With a growl, he tossed him back swiftly at her words, watching as he crumpled to the ground at the sudden force.

The outside of his vision was still red. He yanked her closer, folding his arms around her to hold her as well as shield her if the Mavka tried to retaliate against Orpheus by harming Reia.

“Don’t be upset with me,” he pleaded. “There. I have let him go.”

He didn’t know what would happen if she was upset with him, but he knew it wouldn’t be good. She lets me touch her. She might stop. That would pain him.

“Why are you outside with him while he is injured? You have seen me when I am hurt.”

They tried to attack anything within the direct proximity.

“I was behind the house protections when that happened like I promised if I was in danger.”

Red flared deeper and he clung to her tighter as he watched the Mavka weakly rise to his feet.

“So, he tried?!”

She reached up and cupped his snout again, like her small fragile body was enough to hold him at bay.

“I am safe now, aren’t I?”

He let out a huff of annoyance, then a curt growl when she turned into his arms to face the Mavka and attempted to step closer to him. Orpheus held her back.

“Are you okay?”

He released his own growl before he gave a snort.

“Fine. I will be fine.”

His white orbs flashed red in Orpheus’ direction before going back to their normal green.

Orpheus let his own go to their natural blue, although he was still wary of him. They both began to change from their monstrous forms back to their original ones.

“I’ll get some bandages to help you.” She started to push her way out of his arms. A small laugh escaped her as she mumbled, “I’m going to run out of dresses at this rate.”

“You do not need to bandage him,” Orpheus rebuffed, the idea of her touching another abhorrent to him.

“Of course, I do.” She shook her head, making her pretty hair sway around her shoulders. He had the urge to still the strands from moving so that the other Mavka couldn’t become tantalised by them like he often was. “Since you hurt him, we should care for his wounds.”

“But he will heal.”

Orpheus had never truly needed her help. He would have healed all his injuries within the span of a day regardless.

“It will help for him to heal faster if I stop the bleeding.”

She frowned up at him, and he got the feeling he was upsetting her again.

Orpheus would have to inform her that although the bleeding would stop, Mavka remained injured until a day had passed from their injury, then they healed everything suddenly within the span of a minute. It was both a blessing and a curse.

He stemmed his noise of irritation and released her, watching as she made her way inside. He turned to the Mavka sharply.

“You knew I was not here, and yet you remained to speak with her.”

“Why can I not speak with your human?” He tilted his head in confusion. “I do not intend any harm.”

“Because she is mine!”

She was his human to speak to, to look at, to touch. No one else was allowed to have her, especially not another of his kind.

He brought his hand up to tap a claw at his snout. “She is not your bride, but she is yours? I do not understand.”

For the first time since Reia’s arrival, Orpheus eyes changed to a bright green. A warning rumbled from within his chest, burning with possessiveness and malice.

Her light footsteps pattered over the ground, and he turned his head to watch her approach them.

“Could you sit?” she asked the Mavka while holding strips of torn cloth. “It’ll make it easier to reach you.”

He immediately did as he was told, behaving like a well-trained dog as he folded his legs. Orpheus’ claws dug into his palms when he sniffed her as she wrapped cloth over his

– bare of clothing – neck, shoulders, and chest.

She is touching another. The green darkened into a different emotion; one he hadn’t experienced in an exceptionally long time but felt like acid in his throat.

He could tell by the hum that came from him as he stared at Orpheus that he was pleased with how close she was to him, touching him as she tended to his wounds. That he very much knew Orpheus was displeased.

“Our skull can be broken, Mavka,” he threatened with spite.

“She said she will be upset if you kill me.”

She turned her head back to look over her shoulder with a frown, not seeming to understand the game he was playing

with Orpheus.

“Are you threatening him?”

He was unashamed as he said, “Yes.”

“Well, don’t. I’m only doing this because you wouldn’t listen to me and hurt him.”

The yellow of joy brightened in the Mavka’s orbs at Orpheus’ grumble of defeat. I want to crush it. It’ll feel good.

Break it into millions of tiny little pieces.

An idea lit in his mind once she was done.

“Reia,” he said to get her attention.

“Hm?” She turned to him, placing her hands on her hips while giving him a disgruntled expression.