I was alive. Beaten to shit and sore but my blood pumped through my veins, my chest aches with each breath I took. I felt more alive than I had in a long time. The little witchling had fought hard but I knew she had been pulling her metaphorical punches. She used magick to bring herself to my level but not exceed it. It seemed like she had wanted the fight just as much as I had and didn't that rile me up. As it was my cock was aching nearly as badly as the rest of me.

Her green eyes had flashed with fire and magick and she had took to the fight without hesitation. I liked that, that she was aggressive and brutal with her punches but she had tempered herself. That last throw let me know that she had been holding back, that she had simply fought with me to fight with me. I knew that with her magick level, she could have very well tossed me out of the way and continued to search but for some reason, the little witchling named Red had wanted to fight with me and that made my cock ache even worse.

It wasn't that I got off on hurting females or beating them. I didn't but I certainly got off on ferality, combativeness, and roughness. I liked a strong female who could verbally tear me into strips or fight back against me being oppressive. I liked the dynamic of a hard push and pull. There was a reason why I had never tried anything with Violet. I knew I could have taken advantage of the broken trust that had happened between her and Jaxton but Violet was a sweet female, a kind one. There would have been no push back from her and I knew I would have been walking on eggshells around her, carefully choosing my every word to not insult her. As it was I was already doing that to an extent.

I shook my head slightly, prodding at the cut on the inside of my cheek with my tongue. No, Violet was not the type of female for me. She was for Jaxton though, which is why I helped him to get his ass in gear by pushing slightly on his possessiveness towards her. It had worked and he had gotten the female he wanted and deserved and Violet got a male who would do everything within his power to protect her from the world. I liked that, seeing my twin so happy, seeing Violet pampered like she was. Jaxton was an absolute sap, a teddy bear, towards her and she deserved that.

I wiped at my slightly bleeding nose and shook my head slightly. Violet l, and females like her, were too kind for me, too soft. I was not a male who thought his words through or who walked around the world carefully and I knew I needed a female who was unafraid to smack me upside the head when I said something stupid or insensitive. I needed a female who could shove me around when I became unbearable. I wanted a female who could push back and not fold underneath the slightest pressure from me, so that witchling had gone from physically appealing to all together far too sexy for her own good during our brawl.

She liked me too. I could smell it on her. I knew that if it would have gone on for any longer than it would have, we would have fucked on the Forest floor, or against a tree. I didn't care which. That kiss had more than proved it to me. She had taken all my cocky and overbearing attitude and had turned it upside down over my head and I loved it. I adjusted my cock in my pants with a wince, loved it a little too much to be honest.

Find female

Take her

She would welcome you deep

My Instinct scraped across my nerves and bones so hard that I shuddered underneath it. My Instincts were overbearing at the moment and I knew that had a lot to do with the fact that we believed that Red was not in fact the Miranda that Violet had been worried about. She had red hair, yes, but she hadn't out right tried to kill me for stopping her and hadn't tortured me for information. Plus I could more than likely rightly assume she was seeking Violet out for her mother. So the situation wasn't nearly as dangerous as we had first thought. However I wasn't going to tell Jaxton that we needed to stop patrolling. I wanted to come across her again. I wanted to fight with her again. I was looking forward to that and I knew that if Jaxton thought she wasn't a threat, he would want to pull back the patrolling range to closer to the cabin. If I wanted to find her again, that wouldn't do.

Jaxton's cabin came into view and I glanced upwards as a freezing cold breeze blew across my neck. Big fluffy snowflakes started to fall from the sky and I frowned as I inhaled the air deeply. It smelled crisp and dark and that just made my frown worse. It smelled like snow. I made my way to his cabin and then pushed inside. I still ached to all hell but I knew I would be fine in a day or so. I closed the door and took off my jacket, hanging it up. I glanced over into the open living room and Violet was laying on the couch, Jaxton rubbing her back with low and soothing words.

He glanced at me, giving me a nod of greeting before he did a double take. "What the fuck happened to you?" He barked it out, causing Violet to jump in her spot and I shrugged.

"Found our witchling. Had a minor disagreement that was settled with violence." I threw him a grin, knowing I probably looked like hell. I didn't mind being bruised to all hell. It made me feel proud that the little witchling caused as much damage as she did.

Violet let out a concerned gasp when she turned her head and spotted me. "Lyxton!" In her concern she attempted to get to her feet and I shook my head quickly and Jaxton pulled her firmly back onto the couch.

