Primal Bond (Warlords of Vasz #4)

30. Chapter 30

Chapter thirty

R ael stood at the edge of the village, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The spacecraft was due to appear any moment. Pride swelled in his chest at the thought of Kyral returning successful from his mission, but concern gnawed at the edges of his mind.

What if something had gone wrong? What if Kyral and Jasper hadn't found who they were looking for?

A low hum filled the air, growing louder with each passing second. Rael's muscles tensed as the sleek vessel came into view, descending gracefully into the clearing. Dust swirled around it as it touched down, the engines powering down with a soft whine.

The hatch opened with a hiss, and Rael relaxed slightly as Kyral emerged, followed closely by Jasper. Both unharmed, thank the spirits.

Then his eyes widened. A pair of humans followed them out, blinking in the bright Vasz sunlight. Rael's gaze darted from face to face.

Well. The village was going to need more dwellings.

But that wasn't all that Kyral and Jasper had brought back. Finally, another figure appeared in the hatchway.

Tall, broad-shouldered, unmistakably Borraq.

Rael's breath caught in his throat as recognition dawned.

Zanik.

Time seemed to slow as Zanik stepped onto Vasz soil. His movements were fluid, confident, but there was a wariness in his eyes as he scanned the village. When his gaze met Rael's, a flicker of something — recognition? regret? — passed over his features.

Rael's mind raced. Zanik, here? After all these years? The warrior who'd left for war and never returned, now walking back into their lives as if... As if what? As if nothing had changed? Everything had changed.

Zanik approached, his stride purposeful but hesitant. Rael found himself rooted to the spot, a whirlwind of emotions churning inside him.

"Rael," Zanik said, his voice low and rough. "It's been a long time."

Rael's heart thudded in his chest. He remembered the younger Zanik, all fire and determination, practicing with his blade under the watchful eye of their elders. Zanik had always been a few years older than Rael, his strength a beacon for the rest of them. Rael had watched with wide eyes as Zanik sliced through the air, every movement precise, every strike powerful.

Rael had wanted to be just like him — a true warrior.

But then the war had come, and Zanik had not returned.

The boy who had once fought alongside them, laughing and fierce, had turned his back on the clan. Rael felt a pang of betrayal even now, remembering the day he'd heard that Zanik had walked away, leaving them all. It had been hard to understand, harder still to forgive.

“Rael,” Zanik said, breaking the spell of memory. His voice was deeper, tinged with an emotion Rael couldn’t quite place.

“Zanik.” Rael took a step closer, searching Zanik’s face. There was a mix of pride and fear in those sharp green eyes, as if Zanik were standing at the edge of a precipice, ready to leap but uncertain of the landing.

“I want to return,” Zanik stated, the words coming out in a rush, as if he feared they would be snatched away. “To the clan. To this life.”

There were still so many questions, but that was all that Rael needed to hear. Rael stepped forward and enveloped Zanik in an embrace, feeling the warmth of his familiar presence.

“Welcome back, warrior,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. He could feel the tension in Zanik’s muscles, the uncertainty beneath the bravado.

Zanik turned back towards the pair of humans, now standing nervously behind him. “And… I have something else to ask, as well.”

Rael raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. “I can see that,” he replied dryly, casting a quick glance at the newcomers. The tension in the air thickened as Kyral and Jasper finally stepped forward to greet him.

“Rael,” Kyral said, nodding. “We did what we set out to do.”

A victory, then. Kyral and Jasper, both still relative newcomers to the clan, had set out to find and rescue two of Jasper's kidnapped fellows. But when Rael had discussed their plan with them, strategizing and planning, the goal had been to find them and return them to human space, freeing them from the Borraq hell they'd been dragged into.

But now those two humans were here, standing nervously in front of him like pups that had been hauled up in front of the class.

Jasper kept talking. He was forthright, for a human. “There were even more humans than we intended to rescue.” His tone was weary, the weight of their mission evident in the lines etched on his face, but there was a deep pride in his words.

“Too many,” Kyral said, shaking his head. “We’ve been busy returning them to different places in the system.”

“Except… for these two,” Jasper continued, gesturing to the humans behind Zanik. “They didn’t want to go back to human space.”

Rael turned his gaze toward the newcomers. The first human stood with his shoulders slightly hunched, his hair falling into his eyes. Rael noticed the haunted look in his expression, a flicker of something lost and fearful beneath the surface. This one was clearly marked by his experiences, as if he had been worn down by the world.

The second human, standing a bit taller, had a defiant spark in his eyes, though as he looked at Rael, the same hint of uncertainty lingered.

Rael’s thoughts raced. He recalled his human mate Elian, whose optimism often brightened their bleak existence; Rhys, whose sharp wit and intelligence made him a natural leader among the humans; and Jasper, with his steady resilience and reassurance.

These newcomers, though — he could see the scars of their struggles written on their faces, and it set them apart from the other humans he had grown to know.

But the hint of uncertainty in the second human's eyes was only for Rael. When the human looked at Zanik, it was with something else shining in those depths. Something deeper, something tender.

Rael’s breath hitched as he recognized that look: love, raw and unfiltered. He had seen it before — and felt it every day in his own heart, when he looked at Elian.

