Ch 5 Coldblooded Love

Mwezi was pulled against a cold yet firm body that was super smooth to the touch. The tanned arms of a man wrapped around her as his nearly floor length hair cascaded over their bodies. "I've finally found you." he said, nuzzling his face into her neck. Mwezi froze in fear realizing this is the snake man from before. "Please, please let me go. My mates are going to be looking for me." she said as Paka started screaming her name as he jumped into the trees. "LET MWEZI GO!" he roared, shifting on the branch. He had gathered enough of a crowd that Kai had finally shown up. "Oh no the feral has that poor woman!" one of the girls cried out as her mates surrounded her to protect her. "He has four marks!" one of the men yelled as everyone gasped and backed away. Everyone but Kai and Paka.

"She is MY mate! I will not just let her go!" the man hissed, holding her impossibly closer. "I don't even know your name!" Mwezi yelled in a panic. "Well you ran before I could tell you. Me and your other mate have been looking all over for you." the snake man said. "Who?" Mwezi asked, making the snake man wince in confusion. "Irdum?" he replied more as a question. "Oh my God he's alive! Thank the Lord Jesus. Where is he?" Mwezi asked. "Back at our home. Come I will take you home. Oh my name is Nyoka by the way." he informed her and nuzzled his cheek against her before dropping from the tree and starting off into the woods.

Kai had shifted by now and he and Paka had cut Nyoka off, making Nyoka hiss at them. 'I can't afford to lose her when I just found her' Kai thought in a panic and he roared at Nyoka. 'She finally warming up to me and this fucking feral tries to take her from us.' Paka raged silently as he roared at the snake. "You haven't even marked her, what kind of mate are you?" Nyoka hissed. "The kind who respects my wishes!" Mwezi yelled, trying to squirm out of his arms. "Well you can tell me when I get you home." Nyoka replied and without warning his size grew and he used his large tail to swipe both Paka and Kai across the open field before slithering off into the wild.

Mwezi had decided to keep quiet until she could figure out how sane or not Nyoka was. She did however have to figure out what she was going to do about Irdum if she decided to stay. "We're home." Nyoka announced as they entered a wide and deep cave. There were many furs piled off to one side that looked like a makeshift sleeping area. To the right was a big fire that was going with meats cooking over it. "Where's Irdum?" Mwezi asked quietly as Nyoka set her down on the furs. "He's out catching fish. He'll be back soon, don't worry." Nyoke replied, looking her over casually. "Why don't you bear any marks?" Nyoka asked. "Because I like to get to know a guy before I allow him to be my mate. No sense in letting someone mark me and he's not worthy or we don't get along. Saves me wasted time and he doesn't have to worry about not being able to find another mate since he was rejected. I also don't like being KIDNAPPED!" Mwezi seeth.

Nyoka seemed hurt but Mwezi ignored it, not caring at the moment. "I see…" Was his only reply. "You act like that and just kidnap a woman then wonder why they think you're feral. Cuz you're acting like more of an animal than a person." Mwezi practically growled. Nyoka winced and pulled away from her a bit. He went to reply but Irdum walked into the cave. "MWEZI!" he called out, dropping the fish basket and running over to her, holding her close in a tight hug. Mwezi returned the hug with a smile. They may not have known each other for long but she had to consider him a friend in all this chaos. "You want to come help me skin the fish outside?" he asked and she nodded. "Sure" she replied and followed him outside.

Once they were far enough away, Irdum pulled her behind a tree so they could talk out of sight and earshot. "The hell happened to you? That thing almost killed me talking about 'You're his mate' or whatever. Took me a bit to realize he was talking about a mate like some damn supernatural book like he's a werewolf or some shit. Told I was too and so he let me live so we could find you together." he informed her. Mwezi pouted, she had already felt bad that she had to run to survive leaving him on his own with Nyoka but she could only imagine what Irdum had to deal with being with Nyoka for so long. She was stressed as it is and she was only with him for a few hours. "I'm sorry I just panicked and ran. I ended up getting kidnapped by this other shifter but he's actually super sweet and it's a long story but we need to find a way back home." She said, 'even if it's just him' she thought to herself.

A few hours had passed and Mwezi missed Paka and Kai. Surprisingly though, Nyoka wasn't such a bad person once Mwezi managed to calm him down. She had to tell him he was coming on too strong and it would only push her away and he pulled back quickly. "Nyoka, you know Paka and Kai will come looking for me. IF I accept you as my mate, they're my mates too. You can't just take me from them." She said plainly. Nyoka sighed and nodded, "I know Mwezi but you understand that they wouldn't accept me right? Because of what I am." he asked and she shook her head. "No they would once they get to KNOW you. You remember what I said about courting right?" she asked and he nodded in reply. "Same way I want time to get to know you. They can use that time to get to know you too. One of my potential mates has a scar on his face, so even though he's a prince, women don't want him. I'm giving him a chance, the same chance I would give you." she retorted and his face lit up. "But I need to get back home." she added, making his face fall a bit. "Okay but can I court you here with just us. I understand what you're saying but I don't want people trying to cloud your judgment or poison your mind against me. I just want us to have a chance to be happy…" he suggested. She knew it wouldn't change her mind but she also understood his worries.

