The morning after Erystotle gained his freedom had the man waking up feeling much different than he ever had before. The was a freshness to the air, and a lightness to his body. His mind held clarity that shook him. There was a lot of getting used to this, he was his own master and there were no orders hanging over his head. Just his own desire. Erys was a creature of habit though, and he quickly found himself working on the morning chores. They were easy and mindless, they kept him from thinking too heavily on his new status and the night before.

Chimera’s kiss still had his stomach in knots. He blushed whenever he thought too much about the handsome King. The thoughts of him quickly shifted to what he would do now. He had his freedom and he needed to explore this new life. So after finishing his duties Erys made his way to the dams, and to the edge of Fenmyre itself.

He didn’t remember the last time he had stepped onto rogue land as a free wolf. The pale man paused there at the border, his silver gaze taking in the rogue lands. He steeled himself as he lifted a delicate white paw and lifted it to step over the line. For the first time in a very long time, he was free to leave without repercussions. It was an incredible feeling.

Erystotle slipped over the border, though he felt himself tense as he did so the experience was everything he wanted. A grin played over his maw as he paced lazily through the trees. He should have been paying closer attention, or alerted someone to his whereabouts, he didn’t expected the attack from behind.

All of a sudden Erys felt huge weight on his back as the wolf leapt on him, shoving his shoulders into the ground as the faceless foe grabbed pale horns in his jaws and held the once slave to the ground. Erys cried out in fear, though he felt the lash of anger before it was nothing like this. His attacker held him down with a massive paw but Erys continued to struggle. The unknown wolf shook his head with Erys horn still in his teeth and shook the pale man silly.

Dazed and injured Erys didn’t give up. As the unknown assailant wailed on him Erys finally found an opening as his horn was released. Scrambling with bloodied and bruised limbs Erys managed to get a foot hold and get out of the wolf’s grasp. He had enough sense to race towards the border, calling desperately for his King as he did so.

Before the sun was up and showing its face, the King of Fenmyre was at work. It was his time frame to run a patrol of the dam, so he was across the water and skirting the land of beavers as the sun came up. As he ran, the black and white beast continued to think of the previous evening. Erystotle had brought him dinner, he'd freed the man, then he'd indulged in another kiss. Chimera had wanted so much more than a kiss, but he had regained control of himself and sent the pale man away for his own safety. Today, his thoughts ran rampant with the horned brute. Chimera wanted him and hoped that, with time and a bit of work, he would have him soon.

Why did Chimera even need another lover? Three queens weren't enough? Yes and no. Ever since his first time with the purple brute, Chi had been craving another go. There was something different about taking a man as a lover. Something primal. Something dominating. It was something that a woman couldn't fulfill. Imagining Erystotle laid out before him slowed Chimera's pace, making his patrol a little difficult. He decided to take a little break, seating himself beside the water and trying to think about anything but the white-eyed man.

As he sat, a call of alarm cut through the silence of the day. Chimera's head jerked up and instantly, the issue that had caused him to sit down was gone. On his paws, the dire beast raced in the direction of the howl, his wide paws thundering over the land. Cutting through the monotonous green of the landscape was a pearlescent white form. From this distance, Chimera could see Erystotle and an unknown assailant giving chase. A guttural snarl pulled from the giant's throat and his coat bristled. Seeing his wolf getting attacked sent him into a rage. Chimera's vision ran red and there was no holding back.

The wolf that hunted Erystotle eventually noticed the big black and white shape barreling towards him. He turned and ran, but it was too late. In passing the horned man, Chimera had smelled the scent of his blood. There would be no forgiveness for that. No mercy. Launching himself at the wolf, Chimera's teeth instantly sank into its flesh and the pair went rolling hard across the ground. Chi never gave up his hold and, when they rolled to a stop, he began tearing into the bastard. The smaller wolf was no match and soon the ground ran red. Rows of wickedly sharp teeth cut through flesh like water. Not only did Chimera make short work of the man, but he made an example of him as well. He shredded the wolf beyond recognition, a fitting price to pay for what he had done.

In time, Chimera stopped his massacre. Stepping back, he fought to breathe, his rib cage heaving as it rose and fell. The white of him was stained red and bits of gore clung to his pelt. He looked a mess, but he didn't care. Someone had dared to attack what was his and they had paid for it. The thought reminded him that Erystotle had been injured and Chi turned his head, pink gaze searching for the man. He blinked a few times, still trying to rid his mind of the hazy cloud of rage. Beneath the cloud he felt fear. The snow and sky man could have been killed. He could have been lost. That didn't sit well with Chimera and he felt that bitter tang of fear on his tongue even though the event was over with. Erys' attacker would never touch him or anyone else again.

"Chimera Klein"

Fear was all he felt as white paws scrambled over wet earth to try and return to the safety of Fenmyre. All he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat and the sound of heavy paws closing in on him. He didn’t know why he was being targeted, but it didn’t matter if he was caught again. The unknown would kill him if he was given a second chance. Erys couldn’t spare the breath for another call for help so he prayed that Chimera had heard him. At least he would be avenged if Chi could only see the assailant. They were gaining on him too. Erys was very nearly back to full health but he still lacked stamina, and he was already reaching the end of his rope after being thrown to the ground.

