AARYN
He and Elreth had made love again when they got back to the cave. And for that time, Aaryn's heart had been at rest. They'd gone to the bathing pools and soaked in the mineral pool, and even though his heart was beating faster than it should have, he'd been able to play it down and convince Elreth it was just the combination of loving with her and the heat of the water.
Then they'd gone to bed, and he'd held her, both of them talking quietly about Gar and Rika, about their own honeymoon at the fishing cave. And about the Protectors, and the amazing victory they'd had.
He should have been overjoyed. His mate loved him. The Protectors were finally a tribe. And his brother had found his true mate. There were pressures on the horizon, but it had been a day of victories. And he was grateful. He should have been pleased. He should have been able to sleep.
But he couldn't.