"Let's play it by ear okay? I still need to let Paka and Kai know if I'm going to be staying with you. Irdum was looking at Mwezi like she had lost her mind. He couldn't tell if she was serious or just acting things out so they could get away. "And Irdum?" Nyoka asked, looking at the confused man. "We were still in the courting phase when we got separated so we can pick up where we left off." she replied with a smile and Irdum nodded in agreement. "Okay well I'll go hunting tonight so you and Irdum can catch up." Nyoka replied and slithered out of the cave. Once he was gone Irdum waited a few minutes before he turned to Mwezi confused. "I couldn't tell if you were acting or have some sick idea of actually staying here?" he asked. "Listen it doesn't matter what I'm going to do, we need to get you home." she retorted already board of the conversation. "Are you fucking insane woman!? They're not even HUMAN! Like what kind of sick twisted fuck are you to actually consider staying here, one, and two, actually mating with that thing!" he snapped.

Mwezi was about to act her color and give him a piece of her mind but there was a spine chilling howl in the distance. Unknown to Mwezi and company, Kai had used his royal pull to get the best tracker in the lands to find Mwezi. "The fuck was that?!" Irdum asked and Mwezi slapped her hand over his face. "Whatever it is, its close as fuck and we need to run." she suggested. She led them to the opening of the cave and looked around. Not seeing or hearing anything and gesturing the area clear, they ran off in the direction she remembered Nyoka running. "We need to find some mud to cover our.." she didn't get to finish her statement as a massive wolf landed in front of them. She could tell from its size it wasn't a normal wolf and was most likely a shifter.

His hackles were raised as he took a step towards Irdum. "P-please don't hurt him!" Mwezi said as she stepped in front of Irdum. 'The fuck was that Mwezi? Have a backbone woman.'She mentally scolded herself for stuttering in the face of this great beast. The wolf shifted much to her relief to reveal a man who looked like Jason Mamoma from her world but he had a lot more tattoos on his overall body. She noticed the four claw marks on his chest, over his sternum. "I was hired by your mate to recover you." he said simply. "You can tell him you found me." she replied simpy. "Can he put on some fucking clothes though!' Irdum asked in a yell. Mwezi had been around them long enough that the nudity didn't even bother her anymore and she failed to realize he was even naked. The man raised his brow in confusion at Irdum's outburst. "You are to come with me back to your mates." he replied straight faced and seemingly bored. "She will after we have had our time together!" Nyoka hissed from behind them, pulling Mwezi close to him. She groaned internally but sighed outwardly in frustration.

"I don't have time for your nonsense feral. I'm sure a woman like her wouldn't want to mate with you anymore than she would me." he replied now bored. "OH MY LORD ENOUGH! Yall bicker like children, for fucks sake." Mwezi snapped. "I am indeed giving Nyoka a chance so you would be very incorrect in your assumption tracker. I have promised Nyoka time to ourselves for courting since he's worried that his assumed feral status would hinder our ability to get to know one another on top of the external naysayers just because of what he is. I won't have it. If he is as valuable as a mate,willing to love and protect me just as Paka, Kai or even you then I will give him a fair chance. Who are we to deny his happiness or chance at it just because of what he was born as. It's utter bullshit!" she spazzed before taking a deep breath and calming herself down.

The tracker looked at her bored up until she mentioned him to be a possibly good suitor and his brows lifted in shock before he tilted his head truly looking Mwezi over. Mwezi had inadvertently peaked his interest. He knew that she had Paka as a mate but if she did indeed choose Kai as mate, even with his scar and the feral, then sure he himself who isn't a feral but just alone would have a chance too, right? "I understand however, what would you have me tell your mates then?" He asked. "That's she's with her other mates!" Nyoka snapped and Mwezi threw him a warning glare. "Can you bring him to the river nearby? We can talk this out and make something work." She suggested turning to Nyoka. "Kai and I had begun courting not hours before you took me." She informed him. "But I saw you first…" he replied, sad and hurt. "No, you scared the shit out of me and tried to take me against my will. Remember what I said about how you act and how you will be judged?" She retorted and he nodded like a scolded child. "So just wait to hear what I have to say and trust me okay?" She asked but he really didn't have a choice. Nyoka looked her face over his eyes darting back and forth before landing on hers. "Okay. I trust you Mwezi." He said, pulling her into a hug before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Thank you Nyoka." She replied, kissing his cheek. He blushed as he let her go "we should head to the river, we'll meet you there," he said to the wolf who nodded.

"Oh wait, what's your name?" Mwezi asked. "You wish to know my name?" He asked, surprised and with wide eyes. "Well yeah. I wasn't in any real danger but you did come to save me, paycheck or not. And from the way you approached Irdum when you first got here I could tell you would have protected me yes?" She asked for clarification. He nodded in the affirmative and she smiled, making part of the ice wall that surrounded him melt a little. "Māui."he said, happy she wanted to know his name. "Well Māui, when we figure this drama out I'd like to personally thank you myself for your help and bravery. I will make a huge dinner for the lot of us and I want you to come and enjoy yourself." she offered with a smile. She may not have money but if her mama and Memaw ever taught her anything was that food is good for the soul and appreciated all the same. "I'm not sure that would be wise." he started, worried that her mates would get the wrong idea. He wasn't even sure what he wanted at this point. "Nonsense, and my mates have no say quite frankly seeing as how I have yet to be marked. Whether you come or not is up to you." she retorted with a smile. "Off you go, and hurry back. We'll be waiting." she said, pulling Irdum and Nyoka off to the River bank. Māui was conflicted internally, his head warring with his ever melting heart. He shook his head and rolled his shoulders before shifting and running back to Paka and Kai.