you belong with me
pairings aged-up neteyam x omatikaya!fem reader
notes hate to love (but i wonât call it enemies to lovers), fierce and feral reader, mentions of violence and bullying, ultra possessive and dominant neteyam đ€, reader has a bad male friend, rough smut (p in v), oral (f&m receiving), secret relationship, , someone sees them going at it đââïž
synopsis for years, you and your friend have made it your livesâ work to rile neteyam up and make him unworthy of his birthright. but somehow, neteyam only ever gets riled up by you and completely ignores your friendâs existence.
word count 20.5k
âË â§ âââââ±ââ°ââââ â§ âË
âWhat is it, Sinto?â you asked, not looking up from the obsidian arrowhead you were scraping against a stone.
The lanky boy stepped into your space, blocking the sunlight filtering through the canopy. Sinto was your only friend in this village, your bond forged in shared grief more than genuine friendship. Both of your parents had died on a raid gone wrong under Jake Sullyâs command. Deep down, you knew it wasnât strictly the Oloâeyktanâs fault, because war was war, and the sky people spared no one, but logic did nothing to soothe an orphaned child left with a hollow heart. Both you and Sinto decided that both of your parents were dead because of Toruk Maktoâs bad decisions.
It gave both of you a quiet reason to hate the legendary family who walked around like royalty.
In a clan that prized strength, two orphans had to stick up for one another. If you didnât, youâd get eaten alive by the older kids and a highly competitive warrior culture that had no patience for the weak.
Around you, the atmosphere near the training ground was thick with tension. The upcoming sparring matches were a massive deal for the aspiring hunters, of which Siton was included. It was where you showed your teeth, where the clan decided if you were worth noticing. And currently? Neteyam was leading the ranks and obliterating everyone in his path.
âLook at them,â Sinto spat, his voice dripping with venom as he watched Neteyam effortlessly pin another boy into the dirt. âThey look at him like he is the real deal, none of them even sees the obvious that he is only leading in the ranks because he is being taught by the Oloâeyktan himself. He is learning from the best, of course he wins.â
âThe best?â you echoed. You snorted, looking up at Sinto with a sharp, cynical smirk. âIt is always subjective, Sinto. My father was the best in a hand-to-hand combat, too, and he learned from Jake Sully. You can beat Neteyam if only you work as hard.â You rolled your eyes, returning to your arrow.
Sintoâs bitter expression melted into a slow grin. He knelt beside you, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. âThatâs what I like about you, Y/N. You see through the illusion.â He leaned closer. âI have a plan... but I need you.â
You paused again, your eyes snapping to him. This wouldnât be the first time Sinto asked something from you. You two have quite the reputation, and you are fine with it if it meant you wouldnât be ganged up on when you were alone. You and Sinto only had each other, and if he needed you to help him take what he believed he deserved, you wouldn't hesitate. You were loyal to him to a fault. Like you believe he is to you.
âWhat do you want me to do?â you asked.
âThe final match will happen soon. Neteyam will go against Litkir. If he misses it, he is disqualified,â Sinto whispered, his eyes gleaming. âThe only thing that can peel him away from his focus is his family. Go find Kiri. Distract him through her.â
âKiri? She is older... And she never did anything bad to me,â you frowned, your nails digging in your palm.
Sinto sighed loudly, his face turning into a deadpan. âIâm not telling you to make her bleed. Just a little scuffle. Nothing permanent. Enough to make him look like a failure of a brother.â
You looked at him before nodding, sheathing your dagger, and standing up. Sinto has come in your defense for most of your life, he protected you from your bullies and taught you to fight back. Showing up for him whenever he needed it is the least you can do.
Tracking Kiri wasn't difficult. You found her near the riverbanks, laughing with one of her friends. The sight of her, so untroubled, so heavily protected by the status of her family, ignited a bitter spark in your chest.
You stepped out from the foliage, blocking their path. âYou are a long way from your brothersâ shadow, Kiri,â you taunted, your arms crossed as you sauntered toward them.
Kiriâs smile vanished, her ears pinning back. âWhat do you want? We are not looking for trouble.â
âToo bad. Trouble found you,â you scrunched your nose, stepping forward to shove Kiri back.
Her friend gasped, trying to pull Kiri away, but you lunged, grabbing the girl's arm to drag her away from the path. In the chaotic scramble, the girl panicked, tripped blindly over a slick root, and fell hard into the mud, a sickening pop echoing from her foot.
She let out a piercing shriek of pain, clutching her ankle as tears immediately mixed with the mud on her face. Kiri lunged for you, tackling you to the mud and grabbing at your braids. It is obvious that she isnât really used at being violent because her grabs werenât as painful as that of the older girls you grew up with.
Even her clawing at your skin wouldnât bleed much, you know from experience. You didnât fight back, allowing her to grab at your braids and smear mud on you.
âKiri?! Rinyal?!â you heard another girlâs voice and your head snapped to the bushes.
The girl jolted in fear, her eyes wide. A huge, predatory grin cut at your lips, but before you could even move, Kiri shouted, âCall Neteyam!â And then she realized what today is for Neteyam. âOr Loâak! Call Loâak!â
You bursted out in laughter. âCall Neteyam! Call Loâak!â you mimicked to mock her.
Your hands grabbed at her shoulder so you could shove her backward, tackling her into the mud, knowing her brothers will come soon and you want to treat them to a good view. You turned when the bushes burst open, seeing Neteyam charging into the clearing, eyes wild with panic. When he saw his sister pinning you down to the mud and her crying friend, his gaze locked onto you.
His breathing was heavy, his chest heaving as he took in the scene. Neteyam was known across the clan for his gentle nature, his endless patience, and his calm demeanor. But right now? The look in his eyes was pure, unadulterated fury.
âWhat is wrong with you?!â Neteyam yelled, his voice cracking with a rare, explosive anger as he rushed forward.
Loâak came running after him, dragging you away from Kiri. You shoved him away, standing on your feet. You saw Neteyam dropped to his knees beside the sobbing Rinyal, checking her ankle.
âShe attacked us!â Rinyal cried out, pointing a trembling, muddy finger at you. âWe were just walking and she came out of nowhere, Neteyam!â
Neteyam looked up at you from the dirt, his golden eyes burning into yours, waiting for an explanation, a defense, a shred of remorse.
You stood your ground, crossing your arms loosely. You didn't even blink. âI didn't even push her,â you said plainly, rolling your eyes. âShe sprained her own ankle because she is clumsy!â you pressed, looking at the girl. âRinyal, next time you try to get in the way, make sure you are strong enough.â
Neteyamâs scowl deepened. He stood up slowly, stepping toward you. The sheer malice and indifference radiating from you made something snap inside him. To be so cruel, and to not even be sorry for it, it was beyond his comprehension.
âShe is hurt, Y/N. She cannot walk,â Neteyam hissed, his already deepening, adolescent voice dropping to an even lower octave. âYou have no honor at all, do you? Youâre not even sorry.â
âWhy should I be?â you spat, wiping some mud on your face.
Neteyamâs hands trembled with a rage he had never felt in his entire thirteen years of life. But Rinyalâs painful cries pulled him back to reality. He had to take them back to Hometree and you know that by now, he would have been delayed for the match.
He scooped the injured Rinyal into his arms, casting one final, dark look over his shoulder at you. âYou will face consequences for this,â he vowed.
And because he chose to carry them back, Neteyam missed his final sparring time slot. He was officially disqualified from the matches. When Sinto found out, he practically glowed with triumph, praising you for a job well done.
âThatâs great,â you said, your skin back to its pristine, mud-free state, sporting a different loincloth.
âBy the time his father does something about it, I will have been ahead of him in the ranks,â he told you.
But the victory was short-lived. Later that evening, one of the senior warriors spoke up during the evening debrief. âNeteyam did not flee from a fight,â the senior pointed out to the council. âAn aspiring warrior such as he is chose to protect and help the vulnerable who are in need when our warriors have failed to do so. That is the exact trait a future Oloâeyktan must possess.â
âDamn them!â Sinto furiously said after dinner, pacing the wide branch overlooking the council longhouse on which you are both perched to listen to the meeting. âThey speak as if he will surely be Oloâeyktan one day.â
âWell, he is the Oloâeyktanâs firstborn,â you pointed out, walking away from the branch and jumping down to a lower one.
âIt shouldnât be that way though. What was in his blood that proved he is worthy? It should be determined by merit,â Sinto said, following closely behind you.
You turned to him. âHe is leading the ranks,â you reminded him.
You understood that Sinto was furious. He had worked in the past years since he became aspirant to compete with Neteyam who obviously doesnât deem him threatening enough to compete with. Both of you stepped back into the clearing where most youth were gathered for the senior warriorsâ announcements.
You watched as the senior announced, that by order of the council, Neteyam was reinstated into the matches. His friends cheered for him, pushing against his shoulder and jumping around him. But as you watched him from the shadows, you noticed his eyes scanning the crowd until they landed squarely on you.
It sharpened in an instant, a look of pure, unadulterated disgust as he remembered your cruelty. Rinyal seriously injured her ankle, but youâre here, standing with Sinto who is equally as malicious as you are. Your head tilted and he looked away with a scowl on his face. He may be back in the running, but he had absolutely not forgotten your transgression.
And neither had Kiri.
Mostly her friends, actually. Rinyal was still struggling to walk after a few weeks, and they knew they couldnât let what you did slide so easily. One day, when you were foraging alone, a snare snapped shut around your ankle. You were yanked upward, dangling upside down. You gasped, catching sight of three girls emerging from the brush, their faces grim. Following behind them was Kiri who was looking up at you more in worry than in anger.
âDrop her on her head!â One of the girls said.Â
âWhat? What if she dies?â The other panicked.
âBut we can't let her go! She's feral. Sheâll attack us!â
âOh, I will!â You groaned, struggling against the thick vine biting into your ankle.
âSee?!â
âLower her down, I'll bash her head with a rock!â
âVrixa?!â Kiri called out. âShe is only eleven!â
âSo is Rinyal, Kiri, and this demon broke her ankle!â Vrixa reasoned. âLower her down!â
You were lowered just a little and when Vrixa neared you, you attacked her. She panicked and hit the side of your forehead with the the rock she was holding. You groaned, clawing at her legs until your sight blurred a little from the pain on your forehead.
âVrixa!â Kiri called again, panicking now, her eyes on you as yoir weakened state was lowered down. She gasped at the blood on your forehead, her view blocked by Vrixa and the two other girls who dragged you to the nearest tree.
They tied you firmly to the tree, the vines biting into your midriff, arms, and legs. Then, they began to throw mud. Thick, stinking peat and river slime coated your face, your hair, your loincloth. They laughed, a sound that felt like needles in your ears, remembering the laughter of the other girls that made your life a living hell growing up.
âThat is enough,â Kiri said, wrangling her clean fingers as she watched you weakly leaned against the bark of the tree.
The other three stopped, looking at you with satisfaction, murmuring about you being weak when youâre alone, before before disappearing into the path of the river. You squeezed your eyes shut. You donât even want to open your mouth because you might taste the mud. You tried to wipe it off your shoulder but your shoulders were also muddied.
You groaned, struggling against your tight binds, to no avail. You were tied there for hours. The sun dipped below the horizon, and the bioluminescence of the forest began to glow, mocking you with its beauty. You wondered if Sinto will come once he notices you were gone for too long, but you couldnât really count on him on that, not when heâs probably busy socializing with his fellow aspirants, playing the role of the grieving orphan and the ambitious youth.
You craned your head when you heard footsteps crunching on the loam. You tried to struggle against your binds again, fearing that it might be a stray palulukan or viperwolf, but you stopped when a figure emerged from the gloom. You pulled your lips back, baring your fangs, but your eyes lost a little of its sharpness when you saw Neteyam. He stopped a few feet away, his expression unreadable. He stepped closer, trying to get a look at your face through the layers of dried mud.
âGet away from me!â you shrieked, snapping your teeth at him.
Neteyam hissed at you through his teeth, his eyes landing on a deep gash on your forehead where Vrixa had hit you. âYou look pathetic.â
âGo ahead! Laugh!â you said, your head trying to reach him so you could bite him. âOnce Iâm freed here, Iâm coming for your sister and her friends!â
He mockingly huffed, âHow is it that I got here first before your friend? I can leave you here. Weâll be lucky to still find you whole tomorrow, but a palulukan at night is as hungry as a Naâvi breaking fast.â
You sniffled, glaring at him. âLeave me here then. I always knew you were a shitty person.â
He stepped forward, his knife flashing in the dim light. Your mouth clamped shut, genuinely afraid for a moment that heâd finish the job Vrixa had started. With a few swift movements, he carelessly sliced through the bindings. You collapsed in a heap, your muscles numb and cramping, making you hit the floor hard,
Another set of footsteps approached and you lifted your head, seeing Sinto appear, his expression shifting instantly. It is obvious that he merely followed Neteyam out and was surprised to see you in this condition, probably only ever remembering you now that he saw you. The outraged concern on his face was no doubt only born from the fact that Neteyam was involved.
âWhat happened?â Sinto demanded, rushing to your side. He looked up at Neteyam, his voice loud enough to carry through the trees. âDid you do this?â
Neteyam stood still, his chest rising and falling. He had overheard Kiriâs friends laughing over you earlier, doubling over the look on your face when âyou were hanging upside downâ. Sure, he dislike you to a certain degree but you were bleeding, muddied, and defenseless right now, and you didnât deserve this as much as Rinyal didnât deserve her ankle injury.
He knew Kiri and her friends did this, but he couldnât tell anyone that, not when he would be admitting she had committed an act of cruelty, which would compromise her standing and his father's reputation. He watched Sinto haul your body up in his arms, hurriedly going to the direction of Hometree.
He followed Sinto, the steady, heavy thud of his footsteps trailing like a drum behind you. Your head was throbbing with a brutal, pulsing agony, and the pain only intensified with every step Sinto took. He was practically hoisting you like a political trophy, his calls for help echoing with an exaggerated panic as he climbed the winding ramp up the communal clearing.
âHelp! Someone help her!â Sintoâs voice cracked, taking everyoneâs attention.
