He let her lead the way, his mind drowning in that strange haze; her touch burning his skin where she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. His intent gaze torn between gentle swing of her hips, and graceful slope of her shoulder; every few seconds quiet growl bubbling up in his throat.

Surr chuckled, her ears twitching slightly as she tossed him as heated look over her shoulder; her plush lips tilted in that devious smirk, her eyes narrowed; full of lust and something… else, he couldn't recognize, even if he wasn't half out of his mind.

"Just a little bit longer, Raha," she purred, her thumb drawing slow circles on inside of his wrist. "Stay with me, my beautiful."

Twelve… her voice sounded like most alluring music…

He barely registered as she led him inside familiar looking mansion, putting her finger meaningfully against her lips with a playful smirk on her lips when she pulled him up the massive staircase and inside a huge, luxury room.

She exhaled softly, relaxing visibly when they went behind closed doors and turned toward him slowly; her gaze rowing over him with intent as she bit her lower lip.

"You're so gorgeous, my Raha," she sighed dreamily, stepping toward him and quickly unfastening his vest, pulling it near violently of his shoulders and tossing it carelessly on the ground by their feet.

Gods… He felt so lost… He couldn't think…

He moaned breathlessly when she run her nails down his chest and stomach with quiet purr rumbling in the back of her throat. Rest of his clothes followed quickly with help of her clever fingers but she growled in warning when her tried to reach for her and pull her against him.

"Not yet, my Raha, not yet," she sing-a-songed playfully then wrapped her fingers again around his wrist and pulled him toward enormous bed, pushing him to sit on the edge of it as he blinked up at her numbly, trying to gather his bearings and failing miserably; his heart pounding furiously between his ears as he struggled to catch his breath. "Aww, my precious, you look so confused," she cooed softly, gently pushing his legs apart and standing between them, pulling his head to rest against her chest. He sighed with relief, nuzzling against her shirt, her smell so soothing as he wrapped his arms around her hips, pulling her against him.

Mine… mine… mine…

Surr nuzzled against his ear, her low purr so calming as he felt her untangle his braid, then comb her fingers through his hair so gently.

"It's okay, Raha, just let me take care of you, my precious," she hummed, nibbling carefully at the edge of his ear.

"Surr…" he choked out shakily, air just too thick to breath. "What… gods… what's…?"

"Hush," he felt her fingers scratch gently against back of his ears and he tilted his head in her touch with a breathless moan, his eyes squeezed shut. "Oh, my beautiful…" she whimpered sadly, brushing her lips against his. "It's okay, my Raha. I'll give you all the affection you need… anything you wish for… just be mine, my pretty? Please? Can I bite you, Raha?"

Twelve… He would give her anything just so she would kept saying his name like that… touching him like this… being with him… To be wanted like this, it felt… Like if she cared…

"Yes, Surr… Please…" he whined desperately, tightening his arms around her near painfully, his tail bashing wildly against the mattress behind him.

"Thank you, Raha…" she leaned away, framing his face with her palms, so gentle. She rained soft kisses all over his face, making a loud purr rumble in his throat and nearly choke him. "You won't regret it, my beautiful. I'll take care of you, so good," she cooed, nuzzling her cheek against his cheek and sighing softly. "You'll see…" she kissed him again, so tender it almost made him weep, his eyes watering under closed eyelids.

Gods… she was really like a dream come true… How many times he wished… wanted… for someone… anyone to hold him like this… Like he mattered… Like he was wanted…

She untangled from his arms gently, purring at him soothingly, while she discarded her clothes quickly. He barely had time to fully register expanse of her glorious, pale skin before she climbed his lap, pulling his head to rest against her shoulder as she run her hands slowly up and down his back, trailing gentle bites from underside of his jaw, down the side of his throat; her purr near deafening.

He coiled his arms around her with breathless whimper, instinctively tilting his head in submission; his mind drowning in the haze as his cock throbbed painfully between their bodies.

