Chimera's day had been decent. He worked hard, completing the food stores for the island. He'd killed a deer on the mainland as well; the first bit of food to go into storage. It was Chimera's intent to be a self sustaining island. Filling the stores with meat was the first step. They had fresh water rising up from an underwater spring at the center of the island. They had ample shelter. More than enough for the wolves and their companions. Chimera was a provider. The state of the island was proof of that. All that he demanded in return was reverence and respect. And then he saw Dalila. Hatred poured into the brutes mismatched eyes as the spotted woman went slinking past. Oh, how he loathed her. Never had anyone come between Siren and himself. He would never forgive the slave woman for her intrusion and part of him would never forgive Siren for having sided against him. And with a slave of all people. They were lesser creatures. They were only there to fulfill their purpose and nothing more. Their feelings didn't matter. Chimera and Siren were royalty. That made the feelings of commoners matter even less. His good mood fouled by the very sight of the slave girl, Chimera's gaze hardened and he stalked back towards the den. He had told Siren to keep the woman out of his sight. He wanted to bite something. Or fuck something. Maybe both. He could go have his way with Viper, but he never really let loose with her. Not the way that he wanted to. The new slave girl, however... Chimera stalked back towards the den, moving inside long enough to tell the woman to follow him before he moved back out and into the thick foliage away from the beach. He wanted some privacy for this. He didn't want Viper to find him again and give her disapproving looks, nor did he want Siren to see. Or that fucking bitch, Dalila. "Chimera Quill Klein"

Settling into her new life hadn't proven to be too difficult just yet. After her initial terrifying meeting with her new master and the apathetic, somewhat irritated looks Viper had given her, Ali had decided the best way to do as Chimera had instructed her to do was learn their daily routines so she knew what upkeep she would need to maintain. Keeping the bedding clean and dusted was obvious, and refilling the water bowls in the den was a must, especially for Chimera's dogs. The rest she began to figure out on her own.

Chimera had made it abundantly clear that the severity of the pain she'd endure in life was based entirely on his mood and how well she served him, and she had no intentions of invoking the huge brute's wrath. Her first day with them had gone easily enough, but in the following days, Chimera had shown her exactly what he'd meant. She'd seen his wickedly sharp razors of teeth a handful of times and been on the receiving end of a few bites that drew blood. The tiny lady sported a few healing marks on the back of her neck where his fangs had found purchase on her body and left his claim on her.

She had just finished dusting the furs in the common space when she heard Chimera return home, pausing her work to greet him with a silent dip of her head. He only stayed momentarily though, ordering her to follow him with a terse gruff command. Aliana's heart missed a beat from nervousness. Had she done something wrong already? She risked a glance up at Chimera's expression just before he turned and stalked back out of the den, noting the look of barely contained rage on his countenance. Despite her fear, Ali was more afraid of what might happen if she kept him waiting. She obeyed him without hesitation, rising to her dainty paws and following behind him outside. She had to trot briskly to keep up with him, each of his long strides demanding a faster pace from her.

Aliana followed Chimera into the denser foliage of the wooded island, away from the coast and where their dens were. She glanced around the tropical island as they wandered further away from the others, trying to think of what she might have done to upset him and preparing an apology, keeping her gaze on his black, white, and slate backside every step of the way. "Where are we going, sir?" She gazed up at him with curious aquamarine eyes, wondering where he was taking her while dutifully following her owner deeper into seclusion.

"Aliana"

Like a dutiful slave she followed and Chimera already liked her better than the other one. He enjoyed the fact that she was monochromatic in coloring. He enjoyed that she was small and well formed. Dainty. Womanly. Though she was a slave, he quite enjoyed looking at her. By the way she walked, he imagined that she wasn't untouched. The gentle sway of her hips looked as though she knew how to use them. Or had been forced to learn to use them. Either way, he appreciated her graceful motion. Pity he was walking in front of her now. As they moved into the thicker bits of the island, the woman's soft voice questioned him. Normally, Chimera would have rounded on her and demanded that she only speak when spoken to, but just like her walk, he enjoyed her voice. It wasn't the guttural growls of Viper and it wasn't the demure tones of Siren. It was something else. Just this once he would answer her question. "Somewhere more private." Somewhere where no one will hear your screams and come running, was what he left unsaid. The pair walked and as they did, Chimera's mood shifted. Now that they were alone... what did he want? Initially he'd planned on beating and biting, but now other things were on his mind. The gargantuan brute suddenly felt tired. Though he was only two, he had considered himself a man for a long while now. The amount of work that he put into the island, keeping Siren safe, seeing to Viper's needs, hunting, protecting, feeding, accommodating, providing... It took its toll. He had earned some relaxation, right? The foliage gave way to a grass covered clearing at the far end of the island. He'd found this place long ago and came here from time to time to just unwind and decompress. Curling his head, he looked behind him with one working eye, making sure that the girl followed. Once she was in sight, the tri-colored brute lowered himself to the grass, hind legs stretched out behind him. His head lowered and he placed his chin upon the grass between his forelegs. "My muscles are sore," he spoke in his normal low rumble. Though he looked relaxed, his mismatched ears were pricked forward and rigid. This was her first test. The other slave had rubbed his sore muscles once and he'd quite liked it. If this one did the same, he could truly say that she was an upgrade. Sprawled there upon the grass, Chimera waited to see how Aliana would bend to his will and see to his needs. "Chimera Quill Klein"

