Simon (Promised Mates of Monktona Wood #3)

33. Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three

Simon

The next few days did not involve rutting and fucking, as the orcs would say. My mate described it as lovemaking. We touched each other intimately, savored each other’s bodies. I kissed her in any place I wanted as she submitted to me, and I submitted to her, letting her explore me and sate her curiosity, letting her touch places even though I was afraid to explore.

She touched inside my pouch where it was most sensitive. In places, it instantly made me release my seed. Before, I would have felt embarrassed. Instead, I felt pride because my mate would beam with satisfaction, at making me feel good. She would lick up my release and again tend to me, the same as I would do to her when I explored her body.

She was a whole new female. I couldn’t understand how she had come so far in such a short amount of time. She went from not accepting me fully, just fulfilling her body’s reaction to me, to fully giving me her soul and her heart, and I couldn’t be more excited.

I felt her within my soul as soon as I had bitten her. Body and spirit, we were perfectly matched. It was as if a binding had wrapped around us, to seal us in this world and within the next if we ever left this plane. It was fragile, but it was there. Once she surprised me, and had bitten me, the binding was stronger, turning that tiny thread into a rope that could never be broken.

Once she had bitten me, my body relaxed, and the fur on my back sunk inward. I was no longer the savage beast that had to sink my cock inside her to claim her. I was sated, but that didn’t mean I was done with her.

I craved her more than ever.

I craved her body, her mind, even her smile. The way she grabbed my horns so I could lick her pussy, the taste of my seed and her arousal mixed into a perfect mixture.

As those early/first few days went on, I noticed differences between my mate and my friend Calliope. Calliope slept a lot during her transformation when her soul was sealed. Lucy did not sleep long. She would awake within hours, pull my cock from my pouch and wake me with her mouth on my shaft.

Lucy also sprouted horns, which were similar to mine and curved around her head. They were much smaller, but they were beautiful, and I swelled with pride that she looked like me—that we matched.

She did not grow hooves; she still had her toes. She did not have the hind legs of a goat, and I was happy about that. I loved Lucy how she was, but the horns, they warmed my soul. It made me feel not alone.

I never questioned why she possessed horns while the orc females lacked their male companions' physical attributes. I was a faun; I differed from the shifters and orcs. That was the only reasoning I could give.

As we rested in each other’s arms and the days passed, I had flashes of dreams or memories that I had never seen before: of creatures like me, of fauns in meadows and in forests, which didn’t look like the Wood at all. They were a lot plainer with evergreens—green leaved trees—berry covered bushes, and streams with small fish.

I saw very few females of my kind, but there was one who would approach me often. She would lower her body since she was much taller than me and reach out her hand to guide me to follow her. A warmth bloomed in my chest that made me realize this female was a mother figure, the way she would pet between my horns and nuzzle my nose with hers.

As I held my mate and let my fingertips soothe her skin from the rough ways I took her, the mother figure would appear in my mind. I didn’t will her to be there; she would just appear in my mind. Her smile was bright, and we were both happy. At times, a male would take her hand, put me on his shoulder, and we would run through a meadow with other fauns just like us.

I had a family!

I wasn’t the only creature like me!

I wasn’t ready to share with Lucy about this fresh memory, yet. I didn’t know what to think of it. Was it wishful thinking? Did I create this family on my own? Was it real?

I waited each hour to see another memory unfold. I wanted more answers about who these other fauns were. Was it really my life? Or simply what I wanted?

I watched myself as a young faun laughing, screaming and bleating for the hand-carved toy my father had made. The father held it up high, and I jumped, higher and higher. I finally used my head and used the rock beside me to jump off to get higher. I grabbed the toy that was out of reach and screamed in excitement.

When I landed on the ground, I froze. My mother ran toward me and gasped in fake sympathy when I giggled. Father shook his head and picked me up while I hugged the wooden toy tightly.

I felt warm inside. It really was me.

I had parents.

As the days went on, more memories surfaced.

I knew their faces by heart. My mother had hair like mine, while I had fetlocks—hooves with thick, overgrown hair—like my father. I remembered their voices and their touch.

While I enjoyed the time with my mate, I was also gifted answers to my past.

My mate didn’t know any of this. She was blissfully unaware. I never gave her any reason to believe she was not getting the attention she deserved, because I gave her all the attention she wanted when she wanted it, even when she appeared to be sated.

My mind knew to wander when my mate was sleeping or in a hazed state, because I would wander back into a world where there were more of my kind, but the longer I was there, the darker it became.

I sensed the heavy, worried looks on my parents’ faces as the memories wore on. The fauns migrated deeper into the forest instead of prancing and dancing within the meadows like they usually did.

My father appeared to be a leader of some kind, urging many to follow him into the thick forest.

Humans in the distance had gathered, pointing in our direction. What looked like curiosity to a child was actually ill intent. My mother scooped me up into her arms while my father herded the rest inside the forest. The humans ran toward us with torches while the herd took off into the forest. The forest shielded us, branches sealing/hiding the opening and hiding us within.