"Just like this, my beautiful," she cooed between bites, then wounding her arms around his shoulders, she lifted on her knees and he almost howled feeling her tight heat wrap around his cock as she took him inside her with soft whine. "So good… Twelve… Raha, you feel so good inside me," she panted out as she slowly lowered completely, her muscles quivering around his flesh. He would agree if he was able to form a coherent thought, her smell and the feel of her around his flesh driving him completely out of his mind.

G'raha gasped when she leaned away, framing his face with her hands, looking at him carefully with that strange, unfamiliar look in her eyes. He blinked hard, trying to collect his thoughts and then failing miserably when he felt her tail coil around his waist, soft, white fur tickling against his skin, putting it on fire.

"Tell me you want to be mine, Raha," she whispered softly, sign of uncertainty mixing with that look. "Tell me you want me to be yours, my precious."

Mine… mine… mine… mine… mine… MINE!

Mindlessly he reached up, pulling her in a rough, desperate kiss. Her taste and smell filling his head, making this unfamiliar haze claw relentlessly at the edges of his consciousness; all his senses sharpening.

"Mine," he finally managed to choke out, his voice even in his own ears more of a snarl than anything else. "Mine."

"Not yet," she snapped suddenly, fisting her hands in his hair and pulling his head back, her gaze sharp and focused. "Stay with me, Raha. Just a moment. Just tell me you want this… Gods… please…Just tell me…"

She sounded so distress it shook him up and he blinked at her slowly, carefully. Pushing back desperately against fog trying to consume his mind.

"That's it," she cooed softly, placing a gentle kiss on top of his nose, her gaze focused intently on his eyes. "Come back to me, my beautiful. I can't take you if you go feral," she chuckled, though there was a raw fear in her soft voice.

Feral…?

G'raha frowned with confusion, shaking his head slightly and trying to clear it. Trying to collect his thoughts but every breath filled his lungs with her smell, making the haze climb up and claw at his mind.

"Surr…" he whimpered desperately, his hands falling and wrapping around her hips, pulling her harder against his flesh. "Need you… so much…"

She gasped softly, her inner muscles clenched around him tightly, her breath leaving her with a rush as she dropped her hands to his shoulders, digging her nails in his skin. Tiny points of pain sending shudders down his spine.

G'raha choked out another whimper, instinctively tilting his head as his tail coiled around her waist in turn.

"Please…" he growled, struggling to catch his breath.

Surr stared at him for a long moment, her purple eyes full of lust and that unfamiliar emotion that boggled his confused, dazed mind.

It looked almost like…

Then she growled at him softly and sinking her fingers in his hair, pulled his head harder to the side and bit him.

Twelve, have mercy…

On some level he felt how his body went completely rigid, all his muscles locking up as loud, primal hiss tore out of his throat. He felt how Surr shuddered on top of him, her teeth digging hard in his skin as her quiet, choked sobs rang in his ears, making them fall flat against his head. On some level… He was aware of it, his sharpened senses collecting information his mind wasn't able to process as her soul pressed against his, drowning it in feelings that wasn't his own.

Lust, affection, sympathy… and love.

He could only whimper helplessly right before that strange haze swallowed his mind and he knew no more.


After Thancred left her alone that morning, Surr tried to resist, but in the end, her feline curiosity won and she read the papers her friend collected. And the more she read, the more confused she felt.

She really struggled with the idea of his childhood, some of the pages containing 'formal complaints' of both students and professors that… well, maybe she was biased… but sounded like utter bullshit.

And he was five when they send him here… Five! Who sends five-year old kit to place like this?

It was insane! She would murder person responsible if she could.

Twelve… but that hissing in the back of her mind wasn't helping her focus at all…

Mine… mine… mine…

Finally giving up, she contacted the only person who could maybe help her make sense of it. She sighed softly, steeling her back as she reached toward her ear and pressed on the linkpearl. He picked up after barely a second.