Somewhere more private. It had been a simple response, but it said enough for her to understand. Chimera wanted to be somewhere alone, away from Viper and Siren and Dalila. The notion made Ali more than a little nervous, but she tried to keep herself calm by reminding herself to just use her training and not upset her master. She didn't respond verbally, simply giving an understanding nod mostly to herself as Chimera led them deeper into the foliage. Other than the occasional glance around her new beautiful island home, Aliana's eyes remained expectantly on Chimera, waiting for him to finish their trek or to give her another command. She watched the way he moved, the way those powerful, youthful muscles rippled beneath his monochromatic fur. Chimera truly was an impressive specimen of wolf, a far cry more powerful and threatening than any of the slavers had been, and more so still from the wolves that had come to buy their slaves. She could see why Chimera was a prince and Siren a princess; both wolves were astoundingly regal.

After walking for some time, the pair of them emerged into a grassy clearing surrounded by trees and bathed in warm sunlight. Aliana gazed around the clearing, admiring its natural splendor when she saw Chimera move, and then suddenly he was looking back at her. Her eyes met his for a second, then diverted down as she bowed her head. Don't look him in the eye. Grass shifted and when she looked up again, her tri-colored master was reclining into the grass, his powerful, athletic body stretching out while he relaxed. He spoke a simple sentence, but that was all it took for Ali to begin moving again. Chimera's muscles were sore; she would tend to him, make him feel better. Anticipate his needs and give in to every whim.

"Allow me to massage you, Master Chimera." Aliana stepped gracefully over toward her master, hips giving a subtle feminine sway with her every step until she had reached the massive brute. With him lying down and stretched out so, their size difference was even more obvious to her now. She came up to his side, looking over the large brute with awe and nervousness. She knew Chimera didn't like to be touched, but unless she had misread his words, this was what he seemed to want. She also had a feeling that if he didn't want this, he'd let her know with his teeth soon enough. Even while standing, Aliana only just stood taller than the lying Chimera, making their sizes just right to be able to reach him without having to climb over him.

Ali placed two delicate paws in between Chimera's shoulder blades and began to rub slow strokes up, then rolled them back down the opposite way to make a full circuit, repeating this again and again. She marveled at the taut cords of lean muscle in his body, masculine and athletic. She followed the training she'd learned from an older woman in the slavers' camp about tending to brutes. Start with the shoulders and neck, as males used them the most to carry their heads proudly and stand strong. Chimera was a prince, and he definitely had cause to use these muscles frequently. Working with her body weight, Ali followed the natural form of his body, pushing, rolling, and rubbing dainty paws through his fur and against tensed muscle to work out the knots of stress and strain he carried in his shoulders and neck, ears pricked to listen to his reactions and gauge what he liked and where she should focus.

While she worked, Aliana briefly regretted not having any of the oils they kept in jars back at the dens. They would have made such a good addition to the massage... Frowning to herself in disappointment, Ali turned her blue-green eyes out across the field, searching for something she could use instead. She knew Chimera didn't care for floral scents like lavender oils—far too feminine for him—but maybe... Her eyes lit up when she spotted a wild rosemary bush close by, as well as a patch of chamomile flowers. Both oils would help, and would be a much more masculine scent than the lavender or lilacs Dalila picked. Slipping away from Chimera momentarily, she trotted past his head toward the plants, picking a sprig of rosemary and gathering a few chamomile flowers before returning to his side. With enough effort, she should be able to squeeze at least a bit of oil from them to use.