When he finally broke into the wide clearing, the evening chatter of the clan had already died, replaced by a heavy, shocked silence. You were a horrific sight. Caked in layers of dried mud, the deep gash on your forehead weeping fresh crimson that carved bright paths through the filth on your face. Your limbs and midriff were crosshatched with angry red welts where the tight vines had chewed ruthlessly into your skin.
âWhat happened to her?!â one of the older weavers cried out, dropping her basket.
âItâs Neteyam!â Sinto yelled immediately, his chest heaving as he carefully laid your shivering, weak body onto the woven matting. He spun around, pointing a furious finger at the boy who had just stepped into the light. âHe was mad at Y/N for what happened to Kiri and Rinyal weeks ago! He cornered her alone in the dark, retaliated, and did this to her!â
A collective, horrified gasp rippled through the crowd. Their eyes snapped from your bleeding form to Neteyam. He stood perfectly still, his frame still tall and unyielding, though his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around the hilt of the hunting knife in his hand.
Neytiri stepped down from the dais, the crowd parting before her like water. Her fierce eyes took in your broken state, and a rare look of pure disbelief crossed her features. She looked at her firstborn.
âNeteyam?â she uttered, her voice a low, trembling whisper of horror. âDid you do this?â
Neteyam looked at his mother. For a second, the mask of the perfect soldier slipped and a flicker of anxiety crossed his features. He looked up to his mother, the thought of her fearing him or believing he was capable of such senseless brutality cut to him quickly.
âNo,â he said, his voice steady despite the pressure. âI did not.â
âThen who did?!â one of the senior council elders demanded, stepping forward. âViolence against our youth cannot be tolerated! Who brought this shame upon our clan?â
âNeteyam, do you know who did this?â Neytiri urged, her eyes pleading for an answer that would clear his name.
Neteyamâs golden gaze drifted down to where you lay. Your eyes had closed against the harsh glare of the fires, but the dark blood from your forehead had begun to seep anew, rolling down your temple. He disliked you, sure, but as he looked at the raw, bloody cuts on your skin, his jaw tightened. He would hate to put Kiri in a compromising situation, but he could not, and would not, let a pack of cowards hide behind his name while a girl bled out on the floor.
His eyes scanned the murmuring crowd until they locked onto Kiri and her circle of friends. Vrixa, who had been laughing so raucously about what they did to you hours prior, now looked like she had swallowed ash. The other two girls were visibly trembling, shrinking behind Kiriâs taller frame. Neteyamâs eyes met his sisterâs. Kiri looked at you, then up at her brother, and gave him a subtle nod. She wouldn't let him take the fall.
âVrixa,â Neteyam voiced, his tone cutting through the clearing like a cold wind. âWould you like to tell them, or should I?â
Vrixaâs eyes widened in sheer terror as every head in the clearing snapped toward her. Under the crushing weight of the clan's scrutiny, she cracked instantly. âItâit wasnât just me!â she stammered, her voice high and panicked as she turned on her accomplices. âThey helped! They said we couldn't let her go because sheâs feral!â
Within minutes, the girls dissolved into a crying mess of mutual betrayal, the truth spilling out into the open, how they had snared you, tied you up, and how Vrixa had ultimately bashed the side of your forehead with a rock when you fought back. Neteyamâs face crumpled at the brutal details.
An elder turned his sharp gaze back to Sinto, his brow furrowed in disapproval. âAnd what of your serious accusation against the Oloâeyktanâs son, boy? You swore he did this.â
Sinto stood straight, refusing to back down, smoothly pivoting his strategy. âHe had every cause to do it! I found him standing over Y/Nâs bound body. Y/N told me herself weeks ago that Neteyam vowed she would face consequences for what happened to Rinyal. How was I to know it wasnât him?â
âThat is not a legitimate cause, boy, and you need to be careful with your reckless tongue,â the elder scolded sternly. âVrixa, Weyan, and Parey will all face severe consequences for this dishonor. This cycle of violence ceases tonight.â
But Sinto wasn't finished. He had to take this opportunity, uncaring that you had literally slipped out of consciousness now. He took a bold step forward, gesturing grandly toward Neteyam, his voice ringing out across the entire canopy.
âHe could barely even speak to defend himself, knowing his own sister was involved in the crime!â Sinto shouted, his eyes flashing. âIs this truly the kind of leadership we want for the Omatikaya? An inherited power that protects its own while the vulnerable are left to rot in the mud? I propose to the council that the position of Oloâeyktan should not be a birthright! It should be determined by merit, not blood. Let the young men compete for it. Let the strongest and the most just lead us into the future!â
The elders immediately scoffed, others grumbled angrily about tradition, structure, and the laws of Eywa, several of them loudly scolding Sinto for his blatant disrespect.
But from the dais, a deep, commanding voice cut through the noise.
âThe boy has a point.â
Jake Sully stepped forward. He looked at Sinto, then at his own son.
âAmbition isn't a crime if it's paired with merit. Times are changing. We need the absolute sharpest blade to lead this clan. We will establish a series of trials over the coming years. The leadership of the Omatikaya will be earned.â
Neteyam looked at his father in admiration, even though everyone looked at him expecting him to not like this. Little did they know, that deep down, Neteyam thrived on the idea. He also didnât fault Sinto for the suggestion. He was born as the firstborn son of Toruk Makto, the grandson of Eytukan, but that didnât mean it automatically earned him the right to lead the people.
If the people wished to see him fight and work hard for the right to lead, then he would.
As the years bled into one another, Neteyamâs confidence proved justified. By the time he turned twenty, he was obliterating every milestone set before him. He claimed his ikran on the first try, his hunting parties brought back the largest kills, and he remained firmly at the absolute top of the warrior ranks. Sintoâs grand plan to open the competition had backfired, though he would never admit it. All it did was give Neteyam a grander stage to prove his undeniable superiority.
âNeteyam doesnât care about you, Sinto, that much was clear,â you said, drawing the bowstring back to your jaw and lifting your chin a little as you adjusted your stance.
You released the arrow and before it could even hit the target, you felt a stinging slap behind your thigh. You jumped in surprise, turning to Sinto who playfully smacked it. You were about to hiss at him when you caught sight of Neteyam walking down the pathways with a senior warrior.
You wouldnât have bothered looking at him for longer than a second if only his eyes werenât trained on you. There was a deep scowl on his face and he looked like he had smelled something rotten, his eyes narrowed and full of judgment as per usual.
You stood straighter and crossed your arms to properly glare at him, but his attention was also immediately snagged by the warrior he was talking to and he looked away so smoothly he didnât even look like his attention was temporarily taken by Sinto smacking the back of your thigh. You smirked, watching the muscles on his broad back flex when he circled his shoulders.
Pretentious bastard, you thought. Acting like he hadnât smack a girlâs back side before.
You watched him disappear down the pathway, his stride long and effortless. You feel annoyed at how the passage of time had generously treated him. None of the boys your age, not even Sinto, was treated as nicely by puberty as he was. At twenty-two, he had completely grown into the clanâs ultimate golden boy. He was massive, bigger, broader, and taller than almost every other young warrior in the Omatikaya. Just the mere presence of him was enough to place every other male in the village on the sidelines.
Yet, for all his physical perfection and the giggling trails of young women who followed him with their eyes, you had never heard a single rumor of him getting involved with anyone. No late-night rendezvous, no shared hammocks, no stolen glances by the cooking fires. He was practically a saint.
But as you stared at the empty path where he had just been, a cynical thought crossed your mind. Itâs impossible that he hasn't laid with anyone. You snorted quietly to yourself. No male with a body like that, muscle packed tight over a towering frame, lived like a monk. He was probably just incredibly secretive about it, hiding his desires behind that infuriating mask of the perfect soldier and dutiful son. Or maybe he really was just as stiff and rigid as the wood of his own bow.
âWhat is it?â Sintoâs voice cut through your thoughts. He had caught you staring somewhere, his eyes narrowing as he tried to follow your line of vision. But Neteyam was already completely out of sight.
You smirked, adjusting yoir grip on your bow. âNothing.â
You turned your back around, nocking an arrow, drawing it back and releasing as you walked. It slammed directly into the center of the target with a satisfying thud. Sinto grinned, murmuring something about your form, but your mind was already elsewhere, still irritated by the lingering memory of Neteyamâs judgmental scowl.
Sinto stood up to walk toward you, conveniently standing behind you to adjust your stance. You rolled your eyes, shrugging his hand off but his other hand remained on your hip.
âIâm a huntress, Sinto. I know how I should stand,â you said as you draw your string back.
You focused on the target, but your eyes slithered back to the pathway when a sharp shift in the shadows distracted you.
It was Neteyam. He was walking back alone this time, his stride unhurried and graceful despite his size. The moment you spotted him, you realized he had already been looking at your direction.
But as soon as your eyes collided with his, a deep, heavy scowl marred his handsome face. It was instantaneous, like a physical reflex. He looked at you with a cold, irritated intensity, as if he utterly hated the fact that you were in his line of sight, and hated himself even more for letting his eyes wander to you in the first place. His gaze dipped for a fraction of a second, taking in Sintoâs hand still resting familiarly on your hip, and his jaw clenched so hard you could see the sharp line of his muscle twitch from yards away.
You held his gaze, refusing to look down. With a slow, deliberate smirk, you turned your head back to the target and released the arrow. The arrow slammed dead-center, splitting the wooden shaft of your previous shot. Sinto let out a low chuckle, clapping your shoulder and squeezing your hip.
âBeautifully done, Y/N. You're getting too fast for these targets.â
You didnât hear him. Your eyes darted back to the pathway, but Neteyam was already marching away, his tail whipping behind him in an agitated motion. A quiet, smug satisfaction bloomed in your chest. For someone who claimed to despise you, who acted like you were nothing but an irritation to the peace of the clan, he sure spent a lot of time watching you.
It wasn't the first time youâd caught him. In the common area during meals, during the hunting briefing circles, or even when you were simply crossing the suspension bridges, you would look up and find his heavy gaze already anchored to you from across the crowd. Scowling and judging, but always looking.
âCome on,â Sinto said, pulling you back to reality as he gathered his things. âLet's get to the grounds before the hunters crowd it.â
âYou go ahead,â you replied, sliding your bow over your shoulder. âI have to report for dusk patrol.â
You turned around and jogged to the command tent to check in with your patrol leader, only to slow down as a sour look rested on your face. Standing there, leaning over a tactical map bathed in the cool glow of the hanging firepot, was Neteyam.
The firelight flickered across the intricate stripes of his skin and the heavy, braided cords of his hair. Because of his rank and his status as the leading warrior in the leadership race, he held a position of authority over the hunting parties. Technically, he was your superior. He could order you around, and he knew it.
As you approached, Neteyam didn't even look up from the map, but you saw his ears twitch, tracking your footsteps.
âAh, Y/N, perfect timing,â your patrol leader said, nodding to you. âYouâll be taking the eastern route tonight.â
Before you could even acknowledge the command, Neteyam calmly reached down and tapped a spot on the map, far beyond the eastern canopy.
âActually,â Neteyam voiced, his deep, smooth baritone cutting through the humid air. He finally lifted his head, his golden eyes locking onto yours with a cool, deliberate challenge. âThe southern ridge has had reports of unstable ground and minor viperwolf pack activity. The younger hunters shouldn't be sent there alone. Send Y/N to clear the outer perimeter of the southern ridge first, then she can double back to her original route.â
Your ears pinned back instantly. A low, defensive hiss threatened to bubble up from your throat.
The southern ridge was brutal, what will all the thick mud and thorny bushes. Adding that to your dusk patrol meant you wouldn't return to Hometree until well after midnight.
âThe southern ridge is a two-person job, Neteyam,â you said, stepping forward, your voice dripping with sweet venom. âAre you sending a partner with me, or are you just hoping the viperwolves do your dirty work for you?â
Neteyam slowly straightened to his full, towering height, looking down at you with that maddeningly calm, self-righteous expression.
âYou are a capable huntress, Y/N,â he said, his tone deceptively soft. âI'm sure the great, fearless Y/N doesn't need her hand held to walk a ridge. Unless, of course, you're admitting you can't handle it.â
Your jaw clenched so hard your teeth ached. He was doing this on purpose. He was pulling rank just to make your life miserable. The worst part is that you knew this would happened the moment you saw him here. Your brain has been accustomed to knowing that there will be an added task specifically for you whenever you see him.
Usually, you two managed to exist in entirely separate spheres. You could go up to a full moon without ever having to cross paths or speak a word to one another, which suited you just fine. But whenever Neteyam did choose to acknowledge your existence, it was only ever for two reasons: First, to make your life miserable by casually burying you under the most tedious, exhausting labor, giving you the worst patrol routes, or assigning you to clean the hunting gear.
Second, to play the hero. He swoops in every time you happen to fight with your fellow hunters, or huntresses mostly, to defend the poor, fragile huntresses from your âevilnessâ, entirely blind to the fact that those very same girls had just spent the last twenty minutes trying to ambush you.
âI can handle it just fine,â you spat, stepping right into his space, refusing to let his height intimidate you. You leaned in close, your voice dropping to a sharp whisper. âJust make sure youâre this diligent with everyone elseâs duties, Commander. It would be a shame if the people realized your leadership style only means fucking me over.â
A spark of genuine, volatile heat flashed in Neteyamâs eyes, his tail snapping sharply behind him. For a split second, his perfect, patient facade cracked, revealing the raw, explosive temper that only you seemed capable of pulling out of him.
His jaw tightened as he gestured toward the forest. âGo. Before I decide to double your perimeter run.â
You let out a mocking huff, spun on your heel, and marched out of the tent, leaving him standing in the firelight, his eyes burning a hole into your back. He didnât even know why you had become a big deal to him in a way Sinto had never been, even though it was obvious that your friend had a special life mission of provoking his ire.
To Neteyam, Sinto was a fly buzzing around him. Insignificant and entirely unworthy of his energy.
But you? You were a completely different story.
Neteyam knew himself to be level-headed. He could handle Lo'ak's reckless stunts with a sigh or Sinto's pathetic taunts with total indifference, but the mere sight of you sauntering about the village like a tyrant was like lighting a fuse on a keg of black powder. Around you, he was a ticking bomb, his calm completely shattering into a raw fury that no one else in the village could ever provoke.