The brute tripped him up and Erys went stumbling to the ground, but at the same moment Chimera appeared through the foliage and the assailant turned tail and raced the other way. He’d struck at the king but fell far short. Erys felt intense relief at the sight of his savior, but it instantly turned to worry. He felt like they were an even match, but adrenaline had increased the dark wolf’s size in his mind.

Erys struggled to his paws, backing away as he turned to watch the fray. Despite his fright there was no contest between the chimeric King and the ruffian. There was good reason to feel that dangerous aura that Chimera gave off, he didn’t hold back as he caught the dark brute. Erys couldn’t look away as he watched his attack turn from wolf to bloody flesh. Frozen in place, Erys didn’t feel like he even breathed until Chimera backed away. He was covered in blood and viscera but none of it was his.

Chimera had saved him, and enacted his revenge and fury on the one who did it. Pearlescent ears fell to his head as Chimera’s attention returned to him. Erys would definitely be bruised all over, but there was a cut above his brow, his shoulder was bloodied, and his pale fur disheveled and mussed. He was alive though, and besides stopping the bleeding his wounds weren’t horrific. His horn was sore from where the wolf’s teeth and grabbed them, but that was probably the worst of it. After all of it though, Erys was alive.

”You saved me,” He wasn’t surprised Chimera came to his rescue, he was surprised it was in time. ”Thank you, my Lord.” He whispered, lowering his head again, as his body began to shake with the draining of adrenaline from his blood.

It was only when Erystotle spoke to him that his rage fully depleted. The quiet tones brought Chimera's gaze to the man and the look in his eye softened instantly. The galactic marked man had been injured. There was blood upon him and Chimera knew that it hadn't been blood from the kill. There was a dazed look about Erys and his slender frame began to quiver and shake.

Closing the distance between them, Chimera didn't mind the blood or gore on his coat. He didn't care that Erys might be opposed to getting dirty. With one thick foreleg, the giant man pulled the smaller into his embrace, holding him tightly. "Did he... harm you?" It was the easiest way that Chimera could ask whether or not the galactic man had been taken against his will. Raped, so to speak. That was the first thing that had popped into his mind when he'd seen the pair together and that was what he feared. Some irreparable damage to the small man. The surface wounds would heal, but something internal would be more difficult. Something emotional would be difficult as well.

Leaning back just a bit, Chimera inspected his wolf, noting the cut over his eye and the bite wound. To staunch the blood, the two-toned beast leaned in and gently pulled his tongue over first the wound on Erys' face, then the wound on his shoulder, making sure that the blood had stopped on both and that they were clean of debris. His licks were surprisingly tender as he worked so as not to hurt the man further. " We need to get you to a healer," he spoke softly, still keeping the smaller brutes body against his own.

Prompting Erys to walk with him, Chimera began leading him back towards the ferry. As they walked, Chimera reflected upon the whole situation. Erystotle could have been lost. That's what he kept coming back to. Had Chimera not been on the mainland... had he not been fast enough to reach the scene... Erystotle could have been lost. The behemoth stopped in his tracks, staring hard at the smaller wolf as he moved. When had he become important? The answer was easy: From the very moment that Chimera had found him on that ship. He'd felt drawn to the man from the very first. Having something happen to him, losing him... it made Chimera feel things that he'd only felt about those that he loved. Family.

"I'd like you to stay on the island," he spoke in low tones. " If you want to go to the mainland... take someone with you." He would tell the same to Siren, Aliana and anyone else who wasn't a fighter. He wanted them all safe. If there was one, there was a possibility that there would be more. He wouldn't risk losing any of them.

"Chimera Klein"

Erys watched as Chimera went from stone cold killer, to protective caregiver in the blink of an eye. The bloodlust drained from his features as he beheld the star marked man. The pale wolf wondered if Chimera would tire of the excitement that he brought him. He’d thought the curse had lifted, but maybe this was the last remnants. He hated to think about what would have happened if Chimera hadn’t been here so quickly. It seemed like the King had those thoughts as well when he approached, a veiled question on his lips.

Erystotle was more effeminate than most other males, which made his place in the slavers hierarchy easy to decide. He was used as his master’s saw fit, he knew the traumas of being taken against his will, and he would thank Chimera for the rest of his life for saving him from a repeat experience. ”Just what you can see,” His voice cracked from the emotions that swirled within him.

Chi leaned back to assess him, still covered in the convict's blood and gore. Erys felt fine despite the wounds he sported but the King was concerned enough to want him to see one of the pack’s healers. For Erystotle it was enough to just have the comfort of the King close beside him. He didn’t take much convincing to get Erys to his delicate paws as he followed at Chimera’s side.

They were nearing the ferry when Chimera stopped, Erys was trying with difficulty to block out the moments before. He tried not to feel that fiend atop him, teeth boring into his pearly horn as he struggled to escape. The pale man stopped, finding himself looking over his bloodied shoulder as Chimera spoke again, instructing him to stay on the island, and only leave with an escort. Had Erys been much more than property his whole life he would have found the command stifling, but it was an acceptable request. Erys nodded in agreement with the King, he knew the man had no wish to see him hurt, or worse.

Chimera truly cared for him, as Erystotle would discover in that moment as Chi gazed at him. ”I will, my King.” He added with another small dip of his head. Though they both looked atrocious, Erys' wounds had already stopped bleeding. ”I shouldn’t have put myself in danger like that to begin with.” He added as he looked back to the ferry. ”My freedom might have gone to my head.” Erystotle tried to joke but his chuckle just sounded hollow.