The Untold Forest by Elisa Menz (web ebook reader txt) 📗

the matriarch. But when he saw the person sitting next to her, he froze.

Hakken sat on the ground, legs crossed. Sitting on one of his knees, a human girl talked with the matriarch.

The air escaped from his lungs as the temperature of his paralyzed body rose. His vision clouded when an overwhelming rage invaded him, seeing one of those murdering monsters among his own.

Clenching his fists, he bared his fangs in a menacing growl, feeling sick with anger.

Before he could take one step, a strong arm dragged him into the shadows and gripped him by the neck. In his blindness, he had not seen Kniv approach him, and now he had him imprisoned against a rocky wall.

“Release me!” Regn struggled to get rid of the grip, but Kniv did not move an inch. The old man pinned him with an impassive stare.

“Calm yourself, boy.” His voice sounded gentle, but his grip said otherwise.

“No. What is this? Sharing food with one of those monsters!” His strained shouts merged with rash growls. “You know what they did. Let me have my revenge!”

Kniv had always been kind to him. Ever since the day he arrived in the village, Regn respected him. Kniv mourned his own loss, but he took the time to care for a young, damaged boy.

They knew each other well, but to this day, Regn was still testing the limits of his patience. Kniv slammed him once against the hard rocks, knocking some sense into him. “You are always blinded by your hate, boy! Look at her!”

His eyes opened wide. He gawked at Kniv, the memory of a long-forgotten conversation coming back to him. Regn turned towards the girl, keeping his murderous emotions in check.

She looked nervous but unscathed. Around her, everyone seemed friendly or mildly annoyed. It dumbfounded him.

“Look at him!” Kniv wouldn’t let him off the hook.

What? Who does he mean? His eyes landed on Hakken. The taciturn, lonely hunter, who would usually be gone, or wallowing in his own despair. Regn had to blink several times.

When he didn’t try to feed the girl roasted meat, he would wrap his huge arms around her, leaning to bury his face in her hooded head or her thin neck. She would push him away, staring at Hakken with either confusion or shyness. Regn could not believe his eyes. “What is happening here?”

Kniv released him, a playful smile on his face. “I can tell you if you promise to behave.”

Regn shrugged while staring at the ground. “I don’t give a damn. I have news for the matriarch.”

Kniv will never let him approach the girl. That much he knew. He would have to feign composure until his chance to kill her arrived. Regn stood straight and looked at him in the eyes. “The rumors are true. The mountain half-breeds are preparing for war, and they have a new leader. His name is Dröm.”

CHAPTER XIII

PILLOW TALK

Maeve

No logical explanation applied to what she was experiencing. Her life changed in so many ways, trying to find a reason for everything seemed pointless. The night before, Maeve lived through the last adventure of her life. At least that’s what she thought at the time. Her upcoming marriage and the dreadful life in front of her were her biggest problems. With Kieran dead, and the Callums gone, her new reality turned less grim but beyond unexpected. Hakken took her deep into the Forest. Away from everyone and everything she knew. Trapped in the place she feared the most.

By all accounts, she should be dead by now.

Instead, Maeve was wrapped in the arms of a half-breed. Safe, warm, and fed, all after spending an entire day with his pack. They jumped over every emotion about her presence among them. They had been angry, distressed, worried, curious, and excited. After hours of explaining, and by the look of things, Hakken had won the argument. The pack’s leader accepted her staying with them.

To find out a woman acted as leader of the half-breeds turned out to be one of the most shocking revelations so far. Human women never held positions of power. They were in charge of domestic affairs and caring for children. Providing heirs counted as a vital task.

It amazed her to discover female hunters and warriors. Even more astonishing was to realize some men cared for the pack’s children. Whatever judgment they used to assign tasks to each member of the pack, gender didn’t play a role. Maeve would have found this refreshing if not for her constant uneasiness.

It also came as a surprise to learn the old matriarch spoke her language. She asked about her family and advised her to ask Hakken for anything she might need. The kind lady also explained that, for her safety, she should stay close to him at all times. To conclude deliberations, the matriarch announced she would live as a pack member from now on.

After a terrifying, well-intended dinner, which consisted of roasted meat and a few odd-looking roots, Hakken said his goodbyes to the others. He took her away from the crowd, and Maeve turned to find all eyes on them.

Unsure of how to behave around him, she remained quiet. He apparently enjoyed carrying her around and sniffing her. He nuzzled her over and over, even after Maeve kept pushing him away. He promised to keep her safe, but she didn’t understand his sudden interest and wondered what he expected in return.

After a quick walk by the riverbank, they entered a small cave. The dampness in the air made her cough, and the temperature inside didn’t differ from the cold outside by much. Hakken left her on the ground before dragging dusty pelts from over a stone terrace. She watched him beat the heavy furs before rearranging them to produce a makeshift bed.

“Where will I sleep?” About time she made some things clear. She wouldn’t share any kind of bedding with him.

But the half-breed pointed to the terrace. “Here. Don’t worry, I’ll clean this better in the morning.”

“Where will you sleep?”

He