You were sharp-tongued, volatile, and fiercely combative. You were constantly picking fights, cornering huntresses by the training grounds or the archery targets, acting like you owned the forest. You havenât changed at all from the eleven-year-old girl who brought trouble to his sister for the fun of it.
What he doesnât know was the reality behind all of it. After the incident with Kiri and Rinyal years ago, the majority of the girls in the village had completely ostracized you. It would have been better if they only ostracized you and left it at that, but they donât, they gang up on you. They would wait until you were alone in the thickets, cornering you three or four at a time, but you were never one to run away. You fought like a cornered viperwolf, and because you were strong, faster, and meaner than them, you usually won.
Neteyam never saw the beginning of those fights. He only ever walked in on the aftermath.
He would happen upon a clearing to find two girls crying on the ground, and you standing over them, dusting yourself with a mocking smirk on your lips.
âWhat is happening?!â he would always say, stepping between you and the other girls, furious and self-righteous, his broad shoulders tensing as he shoved you back. âWhat is wrong with you? You feed on the weak like a predator!â
You glared at him, sniffling before steeling your expression. âMaybe if your precious little clan members spent less time gossiping and more time training, they wouldn't end up face-down in the dirt,â you would taunt in a scalding voice, your eyes flashing before shoving back against him and walking away.
                             âË â§ âââââ±ââ°ââââ â§ âË
âHe gave you the southern ridge again?â Sinto hissed when you returned to Hometree long after midnight, your skin thoroughly mapped with shallow cuts from the thorny brush and your feet caked in heavy, black mud.
Sinto was waiting for you by the lower roots, leaning against the bark with his arms crossed. He looked at your exhausted state, his eyes glowing with a calculating glint. Over the years, Sinto had realized that while he couldnât get under Neteyamâs skin, you could. Neteyamâs absolute obsession with policing your behavior was a weapon Sinto loved to use.
âI wonder what you did this time,â he asked, putting down the water basin from the root pools.
âI have no idea. He likes surprising me,â you said, wetting a woven cloth to wipe the grime from your neck.
âHe didnât even punish you like this when you disrupted his archery class two weeks ago,â Sinto pointed out.
âPerhaps he thought delaying the punishment and serving it when I least expect it would be funnier,â you muttered, aggressively rubbing at a streak of dried mud on your collarbone.
âHeâs trying to break you,â Sinto whispered. âEveryone knows no one could break at his facade better than you do, and heâs using his authority to subdue you.â
âHeâs not breaking anything,â you rolled your eyes, washing your legs now. You were too tired for his political speeches. âI cleared the perimeter. The southern ridge is quiet.â
Sintoâs lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile. He leaned in, his hand sliding down to grip your shoulder, his fingers pressing a little too firmly into your aching muscle. âGood. Because the next phase of the Oloâeyktan trials is coming up. The grand hunt. If Neteyam is distracted looking for you, he wonât be looking at his prey.â
You frowned, tilting your head away from his touch. âWhat are you planning, Sinto?â
âNothing you need to worry about,â Sinto murmured, his yellow eyes flashing. âJust do what you do best. Keep his eyes on you. Keep him angry.â
Loyal to a fault, you didnât push further. Sinto was the only one who had stood by you when the rest of the village turned you into a pariah. You had no other friends, but he does and he still hangs out with you. If he needed you to be Neteyamâs target so he could get ahead, you would play the part. You had been playing it for years anyway.
The day of the trial hunt arrived, a massive test where the young warriors were split into competitive tracking parties to bring back the largest hunt. It left the atmosphere thick with excitement and the scent of ceremonial paint and the nervous energy of the hunters.
Neteyam was in his element. He stood at the head of his party, his longbow slung around him, his chest painted with the bold, sweeping stripes of a lead tracker. He was calm, focused, and utterly in control, until his eyes swept across the clearing and landed on you.
You were leaning against a weapon rack, lazily spinning a hunting dagger in your hand, wearing a smirk that was directed entirely at him. Across from you, Sinto gave you a subtle nod before slipping away into the brush with his own party.
The hunt began. Neteyamâs party moved like a shadow through the deep canopy, tracking a herd of yerik. They were closing in, their movements silent and synchronized, when a sudden, sharp cry echoed from a parallel ridge, the distinct call of a huntress mocking her prey.
Neteyam froze. His ears twitched, recognizing the pitch of your voice instantly.
He signaled his party to halt with a raised fist, his brow furrowing. You weren't supposed to be on this side of the hunting grounds. Your partyâs designated zone was miles to the west.
Then came the rustle of leaves, deliberately loud, crashing through the brush just ahead of them. The herd bolted, scattered by the sudden noise, their heavy hooves thundering away into the valley. A morningâs worth of careful tracking, completely ruined in a single heartbeat.
Neteyamâs jaw tightened, his eyes trained on the thicket where the noise had come from, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. His hunting party had erupted in sharp curses as the empty trail stared back at them.
âNeteyam?â one of his trackers whispered, startled by the terrifying, dark aura suddenly radiating from Neteyam. âShould we double back?â
Neteyam shook his head, his golden eyes fixed on the shadows. âHold here. I will check the perimeter.â
He stalked toward the bush, pushing through the dense foliage, his long legs eating up the distance until he burst into a small, secluded clearing.
There you were. You were sitting casually on a thick, mossy branch, swinging your legs, a half-eaten fruit in your hand. You looked down at him, your eyes sparkling with a wicked light.
âLooking for something, Commander?â you taunted, taking a slow bite of the fruit. âYou seem to have lost your prey.â
Neteyam stopped at the base of the tree. He didn't have his mask on today. He was completely, utterly unhinged. The sheer volume of his rage was palpable, vibrating in the humid air between you. He looked up at you, his chest heaving, his hand gripping his bow so tightly his knuckles were white.
âYou did that on purpose,â he hissed, his voice dropping to a gravelly, predatory register that made the hairs on your arms stand up. âYou deliberately crossed into our boundary to scare the herd.â
âI don't know what you're talking about,â you lied smoothly, leaning forward, resting your chin in your hand. âI was just tracking a smaller trail. It's not my fault your precious herd are so easily spooked by a girl.â
âDo not play stupid with me, Y/N!â Neteyam roared, the sudden blast of his voice echoing through the trees, startling a flock of syaksyuk from the canopy. He took a step closer, his tail thrashing violently behind him. âYou are sabotaging the hunt! You are risking the safety and the sustenance of this clan for whatever pathetic, bitter game you and Sinto are playing!â
Your smirk faltered slightly at the mention of Sinto, but you quickly recovered, sliding down from the branch to land gracefully on the floor, just feet away from him.
âOh, are you upset?â you mocked, tilting your face up to meet his furious gaze. âAre you going bend me over and teach me a lesson for ruining your perfect little record?â
Your words hung in the air, heavy and sharp as a poison dart.
Neteyam froze. The explosive anger that had been building in his chest died instantly and you saw the pupils in his eyes dilate so rapidly they nearly swallowed the gold.
Are you going to bend me over and teach me a lesson?
The incredibly graphic nature of what you had just spat at him made him lose his focus. His mind, which he worked so tirelessly to keep disciplined and worthy of a future leader, betrayed him with terrifying speed.
It raced to the dark, quiet corners he tried so desperately to ignore. It dragged up a vivid image of doing exactly what you just said, shoving you against the nearest tree, pinning your hands, and bending you over to force that mocking, arrogant smirk right out of you.
He used to hate being so bothered by you that his mind would frequently take a different route. He had suppressed too many fantasies a thousand times over by now, but what you said supplied such a brutal, intensely hot image in his mind that he nearly choked.
A sudden, fierce heat rushed from his chest straight down to his loins. Under his loincloth, he felt himself harden, thickening with a sudden, humiliating rush of blood. He took a sharp breath between his gritted teeth that fortunately sounded like a furious hiss.
He burned with a fresh, twice-as-deadly fury not just at you, but at himself. âYouââ Neteyam choked out, his voice cracking, thick with a dangerous mix of rage and sudden, raw lust. He took a threatening step toward you, his chest practically touching yours, his tail thrashing like a cornered predator. âYou are soââ
âWhat? Are you going to insult me about being indecent and immoral again? Or that I hide behind Sinto because Iâm too weak to stand on my own feet? I am twice the warrior any of your fragile little friends will ever be,â you taunted.
Neteyamâs eyes dropped to your lips. For a terrifying split second, he thought he was actually going to grab you by the nape and kiss you. He wanted to do it so bad his hand on his bow trembled so hard that the wood creaked. He wanted to actually teach you a lesson. He wanted to slide his hands over your hips and tear those mocking words right out of your throat.
And that was exactly why he had to get away from you. Like a coward.
âThen prove it,â he hissed, his voice dropping to a gravelly register. He looked at you with a gaze so hot, so utterly consuming, it felt like a brand. âStop these wicked games, this sabotaging, before I have you stripped of your weapons and banned from the command tent.â
You let out a harsh, breathless huff, your heart hammering against your ribs from the dangerous rush of having him this close, this completely consumed by you. âI'd love to see you try,â you whispered back, your eyes dropping to his lips for a fraction of a second before snapping back to his eyes.
His lips pulled back tightly to reveal his gritted teeth, his sharp fangs on display. âGo back to your zone. Now.â
You rolled your eyes and bit onto your fruit before turning on your heels and sauntering back into the foliage, your tail still flicking with excitement. Behind you, Neteyam closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against the cool bark of the tree you had just occupied. He let out a long, ragged exhale as he fought down the humiliating, tight ache between his thighs.
Later that night, the communal clearing buzzed with the celebratory noise of the successful hunts. Sintoâs party returned victorious, dragging back a massive beast, and although Neteyamâs group came back with a sufficient haul enough to feed the families, it is still far from the legendary catches he usually secured.
Neteyam himself wasn't even bothered about the results, or angry, because he knew it went that way because of your sabotage. He had always had an accepting view of the trials, he knew he wouldnât always come out on top of every single challenge because the other young men competing are also doing their best. He was cool about it.
Until he looked across the communal fire.
In the corner of the clearing, he saw Sinto approaching you, and as if someone had put blinders on his head, he couldnât look away. He watched with an extreme focus as Sinto casually pulled you close... and kissed you right there in the open.
Neteyamâs lips parted for a moment before he pressed them into a thin line, his teeth clenching so hard he thought at least one of them would crack. Sure, he hadn't felt like a loser for bringing home the second-best hunt of the day, but looking at you in Sinto's arms, he felt like a loser for a completely different reason: for the first time since Sinto had started competing with him, he wanted something Sinto had.
For years, Neteyam had been entirely indifferent to Sinto. He was never threatened by him, never envious of him. But now, his chest felt like vines had wrapped around his heart and his lungs. He remembered the casual way Sinto had smacked your thigh the other day and how it had drove him to an anger so irrational he pulled rank on you and added weight on your dusk patrol.
He had never truly considered the possibility that you two might be lovers, he had simply assumed you were two wicked, bitter friends who stuck together out of spite. And now, as Sinto pulled you away from the crowd and into the darker pathways outside the clearing, Neteyam felt like he was going to explode.
Hidden in the shadows of the woven pathways, away from the prying eyes of the feast, Sinto backed you against a broad branch and kept kissing you.
You let him, but your heart wasn't in it. You made out with Sinto from time to time, but you never let it go any further than a simple kiss. To you, it was just a physical distraction, something to do for fun. But the truth was, you didn't even like the way he kissed. Sinto was sloppy, selfish, and always expected you to do the work.
And whenever he tried to push your boundaries, urging you to be more physical, you always rejected him. You didn't even like his kisses, and there was absolutely no way you were going to let him fuck you.
âY/N⊠come on,â Sinto whispered, his hand sliding heavy and demanding down to your waist, trying to pull your hips flush against his. âI won the trial tonight. Letâs celebrate properly.â
You placed both hands firmly against his chest and pushed him back, your expression instantly flattening.
âBe serious, Sinto,â you said, crossing your arms defensively over your chest. âI don't want to go there with you. I told you that already.â
Sinto scoffed, his ego taking a brief hit, but he quickly masked it. He raised his hands in mock surrender and flashed his easy, manipulative smile. âAlright, alright. Letâs just go back to the feast.â
You rolled your eyes and followed him back. If you wouldn't give Sinto what he wanted, he would simply find other girls in the clan who would and you didn't give a single fuck.
But Neteyam, apparently, did.
The weeks bled by and you knew these are one of those weeks, or sometimes even a moon, where you wonât even catch a glimpse of the end of Neteyamâs tail. He had probably decided that your constant interaction weeks ago were enough.
You did your part of avoiding, too, practicing your marksmanship late into the afternoons when the archery grounds were mostly empty.
You stood alone at the range, drawing back a heavy longbow, aiming for a distant target. You released the string, watching the arrow fly, only for a chaotic commotion to shatter the quiet of the grounds.
You snapped your head toward the heavy murmurs, your eyes widening at the sight that welcomed you.
Neteyam was marching toward you, his chest heaving, his face twisted into a mask of pure, unbridled rage. He was manhandling Sinto, dragging him by the nape of his neck. Sinto was a complete mess, his face was bloodied, his nose broken, and his swollen eyes were barely open as Neteyam hauled him across the dirt.
With a final, furious grunt, Neteyam threw Sinto violently at your feet. Sinto collapsed into the dirt, groaning weakly as he clutched his bruised side.
You stared down at your childhood friend, your lips parting in sheer disbelief. Neteyam had spent years ignoring Sintoâs pathetic attempts to get under his skin. Yet now, Neteyam had beaten him into a bloodied, pathetic pulp. It was completely ridiculous, but looking at Sinto writhing on the ground, you felt a strange, forbidden burst of satisfaction.
âThat bastard is cheating on you!â Neteyam roared, pointing a furious finger down at Sinto.
You blinked. Sinto? Cheating? A small, incredulous laugh escaped your lips as the idea sank in. You shook your head, looking from Sinto up to Neteyamâs chest, which was rapidly rising and falling with his heavy breathing.
âLet him do what he wants,â you said plainly, resting your bow against your hip. âWhat? Are you policing what he does now, Commander?â
Neteyamâs eyes narrowed, his pupils shrinking as your utter indifference pushed him past his limit. Somehow, your response made him even angrier than before.
