Chapter 74: The Temporary Bond And The System’s Gift!
The soup finished cooking just as the snow outside started to fall more heavily.
Cael poured it into bowls carefully, making sure there was enough for everyone in the cave. Ryker, Kelly, and Neve. He also made extra because Gideon might come by later, and there was always someone hungry during winter.
He brought the bowls out to the main area of the cave where they were waiting.
Neve took the first bowl and blew on it to cool it down slightly before tasting it. Ryker took the second. Kelly took the third.
They all ate in silence for a few moments.
Then Kelly made a face.
"This is good," he said slowly, "but the one at the festival tasted better."
"Yes," Ryker agreed, nodding. "The festival soup was different. Better seasoning, maybe."
Cael’s expression darkened immediately.
"If you think it’s so much better," he said flatly, "then you cook it next time. Cook it and see if you can make it taste exactly like Neve’s version."
"But I can’t cook," Kelly said.
"Then shut up and eat what you have," Cael said coldly.
Ryker wisely decided to stop commenting on the taste and focus on eating. Kelly did the same, clearly not wanting to make Cael angrier than he already was.
They ate in uncomfortable silence for a while.
Then Neve, trying to ease the tension, brought up the plan.
"So, about Bella," Neve said carefully. "We were thinking about the mark thing."
Ryker looked up from his bowl.
"The temporary bond mark," Cael said, explaining to Neve. "To make sure Bella knows you’re already claimed by someone. So she’ll give up on Ryker like she gave up on me."
Ryker set his bowl down without finishing it.
"I’ll do it," he said immediately.
He did not ask questions. He did not hesitate. He simply agreed and started moving.
Ryker stood up and crawled toward Neve with purpose.
His movements were slow and confident. He reached out and took Neve’s other wrist, the one that Cael was not holding. Neve’s heart rate picked up because he knew what was about to happen, and his body was already anticipating it.
Ryker licked the inside of Neve’s wrist.
Neve flinched, shutting his eyes. He felt his body react to it, so that even his pants were tight.
The sensation was tingling and strange and hard because Ryker’s tongue was sharp. Sharper than Cael’s. It felt different. It felt wild and untamed and very much tiger.
Then Ryker’s teeth sank into Neve’s skin.
They stayed there deep in his skin, slowly marking and creating the bond that would tie them together.
Neve almost screamed, but Cael held his other hand, grounding him, keeping him present while Ryker completed the marking.
Kelly watched from where he was sitting.
His expression was jealous, frustrated and something like longing. He was watching another beastman claim Neve before he got his chance. He was watching Neve receive a mark that was not from him.
But he said nothing. He just watched but secretly wished he had been Ryker. He also wanted to mark Neve and claim him as his. He wanted to do many things to Neve and make him tell and touch him as Cael does.
When Ryker finally pulled away, he licked the wound clean and sat back.
A mark had appeared on Neve’s wrist.
Light blue mixed with silver. Wavy patterns that intertwined like the leopard spots from Cael’s mark. The colours were different enough that anyone looking would know there were two different mates. But the marks were very much alive that they formed a connected pattern if they were placed together.
It was beautiful in a complicated way.
Ryker looked at his own wrist and the matching mark that had appeared there. His expression shifted into something happy and satisfied.
The bond was complete.
Neve’s vision went fuzzy for just a moment.
A system notification appeared in front of him.
{Three Mates Marked: Vaelthorn, Cael, Ryker}
{Reward Loading...}
Neve waited to see what the reward would be. He hoped it was market. If possible. Or something really..m
{Forcing unconsciousness.}
"What the fuck—" Neve started to say.
But his eyes were already closing.
He leaned against Cael without meaning to, his body going limp as the system forced sleep upon him. His consciousness faded before he could even process what was happening.
Ryker immediately panicked.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked frantically, looking at Neve’s sleeping face. "Is he hurt? Did the mark do something bad to him?"
Cael held Neve against his chest and shook his head calmly.
"It’s because of the bond mark," Cael said. "When new bonds are created on his body, the body goes into protection mode. It forces sleep so the body can process the changes properly. He’ll wake up in a few hours. I hope."
Ryker relaxed slightly, but he was still worried.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"I’m sure," Cael said. He was running his fingers through Neve’s hair gently. "My mark did this, too, when we bonded. He slept for hours."
Kelly nodded like he understood, even though he had not experienced it himself yet. He was listening just so he would take note of it when it was his turn.
Ryker stood up and looked at his wrist again. The mark was glowing softly, the light blue and silver colours shimmering with the fresh bond.
"What do you want me to do?" Ryker asked.
Cael looked up from where he was cradling Neve.
"Go walk around the village," Cael said. "Show the mark to everyone. Let people see that you’ve already bonded with Neve. Maybe the rumours will reach Bella in the dungeon, and she’ll finally give up on you."
Ryker looked down at his wrist one more time.
"Why do I have to show off to everyone?" he asked. "I could just show off to her. Go to the dungeon and make sure she sees it."
Cael grinned.
It was not a kind grin. It was the grin of someone who understood exactly what Ryker wanted to do and thought it was a brilliant idea.
"Then, do it," Cael said.