Chapter 3 #2
“We may as well start there,” Ronan says, seeing the same path as me. He leads the way as Hawk and I flank him, our eyes and ears alert for any sign of the charm or threat.
As we reach the end of the path, we find ourselves in a large clearing in the forest, filled with men. We’ve barely taken two steps into it when a group of six men steps in front of us, their arms crossed over their chests as they glare at us.
The man in the center spits on the ground as he hisses, “Redmere scum.”
“What’d we ever do to you?” I ask in amusement. Seriously, though, nobody has left our island in years.
“Go back to your dirty island. You don’t belong here.”
“What’s your problem?” I ask, resisting the urge to pull out my sword. But I know we can’t just kill anyone who ticks us off. Unfortunately.
“You think you can come here and take our women?” the shorter man to his left asks us with a sneer.
“Ah, I see the issue. You think we are here to participate in your barbaric game, and that we’ll win,” Ronan says calmly with a nod of his head.
These men, although big for mainlanders, are still a few inches shorter than us, and no threat.
Besides, they would never attack us out in the open with so many others watching.
“Then why are you here?” one of the men who hadn’t spoken yet asks as if he doesn’t believe us.
“None of your business,” Ronan tells him.
The lot of them glare at us before the man in front spits on the ground again and mutters, “Dirty cannibals,” before turning and heading back into the crowd.
“Well, that was a warm greeting,” I say in amusement as we watch them walk away.
“We need to find the charm,” Hawk says, bringing us back to the task. We nod as we start to move through the crowd of men.
I’m not sure what we will possibly find here amongst all these men, and Ronan seems to have the same thought as he eventually tells us, “Let’s head toward the forest. It’s probably in there.”
As we get toward the front where several small platforms sit, a couple of men block our path.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the tallest of them asks us.
“Into the forest,” Ronan says, nodding over their heads to the woods beyond.
Then three men laugh as they eye us carefully. “I don’t think so. Only people signing up for the Mating Hunt get to go in there, and not until they are told it’s time.”
Ronan just stares down at them with a frown. I know he’s contemplating just pushing them aside, but we really don’t want hundreds of men chasing us down while we conduct our search.
Without saying a word, Ronan turns on his heel, and we follow him as he moves back through the group. There’s a small commotion to our right, and we all stop and glance in that direction.
Beyond all the men are some canvas tents scattered throughout the trees. Something over there has caught some of the men’s attention, as all the ones at the edge are looking in that direction.
Since we have no direction in mind anyway, we head toward the commotion. We have to push a few people aside to make our way to the edge, and as we step in front of the last group of men, we all freeze in our tracks.
My eyes widen as my heart feels like it literally lurches in my chest.
A distraught-looking woman kneels on the ground, looking as if she’s just fallen. Her blonde hair is a mess of tangles as if it hasn’t been brushed in weeks. She tilts her head up as her wide, hazel eyes meet ours.
Time seems to stand still as she takes in the three of us, giving me a chance to take in her fallen form. Even behind the tangle of hair and the dirt on her skin, I can see her beauty.
Ronan takes a single step toward her.
“Willow!” someone yells, as three men run up behind her, making her whip her head around to them in surprise.
“Are you crazy? Come on,” another one of them says as he grabs her by the arm and yanks her to her feet.
“Ow!” she cries out, making the three of us instantly step toward them.
“Let go of her!” Ronan seethes.
The man, who I think might be her brother based on similar appearance, shoves her behind him and stands up tall as he faces Ronan. “You touch my sister, or me, and I’ll have you arrested.”
We stop moving as Ronan glances down at the tiny female and tells her, “Say the word and I’ll kill him.”
She looks surprised, but shakes her head. Before I can say anything, a gong sounds in the distance and the man curses. “Shit, Willow, you’re late for the hunt! Come on!” He grabs her hand and drags her away.
Just before she’s out of sight, she glances over her shoulder at Ronan, who nods at her and slams his fist against his chest. I should be surprised that he’d offer the ultimate sign of devotion to a woman he doesn’t even know, but instead, I’m still reeling at what just happened.
I’ve never had such a strong physical reaction to another person before. Even now, I can still feel her, as if she’s tethered to me somehow. And I suddenly realize why.
“Holy shit,” I whisper as Ronan and Hawk turn to face me. “She’s my fated mate.”
“Mine too,” they both say in unison.
We all stare at each other in shock. Fated mates are extremely rare.
So much so that I’ve never even met anyone who has found theirs.
Many think it’s a myth. But in Redmere, we have never forgotten the old days, when almost everyone was graced with a fated mate.
Stories of them have been passed down for generations.
And that’s why it’s a shock that three lonelings would feel the mate bond with the same woman. In all the stories we’ve heard, one commonality was that it was always brothers who shared the same fated mate.
But the tug in my chest and the sudden urge to protect her and hold her are undeniable. There is no question about it. She is mine.
Ronan’s face turns dark as he turns in the direction she disappeared. “The man said she was late for the hunt,” he says, his jaw clenching tightly.
“Oh… fuck,” I say as worry fills me. I already knew the Mating Hunt was a barbaric ritual, but to think our fated mate is about to be thrown into it, along with hundreds of men, fighting for the right to claim her. My fists clench at the thought of anyone else touching her.
“I guess that decides it then,” Hawk says with a nod. “We’re signing up for the Mating Hunt.”