âAre you serious?â Neteyam hissed, taking a heavy step toward you, his voice cracking with raw, defensive fury. âYou are allowing yourself to be disrespected this way? You let him touch you, and you don't even care that he touches others, too?â
You smirked, tilting your chin up to meet his gaze, completely ignoring the small crowd of people that had gathered around the perimeter to watch the spectacle.
âI don't care, really,â you said softly, your voice dripping with easy amusement.
Neteyam stared at you, his chest heaving, a look of profound disgust and utter bewilderment washing over his face. He looked at you like you were some kind of creature he couldn't comprehend.
âBoth of you are so sick,â he spat through his teeth.
He turned on his heel and stormed away, his steps heavy and furious, his tail lashing violently behind him.
You watched him go until he disappeared into the thick foliage of Hometree. Beside your foot, Sinto let out a weak, rattling laugh, spitting blood onto the grass.
âHe was so mad,â Sinto wheezed with a bloody grin.
You looked down at him, nudging his ribs lightly with the toe of your foot to check if Neteyam had cracked anything, and he did. You looked at your arrow, Neteyamâs furious face flashing in your mindâs eye. You tried to rack your mind for any possible reason why he could be so mad about Sinto cheating on you.
âWhat were you doing anyway?â you asked, setting the arrow and raising your bow.
âMaking out with Fxeyka behind the weapon sheds,â Sinto muttered, wiping blood from his lip.
You scoffed, pulling the string back and locking your eyes onto the target. âHe cannot even mind his own business,â you muttered, releasing the arrow and smirking when it slammed dead-center into the target.
Just like that, the story of Neteyam beating Sinto to a bloodied pulp became the lifeblood of Hometreeâs gossip circles for weeks. Sinto made sure to utilize every single opportunity to taunt Neteyam, trying to pretend his broken nose and shattered ego were nothing. But indeed, they were nothing, especially when he could parade his bruised face and paint Neteyam as a mindless brute.
Thatâs the thing, too, Neteyam was never mindless. He was never a brute, either. So, why had Neteyam reacted that way? When has he ever given a single thought to Sinto's existence? And more confusingly, why did he care about Sinto cheating on you, a person Neteyam had openly detested for years?
As for Neteyam, he remained uncaring of the gossips and the suffocating weight of the villageâs stares trying to see whenâs the next brawl will be. His fellow warriors and hunters didn't dare ask about it either, even though they were there when he gave Sinto the beating of his life. Only Jake Sully, of course, had the gut to ask. Heâs heard about it from the elder warriors, apparently his firstborn had gone berserk.
So when he asked to know what had prompted the explosive violence, Neteyam sat by the cooking fire, his body vibrating with a tightly coiled anger at the mere reminder. He didn't even know what was more maddening anymore, the fact that Sinto had dared to treat you like a disposable toy, or the fact that you had stood there and laughed in his face, entirely indifferent to the disrespect.
He had simply expected more from you. He thought you had more pride.
âHe was cheating on Y/N,â He casually told them.
âY/N? The huntress under Likya?â Neytiri asked, her sharp eyes alight with an intense curiosity. She chose the safest, most neutral words possible, though she knew you well, mostly for your unique ability to rile her eldest son past his incredible patience.
âYes, Mom. Thatâs her,â Kiri said in a thoroughly amused hum, leaning over to elbow Neteyam in the ribs. âWhy do you even care, brother? I heard Y/N doesnât even give a damn.â
âItâs good you care for her, Neteyam,â Tuk piped up, speaking with a mouthful of roasted root.
âWhat?â Loâak asked, letting out a loud, disbelieving laugh. âFor Y/N? No one triggers Neteyamâs anger better than her!â
Tuk shrugged her small shoulders, fiercely defensive. âSheâs kind to me. She defended me once when the older boys didnât want me to join their play.â
Neteyamâs ears twitched sharply, his eyes snapping up to his youngest sister. âDefended you how?â
âShe threatened to cut off their tails if they didn't let me play,â Tuk said matter-of-factly. âThey always make me join now.â
Neteyamâs jaw dropped and the entire family went entirely still, astounded by the sheer, unhinged protective streak you possessed. Only Jake had the gall to let out a booming laugh. Neteyam took a sharp, slow breath through his nose, rubbing his temples. You were utterly impossible.
Yet, looking back, he realized he didn't regret a single strike he landed on Sintoâs face. Whatâs confusing to him though is how even with the talks of his violence streak, he still inadvertently became a hero among the women for defending you for being cheated on, even though you were the village outcast. Everywhere he looked, women threw him shy glances and batted their eyelashes at him, even more so now.
Meanwhile, you werenât faring well. But that has always been your normal.
The whispers followed you even by the riverbanks, where the rush of the water usually drowned out the noise you wanted to escape.
âLook at her,â a voice said, filled with a malicious kind of pity. âStill working on Sintoâs arrows. She thinks if she labored for him enough, heâd actually be contented to her.â
The girls giggled, a grating sound that made your ears twitch violently. You kept your back turned, your fingers wrapped around the rock you were using to sharpen the Sintoâs arrows, your knuckles turning pale.
They had everything entirely wrong. They thought you were a lovesick fool, desperately clinging to Sintoâs scraps because you had no one else. You didn't do things for Sinto out of love, you did them because you were fiercely loyal to the only person who had stood by you when you were being bullied as a kid. And now, he was the only one who hadn't turned his back on you when your peers cast you out after what happened with Kiri yeats ago. If the price of his companionship was enduring his carelessness and cleaning up his messes, you paid it willingly.
He was your only friend.
âMaybe if she begs him, he'll let her sit at the edge of his mat tonight,â another girl taunted, tossing a pebble that caused a splash your way.
Your jaw clenched hard, debating with yourself is you should rip your hunting knife from its sheath and show them exactly how desperate you were. You wanted to silence them the only way you knew how, with teeth and claws.
But you forced yourself to stay still. You took a ragged breath through your nose, letting the cool water numb your burning palms. Let them talk, you told yourself, though their words were clawing its way deep under your skin, targeting a spot your pride used to be. You were used to the isolation, but the humiliating narrative that you were a pathetic, weak-willed girl begging for a boyâs attention was a bitter poison you could barely swallow.
And Sinto wasnât even doing anything to clear things up to defend your honor. He rarely ever does when it concerns his public image.
And so when the next trial for the Oloâeyktan race was announced, a freezing realization caught on you. Something that had never even crossed your mind before. The day before the trial, Sinto dragged you into the deep shadows of the communal clearingâs alcove. His usual easy charm was completely gone, replaced by a frantic, desperate edge.
âNeteyam is still leading the race far ahead of me,â Sinto whispered, his grip on your arm tight enough to leave a deep bruise. âIf he wins tomorrow, he will create an even bigger gap, and we are stuck at the bottom of this clan forever.â
He pulled a small, tightly sealed vial from his loincloth. You recognized the foul, pungent stench immediately. It was a concentrated oil made from crushed seed pods. When smashed near water, its scent perfectly mimicked a fatally wounded animal, drawing any nearby predators into a hyper-aggressive, bloodthirsty frenzy.
âI need you to climb the high ridges directly above Neteyamâs designated tracking path,â Sinto commanded, shoving the vial into your hands. âCrush these on the wet rocks. It will draw the viperwolf packs right down on top of him. Itâll ruin his tracking time, maybe get him injured seriously enough that he drops out.â
You stared down at the vial, then out at the dark, dense woods. The sky was turning a heavy, bruised violet, a massive downpour was coming.
âNo,â you said softly, taking a firm step back. âThe mud on the high ridges is completely unstable in the rain, Sinto. If the viperwolves attack him there, getting slowed down is not whatâs going to happen. Heâll lose his footing. Neteyam could die out there.â
Sinto stared at you, his features twisting into an ugly, unfamiliar sneer. He let out a harsh, mocking laugh that made your stomach turn.
âWho cares if he dies?â Sinto snapped, lunging forward to invade your personal space. âWhen did you start caring about that self-righteous bastard? Heâs the one who makes your life miserable, remember? You owe me this, Y/N. Who stood by you when those pathetic huntresses threw you out of the circles? Who is the only reason youâre even allowed to carry a bow with your nasty reputation? Me.â
The words hit you like a physical blow to the chest.
You owe me.
In the sudden, heavy silence, the fragile illusion of your entire youth shattered. The memories of the last few years flashed before your eyes in a horrifyingly clear, agonizing light. You remembered the vicious fight with Kiri and Rinyal years agoâthe one that had cemented your isolation. Sinto had been the one whispering in your ear, instigating the fight, using you to target Neteyam's family.
You remembered when Vrixa and her friends had ambushed you behind the tanneries. Sinto had been âconvenientlyâ late to help. If Neteyam hadnât come out and checked the woods, no one would have known that you were in trouble. And surely, Sinto only came out after him to see what he was up to. Even then, he had spinner a narrative that Neteyam had orchestrated the bullying.
He had isolated you on purpose. He kept you friendless, angry, and defensive so that you would have nowhere else to turn, using your fierce loyalty into a weapon he could point at Neteyam whenever he needed to clear his path.
âYou know what, Sinto?â you whispered, the realization washing over your skin like ice water. âIf you cannot beat Neteyam without these underhanded tactics which we have used a hundred times over the years, and yet he still lands on top, then who is to say you deserve to lead more than he does? Youâre not doing this so we won't be left at the bottom. Youâre doing this entirely for yourself. And you donât care who dies for it.â
Sintoâs eyes narrowed into slits, realizing he had lost his grip on your leash. The manipulative smile died completely. âIf you won't do it, then you are entirely useless to me.â
âI won't do it,â you spat, tossing the vial into the dirt at his feet. âWhatever happens in the trial, it is on your own merit. Beat him clean for once, Sinto. Prove yourself.â
But of course, Sinto wonât let it slide that quickly. Enraged by your defiance, he sent his latest woman your way, whispering vitriol that you were trying to force him into a mating bond. Riled into a frenzy, the girl and her friends ambushed you by the training grounds. You fought back like a cornered viperwolf, but you emerged with deep, nasty scratches marring your jawline, neck, and arms, your braids a complete mess.
On your way to the river to wash, you crossed paths with Neteyam. You kept your eyes locked straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him, but his sharp eyes instantly caught the angry red welts on your skin. He took in a sharp, furious breath through his nose. He didn't want to care, but the sight of you bleeding made something inside his chest twist violently.
He pivoted on his heel and followed you, his large hand shooting out to grab your elbow, pulling you to a halt.
âWhat?!â you hissed, spinning around defensively.
âWhat happened to you?â he demanded, his voice dangerously low.
You huffed a bitter, breathless laugh. âWhat always happens. I bullied a bunch of innocent girls and they fought back. The perfect version of the story you prefer, Commander.â You smirked before aggressively wrenching your arm from his grip and storming away.
Neteyamâs eyes darkened, his chest tightening with a sudden, heavy wave of shame. You were right. He had spent years assuming the absolute worst of you. He always expected you to be the catalyst of the petty fights that happen in the training grounds, letting his prejudice blind him to the fact that it was always a bunch of girls against you.
And you were always so alone.
He followed you to the river from a distance, staying hidden within the thick foliage. He watched as you knelt by the water, washing the dirt from your scratched arms. Then, he heard a sound that seized at his chest and caused his face to crumple in frustration. A small, choked sniffle. You were crying.
He saw your shoulders shaking but he heard no following sounds. You were crying in silence, refusing to even sniffle so you could breathe. Your breath was so even that the shaking of your shoulder stopped, and if he didn't hear a choking sound of you struggling to breathe, he would assume you had stopped crying.
Everything was so practiced, so professional. You were good at this... At hiding that you were crying. And even when you thought you were alone, you still chose to not sob earnestly. He heard you take a shuddering breath before plunging entirely into the cold river.
He waited, but the silence stretched too long. Panicking that you weren't coming up for air, Neteyam stepped out of the bushes onto the bank, trying to see your form under the water. When you finally broke the surface, you were already glaring at him, as though you knew he was standing over the water. You hauled yourself out of the water, ignoring his presence entirely as you pushed past him.
âIs that what you do?â he asked, his voice rough as he followed you, trying to rile you up. âYou attack those girls and then you come to cry at the river like a loser?â
You stopped dead in your tracks, turning on him with a murderous glint in your eyes. âDonât piss me off more than I already am, Neteyam. You might not make it to your trial tomorrow,â you gritted out through clenched teeth before walking away.
He watched you walk away, his gaze on your back until you were out of sight.
The next day, the tracking trial commenced. You forced yourself not to care, but your chest was tight with a sickening anxiety the entire day. Sinto was desperate, and a desperate Sinto was lethal. You keep wondering about what he could do to Neteyam and youâd had the urge to throw up for about thirty times in the last few hours.
When the horn finally blew, signaling the return of the victor, Hometree erupted into deafening cheers. You pushed through the crowd, your breath catching when you saw Neteyam. He was covered in mud, but a massive, triumphant smile split his face as his brothers-in-arms hoisted him up.
His eyes scanned the crowd and landed squarely on you. You saw his smile softened, but almost as instantly, you turned around and walked away, a heavy weight lifting from your shoulders. Sinto had lost. Cleanly. And a huge part of you waa delighted about that. For the first time in your life, you are happy for Neteyam. You are glad that he had won.
But without Sinto, you donât have anyone to sit with in the feast. That was the only thing you were a little bit sad about... You wanted to be there.
Desperate to escape the loneliness despite the boisterous celebratory feast, you volunteered for a late-night perimeter run on the eastern boundary and received an approval immediately, considering that no hunter would want to go out there while everybodyâs having fun.
You were already deep into the bioluminescent brush when the sound of heavy footsteps echoed behind you. You spun around, scowling deeply as Neteyam materialized from the shadows.
âWhat the hell do you think youâre doing?â you snapped.
