Next morning Rayna gave some mushroom soup to Soren to eat.
"It's delicious." Soren licked his lips.
"Ezra found the mushrooms but I cooked it." Rayna said while fixing her hair.
Soren nodded. "Do you want me to accompany you to meet Ezra?"
Rayna replied, "Not at all. Besides, I'm well aware of the tension between you two whenever you meet. Who knows, maybe you'll start a fight with him while I respond to his confession."
"I'm not that pathetic", Soren frowned.
Rayna went closer and squeezed his cheeks. "Okay my handsome mate. Now let me go to Ezra okay?"
"Hmph. But come back to me later." Soren hugged her. Rayna also hugged him back and then she climbed down the treehouse determined to give her reply to Ezra.
"But where will I find him? I don't even know where he lives." Rayna thought while walking towards the central part of the village.
As she went there, she locked eyes with the village chief who was talking to that semi-finalist bear beastman.
The village chief gleamed when she saw her.
Rayna walked towards her.
"Rayna my dear! I heard you and Soren are finally mates. Congratulations! I hope Soren is not giving you any trouble, is he?" The village chief smiled.
Rayna bowed a little and smiled back. "Thank you village chief. No, Soren has been nothing but sweet to me since we mated."
"That's good. He seemed quite frigid so I doubted he could ever manage to get a female take a liking to her. I'm so happy for you two." The village chief hugged Rayna.
The bear beastman was just standing next to them listening to the interaction between them both.
"By the way, village chief do you happen to know, where Ezra might be right now?" Rayna asked hoping she'll get Ezra's whereabouts.
The village chief shook her head, "Nope dear, did you have some work with him?"
Rayna's face dropped a bit. She responded, "Yes, I wanted to have a word with him."
"I think I saw him at the village boundary." The bear beastman interrupted.
The Village chief asked him if he was sure and the bear beastman replied yes.
"Okay then, I'll go there thank you." Rayna started to walk towards the village boundary.
"Hmm... looks like Ezra might be claimed soon as well," the village chief murmured, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
Rayna walked there, her heart thumping a little faster than usual. She reached the village boundary and saw Ezra.
He was talking to the guards, his tail flicking lazily behind him. His ears perked up the moment he spotted her.
"Rayna?" he said, a little surprised but grinning already. "Didn't expect to see you here so early. Everything alright?"
Rayna took a steadying breath, her fingers curled lightly at her side. "Yeah, I just... came to give you an answer. About what you said yesterday."
Ezra straightened, his eyes searching her face carefully. "Oh?" His tone was light, but his posture showed he was bracing himself. "Well then... hit me with it."
Rayna smiled gently. "You've always been kind to me, Ezra. Playful, yes, but also steady and sweet when it counts. I know you could've easily just flirted and moved on, but you didn't. You stayed. So..." she looked into his eyes, "yes. I'd like you to be my mate too."
For a moment, Ezra just blinked—and then a wide grin spread across his face. "You mean it?"
Rayna nodded. That was all he needed.
With a low laugh of delight, Ezra suddenly stepped forward, grasped her hand, and spun her into a playful twirl, princess-style. "Well well well," he beamed, "looks like I'm officially the luckiest fox around."
Rayna laughed, a bit breathless. "Stop spinning me!"
Ezra caught her again and held her steady, his eyes twinkling. "Nope. Can't stop smiling right now. Might spin you again just because I can."
She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.
Rayna was put down on the ground .
But, Ezra didn't let go of her hand. Instead, in one smooth motion, he scooped her up bridal style.
"Ezra!" Rayna yelped, startled but laughing.
"I'm not done yet," he said, flashing her a wink. "You've seen my charm. Now it's time to show you my place."
"Wait—your hut?" Rayna blinked. "I've never seen it, actually."
"Exactly. So I'm correcting that mistake right now." He started walking with confident strides, tails swaying behind him.
Rayna rested her head against his shoulder with a smirk. "Showing off much?"
"Absolutely. It's part of the package," Ezra replied smoothly.
When they arrived, Rayna sat up a little straighter in his arms. The entrance to his hut was draped with a curtain of colorful beads that chimed softly with the breeze. It was surprisingly charming and elegant.
Ezra nudged the beads aside and stepped in. "Welcome to my haven."
Rayna looked around, eyes widening slightly. The inside was far more spacious than she'd expected. Like her hut, it had two rooms—but larger, and more open. What truly surprised her was how neat it was. Everything was in place. A few spears and blades hung symmetrically on the walls, polished and purposeful. There were handmade decorations, polished wood furniture, and even a woven mat in the center of the main room.
"Wow... this is—honestly really clean," Rayna said, genuinely impressed.
Ezra chuckled. "What, you thought I was all messy chaos? I do have standards, y'know. Gotta impress my mate."
Rayna shook her head, still smiling. "Consider me impressed. Now, put me down."
Ezra gently put her down to let her explore the hut further.
"So, you sleep in one room, and what's the other one used for?" Rayna asked.
"I usually store food, beast hide, and my weapons there." Ezra replied.
"Hm, a storeroom type." Rayna nodded.
She went to his room where he slept. Rayna's eyes wandered to the far end of the room, where a bed sat neatly in one corner—simple, yet surprisingly well-crafted. Thick, smooth logs formed the frame, their joints tied tightly with braided vine rope and strips of animal hide. The base wasn't made of wooden planks, but instead crisscrossed with stretched leather strips, creating a firm yet flexible support. A mattress-like pad sat on top, its stuffing made from moss and dried leaves, wrapped carefully in soft tanned hide.
The bed gave off a faint herbal scent, like mint as if it had been stored with dried herbs.