"Some oil for your muscles, sir?" she offered while preparing the plants. "Rosemary and chamomile, something more fitting for the man of the island than the lavender the ladies use." She didn't begin using the plants right away, not wanting to have him smelling of anything other than himself if he didn't want it. There were several things Ali could anticipate from Chimera; his preference in fragrances was not one of them.

"Aliana"

As her mate, Chimera may enter any thread Aliana is in.
____________________

He could feel the hesitation pour off of the small woman as she thought about how to address the issue at hand. His muscles were sore, so of course she would eventually come to the conclusion to rub them. The little fae came up beside him and Chimera could feel the warmth of her body pouring into his own. The clock was ticking but she didn't waste much time at all in deciding what needed to be done. Aliana stepped up close to him and, with a word of intent, moved to place her paws upon his back between his shoulder blades. That initial touch made that little trigger within him want to bite, but he controlled it. Instead he focused on the warm pads of the slave woman's paws as they kneaded the tight muscles in his back. As she worked, the tense tightness in his massive frame gave way to relaxation. That was, until she stopped and moved away. Chimera opened his eyes and stared as the monochromatic fae went off to rustle around in the bushes. She came back with a few different herbs and he could smell the nasty, green tang of them. Despite his sister being an herbalist, Chimera was not a fan of herbs. Not the smell of them or the taste of them or the feel of their oily, greasiness on his fur or flesh. As Aliana came forward with the herbs and voiced her intent to use them on him, a low growl pulled from the brute. "Never put any of that oily garbage on me," he warned. "The other one used lavender oil on me once and I smelled like a fae for a week." He grumbled, remembering what Dalila had done. Remembering her existence sent a flare of fire through him and the behemoth rose, shaking out his striped coat. He'd had enough. The moment had been ruined. "You can take those back and give them to Siren. She might be able to use them." At least the effort wouldn't have been wasted. "Turn around," he growled low once more, stalking towards the small fae with practiced, fluid motions. Chimera was a hunter. A killer. His movements were smooth and deliberate. There was no denying what the woman's future held. With one big paw, he hooked it over one hip bone and pulled her slender frame towards him as he covered her. The brutes nose buried in the back of her neck and he inhaled deeply of her scent, learning her and filling his senses with her. With his teeth next to her ear, Chimera spoke in his typical growling purr. "Don't scream too loudly." With that, he placed his paw on the back of her neck and pushed the woman's face and chest into the grassy ground beneath them. That was how he took her the first time. With her face smashed into the ground, he took her without giving her a choice. Chimera asserted his dominance over her. He showed the woman that she was an object; a receptacle. Aliana existed purely for his amusement; his pleasure. The woman was alive and well by his grace alone. He was not kind by any means. Chimera's actions were rough and he didn't care one bit for her comfort. Mid-coitus, the dire brute opened his jaws and sank his jagged, sharp teeth into the small fae's neck and shoulder. The rich flavor of her blood pooling upon his tongue was orgasmic, and it was just what he needed. -----Fade for some reason----- Afterwards when Chimera had pulled away, he lay sprawled out on the grass. He hadn't moved away from the slave woman. Their sides still touched while he basked in the moment and regained his breath. Casting a side-eye towards the woman, he noted the dark blood upon her damaged neck. Again, using one big paw, he scooped her towards him and, in an odd gesture of kindness, began gently cleaning the wound with light, slow swipes of his tongue. He wasn't always a monster. "Chimera Quill Klein"

Aliana had thought she'd been doing decently—until she offered Chimera some of the herbal oils to help his aching muscles. Chimera's reaction was vicious and instantaneous, growling for her to never touch him with oils ever. The small smile she'd dared to let grow on her face died immediately and she quickly put the plants aside. Never use oils on Master Chimera. He hates them. She had just committed the note to memory and turned back to him to see the enormous brute rising up to his paws. Ali's ears folded to her skull and her demeanor deflated; she'd gone and ruined the mood by trying too hard and acting out of line. Chimera had only asked for a massage, not anything else. She should have stayed in her lane, maybe then he wouldn't be looking like the anger in him had flared up again.

"Yes, Master Chimera. I won't do it again." But despite her apology, Chimera clearly already had other things in mind for her. His command was a simple one, but it made the tiny monochromatic fae glance up at her massive master with shock. Her ears remained flat to her skull and her tail drooped between her legs in submission while he stalked towards her like a predator moving in for the kill. He moved with such practiced authority that it made her heart race and the way he looked at her with singular determination caught her breath in her throat. "Master Chimera...?" she questioned while he came closer, but obeyed him all the same, turning around so he approached her shapely rump, peering back at him from over her shoulder.