Neteyam raised an eyebrow, his tail flicking with an infuriating calm. âIâm walking the perimeter. The senior hunters wanted a second pair of eyes out here tonight.â
âThe senior hunters didn't send you,â you hissed, stepping directly into his space, pointing a sharp finger at his painted chest. âI volunteered for this run specifically to get away from the feast, and I sure as hell didnât ask for a shadow. You just won the trial. Go back to Hometree and let the clan kiss the dirt you walk on. I do not want you here.â
Neteyamâs eyes dipped briefly to the scratches on your neck before snapping back to yours. âYouâre walking into the deep woods alone at night while youâre clearly not at your best. You look like you can barely hold your bow straight. You seem so alone out hereââ
âWhat did you just say?â you cut him off, your voice cracking with a genuine, burning rage. âIs that what this is? The great, righteous warrior taking pity on the village outcast? You think because Sinto is rotting in his corner and Iâm out here by myself, I need your pathetic charity?â
âI didnât say that,â Neteyam's jaw tightened, his perfect composure fracturing a little.
âYou didnât have to! Youâve spent years looking down your nose at me, judging every breath I take, assuming the worst of me every single time a girl stubs her toe!â Your hands clenched into tight, trembling fists. âYou donât get to play kind now, Neteyam. You donât get to follow me into the dark and pretend you give a damn. I have survived every single day without your pity, and I sure as hell donât need a pretentious bastard policing my space!â
âI am only making sure you won't accidentallyââ
âI donât care what youâre trying to do!â you shrieked, shoving your palms violently against his broad chest.
It was like hitting a solid wall of stone. Neteyam didn't even move an inch. Instead, the physical contact snapped the final thread of his control. Before you could even draw breath to yell again, Neteyamâs large hand shot out, wrapping firmly around the back of your neck, his fingers tangling deep into your braids. He lunged forward, his massive frame completely overtaking yours, and slammed his mouth down onto yours to violently cut off your words.
You gasped in pure shock, but he used the moment to deepen the kiss, his other hand coming down to grip your waist with a bruising, desperate force that yanked your hips flush against his rock-hard thigh. His tongue pushed past your lips, letting out a low groan that vibrated through your chest.
Your first instinct was to push, your palms sliding over the warm skin of his chest, trying to wrench your head away. But he followed you ruthlessly, stealing your breath until a sudden heat surged through your veins, making you shiver against him.
The anger was still there, but it mutated into a desperate, starving need. You stopped pushing, your fingers curling into his muscled shoulders, pulling him closer. You wanted to win. You wanted to dominate this moment, to show him you weren't just some subordinate to be ordered around.
You shifted your weight, trying to pin him, but Neteyam was entirely too strong. He groaned into your mouth, a sound of pure, unadulterated hunger. Moving frantically, his hands mapped the curve of your waist before reaching up to squeeze your breast. You moaned against his lips, completely overcome by the blinding heat as he backed you hard against the nearest tree.
In one fluid motion, his large hands clamped behind your thighs and hauled you up. You let out a muffled shriek as you wrapped your legs tightly around his waist. He carried you deeper into the dark woods, away from the path, his mouth never leaving yours.
When he lowered himself to his knees on the soft moss, his fingers hooked into the knot of your loincloth. With a single, demanding tug, he stripped you bare, leaving you completely exposed to the cool night air. You felt like you had gone completely insane. You were naked, and between your legs was Neteyam, stripping his own loincloth while he watches you darkly.
His body looked magnificent in this angle... when you're beneath him. His shoulders were incredibly broad, his chest heavily muscled, his arms far bigger than an average warrior's. You bit your lip, your eyes tracking up to find him watching you watch him.
When his loincloth fell away, your eyes snapped down. He was terrifying... His cock was thick, pulsing, and standing proud. You had experimented with wooden phallics in privacy before, but nothing prepared you for the sheer, imposing size of him.
âScared?â he asked with a humored tone, his hand grabbing your thigh and squeezing hard, catching the flash of panic on your face.
You glared at him through the dark. âNo. Bring it on,â you challenged.
He huffed a dark laugh, pushing your knees back almost to your chest before guiding his broad head against your wet folds. You breathe deeply, but before you could fully complete the inhale, he drove into you in one single, powerful thrust. He stretched your pussy past anything you had ever felt.
âAh!â a sharp cry of pleasure and pain tore from your throat. You arched your back, the sheer fullness of him leaving you gasping for air. Reflexively, your hand flew out, slapping his cheek hard.
âTsk,â Neteyamâs jaw clenched, his eyes flashing as you moved to strike him again. He caught your wrist in a vice-like grip, pinning your hands securely above your head. He lowered his face, his lips brushing against your ear, his voice a dark, raspy promise. âIâm going to fuck you.â
Your breath hitched. Your body instinctively clenched around his massive girth, the overwhelming fullness intoxicating your senses. It felt so... good. You decided right then and there that you loved the feeling of being completely filled by him. You looked at him, your eyes clouded with lust and defiance.
âYou talk too much!â you bit out.
Neteyam let out a guttural laugh. âSo impatient,â he kissed you softly.
He began to move, dragging his cock slowly through your tight warmth, creating an intense, searing friction that made your toes curl and moan softly. Moans that turned into screams when he began pounding into you with a forceful intensity, driving you deeper into the moss.
He released your wrists only to cup your face, his fingers digging into your jaw, forcing you to look into his blown-out pupils.
âLook at me,â he commanded, his voice raw. âKnow who is doing this to you. Know whose cock is filling you up.â
You huffed, reaching up to grip his sharp jaw. âWhereâs the perfect, golden boy?â
âIn you?â he replied, raising a brow.
You burst out in laughter, but it quickly became a loud moan when his thrusts came down harder and faster. He groaned, slamming his mouth over yours to drown your moans. The wet, loud squelching sound of your fluids being churned by his relentless thrusting made your skin flush with embarrassment.
âYou are so beautiful...â he murmured, sloppily kissing your chin as he relentlessly pounded into you.
âShut up...â you whimpered, your head tossing back.
He accelerated, his thrusts becoming frantic, driven by a primal need to completely claim you. As the pressure in your gut coiled to a breaking point, he buried his face in the crook of your neck, his teeth grazing your skin before moving down to catch your breast in his mouth, sucking and licking with a ferocity that sent you violently over the edge.
Neteyam let out a long, shuddering groan as he came, his entire body stiffening as he pumped his hot seed deep inside you. Your internal muscles pulsed and clenched around him in desperate, rhythmic waves. You squeezed his large, muscled arms, your nails digging deep into his skin as the orgasm crashed over you.
For a few moments, the only sound was your synchronized, heavy breathing. But when Neteyam slowly pulled out, the sudden absence of him left you feeling cold and hollow. The reality of what you had just done crashed down on you. You really just let Neteyam claim you like that.
You aggressively pushed his chest away, rolling onto your side and pushing yourself up onto shaky elbows. You were on your hands and knees, crawling toward your discarded loincloth, when you felt it. Large, heavy hands clamp securely onto your hips. Your breathing hitched when you felt his hand circle your hips and touch your drenched pussy.
His fingers caressed your inner thigh, scooping his come that oozed out of you. âLetâs put it all back in you...â he murmured, pushing his come back into your hole.
âAh...â you whimpered, fisting on the grass and trying to pull away from the overstimulation. You fucking love it, though.
With a sudden jerk, he pulled your hips right back against him, your ass hitting his muscled thighs. He lowered himself down until his massive frame enveloped you from behind, his chest pressing flush against your back.
âWhere are you going?â he murmured, his voice low and dangerous against your neck. âWe're not done yet...â
One of his hands traveled upward, kneading your breast with a possessive, heavy grip. You whimpered, a violent tremble running through your body as the heat returned, twice as intense. You couldn't believe you were surrendering to him like this, allowing the man you had hated for years to dominate your body.
You felt his hardness pressing against your entrance once more, and in one singular, devastating motion, he drove into you from behind.
âAh, Neteyam!â You cried out, the force of the entry knocking the wind from your lungs. You tried to pull forward, but his grip on your hips was an unbreakable shackle, locking you in place.
The pounding began immediately, more relentless and more focused. He drove into you with a raw, animalistic power that made your vision blur. His pleasured grunts and the low, rumbling sounds in his throat made your knees buckle, while your loud, uninhibited moans only seemed to fuel his desire, driving him to thrust deeper.
He lowered himself fully, his lips grazing your shoulder. âFuck, Y/N... You feel so good... so fucking tight,â he groaned.
âShit, shit, shit,â you cried out. âI canât... Iâm going toââ
âYou can,â he whispered against your skin, his thrusts becoming shorter, faster, hitting your sweet spot with a terrifying precision.
He came again, his body shaking violently as he sucked hard on the skin of your neck, intentionally leaving a dark mark that would last for days. He wished people could know who put it there. Your arms finally gave out, and you collapsed onto the moss. Neteyam cushioned your fall, hugging you tightly from behind as he continued to pulse inside you. Because he hadn't pulled out, the angle shifted, burying him impossibly deeper.
He kissed your shoulder softly, his hand caressing your body, helping you endure the aftershocks before finally withdrawing. Effortlessly, he flipped you onto your back, pinning you beneath his weight.
Your eyes lazily opened to find him staring down at you. His golden eyes were incredibly gentle now, glinting with a soft, postcoital delight. He lowered his face, nuzzling his cheek against yours, brushing his nose against yours. Your heart warmed so intensely it felt like you were being lit up from the inside.
You had never felt this close to anyone. This connected.
But panic suddenly seized you, freezing the warmth he had started. You pushed against his chest, breaking the spell. He looked down at you, confused. You didn't want the vulnerability, but you didn't want to leave either. So you stopped pushing.
Instead, your hand reached up, clamping onto the nape of his neck, and you pulled him down into a deep, proper kiss before he could question you. He hummed against your lips, his hand fondling your breast, his thumb sweeping over your nipple.
âI was going to let you rest for a while...â he mumbled against your jaw.
âIâm wondering if you actually spent the whole day doing that trial,â you said, your voice hoarse. âYouâre not even tired.â
He chuckled, nipping at your jawline as his cock pressed against your entrance for a third time. âEven I have top priorities...â
The succeeding hours were a blur of agonizingly slow, precise coupling. He watched your eyes, listening to the hitch in your breath, ensuring every single movement was designed for your maximum pleasure. He filled you again and again, completely blurring the boundaries between hate and desire.
Yet, despite the consuming intensity, you still managed to wake up before him. He was heavily draped over your body, his limbs tangled with yours, his face buried in your neck. Quietly, you worked your way out of his hold. He was exhausted, the weight of the trial and the relentless energy he had spent fucking you until your lights gave out finally catching up to him.
You grabbed your loincloth, looking down at his serene, sleeping form. A dangerous warmth blossomed in your chest. You wanted nothing more than to curl back into his arms and wait for him to wake. But you violently caught yourself. It was just sex. You were both caught up in the heat of the moment. There was an unspoken agreement that this madness ended when the sun rose.
Wrenching your eyes away, you quietly fix yourself. Your body was incredibly sore, a soft groan escaping your lips when you felt a sharp sting in your pussy as you parted your legs to put on your loincloth. You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to ignore the memories reminding you exactly why you were sore. Neteyam was completely insatiable.
If you hadnât been so sleepy after hours of going at it, he would do you until dawn. And what's crazy is that you know that you would let him. You limped toward the river, submerging yourself in the cool water, using sweet-smelling sap to aggressively scrub his scent off your skin. You reeked of him so heavily you couldn't even smell yourself.
You wanted to slap yourself for this, trying so hard to drag the part of you who would have hated this so much into the surface but there was none. You wanted it, you wanted him, and you wanted to go back there to snuggle against him. This was an added complication in your life and you shouldnât want this.
For the next two days, you successfully avoided him, feeling like a terrified yerik constantly watching your back. But eventually, your luck ran out. You entered the command tent to report for patrol duty during a time you knew he was supposed to be out tracking with the younger hunters.
But as you were speaking to Likya, a massive figure darkened the entrance. You turned nonchalantly, only to nearly choke on your own breath when you saw Neteyam standing there, his eyes dark and his jaw tightly clenched.
You looked away immediately. âThank you, Likya. I will take my leave now...â you said quickly.
âWill you leave us for a moment, Likya?â Neteyam interrupted, his deep voice gravelly, his eyes locked entirely on you.
Likya didnât even flinch. He was so accustomed to you and Neteyam fighting over the years that he simply assumed it was another one of those days, quietly exiting the tent. You scowled, hating the way a fierce heat rushed up your neck. You could still feel the pressure of his girth inside you even after days now.
Meanwhile, Neteyam was enduring a completely different kind of torture. He had woken up to a cold, empty bed of moss. For two days, he had looked for you in every corner of Hometree, but you were a sneaky, elusive thing. Unlike you, who had scraped his smell off at the first opportunity, Neteyam had worn your scent like a prized reward. He had reeked of you so strongly during training that the young hunters had looked at him in confusion, though only Sinto would have recognized it, and Sinto was too drowned in his own misery to notice.
âWhat?â you asked curtly, standing rigidly on the opposite side of the strategy table, using it as a physical shield.
âYouâre avoiding me,â he said, his eyes tracking the faint, healing purple bruises on your neck and chest.
You huffed. âWhy would I? Hometree is massive. We don't always cross paths.â
âI always see you around when I was avoiding you,â he said, taking a heavy step forward, forcing you to instinctively shift to keep the table between you. âBut now, I am specifically looking for you, and you are nowhere to be found.â
âLooking for me? Why?â your voice snapped.
âYou left me,â he said simply.
You rolled your eyes, tilting your chin. âWell, what do you want? That we cuddle or something?â
His eyes sharpened to lethal points. âDo you intend to act as if nothing happened?â
Your heart hammered violently against your ribs. What did he want from you? âI don't know what you want, Neteyam. We had sex. I believe we both enjoyed it,â you whispered cautiously. âBut I don't think we should dwell on it. We are two consenting adults. It was good, but it doesn't mean anything.â
Neteyam took a sharp, painful breath through his nose. âIs that really what you think?â
You shrugged, masking the tremor in your hands. âYeah. Can I go to my patrol now?â
He gritted his teeth so hard the bone clicked. He had a thousand things he wanted to say. He wanted to pull you across the table, cage you in his arms, and force you to admit that it did mean something. He wanted to hear your complaints at the end of the day, he wanted to look into your eyes while he kissed you softly. He wanted to be with you.