I clung to my mother and felt the fear inside me. My heart thundered, and my mother petted my back, whispering that everything would be alright. The fire from the torches dimmed within the forest. It held the humans back, but for how long?

My father's hand wrapped around my mother’s shoulder. He looked back into the darkness, and his warm breath seeped down into my hair. I heard him shout to the rest of the herd, bringing us into the small clearing in the forest.

There weren’t many of us, just a small herd, but when we gathered, there was a male with striking red hair that floated with the air, as if he was under the seas.

I clung to my mother, watching him. He wasn’t a human, that I knew. There was a striking power to him I couldn’t describe. I felt safe here, as did everyone else, but I couldn’t understand why.

There was a rustle in the woods to my left, and my mother held me tighter, though I squirmed. I wanted to be let down to see what it was. I was a curious kid, and sitting for too long was torturous.

“No,” I whispered to myself. This was wrong, so wrong.

I watched as my mother put me down, and I walked toward the bushes, then a hand clamped over my mouth.

Someone dragged me into the forest despite my bleating and crying. I could see my parents walking forward, not looking out for me. Tears pricked my tiny eyes as I watched them go toward the red-headed male.

They left me!

Even in this memory, I felt my body heave out a shaky breath. My mate, who was asleep in my arms, held me tighter, and I held onto her as tears leaked down my cheeks.

They were under a mesmerizing spell. They had to be because they didn’t look back. None of them did, and went into a light so bright it blinded me until they were gone. Something dragged me through the forest, away from the clearing.

I let out a whine and shook my head to clear away the memory. I didn’t want to look anymore, didn’t want to remember.

Lucy gasped, and her arms wrapped around me. Immediately, one of her hands went into my hair and stroked between my horns, just like I saw my mother do.

I grunted, trying to hold back the tears. A male should not be this weak in front of their mate. I was to be strong and fearless. I was to protect her and—

“Simon,” Lucy whispered and continued to pet my hair. “It’s okay, I’m right here.”

I bit the inside of my cheek and nuzzled into her neck. The mark on her shoulder was right there, a reminder that she was mine, that she would always be mine, and she would go nowhere else. We were together forever.

Were my parents together? Had they died?

What happened to them?

Lucy didn’t ask questions as she ran her fingers through my hair. My chest made a rumbling noise, and Lucy let out a hum-like laugh.

“You sound like an enormous cat. It’s like purring, but not quite right.”

I sniffed and kept my nose buried into her shoulder. I was on top of her, keeping my face away. I didn’t want her to see me distressed, but I knew she could feel me. I could feel her emotions as well. She was worried, but there was understanding mixed with her emotions. It was strange to feel what she felt. I couldn’t understand it.

“I know why you are upset, Simon.” She took her fingers and ran them along my scalp. “This whole time, I’ve been seeing what you see.”

I held onto her tighter, not willing to move. I was afraid but also curious as to how she knew.

“It’s like watching a movie reel. It’s strange. I see you as a little thing, a tiny little faun, and two very proud parents.”

I let out a huff into her hair, and my hands roamed up her naked back.

“They were so proud of you. Especially when they put that cute little flower crown on your head. It had those pretty thick branches on it. Your dad had one, too. Do you think your dad was the king of the fauns?”

I shook my head and closed my eyes tighter. Too afraid to speak.

“It looked like it. And you are the little prince of the forest. I think that is why the Wood here listens to you. How it bows to you and moves away so you can run. Look how fast you move through it.”

I let out a whine.

Lucy kissed my forehead, then her hand ran up and down my cheek. “You were taken, do you realize that, right? It was for a reason, though it wasn’t to punish you or your parents.”

I sniffed and dared to pull my head up, no longer hiding from her.

Her thumbs came up and wiped under my eyes. She rubbed her nose with mine and placed a gentle kiss on my nose. “I’m not an expert with the fates,” her voice cracked. “I’m not an expert in bonds, soul mates, or the like. I know little about this land; how you really became a goat, how you became friends with Calliope, but I know one thing.” She placed a kiss on my lips.

She opened her mouth, rubbing her tongue against me. Both of us had tears rolling down our faces by the time we stopped. “I know this.” She placed her forehead against mine again. “Fate brought us together. If you had gone with your parents, I wouldn’t have met you. We wouldn’t be together. I’m glad you are here with me. I would be so, so lost without you, Simon. You are the missing piece I never knew I was missing.”

I let out a whine and buried my face in her breasts.

“And I am so sorry you haven’t had your family and have been so alone. We will find them one day. I promise.” My mate laid her cheek on my horns and stroked my cheek with her thumb.

I cleared my throat. “But I am happy,” I said. “I am happy the way things turned out. I have my mate, and I would do it all again. Be taken from my family, become a goat, just so I could have you, Lucy. I wanted what my parents had even, as a young kid. And you gave that to me.”

Lucy held my head tighter to her breasts and let out a long sob. “I love you, Simon. So much.”

My ears pricked up, and I raised my head to meet her eye-to-eye. “And I love you, Lucy.” Then, I rubbed my nose with hers.