Chapter 31 Dante
Dante
Concentrating had become damn near impossible.
Ever since being re-cursed, the beastly wolf side of me lingered just beneath the surface at all times.
My human senses heightened to preternatural levels, and if Mira’s scent hadn’t been intoxicating enough, it now mingled with the growing life inside her.
Two heartbeats besides my own that drove my instincts to protect at all costs.
That’s why Mira joined when I embarked on a friendly outreach to one of the surrounding villages today.
If she had really wanted to stay behind to work with the others in the settlement, I would have let her—though, it would have been maddening.
Fighting off my baser self to constantly be on top of her every movement clashed with a vow I’d made a long time ago: never again would she feel trapped.
Whenever she’d bring up memories from her former life, which was seldom, my claws begged to spring free to hunt and slaughter every single person that had ever held her captive. Guilt still gnawed at me that I fell into that category. Another vow was to make it up to her for the rest of my life.
“What are you thinking about?” That sweet, melodic voice broke me from my trance.
“You, as always.”
She scrunched her nose with a smile, and I leaned down to kiss her head.
My arm hung lazily over her shoulders, tucking her close to my side as we strolled.
We took our time, enjoying the afternoon sunshine, basking in the green countryside scenery.
Mira had wanted to walk, so I obliged. After almost an hour, we arrived in Point Hollow.
Significantly more populated than Solei, the buildings fit together in a more uniform construction.
Dozens of people walked the streets, stopping in and out of shops and establishments.
Claudya gave us clear instructions on how to find the town’s mayor. He’d reluctantly agreed to marginally increase grain supplies for several weeks. While I didn’t explicitly have King Nicholas’s approval, or Radhak’s, to speak on their behalf, I’d decided to make the journey here anyway.
No longer existing permanently as a terrifying wolf creature, I had the ability to connect with people in ways I hadn’t in decades.
I didn’t want to become the person I’d been before, no, that Dante died a long time ago.
And good riddance, but I did wonder if I possessed any of my former charismatic charm.
It’d served me well in business negotiations once upon a time, and I thought I’d try my hand at it again.
The worst he could do was say no. So, here we were.
“Do you think we can get something to eat before meeting with the mayor?” Mira asked, raising a hand to her stomach. In that same moment, it chose to speak up on her behalf, rumbling to convince me. All I could do was smile and stroke her arm.
“I’m surprised you have any room left in there,” I teased. Cluckina was a fertile egg layer, and Mira had three before we’d left, along with several pieces of toast doused in blackberry jam.
“The baby is hungry.” She shrugged.
“Whatever you want, green eyes. Claudya gave me a couple silvers in case we needed something while we’re here.
” Though her heart rate had sped up as she deposited them in my hand.
I’d started to feel slightly bad that the welcoming middle-aged woman was still anxious around me, but I didn’t see my predatory instincts regarding Mira dying down anytime soon.
What was a half-wolf, half-human, shifter man to do?
Mira perked up at the sight of a bakery cart.
A woman stood behind it, kneading a ball of dough.
The scent of verbena and vanilla decorated the air, wafting off the trays of cookies and breads.
Mira released a vibrating hum that shot straight to my cock.
She floated toward the woman as if her growing belly was suddenly weightless.
“That smells delicious,” she moaned, and I had to actively concentrate on not stiffening in the middle of a semi-busy street. Battling the ridiculous notion that I was jealous over a baked good, I asked the vendor for her prices.
They were more than reasonable, and after convincing Mira that she was allowed to take a dozen cookies and three bread rolls, I began my mission of diplomacy.
“This is our first time in Point Hollow, and I have a feeling you will be our new favorite baker. Please, keep the change.” I slid a silver across the wooden counter, and she blinked in surprise.
“Thank you, that is very generous. Where are you folks from?”
“Argora Vale,” I answered with an unfaltering smile, holding her gaze.
Surprise flashed briefly across her face, but she tamped down her reaction. “Oh. I didn’t know anyone still lived there.”
“Quite a few of us, actually. But by invitation of the king and queen, we’ve been welcomed to establish ourselves in Solei,” Mira replied, speaking over her hand to try and cover the mouthful of cookie she’d already begun to devour.
We’d discussed our game plan on the walk here.
Only associating residents of Argora Vale and our move with positive wording would naturally sway opinions to be more accepting.
“We’re helping to restore the town to its former glory.
” Mira beamed, though I suspected it was less to do with intentional persuasion and more to do with pure, undiluted happiness from the lemon cookies.
The woman visibly processed the information we’d dumped on her.
“I’m Dante, this is my wife, Mira. We’re expecting our first child.” Saying it out loud rocked me every time. Nothing brought me more joy than having Mira bear my child. I placed my hand over Mira’s stomach, holding a steady smile.
“Oh. Congratulations,” she said, glancing between the two of us and Mira’s belly.
“What’s your name?” Mira asked through filled cheeks as crumbs flew out of her mouth. I fought to hold in my snicker.
“Jesinine,” she replied like she was unsure if she wanted us to know.
“Well, thank you again, Jesinine. I’m sure we’ll see you again.” I dipped my chin.
“Lovely to meet you! You’re an incredible baker!” Mira gushed before we veered down the sidewalk.
I would have offered to hold the bag of baked goods, but Mira was digging through it again. “I think that went well. Wife, huh?” Her voice dropped playfully low.
