River played with the stew made of meat and vegetables that lay in her clay bowl and on its side, what looked to be a cut up loaf of hard bread.

Somewhat like a sourdough that was placed in front of her on a clay plate as she sat on the ground inside the huge four wall tent.

All the Iborians were eating and talking in their language, uncaring of how they spilled broth here and there. Chunks of bread flew around in the air. She almost felt like she was trapped in those army riots.

Chris was by her side, talking to a beautiful Iborian woman. The tribe seemed to have welcomed him with open arms but they still maintained a hostile distance with her.

No doubt making her feel worse than ever.

This wasn't the first time she had been cast aside like this. Her parents so involved in their own pretend lives that it had emitted her away when she needed them the most. The friends she been with never came to her when crisis called for a companion.

She had been alone that fateful night too. No one there to help her. She had only herself to rely upon.

River looked around and she spotted Yisrael in the higher end of the tent with a gorgeous woman by his side, who kept petting his muscles and whispering somethings that made him smile.

They were sitting on the ground like the rest of them except they were on huge silky rugs that denoted of wealth and rich. A broad table in front of them and neatly piled stacked of food lay at their disposal.

It was a line between the privileged and the rest of the common ground.

The woman seated by Yisreal had a beautiful leopard print dress that reached till her knees. Her wrist covered with bangles and she wore handmade dangly jewelry that moved as she spoke.

When River noticed how the woman gave a squeeze to those mouth watering muscles of his arm, her stupid heart gave a painful lurch.

Suddenly, she didn't feel like eating. Her mind was still occupied at what occurred in the cave.

She had given into that man's touch and somehow enjoyed it. Fucking lost her mind to it.

Now, she felt dirty.

The fact that she had managed to get up and put on her clothes without feeling the distant taste of old stale vomit was a miracle.

It was not him as much as it was her. She couldn't explain it. She was in between. She liked his touch but it also gave cold reminders.

No one has ever touched her face. Especially like that.

When his hand had stroked her, his eyes looking into hers asking her that dreadful question. She felt a whisper inside her mind. Somebody cares.

He had told her that he wouldn't hurt her. Weirdly, she believed him on spot. He meant the words he spoke. He had no facade.

Something she found so avant grand.

Unfortunately, he also knew how to set her body on fire with his animal touches. So, she decided she was going to ignore him.

It was only the best damn near solution to his problem. He seemed to think around the box of his oath and so when she would tease him, he would bloody retaliate. Hence, getting into her red zone.

A zone now slowly giving a green signal. How could she have let this happen? Not a man had touched her and he had single handedly cruiser through it.

Like a giant lothario. He always looked at her like he owned her or something. She wanted to smack that look so badly away.

No one fucking owned her. Never will. She was her own master and slave.

The only way to avoid this man was to spurn him. Maybe he would then, get it inside his animal brain that she wasn't interested and he would let her loose.

Yisrael's eyes kept moving back to her form. Her head bent down, as she took small nibbles of her food.

She hadn't once looked at him and he feared she was regretting what had taken place earlier.

It's not like they did anything much. Nor did they do anything wrong but it was the most pleasurable experience he had in his years.

Such a responsive female who simply cared of desire he gave. It made him cave her more.

Her half masted eyes were such pretty little things. He felt like he need to be there to carry her. Hold her on his shoulder and tell her to not worry.

He has whispered in his language how much he wanted to kiss her everywhere, to know her taste, to mark her.

Marking a woman comes with a tedious price. Something he shouldn't be thinking about at all.

"So I hear two new people have come into your tribe. Doesn't Yuri kill them like he usually does?"

Yuh's voice broke his train of thought. Another interesting thing. His father hadn't kill them. It bugged him. Why?

Usually when they did have close encounters with the outside, they'd kill the people who witness them or wipe their memory through a particular plant they owned.

It's a magical juice that was fed into their mouths and they would be awaken to the day before they met the Iborian tribe.

Yet his father hadn't done any of that and he still remained adamantly quiet on the topic.

"Yisrael?"

He looked back at Yuh, her fresh green eyes gazed up at him with reverence and adoration. Something he wanted to feel for her but couldn't.

"Hm? Ah, yes. Father keeps us in the dark for most of things. Hence, I'm not sure why he hadn't kill them." As he ate, his eyes swiftly made contact with River's.

In that moment, his heart jerked. Just like her body, her eyes were responsive and open. She spoke with them, telling him everything he needed to know.

When her eyes widened in terror and she glanced away swiftly, he did not like it. She almost seemed afraid of him and clearly that wasn't his intention.

"The girl seems odd."

Instantly, his brows furrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Yes. She doesn't mingle like her other friend and she sits up as if she is higher than all of us."

He pursues his lip, trying to see her through Yuh's eyes. It was true in a way. The manner in which she picked at her food was like she was served dung and her isolation was proving to show how she couldn't really mingle into the crowd.

"You are probably right."

Yuh's hand grabbed onto his arm again and he tried not to flinch at it.

Lately, Yuh has been inappropriately grabbing at him like some meat. It was beginning to be like those gnats who constantly buzz around one's ear no matter how many times they flick them away.

"I heard you are keeping a watch on her. I don't like it that she sleeps in your quarters while you are on your oath."

His skin vexed at her tone and words. Why did everyone think he was so damn weak? It was like they were waiting for him to fail.

All he did was touch her and he planned to do more but he wouldn't penetrate into her. That's the oath and he would make good of his promise.

When he looked up, he bit out a curse.

Again, this woman has left without notifying him. She was so hell bent on defying everything he says. It's like she wanted him to know he would never own her.

Never be the one to make her submit.

The fact still remaining, he may end up submitting to her.

Yisrael shook his thoughts. What is he talking? He just met the damn woman yesterday and already, she was begging him to change all the parameters of his being.

It's probably like those days when he couldn't help think of nothing but sex. Like he was walking days and days in the sandy sun lit desert wanting nothing else but a glass of ice cold water.

But he was Yisrael. He can overcome obstacles and he was known to be a great hunter and people worry about the victims he caught than himself.

He had lived without ice cold water for five years, these four months will do away and soon he will sink into Yuh's sweetness.

With a patient smile, he spoke. "You don't worry about me, Yuh. Nothing can tempt me."

Just as he said those words, he noticed Yaki, Yuh's older brother leaving the tent.

Unaware of his own actions, he swiftly got up, following him. Yuh's and his father called him from behind but he didn't listen to them.

As far as he knows Yaki, the man was a sadist and enjoyed cornering startled women. He would beat, take them with force and sometimes, even have multiple orgies too.

He didn't support his type of behavior and sure enough, he had a feeling Yaki had noticed River. How could he not?

Her presence was enchanting. She may be whatever Yuh pointed out but there was a charm in her that called out, coaxing, lulling.

He was already out of the tent, and he whirled around sniffing the air to catch River's scent. Seizing the vague herbal musky scent of hers it lead him straight into the woods behind.

His scowl returned. Damn woman, doesn't she know the woods are dangerous.

Trailing the scent, he came in view of River who seemed to be laughing as she had her back against huge tree trunk while unknowingly being caged by Yaki.

A sight that made Yisrael see red.