But a crushing weight settled on his shoulders. He realized he was the one who had driven you to this. He had spent years judging you, acting superior, treating you like a plague. It was entirely ridiculous to expect you to suddenly trust him, or want to be with him, just because of what happened. He was too stupid to believe it would have changed things between you.
You were at the archery range days later when Sinto unexpectedly approached you. To your surprise, he offered a quiet, humbled apology for the vile things he had said to you in the woods. What surprised you even more was that you found that you didn't even hold a grudge. You were entirely too indifferent to him now.
You realized you didn't need his toxic presence to survive. In fact, without him whispering poison in your ear, you had actually begun talking to other clan members, finding them far more welcoming than Sinto had ever allowed you to believe.
âForgive me?â Sinto asked, his hand settling onto your waist with a practiced, comfortable ease.
In the past, you wouldn't have thought twice about the contact. But now? It felt incredibly wrong to have his hand on your skin.
âWhatever,â you said, stepping away under the guise of adjusting your stance to draw your bow. Your breath hitched mid-inhale when your eyes flicked to Neteyam standing a short distance away, watching.
Sinto stepped forward again, chuckling as his hands found your hips from behind. âAre you still mad about what I said? I was under so much pressure, Y/N,â he whispered against your ear.
You violently shoved him back, turning on him with an icy glare. âI am not mad, Sinto. But I am letting you know right now: I will never be involved in any of your schemes again.â
He raised his hands, flashing his easy smile. âOf course. I would never ask it of you again. Weâre good, right? You're still my best friend.â
You rolled your eyes, and he chuckled, pulling you into a brief hug from behind. You dug your elbow sharply into his ribs until he let go. âGo away. I am trying to focus.â
âAlright. Dinner later? Iâll save you a seat.â
You shrugged, nocking an arrow and using the motion to glance back toward the walkway. Neteyam was gone.
That evening at the communal fire, you sat at Sintoâs table, surrounded by his loud, arrogant friends whom you had never liked and never liked you, too. Across the clearing, Neteyam sat with his own circle. They were more boisterous, laughing loudly, and during a bout of playful teasing, a stunning huntress named Mitxi leaned in, sweetly resting her chin directly on Neteyamâs shoulder.
Neteyam craned his head away slightly as his friends cheered, but he didn't pull his shoulder back. That would have been rude, and the oh so ever gentleman Neteyam would never do that.
A massive, suffocating lump formed in your throat. A toxic wave of discomfort washed over you, and you absolutely hated it. You hated the sight of her touching him. You felt a savage urge to march across the clearing and drag Mitxi away by her hair, but you did nothing. Like a coward, you abruptly stood up, vacating your seat, and stormed out of the clearing.
You walked briskly along the dark, woven pathways, desperately needing fresh air, wanting to laugh at your own pathetic jealousy. You silently groaned when you heard footsteps behind you. âSinto, I want to be aloneââ
A large, calloused hand clamped around your elbow, spinning you around and pulling you hard against a stone-solid wall of muscle. Your wide eyes snapped up to find Neteyam staring down at you, his chest heaving. You shoved against him, but his strong arms only tightened around your waist, trapping you against him.
âWhy are you leaving?â he demanded.
âWhy do you care?â you snapped, shoving his chest again. âYou seemed to be doing just fine back there. Why don't you go focus on Mitxi instead? She looked like sheâd love for you to do to her exactly what you did to me.â
Neteyam watched the fiery, furious display on your face and a slow, dark satisfaction melted his scowl away. He loved how fiercely annoyed you were. His hands gently caressed your waist, trying to soothe the tension out of your muscles.
âWell, I couldnât have done what I did to you to anyone else,â he whispered, his eyes darkening to amber in the shadows. âI have never been as crazy about anyone as I am about you, Y/N...â
Your eyes remained sharp, but the fire keeping your defensive scowl intact was rapidly dying. Your palms, which had been pushing him away, slowly curled into fists against his chest. âItâs only because of the sex,â you smirked with a malicious glint in your eyes. âThat does drive men mad. I thought the perfect warrior would be immune.â
âOh, it absolutely drove me mad,â he murmured, the corner of his lips tugging upward. âI think about your moans every hour of the day. I think about how you feel against me, how incredibly tight you wrap around me... it makes me so hard I had to excuse myself from the young huntersâ training just to find a releaseââ
âFor someone who parades himself as a golden prince, you are incredibly crass!â you said in a biting tone, your face burning.
âI want you to know every single thing I am thinking,â he whispered, leaning down to kiss you, but he pulled away immediately. âItâs not just the sex, Y/N. I wouldn't have touched you like that if I weren't already ridden by thousands of fantasies of what I wanted to do to you the moment I finally got to hold you. I only acted on years of buried desire.â
You held your breath, your heart hammering against your ribs. âLiar.â
âI have never lied to you,â he said softly, nuzzling his cheek against yours before pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to your lips. You didn't pull away. When he pulled back, his eyes were full of a quiet delight. âIt is the truth. You put me through an unimaginable torment, Y/N.â
âYouâre being dramatic,â you muttered, rolling your eyes, but you bit your lip to hide a smile.
He chuckled, his lips pressing against yours with far more pressure this time, devouring your breath. âGive me a chance...â he mumbled against your mouth. âI will prove myself to you.â
âThere is no need for that,â you replied, your hand finally sliding up to clamp around the nape of his neck, pulling him down into a deep, consuming kiss. âWe both want pleasure... and weâll get it from each other.â
Neteyamâs brows furrowed slightly at your stubborn insistence on keeping it purely physical, but as your hand grazed down his muscled abdomen, a heavy groan tore from his throat. His hands tightened on your hips, lifting you slightly as he pressed you into the shadow of the trees.
âI want you...â you mumbled against his neck. âI want you, Neteyam.â
âWhere do you want to go?â he asked, already guiding your steps out of the paths, his large hand splaying over your midriff, his lips kissing your temple continuously. You held his hand tightly, both of you knowing exactly where you were going. You were crossing the threshold into the dark again, only this time, you knew exactly what you were walking into.
The following weeks were filled with Neteyam practically perching himself at your side, so you made sure not to let him see you in public because he doesnât seem to care that people might be looking. Once, he even approached you on the archery range in broad daylight, uncaring that there are young hunters working on their archery, too. You were practicing your mid-range forms, your skin slick with sweat, when a heavy wooden sparring staff clattered against yours, nearly knocking the bow from your hands.
You spun around, your ears flattening as Neteyam stood there, a cocky, infuriating smirk playing on his lips. He was stripped down to his loincloth, his broad shoulders glistening under the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy.
âYour stance is too narrow,â he taunted, spinning his staff with an effortless, practiced grace. âSinto might let you get away with sloppy footwork, but I won't.â
You rolled your eyes, âI am a hundred times better than Sinto in this.â You jolted when you felt his hand on your waist. âNeteyam, weâre in public!â you whispered-shouted.
He snorted. âIt's just the kids and they wonât care,â he murmured, nipping at your ear.
You groaned, still stepping away. âIf you want to touch me so much, we should probably just work on my combat skills,â you turned to him with a smirk. âTeach me what you know?â
He raised a brow. âBetween us, you had more experience in combat. What with your stints with the girls,â he said in a humored tone.
You chuckled and shoved against his chest. âYouâre an idiot.â
He grinned, pulling you close by the waist. You elbowed him to gently push him away. âIâll follow you in 10.â
âFive,â you insisted just to argue.
He shrugged, giving your waist a lingering caress and biting his lower lip. âYouâre the boss.â
You smoothly rolled your eyes, spinning on your heels to walk away, the tip of your tail teasingly touching his lower abdomen. You heard him groan and you pursed your lips, continuing to saunter away from the range to go deeper into the woods. Sticking to your words, he didnât even give you five minutes, he showed up after you in an instant.
His ears were perked, his golden eyes scanning the secluded spot behind a curtain dense vines and ferns until they locked onto you. âSecluded,â he raised his brow, his lips twisting.
âI donât want them seeing us together,â you said, grabbing your staff.
âDrop that,â he ordered and you looked at him.
âNo weapons?â you asked, rotating your wrist.
The side of his lips curled up in a slow and dangerous manner. âYou said hand-to-hand.â
âAlright,â you mumbled as you lunged, driving a lightning-fast jab toward his jaw.
Neteyam snapped his head back, dodging the blow by a fraction, but you were already pivoting. You threw a sharp, snapping kick aimed straight for his ribs. His forearm came down, blocking the strike with a force that vibrated up your leg, but instead of backing off, you pressed even more, throwing a vicious left hook.
He caught your wrist in his palm, his grip like an iron shackle. âToo predictable,â he grunted, using your momentum to twist your arm and try to force you to the ground.
You snarled, using his own leverage to leap, throwing your weight forward and driving your elbow hard against his collarbone. The impact forced a sharp gasp from him, and his grip slipped. Before he could recover, you delivered a stinging palm-strike directly to his chest, pushing him back a full three paces.
Neteyam stumbled, his hand coming up to touch his chest where your palm had landed. A low, feral growl rumbled in his throat, his eyes darkening from bright gold to a deep, predatory amber. The playful smirk was entirely gone, replaced by a raw, competitive hunger that made your blood run hot.
He moved, closing the distance to pin you, but you threw your leg up, catching him around the neck and using a desperate scissor-kick to violently flip him over.
You both crashed into the dirt, rolling frantically. Finally, you managed to scramble on top of him, straddling his waist. You pinned his large wrists into the dirt on either side of his head, your chest rising and falling violently as you glared down at him, your hair completely wild and your skin flushed..
âYield,â you panted, your teeth bared in a victorious grin.
Neteyam lay beneath you, his muscled chest slick with sweat and dirt, his heart hammering a frantic, thunderous rhythm. He didn't even look like he was defeated, he looked like a predator that had let himself be caught just to see what you would do next.
âNo,â he rasped.
In a split second, he wrenched his wrists free, his large hands shooting up to clamp securely around the back of your neck. He violently pulled you down, his hips bucking upward to reverse the pin, throwing you flat onto your back in the deep moss while he completely overtook your frame.
Before you could even draw breath, his mouth slammed down onto yours.
The transition from violence to pure, unadulterated lust was instantaneous. The kiss felt like a continuation of the brawl, a desperate struggle for dominance. His tongue pushed past your lips with a bruising force, letting out a deep, guttural groan as he humped against your clothed crotch.
Your hands slid up his slick shoulders, your nails digging deep into his skin, pulling him closer until there was no air left between you. The anger, the competition, the heat, it all melted into a starving, blinding need.
Neteyam tore his mouth from yours, his breath hot and ragged against your skin as his lips tracked a burning path down your jawline, nipping sharply at the sensitive skin of your neck. You tried to push his face away.
âNeteyam, Iâm sweaty...â you whined.
His large hand slid down your stomach, his tongue licking a swipe on the hollow of your neck up to your jaw. âSo what?â His calloused palm was heavy and possessive when it hooked into the crotch of your loincloth. With one swipe, he pushed it aside.
âNeteyamââ you whimpered, your fingers tangling frantically in his thick braids as he shifted his weight down, settling between your legs.
He growled against your thigh, his voice completely ruined by lust as he licked the soft skin of your inner thigh. He grabbed your knees, forcing your legs wide apart and draping them over his broad shoulders. He looked up at you once, his blown-out pupils dark and wild, before he slid his large hand between your thighs.
You gasped, your back arching off the moss as his fingers found your dripping center. He began to stroke you with a cruel, agonizing rhythm, his thumb circling your nub while his fingers slid deep inside your tight warmth. The contrast of his rough skin against your wet, sensitive folds made you whimper, your hips helplessly rolling against his hand.
âAww, look at you...â he mused, his fingers driving deeper, churning your fluids until a loud, wet sound filled the quiet clearing.
âPlease...â you choked out, your hands clawing at the dirt, your head tossing back as the tension in your gut began to coil to a breaking point.
Instead of slowing down, Neteyam lowered his head. Your breath completely hitched as his mouth replaced his fingers.
The first touch of his tongue against your swollen core sent a violent, electric shock straight up your spine. You let out a loud, uninhibited cry, your hands flying down to grip his shoulders, trying to either push him away or pull him closer, you didn't even know anymore. Neteyam ignored your trembling hands, his strong hands locking around your inner thigh as he used his tongue to relentlessly devour you.
He sucked and licked with a primal, terrifying ferocity, his fingers sliding back inside you to stretch you wide while his mouth drove you insane. Every stroke of his tongue was precise, heavy, and dripping with a possessive dominance.
âNeteyam! Fuck, I can'tââ you screamed softly, your toes curling as the blinding heat rushed to you.
His tongue only flicked faster, his fingers pulsing inside you in perfect synchronization until your body completely gave out. A shattering orgasm crashed over you, your internal muscles clenching around his fingers in desperate waves as a long, breathless wail tore from your throat.
Neteyam stayed right there, drinking you in, holding your trembling hips firmly in his grasp until the last of the aftershocks faded. When he finally crawled up your body, his face was flushed, his lips wet and glistening with your taste. He pinned your hands above your head, caging you beneath his heavy frame, a beautiful, dark satisfaction melting his sharp features.
âOn the side note, I do like secluded places...â he brushed his nose against yours, his cock pulsing thick and hard against your thigh. âMore chances of getting you to scream.â
You looked up at him through tear-blurred eyes, a breathless, defeated laugh escaping your lips as your hand weakly reached for his hard cock. âShow me more?â
Over the following moons, a quiet shift occurred between you two. What you intended to keep as a strictly physical arrangement began to deepen into something completely out of your control. Neteyam had a definitive goal in mind though and it is to truly, completely have you, and he pursued it with the same relentless discipline he applied to everything.
You two are together almost every day, something Neteyam had made sure of. Meanwhile, you made sure it is only an almost occurrence. He was too comfortable with you now that heâd often approach you in public or drag you to his table during communal meals. Heâd been acting too normal with you around his friends. Though the warmth of it reaches the coldest, loneliest parts of you, the fear of him being associated with you, a village pariah, beats any of your desires to belong.
Behind the dense thickets, though, you indulge him. You would often find yourself pinned against mossy banks, both of you eager to experiment with the limits of each other's bodies until you were both gasping and painted in each other's sweat.
