But Don't You Love the Sound?

Shuule was pacing back and forth in her bedroom when Ukko swung himself back up into the tree, hands over her mouth, eyes wide. Ukko stood in the doorway for a moment, studying her.

"What's bothering you more, the fact that he's going to lose his mind and be the Queen's puppet, or the fact that he can't be *your* mate?"

The fox girl didn't stop pacing, glaring at the harpy before removing her hands from her face.

"I don't know why you two fools are so threatened by the idea of him being part of this family," she spat. "But both."

"Relationships built on emotions are always stronger than those built on strength," Ukko said plainly. "You don't like him because of his stripes, that's for sure. So he's giving you something Set doesn't think he can give you."

Picking up the pace, the patpatpat of Shuule's feet on the wooden floor rang through the room, before she stopped abruptly and put her hands back over her face, growling to herself.