Simon (Promised Mates of Monktona Wood #3)

30. Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Simon

Istraightened my posture, feeling a surge of newfound determination coursing through me. I had finally regained full control over my body since the moment of poisoning. Inhaling deeply, I tried to sniff out my mate’s scent lingering in the air. My nose twitched and flared.

My mate wasn’t here. She hadn’t been here in some time, either. The air was absent of her scent, and I hadn’t heard from her in some time.

I moved my legs, kicking the stiffness away until I stood on both hooves.

“She was foolish. She should have waited,” Thorn said from outside. He stomped closer toward the tent. “He’s still out. What kind of male is he if he’s been out for three days?”

My ears perked up, and I narrowed my eyes.

I was a half of his size. How dare he? And what does he mean by she should have waited?

I burst out of the shelter, my hooves skidding on the damp moss, threatening to send me tumbling. The sound of Thorn’s knife scraping against the wooden brick filled the silence as I locked eyes with him. Ellie stood by his side, her hand resting on his shoulder, a concerned expression etched on her face.

“Simon, you’re up,” Ellie said and stepped around Thorn. “Lucy will be so happy to see you—”

“Where is she?” I snapped.

Ellie’s gaze lowered to my pouch, and Thorn stood up to hide his mate. “Can you put that fucking thing away? I don’t need my female seeing your tiny shaft.”

I growled. “If it is so tiny, then why do you care if she sees it? I bet it is larger than yours!”

Thorn’s growl reverberated in the air. The ground trembled under his heavy footsteps as he stomped towards me. With a forceful toss, he hurled the block of wood away, and it landed in the fire. The glint of the knife reflected from the light source and its sharpness threateningly pointed in my direction.

“Faun, you dare to challenge me,” he seethed, the intensity of his voice sending chills down my spine. “It is best that your female left. You don’t know how to hold your tongue.”

The extra fur on my back stood up. I bent my knees and lowered my head, my horns tingling, ready to run and plow into his assets.

“That’s enough!” Ellie shouted. “This is ridiculous! Simon, Lucy left!”

I straightened up and rounded Thorn. His body followed me as I got closer to his female. Out of respect for his mate, I tucked my shaft back into my pouch as best as I could without damaging it. I still felt an undeniable need to rut my mate, a sensation that had not left me even while I slept.

I was grateful Lucy understood my pain. If not, I feared my shaft would have fallen off in the days I slept.

I stood in front of Ellie with my claws buried in the fur at my sides.

“Wolf shifters took her. She rode on the back of one. They said her father was sick, and she went with them.” Ellie tilted her head to where Lucy was last seen.

Thorn scoffed and growled toward his mate. He was saying things I couldn’t make out because I was too busy forming a plan.

To find what was mine.

“You shouldn’t have told him. Make him figure it out on his own. He led an ogre near our home, his body is weak, he couldn’t even—”

I pulled out my shaft while Thorn was scolding his mate, who merely rolled her eyes without care. I aimed it right toward his enormous foot and released a long stream of piss.

Thorn lifted his foot, his face full of shock, and when he was about to speak, I lowered my head and head-butted him in the gut. He roared as he fell on his backside, and I darted away, running straight toward where Lucy had gone.

Ellie’s laughter was loud enough to be heard through the Wood as I charged through the brush of the branches.

Thorn roared in frustration, screaming for me never to return and that I was never welcome back.

I had no reason to come back. His mate had poisoned me. He called me small and said I was not worthy of my mate. They were both more trouble than they were worth.

It was difficult to find Lucy’s scent. It had dwindled within the Wood. But then, I felt the Wood surround me once again, guiding me to where I must go. The trees bent, and the leaves fluttered, pointing to where I must follow.

It didn’t take me long to find her, with the brush of a branch pushing me in one direction, I darted down a path less taken and found her scent once again.

I was not angry that she left me. I understood it was important to take care of family. Calliope taught me how important it was. She took care of me like one of her own; rescued me when I needed it.

My mate was smart and knew I would wake, and that I would come to find her.

And I would find her.

It is, though, unwise to travel with wolves. The ogre was still afoot, and a few wolves would not have been enough to save her. They couldn’t even beat an orc two at a time. What made her believe they would save her from an ogre?

My hooves flew across the soil, and birds flew from the branches. I nearly hit them with my horns since they were not paying attention to their surroundings. They barely heard me before I made my presence known.

The fur that had sprouted on my back days ago was still present, from the rut, as Lucy called it, which fueled me further. I’d slept for days. My body was well rested. I hoped Lucy had taken care of her father enough so he could get better on his own, because it was my turn.

I needed her now!

The forest thinned out as I ran, with the trees giving way to a small clearing. In the center, I saw her—Lucy—standing with the wolf shifters. They all had her surrounded, along with a tall figure in the middle. Long green hair and tan clothing hovering right above my mate. The dappled light sources’ filtering through the leaves above created a magical look to the area.

One wolf in particular was standing close to my female. Too close for my liking.

