Surviving Zombies Was Easier Than Raising Beast Cubs

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: He Needs A Female 2

Swanly stared.

”A what?”

”A female whose life scent can calm the broken core. His body is serpent, venom, rot-burned and old power. It does not settle easily. A female with strong life force can steady him. If she accepts him as mate, the bond can regulate the core more deeply.”

Swanly’s face went blank.

”No.”

Nahla continued carefully.

”Not any female. His core reacted to yours. That is likely why he marked you with his scale.”

Swanly’s whole body went cold, then hot.

”No. Absolutely not. I am not mating with him.”

Nahla sighed.

”In this world, it is natural for females to take more than one mate.”

Swanly lifted one hand.

”No. I do not care how natural it is here. I already have a mate.”

Nahla’s gaze moved briefly toward Kael, then back.

”I know.”

”I love him.”

”I know that too.”

”Then why are we talking about this?”

”Because Soren may die.”

Swanly’s mouth shut.

Nahla’s expression did not change, but the grief under it did.

”You do not have to love him. Some females take mates for protection, bloodline, power, healing, duty.”

Swanly frowned so hard her forehead hurt.

”But how can it be with someone who does not love him? His life would be hell.”

Nahla looked surprised.

Swanly crossed her arms.

”What? He is horrible, but I am not tying myself to someone I do not love just to keep him breathing miserably beside me.”

Nahla’s face softened.

”I will not force you.”

”You could not.”

”No,” Nahla said. ”I could not. And I would not.”

Swanly breathed out through her nose.

”Good.”

”But for tonight, there is another way to keep him alive.”

Swanly narrowed her eyes.

Nahla gestured toward the back path of the cave.

”There is a stream inside Riverbone. Clearbone Stream. It is not infected. It runs under white stone and old root. Soren goes there when his core burns too sharply. The water slows the venom fire and cools the crack.”

”Then take him there.”

”This time, water alone may not be enough. If you stay near him, your life scent may help his core follow a steadier rhythm. You wear his scale on your wrist. The stream barrier will accept you.”

Swanly looked down at the scale on her wrist.

She suddenly hated it all over again.

”How long?”

”Until the worst of the black blood stops.”

”How long is that?”

”A few minutes if the stream takes him quickly. Longer if his core fights.”

”No.”

Nahla’s face fell slightly.

Swanly hated that too.

”I mean, no, I cannot just sit there forever.”

”You do not have to stay until he wakes. Only until the water calms around him. If he stabilizes, you can leave.”

Swanly rubbed both hands over her face.

”I hate this.”

”I know.”

”I really hate this.”

”I know.”

Swanly looked at Nahla.

The old river-otter beastwoman’s eyes were bright now, and she was trying very hard not to beg.

That was the problem.

Swanly could fight demands.

She could bite through orders.

Begging was harder.

”He means a lot to you, does he not?” Swanly asked quietly.

Nahla’s lips pressed together.

Then she nodded.

”He is not your son.”

”No.” Nahla’s voice softened. ”All my children are dead.”

Swanly went still.

Nahla looked at Soren.

”But when the old ones threw me out of the healer’s den for refusing to poison a wounded female, he took me in. When no one wanted an old healer with too many dead children and too sharp a tongue, he gave me work. He listened when I told him the infected were not being handled correctly. He is cruel. He is cold. He is often wrong. But he did not throw me away.”

Her voice cracked at the edges.

”I do not want him to die.”

Swanly closed her eyes.

Damn it.

Damn it all.

Soren was a dickhead.

He had hurt Kael.

He had forced her.

He had dragged them into danger.

He was cold, ruthless, possessive, arrogant, infuriating and shaped almost entirely like a walking problem.

But he had saved her cub.

More than once.

He had given half the Seed to a child who was not his.

He had protected a tribe that clearly did not even know what he was sacrificing.

Swanly opened her eyes.

”Fine.”

Nahla breathed in sharply.

”I will take him there,” Swanly said. ”I will stay for a few minutes. If he stabilizes, I am out.”

Nahla nodded quickly.

”Yes. That is enough.”

Swanly turned back toward Kael and immediately remembered one important thing.

”I cannot carry him. He is huge.”

Kael heard that part.

His head snapped toward her.

”What?”

Swanly winced.

Nahla coughed into her hand.

Swanly walked back to him.

”So. The stream can help regulate him.”

”No.”

”I did not finish.”

”No.”

”I have to take him there.”

”No.”

”It is only for a few minutes.”

”No.”

Swanly stared.

”You are saying no very fast.”

”Because the answer is easy.”

Nahla stepped closer. ”The stream will only accept certain people while his core is unstable. Soren, his chosen guard, healers, and a female carrying his scale.”

Kael pointed at himself.

”I will take him and stay with him until he wakes.”

For one stunned second, Swanly forgot the crisis.

She looked at Kael.

Then at unconscious Soren.

Then back at Kael.

A laugh tried to climb out of her throat so hard she nearly choked.

Kael was dead serious.

Her proud black panther mate had just volunteered to sit beside the White Snake in a sealed stream all night like some angry replacement bride.

Raku, standing near the entrance, turned his face away.

His shoulders shook once.

Swanly bit the inside of her cheek.

”You cannot go.”

”I can.”

”The barrier will not let you.”

”I will break it.”

Nahla said calmly, ”If you break it while his core is unstable, the stream may reject him and the backlash may kill him.”

Kael’s face became thunder.

Swanly stepped closer and took his hand.

His fingers closed around hers at once.

”Listen to me.”

”I am listening.”

”You are growling.”

”I can do both.”

She looked up at him and softened her eyes on purpose.

Kael froze.

Swanly knew it was shameless.

She also knew it worked.

”If you truly say no, I will not go.”

His expression shifted.

”But I think he will die if I do not. And I will not be alone. Raku will take him there. Nahla will stand outside. You will stay nearby. I promise I will not waste time.”

Kael looked away.

Oh no.

He was pouting.

A giant, scarred, deadly black panther male was pouting.

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