of fractured emotions that surrounded her in the alpha's bed, that she truly began to feel like a woman.
"Netya?" The alpha tilted her face toward him, another question in his eyes.
She took a deep breath and nodded. "I felt everything you described. I am thankful you showed me, Alpha."
"My name is Khelt. Sleep here tonight. You will find these furs warmer than those in Fern's tent." He lay back and dragged one of the heavy animal skins over to cover her, before closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh.
Netya watched him for a long time, wondering what kind of man he was, what kind of a leader he made for his people. Though her body was tired and in need of mending, she could not sleep. She relived their lovemaking over and over again in her head, not quite believing that she was now fully a woman. She knew things now that had been a mystery to her just hours before. Even her soreness couldn't distract her from the glowing feeling of fulfilment that returned every time she thought back to the way Khelt had claimed her.
It was only much later, after she lay awake for an hour or more, that her thoughts turned to home, and the familiar bed that now lay empty in her house. Where did Layon think she was now? Her mother and sisters? Her brow creased as the painful thoughts threatened to steal away her elation. She curled her knees up to her chest, staring at the coals of the fire. Despite the heavy fur wrapped around her, she still felt cold.
Khelt murmured in his sleep and rolled over, his hand encircling her waist and tugging her in against his warm body. Netya's thoughts of home drifted away as she was reminded again of his touch. She let the unwelcome worries slip away as she sank back into his embrace, remembering that she was not a simple village girl any more. She closed her eyes and finally felt the fingers of sleep reach for her.
She was consort to the alpha now.
— 6—
The Desires of a Woman
Netya was roused by the sound of voices within the den.
She ached terribly, the soreness between her legs just as bad as it had been when she went to sleep, but the memory of what had caused it brought a smile to her lips.
Daylight filtered down through the openings in the roof of the cave, just enough to add some brightness to the dim chamber. She peeked out from beneath the heavy fur that lay over her and saw Khelt standing near the entrance as he conversed with two other men. He was dressed again in his kilt and boots, and his freshly washed hair dripped down his back, the long black locks giving him a distinctly different look now that he stood alongside his fellow pack members.
She remained still, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she watched, pretending to still be asleep. The idea of meeting more of the Moon People, especially in her naked and vulnerable state, still intimidated her.
One of the men Khelt was speaking to seemed to be recounting something, while the other, taller man listened in silence with his arms folded. It was to this second man that her gaze was immediately drawn once her eyes had grown accustomed to the light. He was strikingly handsome, tall and well built like Khelt, with facial hair that had been trimmed neatly short and a mane of brown hair to match. He wore the same collection of animal furs as the rest of the Moon People, but his outfit seemed less rugged somehow. The leather girdle around his waist in particular was ornamented with a wooden clasp that had been carved into a beautifully detailed impression of a wolf's head, clearly the work of a skilled craftsman.
The conversation continued for a short while, and Khelt seemed to be growing impatient. When the taller man finally spoke it was in gentle tones as he interceded between the other two. His companion immediately objected, but Khelt raised a hand to silence him, then led his quieter, more reasonable guest over to the table. When they spoke again, it was in Netya's language. Whatever they were saying was clearly not
"Netya?" The alpha tilted her face toward him, another question in his eyes.
She took a deep breath and nodded. "I felt everything you described. I am thankful you showed me, Alpha."
"My name is Khelt. Sleep here tonight. You will find these furs warmer than those in Fern's tent." He lay back and dragged one of the heavy animal skins over to cover her, before closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh.
Netya watched him for a long time, wondering what kind of man he was, what kind of a leader he made for his people. Though her body was tired and in need of mending, she could not sleep. She relived their lovemaking over and over again in her head, not quite believing that she was now fully a woman. She knew things now that had been a mystery to her just hours before. Even her soreness couldn't distract her from the glowing feeling of fulfilment that returned every time she thought back to the way Khelt had claimed her.
It was only much later, after she lay awake for an hour or more, that her thoughts turned to home, and the familiar bed that now lay empty in her house. Where did Layon think she was now? Her mother and sisters? Her brow creased as the painful thoughts threatened to steal away her elation. She curled her knees up to her chest, staring at the coals of the fire. Despite the heavy fur wrapped around her, she still felt cold.
Khelt murmured in his sleep and rolled over, his hand encircling her waist and tugging her in against his warm body. Netya's thoughts of home drifted away as she was reminded again of his touch. She let the unwelcome worries slip away as she sank back into his embrace, remembering that she was not a simple village girl any more. She closed her eyes and finally felt the fingers of sleep reach for her.
She was consort to the alpha now.
— 6—
The Desires of a Woman
Netya was roused by the sound of voices within the den.
She ached terribly, the soreness between her legs just as bad as it had been when she went to sleep, but the memory of what had caused it brought a smile to her lips.
Daylight filtered down through the openings in the roof of the cave, just enough to add some brightness to the dim chamber. She peeked out from beneath the heavy fur that lay over her and saw Khelt standing near the entrance as he conversed with two other men. He was dressed again in his kilt and boots, and his freshly washed hair dripped down his back, the long black locks giving him a distinctly different look now that he stood alongside his fellow pack members.
She remained still, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she watched, pretending to still be asleep. The idea of meeting more of the Moon People, especially in her naked and vulnerable state, still intimidated her.
One of the men Khelt was speaking to seemed to be recounting something, while the other, taller man listened in silence with his arms folded. It was to this second man that her gaze was immediately drawn once her eyes had grown accustomed to the light. He was strikingly handsome, tall and well built like Khelt, with facial hair that had been trimmed neatly short and a mane of brown hair to match. He wore the same collection of animal furs as the rest of the Moon People, but his outfit seemed less rugged somehow. The leather girdle around his waist in particular was ornamented with a wooden clasp that had been carved into a beautifully detailed impression of a wolf's head, clearly the work of a skilled craftsman.
The conversation continued for a short while, and Khelt seemed to be growing impatient. When the taller man finally spoke it was in gentle tones as he interceded between the other two. His companion immediately objected, but Khelt raised a hand to silence him, then led his quieter, more reasonable guest over to the table. When they spoke again, it was in Netya's language. Whatever they were saying was clearly not
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