With my stealth and speed, no one saw me barrel out of the woods because they were all foolish. They were not waiting for an ogre to strike.

Without hesitation, I charged forward with my horns lowered as I barreled into the wolf nearest to my mate. He flew through the air and landed with a thud, momentarily stunned.

“What the fuck!” The shifter clutched his stomach.

The other wolves backed away, leaving my mate and two males standing next to her.

I huffed, my chest heaving, and shoved my horns toward them to back away.

Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise as she saw me coming to her rescue. “Simon! Stop!”

But I didn’t stop. I turned and picked her up, feeling the weight of her body against my chest, and the warmth of her presence seeping into my skin. As I lifted her, her scent filled my lungs. With a swift motion, I threw her over my shoulder, hearing her gasp.

The male with vibrant green hair, his robes adorned with intricate black swirls, held a pulsating green ball of light in his hand. As he stood there, a faint hum emanated from the ball, creating a mesmerizing glow. Beside him, another man with a stubbled face reached out and firmly grasped his wrist. “It’s alright,” he reassured him, his voice carrying a gentle tone amidst the yelling of the wolves in the background.

I bared my teeth, feeling my adrenaline surge as I locked eyes with them both. The sharp scent of anger filled the air as I slowly backed away, but the piercing sound of crackling from the ball of light echoed from the warlock’s hand. Despite my retreat, the vibrant green-haired male stood firm, and his unwavering gaze increased the tension in the air.

Suddenly, a soil-shattering explosion rocked the ground next to me, causing a cloud of dirt to billow into the air, stinging my eyes and filling my nostrils with the heavy smell of burned dirt. The deafening sound of the blast echoed through my ears, leaving them ringing in its aftermath. The sheer terror of the moment made my cursed body tense up, my muscles freezing. In the chaos, I fell, my body crashing onto the ground. As I fell, I twisted my body to shield my mate from bearing the full impact of the fall.

Lucy screamed, but she was protected.

“Rune, stop! It’s alright!” Lucy stood in front of me, putting out her hands.

I could soon stand, and I quickly jumped in front of Lucy to protect her.

This Rune rolled his hands, and another ball of light appeared. He pulled it back, ready to wield it at me again, and Lucy scrambled passed and stood in front of me.

The warlock hesitated, his glowing ball of light wavering as Lucy bravely stood between us.

“Please, don’t hurt him. He was just trying to protect me. He’s my mate!” Lucy pleaded, her voice filled with desperation.

I growled as I bent my knees and lowered my head, ready to charge.

Rune’s gaze softened as he looked at Lucy, then at me. He slowly lowered his hand, the ball of light dissipating into thin air. The tension in the clearing eased as the other wolf shifters backed away cautiously.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding,” Rune spoke, his voice calm yet authoritative.

Lucy turned back to me, concern etched on her face. I shook off the dirt and leaves that clung to my fur, eyeing Rune warily as he approached us.

“On behalf of Lucy’s father, please let me thank you for protecting her,” Rune said, his green eyes meeting mine. “You are a formidable guardian, and I can see the bond between you and Lucy is strong. He has spoken highly of her and hoped of her safety.”

A male stood next to Rune with his arm now gripped tight around his arm. He nodded quickly and swallowed. “Yes, yes. Thank you. What he said, certainly.”

I grunted in acknowledgment, but still on edge but willing to listen.

“Simon,” Lucy tugged on my arm. “This is my father, James Watts.” She nodded to the male with the beard on his face. “And this warlock is… well, his mate, Rune.” Lucy let out a huff of unbelievable laughter.

My eyebrows rose, and my eyes bounced from both of them. When they approached, my arms wrapped around Lucy as I pulled her back.

While they perhaps were her fathers now… I wasn’t about to let them get close again. They had taken her away from me once, and I wasn’t about to have them do it again. She was unclaimed, and I have not had my time with her. It wasn’t enough.

Lucy went to her father so willingly, and he wasn’t even sick. Did she not want me anymore? Was her father being sick a lie? Would she rather go to her father than me?

My anger rose, and I huffed warm air through my nostrils as I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder again.

“Simon!” Lucy squealed and banged her fists against my back. “What in the gods’ names are you doing!?”

Lucy’s father barked out in laughter. “I see ruts are the same in all animalistic species.”

Rune smirked and agreed with a knowing nod. “Agreed. Even with these new species that grace the realm, it appears no matter the origin of animal they will all present a rutting instinct. I suggest you assure your daughter of our blessing so she doesn’t worry about you or herself.”

Blessing? My mate did not need her father’s blessing. I would take her anyhow.

I turned and saw the wolf shifters all staring back at me. Most of them were wide-eyed, staring at me with wonder, but they were the least of my worries. I could outrun them on my two legs easily, even when they were on four. I knew these woods better than any of them.

“Have fun, Lucy. Let the bond take over!” James said as the Wood parted for us.

Lucy huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms. “This is the most embarrassing thing I have ever been through!” she shouted.

The wolves snickered behind us, and I jogged faster away from the group.