Any question about what he had in mind was gone the moment she felt his powerful paw hook around her hip and tug her body back into his, his body blanketing hers totally as she fit between his thighs like a puzzle piece. The sensation of his nose finding the nape of her neck while he breathed deeply made Ali gasp between startled breaths, her body quivering in his grasp. She felt the heat of his body all around her, his coat brushing against her where their bodies touched. She had always felt small next to Chimera, but beneath him was an entirely different feeling. It was a complete and total domination of her in every way, and there could be no question to whom she belonged. His voice, that primal growling purr, it sent shivers down her spine and made her claws rake at the grass. "Don't scream too loudly." A quiet whine slipped from her lips at her master's command. She knew what was coming; she had experienced it only a couple of times before at the paws of the slaver that had intended to use her to breed with. Fucking with Chimera would be different. Not only was he significantly larger than the slaver in every regard, he also didn't have any qualms harming or breaking her.

The next thing she knew, Aliana felt Chimera's paw on the back of her head, and then her face was in the grass and dirt, giving soft grunts as he shoved her down and kept her ass held up for him to mount. She winced under the heavy pressure of his paw on her head, her paws scrabbling to try and brace herself for that first thrust of him claiming her. She was fully under his control, his to use and break as he enjoyed, to dominate as he pleased. Her breathing turned fast and shallow, trying to keep herself calm despite her pounding heart and the instinctual panic rising in her chest. The first moment he sank into her, Ali's breath was forced from her lungs in a broken gasp. There was pressure, there was heat, there was pain. Her claws ripped at the ground, her teeth grit together while she tried her best to do as he commanded. But as Chimera's motions became rougher and harder, Ali's sounds also shifted; heavy breaths and quiet whimpers became more primal cries and breathy screams. The moment his sharp, shark-like teeth tore through her neck and shoulder, Ali screamed like she hadn't before in her life, her body convulsing through pains and pleasures the likes of which she'd never known. All Ali could do was try not to scream any louder and keep from blacking out until Chimera was finished and satisfied.

- stupid fades for stupid reasons -

Aliana wasn't sure how long Chimera had lasted. Time had ceased to be a thing she noticed between the powerful thrusts of his hips and the tearing of his teeth through her flesh. Once it was over, she lay collapsed on her side next to her master, panting hard for breath while her entire body felt sore, a lingering emptiness and warmth still within parts of her never before reached by anyone as a parting reminder of what he'd wanted from her. She was only vaguely aware of Chimera's side still brushing against hers while she tried to stop her spinning vision, but she was very aware of her world shifting while Chimera grabbed her round her midsection and pulled her closer to him. Ali gave a quiet whine thinking he was coming back for a round two already, but gave a more pained whine when she felt his tongue set to cleaning the bleeding wound. The sting slowly gave way to relief as he tended to her injury in a stark contrast to the way he'd created it only minutes before.

"Master Chimera..." She barely managed to whisper his name out as she gained enough control of her ragged breathing to speak. Nothing followed his name though, any words she'd had in her mind wiped away by his gentle tongue and the realization that the solid, blanketing warmth that covered her was with body while he held her near him. Ali tipped her head back slowly, trying not to pull the skin of her neck too much and cause herself more pain, offering the most vulnerable part of herself to her master's care. All she could hope for was that she had managed to satisfy him the way he expected her to.

"Aliana"

As her mate, Chimera may enter any thread Aliana is in.
____________________

He'd told her not to scream, but that wasn't what he wanted at all. He wanted to hear the woman beneath him as he ruined her. Wanted an audible record of everything that was being done to her. He wanted to hear how weak and fragile she was as he ravaged her small body. This was what he wanted and Aliana delivered. Her small body writhed beneath him. She panted. She screamed. She gave him exactly what he needed at that very moment. Afterwards when they lay there together, Chimera didn't think of the abuse that he'd just put her through. Instead, he thought about how much of a good slave she was. The grey and white fae had accepted his admonishment about the oils gracefully and had moved on past it without complaint. She'd taken the brunt of his anger and lust without complaint as well. That was what had earned her the tender cleansing of the wound that he'd inflicted. She had taken it all and she hadn't complained. Aliana uttered his name and his title to her and Chimera's black and white ears tilted backwards. "Call me Sir." It was one of the few things about Dalila that he had liked. She always called him Sir rather than Master. "There are some who are faint of heart when it comes to slavery. Being rough with a woman is one thing, but being rough with a slave is entirely different," he offered in his low purr. He had to keep up appearances in Ashen as he'd promised. That was part of the reason that he had his own island. As his tongue lazily pulled over the wounds in the woman's neck and shoulder, Chi was a little surprised when she bared her throat to him. He liked it quite a bit. She was more clever than he'd initially given her credit for. If she continued doing things like this, he wouldn't want to break her too much. As long as she was both subservient and interesting, he would keep her mostly whole. Again and again Chi's tongue drifted over the wounds until he was satisfied that most of the blood was gone. He could have Siren or her slave see to the woman when they returned. For now... the brute's tongue continued past the wounds. He worked up the length of her throat to her cheek, her chin. Eventually, and much to his own surprise, he claimed the woman's lips with his own, a deep rumble of satisfaction reverberating from the beast. He hadn't been expecting to do that, but why shouldn't he? Every square inch of the woman belonged to him. He could do with her as he wished. Right now, he wished to taste his new property. "Chimera Quill Klein"

