Chapter 10
ten
. . .
Calla
The first thing Calla felt was warmth.
A steady rise and fall. A soft chest beneath her cheek. Her palm, splayed over soft skin and hard muscle, rose with every breath her mate took. She sighed, still half-asleep, fingers lightly tracing over a ridged scar she hadn’t noticed the night before.
Zera…
She blinked, her vision adjusting to the dim orange flicker of the dying fire. She was naked, Zera was naked. Their limbs were tangled like vines. Her thigh was slung over Zera’s hip. Her entire body lay draped over hers like a blanket.
A smile tugged at her lips. Slow and lazy. She stretched her arms over her head, and the memories of what had happened hours ago came crashing down on her.
And then it hit her…
“Taste me. Taste what belongs to you.”
Calla’s eyes flew wide open.
“You look so beautiful when you’ve been thoroughly eaten out.”
“That’s your doing, my flower. You get me wet just by existing.”
“Fuck, I can’t wait for you to understand me.”
“When you make me cum, the bond will snap into place, and you will not have to worry about not understanding me.”
Her face immediately burned at the memories. She made a strangled squeak and immediately sat up, clutching the blanket beneath her. Her legs were still tangled with Zera’s, and the movement made her too aware of the soreness between them.
Gods…
She covered her face with both hands, body bussing with mortification. She peeked between her fingers.
Zera was still asleep, mouth slightly parted, a smirk ghosting her lips. Like she was dreaming something wicked, her hand twitched, reaching instinctively toward Calla even in sleep.
Calla’s heart fluttered.
Then, a strange sensation rolled over her. Not panic or lust. It was something deep, as if a tether tugged softly in her chest.
She blinked, her brows furrowing as the sudden realization of what she had just noticed. She knew what every single word that came out of Zera’s mouth meant.
Not like she’d heard them before, but as if the meaning had been carved into her bones. She placed a trembling hand over her heart.
“It worked…” she whispered.
She could feel Zera now, not just beside her, but inside her. Not in the physical way, not anymore. This was something else. Like her soul had opened up, and Zera had poured right in.
The soulmate bond.
It had snapped into place, just like Zera had said it would.
And now, slowly, she was beginning to understand.
“Zera! Puneta, Zera! Wake up!” Calla shook Zera’s shoulders, but the other woman groaned, turning her face away. “Zera! Levántate!”
“I hope your cunt is ready for my tongue once more, my flower.”
Calla’s eyes went wide, scandalized—and completely, utterly smitten. She let out a breathless scoff, cheeks burning.
“Zera…” she said, grabbing the barbarian’s face and making her focus their eyes together.
Zera froze.
Her eyes widened, and she held her breath like the full weight of their bond had just hit her. Calla felt the burst of joy, disbelief, warmth. The pull. The need. The desire pooling in her chest like light blooming through cracks.
But she also felt something else.
Love.
Tenderness.
Devotion.
It was beautiful. Overwhelming. Perfect.
“I can understand you,” Zera whispered in Arevulcan. Her voice trembled. “I can feel you.”
Calla nodded enthusiastically, letting her mate sit up and wrap her arms around her. The hug sealed everything into place. They were one.
And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Zera pulled back, hands on Calla’s waist, taking her in with awe before throwing her head back in a joyous laugh.
“I can understand you!”
Calla laughed too, burying her face into Zera’s shoulder. “I still have to translate for you when we head back home. Mom is going to be thrilled.”
“I can learn Florensi. Just give me time,” Zera said, nodding like she was making a vow. “I’ll learn it like it was my first language. I’ll use your mother tongue to speak to you.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” Zera cupped her face gently. “Calla, I’m spending the rest of my days next to my mate, in her land, in her kingdom. I’ll learn and speak her mother tongue. It is the respectful way.”
Calla sighed in happiness, tears pricking at her eyes. She pulled Zera down for a soaring kiss.
“You’re staying?” Calla asked after pulling away from the kiss.
“Of course I am,” Zera said without hesitation—but then her gaze darted away.
Calla felt it immediately.
That flicker of fear. Rejection. A piece of her withdrawing.
Oh no…
She had forgotten, hadn’t she? Zera was still a stranger in some ways. They had only known each other for a few days. There were secrets between them. Buried things. But none of that mattered.
They were mated. They could face anything together.
“Zera?” Calla asked gently. “What is it?”
“I didn’t come here to learn about soil or gardening,” Zera admitted. Her shoulders slumped in shame. “I lied.”
“…W-what are you here for then?”
Zera sighed and scratched the back of her neck, eyes still averted.
“There’s a war going on between the Skylians and Vulcanians. We tried to get Harmonia to join us, but … some of them rebelled. They were imprisoned for treason, but a few managed to escape. They fled to the Rhea Kingdom. I was sent to find them.”
Calla’s breath caught. “Why lie about it?”
“Because King Hawthorne would never allow me into the kingdom if he knew I came for violent purposes,” Zera said. She sniffed, unable to meet her gaze. “I’m sorry, my flower.”
She shook her head. “I swear… everything changed the moment I saw you. I’ve renounced all of it. The plans, the mission … everything. They disappeared the moment I met you.”
Calla swallowed hard. “Wait… so your superior might come looking for you?”
“Maybe,” Zera admitted. “But Vulcanians prioritize the holy union of soulmates. That always comes first.”
“Well…” Calla gathered Zera into her arms and hugged her tightly. “Se pueden ir al carajo. If they do try to come and get you, I’ll grab another machete and chase them away. You’re mine now. And no one takes what’s mine.”
Zera let out a deep sigh into the embrace, hugging her back a little too tightly, but Calla didn’t mind.
“No one will tear me away from you, my flower. I promise.” Zera pulled back, cupping her cheeks with both hands.
The sudden snap of a twig outside the cave pulled Zera’s attention away. Her purple gaze shot to the entrance, her face going blank, lips parting. She didn’t move. Just stared.
Calla followed her gaze, heart racing. “What is it, mi amor?”
“There’s something outside,” Zera said, her voice low.
“Yes… animals. Thousands of them. We’re in the middle of a forest, Zera.”
“No.” Zera stood, already pulling on her clothes swiftly. She reached for her hatchet without taking her eyes off the opening of the cave. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”