You heard Neteyamâs breath hitched completely. His hands came down to rest on your shoulders, his fingers digging into your skin with a bruising grip as you leaned forward. You swirled your tongue over the crown around the thick base of his length, guiding the broad, leaking head against your mouth.
Neteyam groaned, a low vibration that started deep in his chest. His hips gave a slight, involuntary twitch forward, his tail flicking wildly beneath him.
âY/N...â he rasped, entirely ruined.
You took him in slowly, the sheer fullness of him stretching your mouth, your throat tightening as you slid deeper down his shaft. You used your hands to stroke the remaining length, your thumb tracing the sensitive seam underneath while your tongue swirled around his ridge with every upward stroke.
The wet, loud sounds of your mouth devouring him echoed in the quiet. Neteyam was entirely at your mercy, his large, muscled body trembling as his hands traveled from your shoulders to tangle deep into your loose hair, his fingers anchoring you against him. You moaned in pleasure when he gently pushed your head down, controlling your pace and using your mouth for his pleasure.
âF-fuck,â he choked out, his eyes closing as you sucked harder, your hand moving frantically at his base. You took him deeper, letting his thick girth slide down your throat until your nose brushed against his pubic bone, the scent of him intoxicating your senses.
He began to move his hips in a slow contrast to your mouth, guiding himself inside your tight warmth, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps.
âEyes,â he commanded, his voice a raw, breathless whisper.
You tilted your head back just enough to look up through your lashes, your mouth still completely wrapped around his shaft. His sharp features were tight with extreme pleasure and lust, his golden eyes burning down into yours with an expression that was terrifyingly possessive. The hand on the back of your head moved to cup your jaw, his thumb caressing your stuffed cheek.
âYou are so good to me, baby...â he mumbled.
You accelerated, your hand churning the moisture at his base while your mouth worked relentlessly, pulling on him with a fierce, starving suction while Neteyamâs hips began to move faster, his thrusts becoming short, frantic, and deep. He let out a loud, shuddering groan, his fingers tightening so hard in your hair that it made you moan.
âI'm going toâ Fuck! Shit,â he growled, his entire body going rigid.
He didn't pull out. In one final surge of his hips, he buried himself to the hilt in your mouth as his hot, thick seed erupted deep down your throat. You swallowed the heavy, burning waves of his release, your hand continuing to stroke him as he pumped into you again and again, his chest heaving as if he had just run a lethal trial through the mountains.
He dropped heavily to his knees on the moss, his face burying in the crook of your neck as his arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you against his chest with a fierce grip. He was shaking, his heart hammering against your ribs like a trapped bird. He pressed his wet lips to the skin of your shoulder, inhaling the scent of you as if it were the only thing keeping him alive.
âYou are mine,â he murmured against your skin, his voice thick and stubborn. âDo you hear me, Y/N? You belong to me.â
The most dangerous moments, however, were the quiet ones. After hours of making love, you would lie tangled together on the soft moss, talking about nothing and everything. You were entirely unaware of how tightly your souls were intertwining, but Neteyam knew. He was weaving himself into your fiber.
Neteyamâs large hand was tracing idle patterns along the curve of your spine, his touch light, almost reverent. The intensity of what had just passed between you still hung thick in the air.
âYou have a scar,â Neteyam murmured, his voice vibrating against your collarbone. His thumb pressing gently into a jagged ridge of raised skin just above your hip. âRight here. I notice it every time, but you always pull away when I touch it.â
You went rigid for a second, the instinct to deflect, to crack a joke or push his hand away, flaring up instantly. But the exhaustion of keeping your guard up for so many moons had finally caught up to you.
âI got it when I was seven,â you said softly, keeping your eyes trained on your fingers. âThe longhouse is a tough place for a child. The other orphans... They are not the nicest people.â
Neteyamâs thumb stopped stroking. âWho did it?â
A bitter, humorless smile touched your lips. âIâve long since gotten my revenge.â
His eyes burned in a dark admiration. âWhat did you do?â
âBroke his ankle. He doesnât deserve to be a warrior,â you mumbled.
His head tilted. âFerkil,â he said. Though you didnât confirm, his face was still overcome with a silent fury.
âI remember sitting there for hours, the thorns hooking into my skin, crying until my throat was raw. The other children stood at the edge of the brush. They didn't help. They just watched, whispering that the forest was punishing me because I was bad. By the time I crawled out myself, I had decided I would never cry where anyone could see me again.â
You swallowed hard, your chest aching with the sudden, raw vulnerability of the memory.
âSinto... He helped me at some point. He defended me and stood by me. He said no one will stick up for us if we donât stick up for each other,â you said in a small voice, looking at Neteyam, your eyes brimming with tears. âHe lied to me.â
Neteyam didnât blink. At the mention of Sinto, a possessive, dangerous heat flared in his eyes. But as he looked down at the tears threatening to spill from your lashes, the anger melted into something fiercely protective.
He leaned over you, his large hand sliding from your hip to cup your jaw, his thumb wiping away a stray tear before it could drop.
âHe is a coward,â Neteyam murmured, his voice low, steady, and grounding. He pressed his forehead against yours, forcing you to feel the heavy, unyielding rhythm of his breath. âHe defended you to keep you small, to keep you relying on his scraps. But I will change that.â
He kissed your eyelids, then your nose, before capturing your trembling lips in a soft, deeply reassuring sequence.
âI will make the people see you how I see you,â he whispered against your mouth, his grip tightening around your waist as if anchoring you to the earth. âI donât want to hide anymore.â
You reared your head back. âNeteyam...â you said in a warning tone.
He bit his lip and nodded, âI understand, baby. But this canât be like this forever,â he said solemnly. âI want you to be my wife.â
Eventually, the inevitable arrived. As you lay against his chest one night, tracing the glowing bioluminescent freckles on his skin, Neteyam cleared his throat, his hand wrapping securely over yours.
âI want to begin a formal courtship with you, Y/N. I want to be your mate.â
You froze, your fingers going entirely still against his skin. You pulled away, sitting up as a cold wave of reality flooded your chest. âI... I donât know. Kiri detests me. Your family... What will they say? I am completely unsuited for you..â
âYou are not unsuited,â he said fiercely, sitting up and grasping your shoulders, forcing you to look at him. âI see you, Y/N. love you. You are my choice, and no one, not even Kiri, my parents, nor the elders, will ever change that.â
You looked away. âI don't know, Neteyam...â you let out a breathless, humorless laugh, tears suddenly pricking the corners of your eyes. âThe clan... I am not favored here. And you want me to be their Tsahik?â
Neteyam stared at you, his features a mix of agonizing defeat and unyielding determination.
âNone of their opinions matter to me,â he said, his voice cracking with emotion. He reached out, taking your trembling hand and pressing a tender kiss directly into your palm. âY/N, you are my heart. I am already fighting for the chance to lead, if they want me to fight for the chance to be your mate, as well, I would do that, too. I love you, Y/N. So much. And I won't let you walk away just because you think you are unsuited. You are the only one for me.â
You stared at him, utterly silenced by the sheer magnitude of his devotion. A tear slipped down your cheek. With a breathless huff, you lunged forward, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into a desperate, consuming kiss. He cupped your jaw, devouring your mouth as he lowered you back onto the mossy ground.
You spread your legs for him with a practiced, fluid grace, completely surrendering your heart to him.
Little did either of you know, a pair of dark, venomous eyes were watching from the thickets. Sinto stood hidden in the brush, his fists clenched hard. He watched in absolute, stomach-churning betrayal as Neteyam knelt between your thighs, entering you with a powerful thrust that made you throw your head back and cry out his name in pure, unfiltered pleasure.
âOh, Neteyam!â you gasped, your fingers clamping onto his massive biceps as he hovered over you, his hands anchoring your waist as he pounded into you.
âFuck, baby...â Neteyam groaned, kneading your breasts.
Sintoâs mind reeled. He didn't know when exactly this started, but he knew when you had first refused to help him sabotage Neteyam. You had laid with the enemy. You had given the perfect golden boy the one thing you had ruthlessly denied Sinto for years. A monstrous wave of bitterness consumed him.
Neteyam always gets what he wants. Even you.
But Sinto vowed it would end at the final trial. He would take the Oloâeyktan title, and then, he would take you. He was even willing to overlook the fact that you had laid with Neteyam and allowed yourself to be sullied by his hands, as long as he could tear everything away from his rival.
When you finally returned to Hometree later that night, Sinto was waiting in the shadows near your pod.
âTook you long enough, for a simple patrol,â he said, his voice dripping with a cryptic, icy venom.
You stopped in your tracks, your defense mechanisms instantly snapping into place. âI had an added task from the seniors.â
He huffed a dark, mocking laugh. âLet me guess. Neteyam once again put you in a very hard position... and you just had to stay there and take it?â
Your eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. You knew Sinto was manipulative, but he had never shown such raw, undisguised contempt toward you. Your blood ran cold at the realization. You didn't know how, but you know that he knew.
The next morning, the training grounds were packed with a group of young hunters that Neteyam was putting through a rigorous bow drill. A few warriors stood near the perimeter, including Sinto, helping when needed.
When Neteyam stepped to the back of the line to observe, Sinto casually sauntered over, standing beside Neteyam in silence, his skin radiating a foul, seething malice. Neteyam didn't even spare him a glance, treating him like an invisible speck of dust, only managing to piss Sinto off effortlessly.
âDoes she feel good?â Sinto began, his voice low.
Neteyam slowly turned his head, his eyes cold and unbothered. âExcuse me?â
âY/N,â Sinto purred, relishing the way Neteyamâs calm facade instantly crumpled into a mask of lethal fury. âHer pussy. Does it feel good? I saw you two out in the brush last night. You looked like you were having the absolute time of your life fucking my woman.â Sinto flashed a sickening, triumphant grin.
Neteyam froze, his mind calculating a hundred different ways he could tear Sinto apart. The sheer, protective rage vibrating through his veins was enough to kill the man.
âEnjoy it while it lasts, brother,â Sinto whispered, leaning in closer. âY/N will come crawling back to me eventually. We stick up for each other. Youâre an outsider to her and you always will be. So donât you ever think you successfully took her from me just because she lets you fuck her. Honestly, I didnât mind watching last night. At least now I know exactly what makes her scream like aââ
Neteyam didn't let him finish. He lunged, his fist crashing into Sintoâs jaw with the force of a falling boulder. At this time, you were at the target grounds across the clearing, helping younger children with their archery form, when Tuk came sprinting toward you, her eyes wide with terror.
âY/N! Y/N, come quick! Neteyam and Sinto are killing each other!â
You dropped your bow and ran, your heart leaping into your throat. When you burst into the training clearing, a massive crowd had already formed. Neteyam and Sinto were locked in a feral brawl. Neteyam looked completely demonic, his eyes wild with a homicidal rage, while Sinto was putting up a desperate, pathetic fight, taunting Neteyam even as his face was painted in his own blood.
It took five heavy warriors to finally wrench Neteyam away. Sinto collapsed into the dirt, laughing hysterically through a mouthful of blood and broken teeth. Neteyam was heaving, his muscles straining violently against the arms of his friends who were dragging him back.
As they hauled him out of the clearing, Neteyamâs eyes found yours through the crowd. The terrifying, murderous fury in his gaze subtly faded, replaced by a quiet, profoundly apologetic look. He hated that you had to see him like this.
You didn't break eye contact, giving him a subtle nod. You both knew exactly where to meet.
The crowd watched you walk away, their whispers following you. A brawl over the leadership was one thing, but everyone knew Neteyam had never given a single damn about Sintoâs competitiveness. The only times the perfect commander had ever lost his absolute composure, it had been because of you.
You sprinted to your hidden clearing in the woods, finding Neteyam already waiting. He crossed the distance in a single stride, pulling you against his chest. Your hands flew up to cup his jaw, your heart breaking at the deep purple bruise forming on his cheekbone and the nasty split across his lip. You stood on your tiptoes, pressing a tender kiss to his wounded jaw.
âWhat happened?â you demanded softly.
âHe saw us last night. He was watching us,â Neteyam said, his voice trembling with a terrifying anger.
You blinked, gently caressing his arms to soothe the tremors out of his muscles. âI knew it. He threatened me last night.â
âDo not let him come near you,â Neteyam growled, his grip tightening on your waist. âI swear to Eywa, Y/N, I will kill him if he lays a single finger on you.â
You looked up at his furious face, pulling him down by his neck to kiss him deeply, pouring all your warmth into him until his rigid posture finally melted against you. âWhat did he say to you to make you so mad?â
Neteyam blinked, shaking his head, refusing to let Sintoâs disgusting words defile the space between you. âNothing that matters. Heâs nothing.â He cupped your face, kissing you with a desperate, starving intensity.
You kissed him back, whispering against his lips, âWhatever happens, you have me, Neteyam... I am yours. Completely.â
A low groan escaped his throat, hugging you so tightly you could barely breathe. He desperately needed to hear those words. He knew how deeply Sinto had been rooted in your life, how he had manipulated your loyalty for years, and for a moment back there, he had been so scared Sinto was right.
You both lay down on the soft moss, and you gently traced the glowing lines on his chest, kissing the soft skin of his shoulder.
âSinto is incredibly dangerous, Neteyam,â you said softly, looking into his golden eyes. âYou need to be careful during the final trial. He will stop at nothing to surpass you. Ever since we were children, he wanted to tear you down, and... I helped him do it. I don't think I can ever make it up to you. For sabotaging you, for putting you and your family in danger at some point just to help him win...â
Neteyam hushed you softly, shifting his weight to nuzzle his nose against yours, kissing you with a profound tenderness.
âYou were loyal to the only person you thought you had, Y/N. We all played a role in pushing you to him,â his features crumpled with a deep, genuine distress. âI was harsh, judgmental, and cruel to you after what happened to Kiri. I allowed the bully behavior of girls toward you by always siding with them, leaving you entirely alone in the dark. I will always be sorry for that,â he breathed heavily. âNo one protected you from Sinto... and I failed to truly see you.â
You looked at him, a breathless, tearful huff escaping your lips. âI detested you for so long, too, Neteyam. I believed Sinto deserved to win, and I helped him cheat you at every turn,â a slow, playful smirk formed on your lips as you traced his sharp jawline. âAnd even then... you kept winning over him anyway.â
He smiled, a genuine, beautiful sound escaping his chest as he leaned down to kiss you. âWould I still be here if I hadnât?â
You burst into a bright, genuine laugh, pulling him down into your arms. âI would probably be making fun of you if you were at the bottom of the ranks,â you admitted cheekily. âBut since you would still be... hot, and sexy, and handsome...â you traced his features. âGallant and kind... yes, youâd still be right here.â
The morning of the final trial arrived, and the atmosphere in Hometree was the exact opposite to what you are feeling. The council of elders had prepared brutal, unforgiving obstacles designed to test the absolute limits of the aspirantsâ endurance, agility, and spirit.
