𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ༊࿐ ᴀᴏɴᴜɴɢ x ᴏᴄ

29.

⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆ Kai'wä POV ⋆☾⋆࿔࿐⋆𓇼⋆࿐ ࿔⋆☾⋆

The next few weeks pass by in a dream.

I spend each morning training with Aonung, then the days with the Sullys, then each night with Aonung as well.

We sit on our beach in the pale moonlight, laughing and swimming and cuddling.

To be honest, we still haven't made it past making out, but Aonung's been fiercely gentle about everything.

Everything's been moving swiftly and peacefully.

The other day, I caught Lo'ak and Tsireya holding hands on an ilu.

I also don't miss the cute shy glances Kiri and Rotxo exchange, though I know both of them aren't exactly eager to be the first one to make a move.

Ronal and Tonowari are perfectly aware of Aonung and I.

Ronal caught us making out at the seawall terraces one early morning whilst collecting shellfish for her various Tsahìk duties.

Tonowari caught Aonung sneaking back into their marui a few times in the early early morning after night swims and long chats on our beach.

So when I'm passing their marui and Tonowari calls me in, I'm surprised to find that Aonung isn't there.

I smile nervously at them, but Tonowari and Ronal don't look pleased.

"Hi Kai'wä," Tonowari says, a tense smile on his face.

My nerves increase.

"What?" I ask nervously. "What could I have done this time."

"Actually, it's not you. It's not getting you in trouble its..."

He scowls, and my trepidation increases. He looks so serious.

"Do you know Ta'ru? He is training to become a warrior for our clan, and is ranking very highly in his group, nearly at the top. He is strong and personable-"

"I know Ta'ru," I say stiffly, my trepidation increasing despite his favourable introduction. 

He sighs, rubbing his face and looking sorrowfully down at me.

"Well, every warrior needs a mate, one promised to them."

"Yes." He looks down at me with such pity and sorrow.

"He chose you, Kai'wä."

I blink, my heart stuttering in my fluttering chest.

"What?" I whisper. 

"Ta'ru would like you to be his-"

"Mate," I finish, my face feeling very flushed.

"We know this is complicated," Ronal murmurs, moving over to stand by me. "With our son and-"

"Do I have a choice?" I ask, feeling almost sick now.

Ronal blinks.

"There she is."

"That little bitch."

"She isn't even pretty, look."

"Yeah, how does she even pull anyone?"

The voices follow me as I tread through the village, shoulders slumped and head drooping. 

I can't see where they come from, though I see Metkayinan girls everywhere. I never noticed any words spoken about me, probably because I never cared, or pretended not to care. 

"What does Ta'ru see in her?"

"It's probably just a joke, I saw how he was looking at you yesterday."

"Right? We were totally flirting."

"Definitely. You're so much prettier than her anyway, she looks like a drowned rat right now."

"And always-"

"Can you just shut the fuck up?"

The annoyed voice came from somewhere above me, and I slowly look up. A

Aonung is standing in front of me, his solid shoulders at my eye level. It's his necklace that makes me realise it's him.

"What did he just say?"

"Why is he defending that freak."

"I said," he says, even louder. "Can you just shut the fuck up? No one asked for your opinion. No one even knows who you are. It's embarrassing, really, that such irrelevant skxawngs are shit talking a girl who gets all the attention they want put together. Get over yourselves. Come on."

He throws one arm over me, steering me away and scowling back at the others.

"Aonung, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do."

I look up at him.

There's something weird in his eyes, as though he's trying to hide a fierce anger.

But he doesn't say anything, just leading me by the arm along to our beach.