Aliana's head was still swimming with the heady concoction of pain and something else, her body feeling numb all over, save for her core that Chimera ravaged, aching in ways she'd never felt before. She had always known that being used for her owner's sexual demands was something she might have to expect as a slave, but even the slave master that had sampled her prior to her sale hadn't been a fraction of what Chimera was. Her toes flexed as feeling returned to her limbs, the tingling numbness fading slowly into an overall soreness. She knew she would need to find some painkillers as soon as she got back to the den, lest she be unable to walk properly to complete her duties tomorrow. But Chimera seemed satisfied now, and that at least meant she'd been good enough for him. It had not been easy by any means, and she had technically failed to obey his order by not screaming too loud, but he didn't seem to mind. Now all Ali could wonder was how often she should be expecting to get fucked by Chimera like this. Was this was Viper took from him on a regular basis?

Chimera told her to call him Sir instead of Master, explaining in his resonating purr the reason why. She appreciated him telling her a reason, but it ultimately didn't matter. Her owner had told her to do something and so she would do it. "Yes, Sir," she replied, her voice still a touch airy while her breathing and pulse returned to their normal rates. Although that was a little difficult to do with Chimera's tongue and teeth so close to her vitals. He was being kind, tending to her injury with gentle licks that cleaned her fur and cleansed the wound, but she'd also seen his mood shift in a heartbeat. One moment he could be licking her bites, the next he could have his teeth in her carotid while he held her still and let her bleed to death in his grasp. That sort of power he had over her made a little tremor run through her body that he'd no doubt feel in their close proximity.

Aliana lay in quiet repose while Chimera graced her tender skin with his tongue. She wasn't sure how much of a mess he'd made of her neck, but it had to be substantial. Those teeth of his were no joke. Ali had found herself in quite a relaxed state under her owner's gentle ministrations when suddenly she felt Chimera's warm, broad tongue glide further up from her sore wound and up the curve of her throat. A soft gasp escaped the little fae, her aquamarine eyes going wide with surprise while he left tingles in his wake that turned into full body shiver. Her pulse quickened in her veins beneath his tongue, that primal fear for her life returning as her breathing turned light and quick. But Chimera showed no signs of being threatening, proceeding up to her chin, and then surprising her again when his lips claimed hers.

Ali gave no resistance while Chimera kissed her, only responding by turning her body slowly so he could more comfortably press his lips to hers. Greenish-blue eyes slowly drifted closed, giving herself entirely to his desires and demands of her. She was his, now and forever. Whatever he wanted from her he would have. If he pressed deeper into their kiss to taste her, Ali would respond with a shy tongue, sweet breath and gentle movements. Her heart raced like it just had when he'd claimed her. Part of her wanted to instinctively reach up to caress his mismatched ears, stroke and scratch his scalp and do what she could to make up for ruining his massage earlier, but it felt far too intimate, far too familiar for a slave to be touching her owner in such a way. So she would react to him as he behaved, meeting his demands and actions with obedience and reactions, and just be the best she could be for her owner's pleasure.