"Yes?" she always loved her father's voice, even if some considered it quite gruff and thought his bluntness rude.

"Hey, papa," she smiled softly, leaning back in her seat and picking up end of her tail, rolling long, soft fur around her finger.

"Hey, baby, did you arrive safely?" he sounded nonchalant, yet she smirked slightly, knowing him to well.

"Yes, we arrived yesterday morning, papa. Sorry I didn't call earlier… I've got distracted," she hummed, closing her eyes and leaning her head against backrest of the chair. "I have a question."

"Shoot, baby."

"Can you think about any reason why a… Seeker tribe would send away a five-year old kit? Completely alone?" she bit her lower lip, frowning.

T'kirh Tia stayed silent for a long moment, clearly considering it. Surr felt her lips twitch with amusement, her mind filling with fondness. Her father always treated her questions so seriously, making her feel safe to ask anything, and sure his answer will be always honest and truthful.

"No, Surr… Can't think of anything," he finally sighed. "Even were a mother to perish, tribe would be honor-bound to rise kit as it's own, at least until adulthood. Why do you ask?"

She hesitated, blushing furiously.

"Umm… I met someone," she finally admitted.

"Oh?" she could imagine his purple eyes, exactly the same shade as hers, narrowing dangerously. If Thancred could be overprotective, her father beat him in that, hands down. "Tell me about it, baby."

"It's okay, papa, no need to get upset," she giggled softly, curling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them.

"I'll be the judge of that," he groused. "Sadly, you utterly inherited your mother's soft heart. Who is it?"

"His name is G'raha," she sighed dreamily and choked another giggle when he growled, probably running his hand through his inky-black hair with frustration. "He's… kind of… student here, in Old Sharlayan."

"Kind of…?" he sounded suspicious.

"Mhmm… That's what confuses me, papa. That question, was about him. It seems his tribe send him off here when he was a kit, and though of course Thancred had to run off, gather intel about him…" she growled angrily at his amused chuckle. "Not funny. Anyway, there's nothing in here about… why? And thing is… it seems, they treat him here real… bad," she bit her lip again, her heart squeezing painfully with sympathy.

"Mmm, sounds rough," he sighed. "And for a Seeker tribe… It's beyond strange, honestly. And that boy, he also doesn't know why?"

Automatically she shrugged helplessly, then coughed lightly, amused at herself, because he couldn't see that.

"Didn't ask yet. Thancred dropped this in my lap just a moment ago…" she hesitated. "And… would be kind of… awkward to ask now, to be honest. Would have to explain what overprotective buffon my best friend is…"

Her father laughed and it made her chuckle in reflex. He had such a pleasant laugh… She sighed with longing; it was too long since she could last visit.

Then she remembered other thing she wanted to ask.

"Papa…? Can I ask you something… private?" she bit her lip with uncertainty, blushing again.

"You can ask me anything, baby. If I think it's… too private, I will tell you so, you know it," he assured, his voice softening.

"Umm, you remember, how you told that you knew right away that mom is the only one for you? How did that… feel?" she could feel her blush darkening and she squeezed her eyes shut again.

He stayed silent for a long moment and she squirmed nervously, growing sure he will refuse to answer.

"First time I saw her, she seemed like a most beautiful thing under the sun, and Azeyma… I wanted her instantly," he finally answered wistfully.

"Oh," she's going to combust from embarrassment.

"Does that… G'raha, you said? Does he…?" he asked carefully after a moment, clearly considering his words. "Do you… like him?"

"I do," she blurted out with a gasp. "But Thancred joked… that I should think twice before biting him… and now I have this voice hissing 'mine' in the back of my mind constantly… And I'm so confused, papa," she sighed miserably, feeling her ears fall flat against her head. "He's so nice, and sweet and he has these prettiest eyes I ever saw… and in all, he's so beautiful it takes my breath away…"

"Whew," he whistled softly when she quieted down, his voice ringing with amusement and… something confusing. Like… resignation? "Then… I guess you just found your soulmate."


