Soon enough they both resurfaced, each with a different expression on their faces. Kasia looked relieved and calm while Azra was shaken and kept glancing at his mate while attempting to catch his breath again.
Kasia stood up with a slight wobble but managed to catch herself before Azra could react. She smiled more at this than she should have. Kasia gently touched the surface of the water with her fingertips.
"I'm okay now... My body is still a little off but Aure helped my body learn to handle the stress of whatever is happening currently. Abandoned or not.. I won't let that destroy me. Aure... thank you."
Aure glowed a bright yellow like none have ever seen it do before. Aure was happy to be trusted and felt a bond between them. This wasn't like life before, it wasn't being used and thrown away again and again. Being unwanted after all the usefulness was gone. This human truly cared about such a creature as itself. This was truly the first time.
A shadow flung itself at Kasia before she even noticed anything was happening. She was very nearly knocked back down into the healing pool.
"I thought you were going to die... I was so scared for you." Briar let out a small whisper
Kasia wrapped this teary girl in her arms and hugged her tightly while trying to console her.
"Briar.. thank you for caring about me. I'm alright now. "
A meek voice poked through the tender and sweet moment between the two sisters.
"Kasia... I'm so sorry. This is all my fault... I can't ever excuse myself for what I've done to you.. "
Haran was staring at the floor with an expression like he was about to cry. Why was he this sad towards her? Why does he refuse to look her in the eyes??
"Were you a part of why I was taken from here? Was all of this your plan to make me leave Briar so you could have her to yourself??"
Kasia didn't want to believe it and held Briar even closer to herself. She didn't want to believe that he would do such a thing, but why was he feeling so guilty right now.
Haran flinched at her words and kept looking at the ground. It's only made everyone in the room stare at him even though they knew it wasn't true. Why wasn't he denying it? Tensions were rising and Haran wasn't helping anything by being so quiet.
"Well?? Are you going to explain yourself?"
He stood there, body slumped and his eyes were transfixed on the ground. Unmoving he stood waiting for something to happen.
Kasia stared at him for a long while. Waiting for him to do something as well. In this time, Briar managed to pry herself from her sister's grip and slowly walked towards the man standing across from them.
She took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her sister and asked him to answer her or else she would never forgive him. Briar knew he wasn't a part of it but he was only making the situation worse by not talking to everyone.
Haran flinched at the sight of this beautiful female that he had set in his mind as being evil. He tried to drive her away because he was so set on protecting one female. He doomed another. She was so kind and brave even giving him a chance to explain, but did he deserve that chance?
He caused a female to to endure a pain, she should have never had to experience. She was abandoned because of him. This female would have been home and never would have been in danger if it weren't for him.
When a beast causes a female to be harmed, he must be judged by that female and her mates. That is what he grew up knowing to be the truth. He knew that he had no say in the matter and if this female asked him to die he would have no choice. He finally gained the courage to accept whatever choice she makes.
And in an even smaller voice he asked
" What Is your choice?"
Kasia and Briar both looked confused. Why wasn't he explaining anything and after all this time he only asked the question.
Azra picked his female up out of the healing pool and held her in his arms. When he explained that He was following what he knew to be the law of his previous tribe. If a male hurts a female in any way , he will be judged by her and if she decides he should no longer reside in the same place he will have no power to resist it. If he did try, her mates would drive him out of the city. Never to return else he would become an enemy to the tribe. The female could even decide she doesn't even want him to continue living and he will follow whatever she commanded.
The look of shock on the female's faces was strange to both of the beasts. They truly had never heard of such a thing. It's so strange that there are females like them that exist. That don't think they have all the power over them, like these two do.
That realization only made haran feel worse. As he lowered his gaze back to the floor. Now that she knew what power she holds she will definitely drive him away like he did try to do to her.
Kasia saw his hands slightly trembling as he stood there. She had the power to do anything to him? But he still didn't answer any of her questions. How could she judge him if she didn't even know what he's done.
" Were are you apart of why I was taken?"
Kasias voice rang loudly in his ears. His fear outweighed his bravery. All he could do was slightly shake his head no to her question.
"Why were you in those trees? Trying to save me?"
Haran flinched while it took him a long time to try and grasp the courage to answer her question, nobody tried to force it out of him anymore and they all stood in silence. But soon enough he glanced up at this female still hugged up in her mate's arms.
"I... I didn't know about your power... I didn't realize you truly were protecting Briar. .....
I'm sorry everything turned out the way it did. I was unkind towards you when you deserved nothing less than my respect.
Azra couldn't move and you were taken by the ferals. I had to make it right and followed you. Even then. You did more for yourself than I did for you.
I will never do anything to harm you again but how can I Accept that I hurt a female and caused her to be abandoned, I don't deserve to live."
Kasia softly pat Azra's arm signaling him to set her down. As she slowly closed the distance between herself and Haran, Haran was like a stone where he stood. Was she going to force him to leave? Was she going to end his life as he knows it?