"I'm fine, Violet. Jus' some bruises here an' there." I said it as soothingly as I could manage. I didn't want to stress her out too much. I took off my boots and moved further into the cabin. I honestly spent more time in their cabin than I did my own, it was warmer and felt more like a home. Mine was rough hewn and cold. It felt almost alien to me.

Her wide brown eyes "Was it..." She swallowed hard and I shook my head. I didn't want her freaking out thinking that it was Miranda.

"Do ye know a witchling named Red?" I asked it carefully and she blinked slightly, seeming to think about it before frowning.

"I do know that Miranda had a sister who might have had the nickname but her actual name was Lillianna. She would come into the shop sometimes for odds and ends but that was years ago, back before I was put there full time." She looked so confused I wanted to wince. I knew this entire situation was stressing her out and I didn't like that at all. I didn't know how Jaxton could handle it, I really didn't. "I don't now why Miranda would send her though. Last I heard Lillianna owned a bar on the Outer Edges and kept to herself and Miranda does things herself, especially when it comes to revenge." She swallowed hard as she said it and Jaxton rubbed her back before pulling her onto his lap, holding her tight as he buried his face into her hair.

"Do ye know her mother?" I moved into the living room and sat down on the arm chair, doing my best to hide my grimace of pain. The witchling had worked me over well. I liked it though, it reminded me of her fire. Jaxton caught my eye, gesturing with his head in a clear question of if I was okay. I gave him a short nod in return to let him know I was fine.

"Sorceress Lenkirion? No but I wasn't ever allowed to meet anyone outside of what Irma wanted. A sorceress would have been able to tell what Irma did to me and she couldn't allow that."

"Well I believe tha' this Red, Lillianna, is seeking ye out for her mother. I don't know why, I didn't ask." It was a confusing little tale. This Miranda wanted Violet to kill her but her sister Red was seeking Violet out to for her mother, a sorceress, for a reason that we didn't know, nor could I even begin to guess. "I doubt she wants t' hurt ye though." All the violence she had been talking about had either been aimed at her mother or me. She hadn't said anything that would indicate to me that she wanted to hurt Violet in anyway.

"But she beat you." Violet said it softly and I smiled at her slightly.

"We both did the beating." I knew the witchling would been feeling the marks I left on her, just like I was feeling the ones she left on me. I liked the hurt, it reminded me of her and I wondered if she felt the same way.

Violet looked stricken, "Why?" Jaxton shushed her softly, rocking her back and forth, rubbing her largely rounded belly.

I gave a snorted laugh, "I offered an' she took it." I shook my head as Violet opened her mouth. "Don't think about it, Violet. It will jus' confuse ye. We wanted t' fight, tha's all." I sunk further into the chair before looking at Jaxton. "It's snowin', brother. Smells like a storm's movin' in." I flicked my eyes to Violet and then back.

He let out a heavy rumble before nodding. "I should go an' get the family before the storm moves in." He shifted Violet off his lap and then gave her a rather seeking kiss that she seemed to melt into. "I'm goin' t' head t' the Compound for the family. We'll bring ye back t' the Compound. Safer for ye there. Lyxton will stay with ye." I nodded at that but I didn't miss how Violet clung to him.

"Can't I come with you?" She said with an edge of pleading that I could see Jaxton faltering and a visceral feeling rose up within me along with my Instinct.

Kin needs to stay

Cannot be out in the Forests

Needs to stay where she is

Safer

"She needs t' stay! She needs t' stay right here for now." The words came out bark and I blinked rapidly. "She canna be out in that, Jaxton." I didn't know why my Instinct was clawing at me like it was but it was. The urgency I suddenly felt must have translated because he nodded before crouching down in front of her.

"I'll be back, I promise ye, pixie. Lyxton will stay righ' here, isn't tha' right?" He looked at me and I nodded quickly.

"Why can't he go?" She asked it softly and I smiled slightly.

"I'm the only one who knows what Red looks an' smells like. Dunna worry. He'll be back as quick as he can." I tried to keep my tone reassuring and she looked severely stressed and worried and Jaxton gave her another kiss.

"I'll come back tonight with the family. I'll go straigh' there an' come righ' back, my love." He said it softly and she gave a small and hesitant nod.

"Lyxton will stay the night." She looked at me and I nodded with a grin.

"Ye better believe it, Violet. I won't leave." I would stay and protect her when my brother was unable too. She didn't have to worry about a thing.