CHAPTER 313: UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The path back down the mountain was quieter than before, though not silent. The snow had stopped falling, but the wind still whispered through the pines, and every now and then, Riven could hear the crunch of their boots against the frosty ground.

Soren walked just ahead of him, the faint puff of his breath visible in the cold air. There was silence as they made their way towards the horse.

They hadn’t gone far when Riven started asking questions. Not just small talk—actual questions. About the territory. About the way things worked here.

Soren didn’t mind. In fact, he seemed... Relieved.

"Well," Soren said, glancing back at him with a slight smile, "our clan territory runs deeper into the mountains than the wolves’. We stay up in the colder regions, where the cliffs are higher, and the caves are better for sheltering during winter. This was before we built our cities."

"I noticed," Riven said, pulling his cloak tighter around himself. "You guys live way up. I thought I was gonna pass out just from climbing."

Soren chuckled. "You get used to the thin air eventually. It’s better for us up there. Less exposure. More security. The wolves, though—they’re different. Their territory stretches more toward the outer regions of the mountains."

"So... More like hills?" Riven asked, kicking at a patch of snow.

Soren lifted Riven like he was nothing, he helped his little wolf up the horse as he answered.

"Yeah. The terrain flattens out the closer you get to the edge. There’s forest, some lakes, a lot of open plains. They’ve got more space, but less cover. Wolves are social."

That made sense to Riven, somehow. The snow leopards had this quiet, watchful energy about them. Reserved, but not cold. Well—maybe a little cold, but that was probably just the climate.

They kept moving down the mountain, the trees beginning to thin a little as the land sloped gently downward. The crispness of the mountain air softened, and Riven could feel the change in elevation. It was subtle, but noticeable.

Soren kept talking. "One of the problems we’ve had is with trade routes. The lion territory blocks a lot of our access to the east."

Riven’s ears perked slightly. He had sensitive hearing—one of the quirks of his mixed lineage—and the mention of other clans always caught his attention. "The lions?"

"Yeah," Soren said, his expression tightening just a little. "They sit right between us and the black panther territory. Their borders cut off the old trade path we used to rely on. Now, getting supplies or news to and from the panthers takes longer due to customs and additional fees they take for us to use their roads."

Before the roads were not taken over by the lion territory, they belonged to all, but then, their Queen took it upon herself to construct better roads and stake her claim, she spent tax dollars to make them better, therefore anyone who uses it must pay a toll.

Riven didn’t respond at first. His steps slowed slightly.

Black panther territory.

That was where Caius was from.

His heart thudded once, uncomfortably loud in his chest. Caius. The last male lead. The one who hadn’t shown up yet. Riven hadn’t forgotten him—how could he? He was... Well, he was more of a... Riven could not find the right words.

He was pretty mysterious, too mysterious, he was basically an ever-present bodyguard for Eli. Mysterious, dangerous, quiet. The kind of ML who didn’t say much but said everything with a look. He never exposed his real occupation, the story hinted at it but did not go into full detail. It only described his cover, not his real job.

But Riven didn’t say any of that out loud. Instead, he tilted his head and asked, "What are the lions like?"

Soren let out a short, dry laugh. "Proud. Arrogant. Territorial. You don’t cross into their land unless you want to fight your way out. So maybe, don’t go back there again." He held Riven much closer, and tighter.

Riven spoke again, a little more thoughtful this time. "So the panthers... They’re on the other side of the lions?"

Soren nodded. "Yeah. Black panthers live further southeast. Dense jungle, heavy fog. Their territory’s not as cold as ours, but it’s dangerous in other ways. Hard to track people there. Even harder to find your way out once you go too deep."

Riven made a mental note of that. Caius had always been described as someone who could vanish without a trace. Now he understood why.

"Have you ever been there?" Riven asked.

"No," Soren said with a shake of his head. "We don’t go that far unless it’s official. Most of the interaction happens at a neutral ground. The Gathering Hills, or sometimes the Summit. Unless it’s something really important, we don’t send our diplomats... Owing to the monopolisation of the roads."

The ride back down the mountain was long, but Soren didn’t mind.

Riven sat snug in front of him on the horse. He looked like a soft little bundle, only his nose and eyes peeking out, and Soren couldn’t help but smile the whole way back. Riven felt kind of hot.

The jackets and scarves were just too much, he already had a warm body, and this was making him sweat! Still, he did not want to remove any piece of clothing. He loved the fact that Soren helped him wear all this, it represented love.

Didn’t Soren say that woman brought him some warm clothes so that he wouldn’t shiver under the cold winter night? Riven smiled. It was just like that.

Whoever she was, Riven was thankful that she treated Soren with kindness and showed him warmth. He, too, hoped that she was living a happy life with her child.

Every now and then, Riven would tilt his head and ask something—about the snowy peaks, the hunting routes, the way snow leopards built their homes so close to cliffs.

And Soren? He answered everything, happy to share pieces of his world. If Riven wanted to know, he’d tell him anything. Everything. He wanted Riven to belong here. With him.

By the time they reached the base of the mountain, Riven was yawning, and the stars were out. The horse carried them to Soren’s mansion at a steady pace, the hooves crunching over frozen dirt, the cold wind softening now that they were lower down.

As soon as they reached the warmth of the entrance, Soren jumped off first, then reached up and helped Riven down. He held him a little longer than necessary, his arms gently steadying him.

"You’re cold," Soren said, brushing snowflakes from Riven’s hair.

"You’re the one who dragged me halfway up the mountain," Riven mumbled sleepily, but there was no real bite in it. Just the faintest smile.

Inside, the fire was already lit. The servants had long since gone to sleep, leaving the house quiet and dim, lit only by flickering lamps. Soren tugged Riven out of his thick coats, scarves, gloves, and boots one by one. Every time he unwrapped a layer, he saw more of Riven’s flushed cheeks, messy hair, and that adorable pout he tried to hide.

"I look like a puffball," Riven grumbled, tugging off the last scarf.

"You look cute," Soren said honestly, eyes lingering a little too long on Riven’s flushed face.

Riven gave him a wide-eyed look, realising Soren was now reaching for the buttons of his shirt.

"I—I can do it myself!" Riven squeaked, suddenly flustered.

Soren raised an eyebrow, amused. "Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind helping."

"I’m sure!" Riven turned bright red and bolted into the bathroom, nearly tripping on those scarves on the way. "Don’t come in!"

The door slammed shut, and Soren let out a low laugh. He sat on the bed and leaned back, arms crossed behind his head. That reaction was everything he wanted. It was fun watching Riven squirm.

By the time Riven came out again—now in oversized pajamas and still a little red in the face—Soren had changed too. He held the blanket open without saying anything.

Riven hesitated only a second before walking over and crawling into his arms.

They curled up together on the bed, the fire casting golden light on the walls. Soren held Riven close, one arm snug around his waist, his hand gently rubbing circles on his back. That was his thing, he always did that.

He could feel how small Riven was next to him. How warm. How soft. And his scent... his scent was everywhere now, mixed with Soren’s own. It made something deep inside him settle, like his instincts were satisfied, even if just for a little while.

He leaned down, nose brushing behind Riven’s ear.

"In the morning," he whispered, "I’ll have to take care of a few things."

Riven blinked sleepily, resting his head on Soren’s shoulder. "Hmm?"

Soren didn’t answer right away. His fingers paused for a second, then continued stroking Riven’s back.

"...Just some unfinished business," he said softly.