Tamed by the Berserkers by Lee Savino

Author:Lee Savino [Savino, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silverwood Press

4

Sorrel

* * *

We headed home, Thorsteinn pulling me by the leash, Vik taking up the rear. When we reached the great tree, they set me right in the basket. Only when I was in the tree lodge did Thorsteinn unleash me. I waited for him to remove the silver ring from around my neck, but he left it, saying, “I want you wearing something of us.”

“But—”

Thorsteinn bent and kissed me. “You did well.” He rubbed his stubbled face against mine. “I know that was not easy.”

I let out a shaky sigh.

Vik rose from building the fire, dusting his hands. He went to the rope ladder and disappeared.

“He goes to collect our portion of the boar meat. The warriors we called took it away.”

“Will it always be like this?” I touched the ring around my neck, but he knew what I meant.

“For a time. But the pack will see you mated to us and forgive you.” He ruffled my hair. “One day, it will be all right.”

My shoulders slumped. Back at the cliff, I had vowed to tell them the truth, but even if I did who would believe me? The pack certainly wouldn’t. Vik and Thorsteinn could shout my innocence from the mountain, and they’d be reviled like me.

Vik and Thorsteinn didn’t deserve such a troublesome mate.

“You should send me away,” I told him.

“Never.” Thorsteinn tipped up my chin, eyes flashing. “Why do you think we would abandon you?”

“You already did, once.”

“We told you we would return. But I see,” the longer he looked at me the more his hand softened. “It was a long lonely winter. We did not know the spaewives would torment you. We thought there would be some comfort.” Leaning forward, he rubbed his stubbled cheek on mine. “Do you know why we stayed away so long?”

I shook my head.

“It takes everything in us to restrain the beast. And when we are with you, Sorrel,” his voice deepened, “I fear we are at the end of our control. There were days, whole moons we retained our monstrous shape.” The firelight glittered in his eyes, there was a sudden wind, that bore with it the scent of the air after a fierce storm. A moment later it died away.

“But we should have told you. We should’ve claimed you long before now.”

“Why didn’t you?” The regret in his voice made me brave. This softer, gentler Thorsteinn I did not have to fight.

“We thought we had,” he traced the mark on my right shoulder. The skin still bore the red scar of his bite. “When it became clear you were lost to us, distant, it was too late. We could not restrain the beast.” His hand dropped to rub my back, soothing.

“Ho,” Vik called as he appeared at the entrance with a pot. Thorsteinn went to help him. I joined them around the fire, reaching for my portion.

“No,” Thorsteinn pulled me into his lap. “I will feed you.”

I put up a token struggle until he snapped his fingers, his features growing stern.

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