"Aliana"

As her mate, Chimera may enter any thread Aliana is in.
____________________

Chimera was a difficult one to predict. He fucked, he bit, he beat and abused. He also showed compassion, mercy and even affection. It was rare for any of these emotions or actions to coincide. Hell, he never even knew what he was going to do until he did it. One moment the pair of wolves were laying in the grass, locked in some sort of lover's embrace. They kissed and both parties seemed to be enjoying themselves. The next moment, Chimera was unceremoniously dumping the ashen woman into the grass as he stood. There really wasn't anything wrong with her. She'd done everything that he asked and then some. When he kissed her, she seemed to like it. Maybe that was why he felt the desire to be a little mean to her. Dumping her like she was a worthless piece of trash would remind the woman of her place. He had kissed her because he'd wanted to. Because he'd felt like it. Not at all because it would bring her pleasure. Standing, the half blind giant looked down at the small, bloodied woman. "Clean yourself up. Have Siren tend to your wounds if you need. get back to the den. If I have to look for you, it won't go well for you." Without another word, the beast turned and pushed back through the foliage. Heavy paws carried him back towards the den, but he didn't stop there. Being with Aliana had made him want to kill something. So he would leave the island, massacre some unsuspecting beast, add some more meat to the food stores, and sate his bloodlust. The woman was a slave. He would have been well within his rights to tear her lovely body to shreds, but she was a gift from Siren. That made the slave worth more than she might have otherwise. Once Chimera's mismatched paws hit sand, he threw his big body into a lope. Across the rope bridge he went, skirting the edge of Ashen and crossing into the willows. He tended to spend as little time in Ashen proper as he could manage. The wolves there left a nasty taste in his mouth. Some looked down upon him for the sins of his parents. Others were self righteous, high and mighty cunts. As the beast moved through the land in search of something to rip and tear, he thought of the women in his life. Siren, his sweet sister and the main object of his affection and obsession. Viper, the woman that irritated the hell out of him, and yet he wanted to own and possess her. Dalila, the snake that had poisoned his sister. Now there was Aliana. Based purely on her test run, he felt that they would have a beautiful, bloody future together. The thought brought a rare grin to his face. "Chimera Quill Klein"

As quickly as Chimera's unexpected affections had happened, the brute was swiftly snatching them away, and Aliana found herself going from wound up in his arms with his mouth claiming hers to being tossed across the grass as the tri-toned brute rose brusquely to his feet. She blinked in confusion, peering up at him with ears folded back to her head. Had she done something wrong again? Had she been too receptive of his actions, or not receptive enough? Or was he just done with her for now? The not knowing was the hardest thing with Chimera. It meant she never knew if she needed to correct anything or if this was just who he was. She didn't rise to her paws right away, instead remaining prostrate on the ground beneath him as he gave orders to return home and get herself cleaned up.

She nodded her head to show she understood, slowly getting to her feet. She tried to hide the wince of pain as her motions pulled at her fresh wound, thankful that she didn't yelp or stumble as she got back up. "Yes, Sir, I will," she replied simply, already knowing she would spend the remainder of the day as close to the den as possible, most likely tending to the injuries left behind from his teeth and the soreness of her body from other parts of him. Chimera started heading back for the den while Ali turned and limped her way to the nearest shore. Trying to walk without all the feeling having come back to her legs yet was an odd sensation. With a little bit of difficulty, she made it to the water, very carefully washing away the remnants of Chimera's lusts from her matted fur. She reeked of his scent, his smell blanketing her, claiming the fae as his even though he was long gone.

Ali tried not to dwell too much on what had happened, though the aches were a constant reminder of the pounding she'd received from the brute, reminding herself that this was her duty, this was what he expected and wanted from her. Using the cool ocean water to help her sore muscles, Ali waded in until she could easily rinse her coat clean, carefully running some salt water over the wound Chimera had cleaned for her. The sting as it was cleaned made her flinch with a quiet gasp, but the relief that came immediately after was worth it. Was this what Siren and Dalila had been trying to warn her about? And what about Viper? The woman had glared at her like she was some sort of threat. Had all of them known of Chimera's proclivity to violent sex? Had they known she'd end up beneath him, between his legs and between his jaws?

As she finished cleaning herself, Aliana waded her way back to the shore, replaying the event over and over in her mind. Despite everything, one thing continued to play on her mind. As rough and aggressive as Chimera had been with her, he had also shown a gentleness and kindness for her. The way he held her after, the way he cleaned the ragged wound he'd created... Chimera was much like his handsome coat: a dichotomy of a personality. Hard, violent, dangerous, but also protective, concerned, a dominant provider through and through. He was volatile, but he wasn't a monster. He was a wolf with needs, desires, demands; he gave to them and he expected things in return. It wasn't malicious or evil—it just was. By the time Aliana had made it back to the den, Chimera was gone, his scent trail headed for the only way off the island. With her newfound understanding of her role in Chimera's life, Ali slipped silently back into the den, seeking out some medicines before she would continue to tend to his home and have things immaculate for when he returned.

"Aliana"