Memories of Elian's bright, optimistic face flooded Rael's mind. He remembered how Elian's curiosity had always overshadowed his fears, how he had felt a fierce urge to protect him, to cherish him. Humans were so fragile, yet so resilient. They made you want to wrap them in your arms and shield them from the world.

Zanik stepped forward, his voice steady but tinged with emotion. "This is Finn," he said, gesturing to the human beside him. "He is my mate."

Finn, standing tall — well, as tall as a human could manage — took a step forward, encouraging the other human with a gentle nudge. The second human hesitated before stepping forward as well, his expression distant.

"And this is Asher," Zanik continued. "He needs somewhere to heal."

The boy’s withdrawn demeanor spoke volumes. Rael’s heart ached with a mix of empathy and sorrow.

He turned his gaze back to Zanik, meeting his eyes. Zanik’s expression was soft, almost pleading. Rael understood immediately.

There was a depth to Zanik's expression, a silent understanding that mirrored Rael's own feelings about the human's reluctance to return home. Rael recognized the pain in Zanik’s eyes; it echoed his own struggles after the war. Zanik had changed too much to simply slip back into his old life.

“He can stay for as long as he needs,” Rael said, his voice steady.

Finn glanced at Asher, a flicker of joy breaking through the boy's uncertainty. That spark made Rael’s heart swell.

Whatever any of them needed, he hoped they could find it in his village.

Rael turned his head slightly, spotting Taryn approaching from the edge of the gathering. Tall and broad-shouldered, Taryn moved with purpose, his piercing eyes scanning the crowd. Rael raised a hand to signal him over.

“Taryn,” Rael called, his tone commanding yet calm. “I need you to begin to arrange two dwellings. One for Asher, and another for Zanik and Finn.”

Rael watched as Taryn’s gaze shifted to Zanik, the tension palpable in the air. Zanik met Taryn’s eyes, and for a brief moment, Rael noted the slight wariness in Zanik’s stance. It was a subtle reminder of the years that had passed, the choices that had led Zanik away from them — and their kin who were no longer with them.

Rael’s heart tightened. He wondered how his warriors would react to Zanik’s return after he had turned his back on them for so long.

Kyral had been welcomed into their clan, but Kyral had been clanless, a lone wolf without any history with Rael's men. He'd proved his skills many times over, and Rael's men had readily accepted him as one of their own. The younger warriors, Rael knew with a hint of fond despair, thought that Kyral was cool .

Zanik, though, was different. He had once been a pillar of their community, only to walk away when the war had raged on.

Would Rael’s clan accept him without question?

Just as doubt began to creep in, Rael noticed a change in Taryn’s expression. The characteristic sternness remained, but a warmth began to seep through. Taryn nodded to Zanik, an unspoken understanding passing between them. “I’ll combat drill with you tomorrow,” Taryn said, his tone firm but inviting. “You must be rusty.”

Rael watched Zanik’s demeanor shift. The cool aloof exterior began to crack. Zanik nodded, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I’ve not grown soft and lazy in space, Taryn. You’d better be ready.”

There was a bond forming, a connection rekindling. For a start on a new journey, that was enough. "Let's return," Rael said. "Come, everybody."

Rael watched as everyone began to move towards the village, a sense of surreal calm washing over him. The sight of Zanik, Finn, Asher, Kyral, and Jasper walking side by side felt like a dream, a strange blending of two worlds that had once been at war. Rael's heart swelled with a mix of pride and hope.

Here in the secret privacy of his clan lands, his people had been living alongside humans, learning from each other, finding strength in understanding rather than conflict.

It was a new kind of strength.

Once they reached the clan, his people took over, greeting, talking, arranging resources. The newcomers would be well taken care of. Rael was able to find a moment of privacy — and the person who he wanted by his side at all such moments.

Elian appeared at his side, his presence a warm, familiar comfort. Rael turned, pulling his mate into a gentle embrace. Elian's dirty blond curls tickled Rael's chin, and he inhaled the familiar, calming scent of him.

"Looks like you had an eventful day," Elian murmured, his voice filled with that unshakeable optimism that Rael adored.

Rael smiled, tightening his hold. "You could say that."

Elian pulled back slightly, studying Rael's face with those bright, curious eyes. "You look thoughtful."

Rael chuckled softly. "Just thinking about how much things have changed. How much we've built here."

Elian's smile was radiant, pride evident in his gaze. "It's incredible, Rael. Look at what you've done. Look at what we've all done."

Rael's heart swelled. He cupped Elian's face, his thumb brushing gently over his cheek. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Elian's eyes sparkled, but he grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Damn right, you couldn't have. Who else would keep you grounded?"

Rael laughed, the sound a balm to his soul. "True enough. You always know how to keep me in check."

They stood there, holding each other, as the village buzzed with the energy of new arrivals. Rael's gaze drifted over to Zanik being greeted by old friends, Finn tucked protectively by his side. The sight warmed Rael's heart.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace, Rael felt a profound sense of peace. This was the future he had fought for, the community he had dreamed of building.

Out in space, the war raged. But here, they were building a new kind of peace.