Rayna didn't expect a bed here. She was sleeping on a bed of hay with no proper structure. But, here in Ezra's room there was a bed, which was so exceptionally made.
"This is amazing Ezra." Rayna nodded in admiration.
"You'll not find this in anyone's hut. This thing was hard to make but wasn't impossible for me." Ezra said proudly.
"How did you even get the idea to make this hm?" Rayna asked, curious.
"You were once mentioning about it to Soren, once. I'm sorry I overheard it a bit. I thought it was a good idea so I decided to make it... do you like it?" Ezra added slowly.
Rayna's eyes widened as she took in the familiar structure. "Wait... I remember describing something like this to Soren once," she murmured in awe. Her gaze shifted to Ezra. "You... you overheard that?"
Ezra gave a modest shrug, his grin playful. "I might have caught a few words here and there."
Rayna shook her head, a smile spreading across her face. "Ezra... you're so perceptive. Just from a handful of words, you built exactly what I imagined?"
He leaned slightly closer, eyes twinkling. "Of course. I always pay attention when it comes to you."
Rayna laughed softly, warmth blooming in her chest. "I love it. Truly. You're amazing, Ezra."
Ezra patted the edge of the bed, then sat down with a satisfied sigh. With a cheeky grin, he looked up at Rayna and opened his arms.
"Come here," he said, gently pulling her between his legs and wrapping his arms around her waist, as she stepped closer.
Rayna didn't resist. She let herself be drawn in, standing between his knees as his hands rested lightly on her hips.
"You really like it?" he asked, tilting his head, eyes soft now.
Rayna smiled, brushing her fingers along the wooden frame. "I really do. It's perfect. You made it feel like... home."
Ezra's grin softened into something fonder. "Then I guess I'll have to keep building things that feel like home for you."
Rayna rolled her eyes playfully. "Smooth talker."
"Only for you," he winked.
He pulls her even closer until Rayna's legs touch his.
"You know, you have this way about you that makes it hard for a male not to stare." He slowly caresses Rayna's hair.
He notices her gaze and smiles wider. His hand moves from her hair, to her waist, pulling her onto his lap.
He leans in close, his breath ghosting over her ear as he whispered, "You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. They're deep and warm, and sparkle like the stars." He placed gentle kisses along her jaw and neck. "And your smile and laughter? Its infectious and lights up the whole place."
Rayna chuckled. Her hand going to his chest exploring.
Ezra smirks. "You're driving me crazy again. It's absolutely charming." He gently cups her cheek. He runs his thumb across her bottom lip.
Rayna's gaze dropped to his lips. They looked soft. And inviting.
Ezra leans in, his lips almost brushing against hers as he whispers, "Can I make a mess of you, sunshine?" He kept his voice low and seductive. His warm breath mingles with hers, creating an intimate atmosphere.
His voice was barely a whisper, yet it sent a shiver down her spine. His lips hovered just a breath away, his eyes searching hers—not rushing, just waiting—for permission, for a sign, for her. The moment held still, tender and charged, like the calm before a storm made of heartbeats.
Rayna smiles and leans in pressing her lips against his, firmly.
Ezra's eyes flutter closed as her lips meet his, a soft moan escaping him. He kisses her back eagerly, one hand moving to her back to pull her closer.
The kiss starts off slow but quickly deepens as Ezra parts her lips with his tongue.
He kisses passionately, his tongue exploring her mouth with growing intensity. His hand pulls her in, flush against him, letting her feel how hard he was getting for her.He grinds his hips against hers. The kiss becomes a blur of tongues and teeth, a feverish exchange that leaves both of them breathless.
He continues to kiss her fervently, his lips moving down to her neck, sucking and biting gently. One hand supports her weight and other moves to cup her bottom.
Rayna pulled back, breathless. Ezra maintained an unyielding eye contact. Rayna saw a hint of something foreign in those playful eyes. His eyes darkened with desire and something primal.
"Do you want to continue, or..." He trails off, kissing her neck again.
Rayna wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes", she said breathless.
Ezra smiled satisfied and lifted her up. He laid her down on the bed, and climbed on top of her.
Ezra's eyes were filled with a fierce tenderness—like he was memorizing every detail of her face, afraid the moment might slip away if he blinked. Beneath his usual teasing spark was something deeper... raw affection, quiet longing, and a reverence that said she wasn't just someone he liked—she was someone he saw.
Rayna's breath hitched, her fingers brushing his arm as she whispered back, "You always joke, but right now... you're not hiding behind that smile."
Ezra gave a soft, almost vulnerable smile. "That's because with you, Rayna... I don't want to hide anything."
Ezra leaned down and kissed her again. His hands went downwards...but suddenly
Their intimate moment was interrupted by a sharp, displeased voice from outside.
"Ezra! Come out right this instant!"
Ezra tensed, a growl rumbling in his chest—deep, irritated, and unlike anything Rayna had seen from him before. His playful warmth was gone, replaced by something colder, more controlled. It sent a small chill down her spine, not from fear, but from realizing just how much more of him there was to know.
He sighed, pressing his forehead to hers briefly. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "Seems peace doesn't last long around here."
Rayna gave a small nod, her fingers brushing his. "Go. I'll be here."
From outside, the voice barked again, more urgent this time. "It's an emergency!"
Ezra stood, casting one last glance at her. "Wait for me, here. Please." His eyes pleaded, full of sincerity.
Then he was gone, the curtain shifting behind him as he stepped outside.
Rayna watched the entrance for a long moment, the warmth of their closeness lingering like an echo in her chest.
What now, she wondered...