Surr leaned in, brushing her lips against Raha's brow, content purr rumbling in the back of her throat as she combed her fingers gently through his hair, stopping to rub carefully at shell of his ear.

He purred loudly in answer, though at least at the moment he seemed content to just rest in her lap; his dazed, savage eyes tracking her movements with predatory focus.

She sighed softly, brushing his hair back, then leaned in, trailing her lips along his cheek. His jumbled, delirious thoughts and feelings bubbling in the back of her mind; sensation so alien, and yet… so pleasant.

He was hers… Her mate…

Gods… she couldn't stop purring, even though it's was nearly choking her.

Her father was right, of course. He always was. She laughed at him at first, because it was ridiculous, really. She just met Raha… just yesterday… But then she remembered how intense was her… want for him. How she basically given away her virginity to a stranger, because his smell and taste were driving her absolutely mad.

It didn't seem so funny then.

She went looking for him, preparing herself to… play it cool. Just to…

"You did quite a number on me, my Raha," she sighed, rolling long red strand around her finger. Gods… she loved his hair, so soft… He growled quietly and she chuckled, trailing her lips along his jaw.

He was so silly like this…

She always heard that Miqo'te males when feral were dangerous, but her mate seemed to be completely placated and content, purring so loudly, when she showered him with affectionate touches and kisses.

But that was part of the problem, wasn't it?

She sighed, resting her forehead against his, brushing her fingers gently across his cheek. When bond snapped in place, and before haze swallowed her mind, she felt sheer volume of his loneliness and need for affection, and it made her sob desperately.

She wanted to murder persons responsible for dumping him in this place and even neglecting to explain simplest things about their kind.

Twelve… He was so confused when need to mate kicked in, his beautiful eyes so dazed as he balanced so long on the edge of going feral.

She hummed softly, kissing him gently and smiling when his purr dropped lower, his pretty red-cyan eyes slowly closing. She kept up her ministrations, making sure to keep her touches soft and affectionate till he sighed with content, seemingly temporarily sated and slowly drifted off to sleep.

She giggled softly, placing a delicate kiss on his forehead before she carefully moved, placing his head on the massive mattress and curled against his side, pulling sheet over them.

She wasn't sure how long he'll be out of it, but she didn't mind. She just hoped… He don't freak out too much when he comes around. She made sure to ask… many times, if he wanted to be hers, but now that she could think more clearly, she wasn't exactly sure that he knew what it meant.

Twelve… she will find people responsible for abusing and neglecting her mate and…

Loud knock on the door to her room made her eyes shot toward it with alarm. Raha twitched against her, his tail flicking slightly by her leg.

Gods… not now…

Moving carefully, she crawled out of the bed, hastily dressing clothes she discarded earlier. Barefoot she walked toward the door, intent on chasing intruder away.

"Yo, Surr," Thancred grinned cheerfully, unceremoniously pushing the door she was holding and walking in like he owned the place. "We just got back, and you'll be glad to know…" he stilled when his gaze drifted toward the massive bed. "Are you serious? You brought him here? Alphinaud is going to…"

"Than," she hissed softly. "Lower your voice or I swear, I'm going to bitch-slap you into the next Calamity! I just managed to make him go to…"

"Why there's blood on your shirt?" his voice hardened as his gaze narrowed at her. "Did that assho…"

She felt her ears drop against her head, furious growl bubbling in her throat.

"I would be very careful about your next words, Than," her aggression was mounting so quickly her head was spinning.

No one insulted her mate…!