The trial began with a grueling footrace from the roots of Hometree to the base of the Hallelujah Mountains, a path littered with loose rocks and mossy roots that instantly claimed two runners. From the base, they had to scale the vertical rock walls of the floating mountains to reach the highest peaks where their ikran awaited. From there, the race would take a lethal plunge into the canopy of a series of hollowed-out, pitch-black floating islands filled with razor-sharp chalice plants and swarms of deadly hellfire wasps that were easily disturbed by the tiniest of sounds.
The final leg of the trial required them to retrieve Eytukanâs ceremonial knife from the highest, most perilous cliff face of the mountains and fly it back.
The clan scattered across the peaks to watch. You stood on one of the primary floating platforms, your longbow slung securely over your shoulder, your eyes burning as you scanned the mist.
Vrixa, noticing your rigid stance, sauntered over with her usual sneer. âWhatâs the matter, Y/N? Got your bow ready to shoot Neteyam out of the sky so your pathetic boyfriend can win? We all know Sinto canât beat him fairly.â
You didn't even look at her, your voice dropping to a lethal whisper. âIâll shove this arrow down your throat to shut you up if you breathe another word. How about that?â
Vrixa paled and you rolled your eyes, focusing instead on the figure breaking through the mist below. It was Neteyam, climbing the vertical vine walls with an effortless agility, leading the pack. But directly beneath him was Sinto, lagging behind, his movements frantic.
The crowd held its breath as Sinto reached out, violently grabbing Neteyamâs ankle to drag him down. The Omatikaya roared in disapproval, shouting for Neteyam to kick him off, but Neteyam ignored him, focusing entirely on the summit.
That was when Sintoâs hand slid down to his hip, pulling his hunting knife from its sheath, aiming it directly at Neteyamâs thigh.
Your blood turned to pure fire. In a single, seamless motion, you ripped an arrow from your quiver, nocked it, and drew the heavy longbow back until the string bit into your cheek. You didn't hesitate. You released.
The arrow sliced through the winds, its heavy tip striking Sintoâs thick leather armband squarely, pinning his forearm deep into the thick, wooden vine. Sinto let out a distant sound of frustration, his knife tumbling into the abyss below.
The surrounding Na'vi gasped, turning to stare at you in utter, slack-jawed disbelief. You ignored them, watching as Neteyam hauled himself over the final ridge, completely unbothered, and let out a piercing whistle for his ikran. A warrior, one of Sintoâs closest allies, marched up to you, his face twisted in a furious snarl. âWhy the hell did you do that?!â
You turned on him, your eyes flashing with a terrifying, predatory rage. âBecause you are all blind!â you shrieked, gesturing furiously at the cliff face. âSinto was going to stab him in the leg!â
The warrior went entirely still, his jaw clenching.
Your head tilted, a cold, dangerous realization settling in. âYou knew. You are helping him cheat.â
âDonât play the hypocrite, Y/N,â he muttered under his breath. âWe all helped him cheat Neteyam at some point over the years.â
âThat stops today,â you spat, stepping into his space. âIf Sinto needs to mutilate Neteyam just to survive a trial, do you honestly think he is worthy of leading this clan?â
The warriorâs ears flattened against his head, unable to meet your gaze, and he silently turned away. You turned back to the sky just in time to see Neteyamâs massive banshee soar into the clouds, its wings cutting beautiful lines through the atmosphere. Sinto, finally wrenching his arm free from your arrow, whistled for his own beast, without truly climbing to the summit like Neteyam did.
Vrixa and her friends tried to open their mouths to taunt you again, but Kiri stepped into their path, little Tuk flanking her side with her arms crossed.
âI suggest you clear out before she practices her marksmanship on you next,â Kiri said, her voice dripping with humor.
Incapable of talking back to the Oloâeyktanâs daughter, Vrixa and her lackeys quickly scurried away. You turned back to the horizon, refusing to acknowledge Kiri, your pride still fiercely intact.
âY/N! You saved him!â Tuk chirped, jumping up and down at your side, entirely oblivious to the heavy tension between you and Kiri.
You looked down at the little girl, a small, genuine smile softening your features. âThat is what a warrior does, Tuk.â
But inside, your chest ached. One good deed couldn't erase years of sabotage. You didn't feel honorable.
âI knew you liked my brother!â Tuk giggled, grinning up at you. âHe likes you too, Y/N! He watches you all the time! Did you know that?â
You bit your lip, a fierce, burning heat rushing up your neck. You quickly turned your eyes back to the jagged, stalactite-ridden grotto where the riders had flown.
âThe child sees clearly,â Kiriâs voice echoed beside you. You snapped your head to look at her, ready to snap, but Kiri only offered a soft, knowing smirk. âSister.â
Your eyes narrowed, your tongue momentarily paralyzed. Before you could even process the word, the entire mountain ridge erupted into a deafening, earth-shattering cheer.
You whipped your head around. Emerging from the heavy mist of the highest mountains, soaring high into the sunlight, was Neteyam. He held Eytukanâs ceremonial knife high above his head, its blade gleaming in the sun. The trials were over. Neteyam had won. This time, he wouldnât be Oloâeyktan due to birthright alone. Everyone knew he had bled for it, fought for it, and conquered it.
Jake Sully stood at the center of the platform, watching his son with a fierce pride. Neteyam guided his ikran into a steep, breathtaking barrel roll, a magnificent display of victory that made the Omatikaya cheer
Neteyamâs eyes, bright and wild with adrenaline, scanned the massive crowd until they locked directly onto you.
You watched, your heart leaping into your throat, as Neteyam suddenly swerved, guiding his massive banshee directly toward the crowded platform where you stood. The clan members scrambled backward in a frantic, laughing hurry, clearing a wide circle as the beast touched down with a heavy, echoing thud.
Neteyam leaped from the saddle before the creature had even fully settled, marching straight through the parting crowd. His blue-and-gold war paint was smudged with dirt and sweat, his chest heaving with exertion. The sheer, intoxicating heat of his gaze sent a violent shockwave straight through your body. You took a half-step back, completely stunned by the raw, unhinged intensity in his eyes.
He didn't care that the entire clan was watching. He didn't care that his parents, the council of elders, or the people around were looking on.
Neteyam crossed the distance in three massive strides, his large, calloused hands slamming firmly onto your waist. Before you could even utter a single, defensive taunt, he hoisted you into the air, pulling you into his chest so fiercely your feet completely left the stone floor.
You gasped against his collarbone, the intoxicating scent of smoke, rain, and his skin filling your senses. And then, he tilted your chin up and kissed you.
It was a deep, violently possessive, and utterly breathtaking kiss, his mouth locking over yours with a starvation that made your knees turn to water. Neteyam poured every single ounce of his suppressed desire, his explosive fury, and his grand victory straight into your lips. Your hands, acting on pure, primal instinct, slid up his solid chest, your fingers tangling deep into his thick braids as you kissed him back just as fiercely, giving him everything you had hidden away.
The surrounding clan went completely silent, their jaws slackened. Only Tuk was jumping up and down, cheering wildly. It was blindingly obvious to everyone watching that this was not the first time your lips had metâand suddenly, your arrow through Sinto's armband made perfect, undeniable sense.
When Neteyam finally pulled back just a fraction, his hot breath fanned against your swollen lips. His hands remained heavily anchored to your hips, his eyes burning into yours with a quiet, triumphant smirk. He leaned down, pressing another hard, lingering kiss to your mouth, utterly insatiable.
âNeteyam...â you moaned softly against his lips, your hands resting on his chest. âThe entire clan is watching us.â
He let out a low, rumbling chuckle, his deep voice vibrating straight through your bones.
âI want them to,â he whispered, his golden eyes locking onto yours with an unyielding promise. âI want every single one of them to know that you have always belonged to me.â
âË â§ âââââ±ââ°ââââ â§ âË
The heavy, sweet aroma of roasted meats and fermented berries filled the central clearing of Hometree, but the true feast tonight was the gossip. Low murmurs rippled through the Omatikaya like wildfire, eyes flicked constantly toward the head table, where Neteyam sat with his family, his eyes rarely leaving the empty space beside him.
The pieces were finally falling into place for them. They wondered how they could have been so blind. Everyone was suddenly remembering the two brutal, unhinged fights Neteyam had picked with Sinto over the last few moons, fights that had left Sinto a bloody pulp. Back then, they thought it was just the fierce rivalry of two ambitious young warriors. Now, looking at the bruised knuckles Neteyam still possessed, they realized it had never been about the birthright. It had always been about you.
You kept your head down as you slipped toward the refreshment bowls, desperately needing a moment away from the suffocating weight of a hundred staring eyes that openly watched you when you were sitting on the dais. Vrixa and her friends glared at you from across the fire, their faces twisted in a bitter, humiliated defeat. Their lovesick-fool narrative had completely disintegrated in front of the entire village.
But their bitterness was nothing compared to the shadow that suddenly stepped into your path.
âWas switching teams at the last minute your plan all along?â Sinto hissed, cornering you against the massive, woven root of the beverage station. His face was still swollen from the trials, his eyes burning with venom. âTo make sure you'd still end up as an Oloâeyktanâs mate? Because if so, I have to give it to you. It was a flawless performance.â
You stared at him, a cold, detached disgust washing over you. âWhat?â
âDon't play innocent,â he spat, stepping closer, trying to use his height to intimidate you. âYou played me. You played the loyal friend until the prince offered you a better crown.â
âSinto, you are unbelievable,â you said, your voice dripping with quiet scorn. âDo you truly believe you ever had a chance of beating Neteyam? You were never able to best him without cheating. I helped you rig those matches for years. I sabotaged his gear, I misdirected his tracks, I bet on the losing team for years all because I thought we were friends. I thought we were sticking up for each other because no one else would.â You took a sharp step forward, forcing him back. âBut you were always selfish. You used me as a weapon against Neteyam, and right from the start, you should have known you'd never win.â
Sintoâs jaw clenched, his pride entirely shattered. His eyes turned dark and ugly. âYou are so naive,â he sneered, a malicious grin cutting through his bruised face. âYou're too stupid to realize I never saw you as a friend. The only thing I regret now is not pushing hard enough to fuck you first. It would have been pretty sweet to taunt Neteyam about having you before he got his hands on youââ
A sudden, violent force slammed into Sintoâs chest.
With a sickening thud, Sinto was thrown backward, crashing hard against the wooden tables. Neteyam stood over him, his massive frame shaking with an explosive, lethal fury. He didn't just look like a warrior; he looked like an apex predator ready to tear a rival to pieces.
âNeteyam, don'tââ you whispered, catching his tensed arm.
Neteyam didn't look at you, his burning gaze pinned entirely to the trembling male on the floor. âYou know what, Sinto? After your stunt with the hidden blade today during the final trial, I was actually willing to forgive you. I was going to let you stay in this clan.â Neteyam took a slow, heavy step forward, his voice dropping to a terrifying, guttural growl that made the nearby hunters freeze. âBut I draw the line at the way you speak to Y/N. You do not deserve to breathe the same air as her, let alone stay in this clan.â
Before Sinto could scramble to his feet, Neteyam turned to the center of the pavilion, his booming voice cutting through the entire feast.
âListen to me!â Neteyam commanded, his hand tightly finding yours and pulling you securely to his side. âToday, during the sacred trials, Sinto dishonored the ancestors and the Omatikaya. He broke the laws of combat. He hid a blade in his wrap and attempted to stab me when my back was turned.â
Murmurs echoed through the crowd, the people remembering what they had witnessed. Jake Sully rose slowly from his seat, his eyes narrowing.
âHe speaks the truth!â another young aspirant shouted, stepping forward from the crowd of hunters. âDuring the second trial, Sinto deliberately cut my strap. He caused me to fall into the ravine so he could advance.â
âHe did the same to me!â another voiced, and within seconds, the fragile wall of Sinto's reputation completely collapsed.
The elders stepped into the clearing, their expressions grim. Mo'at looked at Sinto with deep disapproval. âThese are heavy accusations,â she spoke. âA dishonorable warrior cannot walk among us. The council will discuss your fate and go through the proper due process. But for now, you will be stripped of your title as a warrior and placed in the holding cells.â
As the guards dragged a cursing Sinto away into the darkness, the heavy tension in the room finally broke.
Neteyam didn't care about the whispers that followed Sinto out. He turned completely to you, his large hands immediately coming up to cup your face, his thumbs gently wiping away the residual shock from your cheeks. The fierce, terrifying commander melted away in an instant, leaving only a man who clearly loves you very much.
âAre you alright?â he whispered, his golden eyes searching yours with a desperate, frantic tenderness. âDid he hurt you?â
âNo,â you breathed, a genuine, breathless smile finally breaking across your lips. âYou got here right in time.â
Neteyam let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief, leaning down to press his forehead firmly against yours. âI was watching you the entire time, baby. But Dad really just had to talk to meââ
You laughed, kissing him. âDonât blame your Dad, Neteyam,â you mumbled.
He sighed. âThis wonât happen again. Ever. I wonât let anyone make you feel small again.â
You beamed, a rare sight to the Omatikaya around that some of them couldnât stop staring at you. He took your hand, his long fingers intertwining with yours tightly, and led you back toward the head table. This time, you didn't pull away. You didn't look at the floor. As Neteyam pulled out the seat directly beside his own, the seat reserved for the future tsahik, the seat right next to Jake and Neytiri, you sat down with your chin held high.
The daylight had finally come, and for the first time in your life, the thorns were entirely gone. You were right where you belonged.
This is so good!!!
Holy crap this sum beautiful writing

















