My Wild Beast-Chapter 155: Weight of Tayun

His touch was slow and careful as he spread the cooling balm over her shoulder, tracing the scratches with a tenderness that made her throat tighten. The sting of the wounds eased beneath his fingers, but it was the gentleness in his movements, the way his calloused thumb brushed the edge of her skin, the way his brow furrowed in quiet focus, that made her chest ache.

Nova studied him as he worked, his hair still damp from the fire, strands clinging to his temples, his skin marked by soot his powers would heal overnight. The beast within him simmered close to the surface, she could feel it thrumming through the bond, yet it bent to her presence, calm and obedient.

"You’ve changed," she whispered without meaning to.

His head tilted, but he didn’t look up from smoothing balm over her arm. "How so?"

"You’re softer," she teased faintly, lips quirking. "At least with me."

That earned her a low, dangerous smirk as his eyes finally lifted to hers. "Only with you." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

It was true. He had changed. Though Nova had only seen a glimpse into his more savage side.

She laughed quietly, but the sound faded when his hand cupped her cheek. His gaze lingered on her face, more intent than words could hold, and for a moment the world outside, the weight of Tayun, ceased to exist.

"Rest now," he murmured, leaning in until his forehead touched hers. "Tomorrow will demand all of you."

Her lashes lowered, heart thudding at the promise in his voice. She wanted to ask if he feared what lay ahead, if he doubted her strength. But when she opened her mouth, his lips brushed hers—soft, unhurried, sealing the question away.

The bond hummed with warmth. Of course he did not doubt her, the words whispered along her mind.

Nova sighed against him, easing into the cot as he pulled the blanket over them. Yoa remained close, his presence heavy and protective, the faint purr of his beast vibrating through the floorboards themselves.

Sleep tugged at her, but as her eyes drifted shut, golden patterns stirred behind her lids. The glowing geometric lines only she could see, dimmed and broke away in some parts, revealing the corrupted cracks across the island’s skin.

Even now in this state, she had this burning desire to heal those remaining pieces, to put every last blast of power into Tayun.

Her heart stuttered. These weren’t just in her head.

Beyond the treehouse, faint lines of light shimmered across the jungle canopy, pulsing like veins of fire beneath the earth. She blinked, half believing it was a dream, until the ground itself gave a subtle shudder, rattling the wind chimes.

Nova’s breath caught. Yoa lifted his head, his luminous eyes already on the treeline before staring at her. "What is it?" He whispered

"It needs to be sealed..." She whispered, her body still tense.

Yoa waited, listening, but as the seconds stretched into minutes, the tremor faded into silence, his shoulders eased. He pressed his forehead to hers, voice low and firm. "Tomorrow, Nova. Not now. You cannot do anything burnt out as you are. It is almost complete, nothing else will happen tonight."

Nova shivered, though Yoa’s arms held her fast. With a final nod, she turned into him for comfort, whispering, "You’re right."

But even as his warmth surrounded her, she couldn’t shake the sight of those pulsing lines crawling across the island’s skin, spreading further with every beat of her heart. Those last cracks remained splintered along the earth, almost taunting her behind closed eyelids.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

When nova next rose, she was surprisingly pleased to see the world had not come to an end while she slept. The urge was always there, throbbing in the back of her mind, the power tingling at her fingertips, but Yoa kept her from leaving the treehouse until he confirmed through the bond that she had rejuvenated.

A bathe, change of clothes, some food, and little entertainment from Atia and Aiyana later, and they were off again. Feeling well-rested with most of the wounds caused by Ixana healed away, and only a few that were left with the paste on, she ventured through the jungle, wary from the day before, but with a skip in her step that it would be the final time they went into this cave.

Or so she could hope. The corruption on the island was from those like Ixana and others who prayed and sacrificed to Akura. If they continued this would be a reoccurring problem. Perhaps that was why she was brought here as well.

Nova tilted her head back and stared at the creature that had shrunk. It didn’t even stare at her now. So weak, and accepting of its fate. She almost felt bad for it.

The creature had been created as a curse, a punishment, the ultimate end, something even Tayun could not fight as it lived from the very beating essence that was Tayun.

But she wasn’t about to let it thrive and cause chaos and destruction of an island she had come to love and call home.

Nova kneeled before it like so many times before, her heart steady, her spine set straight, feeling strong. Sharing a glance with Yoa and her friends she then released a long breath and allowed that bubbling power beneath her skin to surface. Heat erupted from within her, coursing through her veins, to the tips of her fingertips as the golden geometric patterns rushed along her sight, rushing through the jungle and locating the cracked pieces that needed to be sealed.

Her fingers began moving, the power flowing out of her. The state she fell into was calming, no longer feeling urgent as she drew the patterns over and over again, stringing over her power into the thread of the strengthening lines. A low screech turned into a choking cough somewhere in the distance as she felt this wave of hot and cold rolling along her body, from her toes all the way up until it crashed over her mind and something within her released.

Like a taut string being cut loose, her body crumpled forward. She breathed easy, falling into warm arms that cradled her into safety. Her eyes remained dazed as she watched the final pieces sealing together.

"Bit anticlimactic really..." Atia mused from somewhere.

Nova breathily chuckled, still unable to see past the patterns, and wishing to throw something at him.

"Why did you want a horde of vampiras to find us again?" Aiyana scoffed.

"It would be fun..." Atia muttered then added, "but after yesterday... maybe this is exactly what we needed."

"A day off?" Yoa chuckled, entertaining him while his eyes were solely on Nova.

She could feel the weight of his eyes on her, and slowly, the warmth and tenderness that flowed through the bond, the feeling of him, his spice, drew her back to the present and out of whatever trance Tayun put her in.

Nova knew, even without the words from Tayun, that she’d done it.

"Why not?" Nova smiled up at him. At the sound of her voice, the other two stepped closer as well, sighing in relief at the faint glow in her rosy cheeks. Their friend didn’t look as pale as she usually did when she finished one of these... ’sessions.’

"Are you telling us to be lazy, missus?" Atia winked at her from behind Yoa.

"I think we more than deserve it," Nova croaked back, smiling still before her eyes settled back on her Serakai.

"Yoa," Nova whispered, only now registering he cradled her almost like a baby, her body completely in his arms as he sat on the cave floor. The ruby gem of Tayun’s heart pulsed, the red more luminous and casting light over them, causing the contours of his body and handsome features to be achingly desirable right now.

"Nova, you did it," he pressed his forehead to hers.

"We did it," she corrected him as their eyes locked, both glowing golden.

"And now! Let’s celebrate!" Atia pounced on them, ruining their moment, or as they burst into laughter, maybe adding a little more to the moment.

Not wanting Aiyana to be left out because of her moody ways, Nova reached out, pretending to need Aiyana’s help.

"Get off of her!" Aiyana rushed forward, concern pinching her brows together as she went to attack them, all for Nova, the girl she once accused of being too weak.

Aiyana’s hand slid into Nova’s just as a mischievous grin lit up Nova’s features and she yanked her on top of them as well. "Nova!" Aiyana growled, but she didn’t push off from them as they stayed like that in some tackle-group hug on the cave floor before Tayun’s heart.