"What is wrong with… oh," his eyes winded and his jaw dropped. "I can't believe it," he stepped closer to her, and before she had time to slap his hand away pulled on her bloodied collar, revealing Raha's mark. "You mated him! Are you insane?! I joked, by the Twelve! Didn't intend to actually provoke you to do that!" He grabbed her arm, his gaze frantic. "Let's find a healer and get rid of it before…"

Furious snarl was his only warning before Raha tackled him, pushing him against the wall and slamming fist in his stomach, making Thancred curse breathlessly as he bent in half.

"Mine," her mate's eyes were absolutely savage when he clamped his hand around her best friend's throat and lifted him against the wall, growling furiously.

Okay… she takes back what she thought about him not being dangerous…

"Raha," she carefully stepped toward him and felt a shudder run down her spine when feral red-cyan gaze moved toward her, again tracking her movement with predatory, unblinking focus. "Raha, it's okay. He didn't try to hurt me. Thancred is stupid sometimes, but he's my best friend."

She sighed, seeing zero understanding in his gaze, only murderous fury. Thancred was choking, taking on a lovely bluish hue.

She purred, loud and insistent, moving slowly behind his back. He growled when she left his field of vision and turned, unintentionally dropping her friend back on the floor. Slowly, holding his stare again, she moved back and climbed the bed, with pure effort purring even louder, and choking down a smirk when his ears lifted slowly from where they earlier hugged his head, a visible shudder running through his body as his tail flicked with uncertainty.

She almost had him…

Finally, she lowered and tilting her head submissively, blushing furiously from embarrassment, she pulled on her collar, drawing her finger slowly over his mark; shuddering, moaning softly and letting him feel her pleasure over their bond.

Raha stilled completely, his hand dropping from Thancred's throat as he stared intently on her shoulder and instinctively moved toward her, raw need plain on his face.

Thancred panted weakly, rubbing his throat and watching numbly as her mate climbed the bed, tangled his fingers in her long hair and sank his teeth in her skin with a loud growl. Surr moaned brokenly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and smoothing her hands soothingly on his skin.

"You should leave, Than," she whispered at her friend, trying to keep her lust at bay. "I'm not sure how long I can distract him, before he goes for your throat again."

"Surr… this is insane..." he gasped, but clearly trying to keep his voice down now. "How do you want to leave Old Sharlayan now? I just came to tell you that we're done earlier and can leave in two days."

She blinked at him slowly, running her fingers through Raha's hair gently. So soft…

"Isn't it obvious?" she frowned, pursing her lips slightly. Twelve, but he was so dense sometimes… "I'm taking him with me."

Thancred worked his jaw, watching her with quite a dead-pan stare.

"And he's okay with that? Leaving his home and being what… your boy-toy?"

Surr snapped her teeth at him, growling softly but she bit her tongue when her mate stiffened against her, his tail whipping with agitation.

"Hush, my beautiful," she nuzzled against his throat. Then she turned her gaze back at her friend. "Don't be ridiculous, Than," she said slowly, trying to keep her temper in check. "He'll be joining us, of course."

"Huh?" he frowned, tilting his head in confusion.

"Scions," she dead-panned, rolling her eyes. "He'll be joining Scions."

His jaw dropped, his eyes growing huge.

"You can't recruit him!" he gasped finally. "You're barely out of training yourself! Minfilia will never allow it!"

She smirked, raising her eyebrows.

"And?" she drawled slowly. "Isn't it Minfilia who nearly beat in my head to follow my visions?"

He froze, look of consideration and uncertainty flashing over his handsome face.

"Echo told you to mate him?" he finally said with disbelieve.

"Not in so many words, no," she chuckled, rolling her eyes again. Dense, right? "But Echo showed me… he's mine. Always was, always will be."

And that's the crux of it, isn't it? At the first, tentative graze of Raha's teeth against her shoulder, Echo activated, pulling her in and showing her… them. In each and every life, always together, for better or worse.

"So you can either stand there, dumbfounded, or go call Minfilia and tell her either she allows it, or she looses her precious Echo user," she said with typical for her fierce determination, her purple eyes hard. "He's either coming with me or I'm staying behind."