Taming The Queen Of Beasts

<strong>RIKA</strong>

"Oh, sweetie, it's okay. He's so wrapped up in you he's chewing on his own tail," Elia said, her voice choked.

"But I can't understand why?" Rika replied, her voice tight and pinched. "But I also can't walk away. I'm in this now. I… I need him and it's so scary. What if he suddenly realizes how broken I am and then he doesn't want me anymore?"

"He almost missed the Rite of Veneration for you, Rika. Trust me, you've got nothing to worry about," Elreth added, her voice a little dark.

The two women mopped her up and led her out of the room and down to the stairs, where Elia presented her to the men.

Rika didn't hear what they said. She wasn't even really aware of her own words to Gar.

All she could see was his eyes, round and locked on her, scanning her from head to foot. His jaw slack, and the way his hands twitched like he wanted to grab her up and never let go.

Her heart trilled, and she hoped. She hoped…

There was a little, scary moment when he started to growl at the other males, but even though her heart stopped, Rika realized that her fear was directed at them—at Elreth's mate and father. Not at Gar.

She wasn't scared of Gar.

Holy forking sheets…

She wasn't scared of Gar.

It hit her as she made it to the bottom of the stairs, her mind screaming at her that she should be frightened! He was a wild animal!

But that massive, wild man took her hand so gently, cradling it in his own, and lifted it to his lip.

Then he looked at her like she was precious and when he leaned in, his lips brushing her ear, he said the words that made her want to weep for joy.

"Rika, will you be my mate? Will you… marry me?"

Yes. Yes, she would. To hell with her fear. To hell with this crazy world and how fast things were moving.

Yes, she would marry him. And she was never looking back.

*****

<strong>GAR  </strong>

There was a hushed and hurried conversation between his parents during which his mother was writing something down, frowning, crossing it out, then writing again. There were giggles and goo-goo eyes between his sister and Aaryn. There were proposed positions in the room and discussion of a toast afterwards. But Gar didn't really take any of it in.

He stood at the base of the stairs, staring at Rika, who stared back.

He swallowed. Hard.

"If… if anything makes you nervous," he said firmly, "You just speak up. We don't have to do this. I'm not really even sure—"

"I'm not scared of you, Gar," Rika breathed, putting a hand to his chest. Her eyes were wide and he could feel the tension in her body. But she leaned into him like she had when they were on the couch. As if she wanted more of her body to be touching his.

Gar wanted to roar, but he just squeezed her hand and pulled her in, closer.

"I'm serious," she said. "I want you to know that. I don't know what's happened, but I feel like… I feel like you're the one I'm safe with. The rest of the world is scary. But you… Gar I don't ever want to walk away from you."

Creator's mane, those words were like water to his soul. He pulled her into an embrace, circling her in his arms and dropping his head. They stood that way together, until his father cleared his throat behind him and Gar straightened reluctantly.

"I think we know what to do. And it'll be really simple, okay?" his dad said, looking at Rika carefully.

Gar felt bad when Rika eyed his father like it might be a trick. He'd been so angry with his dad, so frustrated and broken by everything that had happened between them, he now realized he'd told her a lot of things that made his father sound a monster. But he wasn't.

It was his fault she was scared of him, and he was going to have to find a way to let Rika know she'd be safe with his dad.

His father was many things, but a bully wasn't one of them. Gar put his hand to Rika's bad and stroked, trying to soothe her as they discussed where they would stand and what was going to happen.

"Elia knows the vows," Reth said with a smile.

"Mostly!" his mother called from the dining table where she was still working on whatever she was writing. "They might not be quite right. But they'll be close."

"I don't mind," Rika said.

His father nodded. "But I want to give you both a chance to just speak from your hearts as well. A moment like this, a lifetime vow… it should come from what's within, not just a set of words. So we'll witness for you. I understand that's the important part of the human tradition, that there are witnesses? We'll stand for you. All of us. So don't be nervous, just say what you mean, and mean what you say. Then we'll celebrate together."

His father shook his head. "What an incredible day it's been," he said, his voice low and rough with joy, but also with the weight of the other things happening in their world.

Gar's adrenalin fizzed in his stomach, but he pushed it away. He would think on those things tomorrow. Tonight was for the Protectors, and this moment was for him and Rika.

When his mother finally threw up her hands and decided she'd remembered as much as she could, they all gathered near the fireplace. Gar's dad stood facing him and Rika, while his mother, Elreth and Aaryn stood behind them.

His father read through what his mother had written down and nodded. "The humans do this well," he said quietly, then he lifted his eyes to Gar and Rika.

"I hope," he said, his voice suddenly a little apologetic, "I hope you'll indulge me as a farther, and a father in flames. I want to share something with you both. Something with all of you here, actually. Something… an experience I hope that you'll have the opportunity to share with your young when they come."

Gar blinked. What could his father have to say that would make him suddenly so uncertain? Situations that made Reth Orstas Hyerhyn shaky were few and far between. Gar was intrigued, and a little nervous himself. But he and Rika both nodded, so his father took a deep breath, then started to speak.