We’d held no ceremony. Technically, I hadn’t even proposed, but we both knew.
Had things been different, a curse not plaguing the land, forced migration of our people, we would have done things the old fashioned way.
“You know I’ll make good on that once things get settled.
” My hand had been fastened to her hip since we left the bakery cart and I idly stroked my thumb along her side.
“This is my husband, Dante. Oh, you’re looking for my husband, Dante? He’s just over there.” Mira faked imaginary conversations, testing out the title and I couldn’t hold in my laughter.
She came to a sudden stop.
“What’s wrong?” My spine stiffened. Instantly I held her tighter, scanning our surroundings for potential danger.
“I don’t feel well. I…I think I need to lay down.” She looked at me, green eyes flooding with guilt.
“Did you think I expected you to walk here and back today?” I gave her a lazy smile. “Claudya told me about an inn. Let’s go check in and get you off your feet.”
Mira’s mouth fell into a heavy frown. “I love you so much.” Her eyes welled, and the lip tremble began. These hormones were doing a number on her.
“You are the world.” I repeated the line from one of our favorite poems and regretted it instantly when tears trailed her cheeks.
I chuckled, wiping them away with my thumbs.
“Come on.” We walked a couple blocks until we reached The Lone Oak, Claudya’s first recommendation.
Using her name as a reference would apparently get us a discounted rate, and establishing mutual connections was another step in my plan.
The inn had a pair of decorative antlers above the door, and we stepped into the rustic wooden lobby.
A hulking man stood at the reception desk, speaking with the clerk.
We stood a few feet behind him, waiting for our turn.
Mira’s gaze trailed the lodgings, taking in all the details.
It was something I noticed she’d started doing more, observing without restraint.
Any attempt to grant the men in front of us privacy was thwarted by my heightened animal senses.
“They’re royals, they have a horse for every man. Keep them in the stables behind the back, not the ones by the street,” the tall man attempted keeping his voice low.
“What if they aren’t hungry?” the aging clerk asked. When the large man swayed on his feet, elbows resting on the desk before him, the clerk caught sight of us. “Oh! Hello! Welcome!” the short man said.
The towering man at the counter turned his head, showcasing eyebrows and an untamed beard like a forest of black and gray.
He stood to his full height, standing nearly a foot taller than me.
My grip around Mira tightened. The man’s scent hit me, a mix of blood and sweat.
Not human blood, though. The hairs on my arms rose, the beastly part of me deeming him a threat to my wife.
He casually swaggered to the side of the counter, gesturing for us to proceed with our business in an irritated fashion.
I walked with relaxed ease, but my senses were honed on his every movement.
His deep breath, hollow in his chest, but rapid, as if he was nervous.
I’d shred him to ribbons within a split second if he tried anything.
“My wife and I are looking for a room for the evening,” I said through a forced smile.
“Preferably one with a tub,” Mira added.
Any exhilarating thoughts of what I might see or do to her in that tub faded when the clerk replied, “I’m sorry Miss, but we’ve been rented out for the evening.” He craned his head to the side, giving us a sorrowful look. His heart rate was elevated too.
“For the royal convoy?” I gathered it from their conversation. I hadn’t heard from Nicholas or Nora since before our trip. They might even be sending us a shipment of extra supplies already, which would be extremely helpfu—
“No,” the towering man barked.
I whipped my gaze to him, holding his darkening stare. Unnoticeable to anyone else in the room maybe, but I noticed the pull on his upper lip, the muscles fighting off a snarl. Clearly he hadn’t wanted us to overhear, and my hackles rose beneath my human skin.
In an effort to disguise where I’d heard the information, and playing up our charade of friendly harmless visitors, I said, “Oh, I heard rumor in town today that they were coming. Was it from the baker? No, the shoemaker? I can’t remember, we’re meeting so many people for the first time today.
Claudya sent us from Solei.” Despite wanting to pull a power play and hold my own with the simmering male to my left, I chose to soften my voice.
It took more than a little control to appear unthreatening, but judging from the diffusing tension radiating from him, I knew I’d made the right call.
“Ah, well, I hope you’ll come back another time, then. There’s Merchants Crossing a few blocks south, they might have some rooms for you,” the clerk said with a kind smile, but one that told us there was no further conversation to be had here.
“Thank you for your time. Come on, darling,” I spoke into Mira’s curly hair, pressing a kiss to her head as we unhurriedly waltzed out of the inn.
The warming afternoon air cleared away the stifling annoyance from that interaction.
“I hope the next place has a tub. Wait, why did you lie? We haven’t met a shoemaker,” Mira said, apparently oblivious to the charged encounter we’d just shared.
I decided not to tell her what I’d sensed. It would only cause her to worry, and I knew my beautiful woman wouldn’t be able to rest like she needed to. “The more we appear to mingle, the easier we’ll be accepted.”
“Risky to lie. What if that other man was the local shoemaker? Then he’d know you weren’t truthful.” She didn’t approve of me lying, but I wouldn’t explain that the rambling deescalated a situation she hadn’t even been aware of.
“He wasn’t, I think he was a butcher. He reeked of animal blood and death.”
She sighed heavily. “I don’t know if I should be impressed or irritated.”
“Try impressed.” I smirked, and she glared up at me with playful vexation.