Chapter Thirty Two

The cool breeze swept past her thick locks. Rina sighed as she stared at the edge of the forest, the sun would set soon. She needed to get this over with before anymore misunderstandings happened.

Faint wisps of blue aura appeared around her body. Her eyes slid shut as her aura spread from her body. Soon the mystical energy covered the forest, it kept going until her aura touched upon a familiar aura. The erratic energy proved his anger was simmering.

"Damn it,"

She hated talking to him when he was angry. It was always a blaming game when his emotions were involved. Rina passed the village boundaries and entered the forest. She had to take another path leading outside the village, it was less used then the rest. But it would lead her directly to the angry individual she had to face.

It was a discussion she was not looking forward to. Rina sighed as she continued down the dirt path, her feet dragged along the rocky surface in hesitation.

Long blades of vegetation and grass grew down the middle of the path, she wasn't sure where she was heading but knew who she would find at the end of the trail. She didn't have to worry about any rogue demons in the area. At this point, Damien's presence was enough to deter even the mindless beasts away. The spread of her aura also confirmed there was no threat in the immediate area. Her breath hitched as heat began to build between her thighs.

"Shit," she mumbled.

She stopped and concentrated on pushing all images of Damien aside. Their earlier encounter did not help. She bit her bottom lip and shook her head. She needed to stop this irrational thinking and focus on the person at the end of the old dirt road. The heat in her core began to ebb away.

Any thought of Damien seemed to trigger her body in to a wanton state. It was something she was not looking forward to dealing with in the future. Being surrounded by people that could smell the affects he had on her also unsettled her.

Thoughts of Damien's home let her know she would truly have no privacy if any of the staff senses were a quarter of the demon Lords. Rina found herself sighing again before shaking off the stressful situation she kept imagining herself in.

Finally, the old path came to an end.

She walked into an open field full of large boulders randomly spread out. Rina spotted her target on the largest flat boulder. The sun was close to setting. Pink blended into orange and yellow hues throughout the clouds. It was the perfect place to see a sunset.

Tristen's back faced her, he didn't bother to turn in her direction. But Rina knew he heard her approach from a mile back. Even a half wolf demon had an amazing sense of smell, vision and hearing.

She walked towards the large boulder, facing his side. Once she stood next to it she called out to him.

"Do you mind if I come up there?"

There was a moment of pause before he answered.

"Sure why not," he grumbled.

His gruff response was something she had gotten used to a long time ago. Tristen leaned over the edge and pulled her up.

"Thanks." she mumbled.

Tristen scrunched his nose and but didn't say anything else. He stared at the setting sun so Rina decided to do the same. Not having to look directly into his face made her stress level drop a few notches down.

"You could have just called me Rina." he muttered.

Rina glanced his way but quickly turned her gaze straight ahead again.

"I don't think that's fair for you to say, it's not like I planned for any of this to happen."

A low rumbling growl left him, but Rina didn't pay it any mind.

"Before I might have believed that, but not after today." his voice was calm, a reaction she never witnessed before. He was too calm.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"In the cabin when you came in you were practically smothered in his scent, even now I can still smell him." his voice began to raise.

'And there it is.'

It didn't take long for Tristen to show his anger. Rina felt a rush of embarrassment come forth before she crushed it.

"What happened in the beginning was completely unplanned. I barely knew your brother then. But for you to think I was capable of doing that-"

"That's not-"

"Let me finish!" Rina yelled.

Tristen clenched his mouth shut, she could see the muscles on his jaws tick every so often.

"What happened between me and Damien today is between us. I don't know if you got the memo but I'm freaking mated to him and have a child. This isn't easy for me, you have to understand that."

"You can just leave him, he can't force you to stay!"

"Tristen, he's not forcing me to do anything, he only wishes to protect us."

He scoffed, then his eyes darkened.

"How could you let him touch you."

Tristen turned to fully face her, he no longer wished to avoid her gaze. His eyes roamed over every curve and dip on her face, she was flawless, a true beauty and his brother took her away. His claws scraped against the boulder.

'She was supposed to be mine.'

"Tristen?!" She couldn't believe him, she was her own person she didn't need his permission to do anything.

"I can't explain it but the bond pulls me towards him."

He snarled. "This is why you need to get away!"

His hands curled around her arms and pulled her forward.

"Tristen!" she pressed her hands against his chest. "Let go of me."

"You were supposed to be mine." he growled.

Her eyes widened, she was was all alone with him. She suddenly realized it may have not been the best idea to come alone; she should have accepted Damien's offer to come along. But now it was too late to think about it.

"Let go of me now-"

His lips smashed against hers, she yelped into the kiss. He pressed painfully against hers. Tristen forcefully entered her mouth. She screamed and turned her head to the side.

"No, stop!" she tried to pull away but his iron grip held her in place.

"You don't want him, you want me I know it." he whispered against her neck. The other side of her neck that held her mark began to itch and pulse. The throbbing deepened to an unbearable level.

Rina shook her head then jolted back when she felt his tongue press against her skin. Tristen sank his fingers into her hair and pressed her close.

A blue hue took over, a rush of power burst to life. Tristen howled and leaped away from her. Panting, Rina adjusted her clothes as she stared at her ex.

"You bastard." Rina's eyes glowed with her priestess powers, she wrapped her body in a thin layer of her energy.

Tristen howled again. Smoke continued to rise from the front of his body.

"What the fuck?!" he screamed.

"You dare lay your hands on me and force me to accept your touch?" The aura around her brightened with every word.

Tristen clutched his arm and backed away.

"You were supposed to be mine." came his pitiful whisper.

"Am I to be a possession for you to own."

"What, no."

"I came here to tell you I only see you as a friend. But after this I don't think I can even say that." her voice held a dangerous tilt to it.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose, his beast slammed into its cage. Danger was all it sensed. In all the years Tristen had known Rina, he never witnessed her use much of her holy gifts. He now realized she was truly above his station in power.

He growled and continued to back away but kept his eyes on her. Once he reached the tree line he ran away like a coward.

Tears filled Rina's eyes, she wrapped her arms around herself.

She continued to glow and that was how Damien found her. Darkness consumed the area save for the beacon of light at the center of the field. The demon Lord remained at the edge of the trail even when his mate sat next to the boulder with her arms curled around her knees.

The faint scent of salt water brought his beast forth. Rina wiped at the tears at the corner of her eyes before she stood. She was in a daze, she had yet to notice Damien's presence.

'This will not do.' his eyes narrowed.

Anything could attack her in the state she was in. He was not comfortable with the vulnerability she was displaying. The light blue glow finally subsided. The crescent moon above barely provided any light for her human eyes to see ahead.

"Rina," he called.

His demon eyes could clearly see her as her head shot up. She came to a stumbling halt.

Damien?"