The woods beyond Verdant Vale were thick with birdsong and rumors.
Kael had not meant to wander this far. But the System had tugged at him all morning, whispering of "untamed resonance, primal need."
He walked beyond the orchards, past where the cobbled path gave way to moss and mud. Each step felt like moving deeper into a realm untouched by rules.
That's when he saw her.
She moved like shadow between branches, barefoot and alert, skin marked with streaks of ochre and wildflowers. A bow was slung over one bare shoulder. Her tunic was leather, cropped short, revealing legs kissed by sun and strength.
[NEW TARGET IDENTIFIED]Sylvi Emberlane – Wild Huntress of Verdant ValeAffinity: Untamed LustAccess Method: Prove strength / Survive the Rite of the Chase
Kael blinked. "Rite of the what?"
A thorny arrow struck the tree near his ear. Then her voice came—husky, amused.
"Outsider," she called. "If you want the warmth of my fire, you'll have to earn it."
He didn't run. Not immediately.
Instead, Kael raised his hands, cautious. "I'm just walking."
Another arrow thudded into the dirt between his feet.
"No man walks this deep unless he's hunting—or hoping to be hunted."
She dropped from the canopy like a cat, her braid wild, her green eyes feral. She stalked toward him with bow still in hand, but her smile curved like a crescent moon.
"You don't look like prey, but let's see how fast your blood runs."
Kael took the hint—and ran.
Behind him, she gave chase.
The Rite of the Chase was a blur of sweat, branches, and adrenaline.
Kael leapt over logs, ducked under vines, heart pounding. Every time he thought he'd gained distance, Sylvi was behind him again—laughing, growling, whispering threats that felt like promises.
Finally, at the edge of a glade dripping with moonlight, she tackled him to the earth.
They rolled, limbs tangled, breath hot.
Kael found himself pinned beneath her, chest heaving.
Sylvi straddled him, her eyes glowing.
"Not bad," she panted, "for a man used to soft beds."
Kael chuckled, brushing a leaf from her cheek. "You don't strike me as the soft type."
"I'm not," she whispered—and then she kissed him.
Their kiss was not tender. It was wild lightning, a collision of teeth and tongue and unmet need. Her hands were already undoing his belt, her hips grinding against his with the rhythm of one who knew exactly what she wanted.
She stripped without shame. Her body was lean, powerful, marked with scars and stories. Her mountain peaks were smaller, more agile, but firm and sensitive—she flinched as his lips claimed them, sucking gently at each summit until her nails raked down his back.
"Don't be slow," she growled. "I'll break you if you hesitate."
Kael smiled. "Break me, then."
He flipped her onto the soft grass, parted her legs. Her cave, hidden beneath leaves and earth-scented skin, glistened like dew at dawn. Her bushes were wild, untamed—natural and welcoming.
When his serpent found her entrance, she moaned in shock—not from pain, but from a sensation she hadn't expected.
"Gods," she whispered, "you fit like wildfire."
Their rhythm was primal, instinctual. Her body met his like waves crashing stone. She clutched his hair, bit his neck, cried out into the open sky. The glade echoed with her raw music—free, unashamed.
Her release came like a storm breaking—a howl into the trees, her back arched, thighs trembling.
Kael held her through it, lips on her collarbone, his thrusts slowing only after he'd spilled inside her like rain into fertile soil.
Afterward, they lay in the grass. She curled up against him like a wolf who'd chosen her mate.
"No man has ever kept up with me," she murmured. "You're not normal."
Kael stared at the stars. "Neither are you."
[SYSTEM UPDATE]Fifth Union CompleteCancer Regression: 78%New Ability Gained: Wild Instinct – Enhanced danger perception in untamed zonesAffinity Sylvi: Unlocked – Matebond Tier One
Sylvi kissed his chest and laughed. "Come back tomorrow. I want to see how long you can survive me."
Kael grinned, his muscles aching.
He would.
But in the shadows beyond the trees, another figure watched. This one cloaked in ivy and illusion, bearing not a mirror—but a compass that spun wildly whenever Kael moved.
"The System adapts too quickly," she whispered. "But he still doesn't know what it's costing him."
She turned and vanished, leaving no footprints behind