I came for peace. I do not disavow my Queen, but I do submit myself to the Alpha of this tribe while I stand on her ground, within the boundaries of her purvey.”

Zev stopped advancing on him. “What did you say?”

Tarkyn looked up, first at Zev, then at Sasha, who’d started moving towards her mate, but turned now, her face pinched with confusion.

“I submit to the Alpha. To Sasha-don,” he said, ducking his head again. “My Queen recognizes her dominance over the Chimeran people, and so do I.”