Page 53 of Valka

Valka shrugged.

“Valka be different, talk different. Fight different. Harder, fierce. Valka want honor. Honor mother memory.”

“That’s why you don’t speak like they do. And that’s why you’ve fought so hard to be as strong as you could. To be the most honorable.”

Valka didn’t respond as she sat there thinking.

“No matter what you learned here, you never forgot where you came from.”

“It’s why you don’t want to go after the females Oscal’s scouts heard about. Because it was so hard for you when you were brought here against your will, and you don’t want to do that to them if they’re happy where they are. If they’re already settled somewhere else, you want to leave them in peace.”

Valka nodded, his gaze on her face to be able to read her response, when he confessed the rest of what she hadn’t figured out yet.

“Valka, I’m so sorry you had so much pain as a child.”

He was still nervous and that told her that he was holding something.

“Is there anything else that you want me to know?” Delia asked.

He took a long, deep breath before blowing it out through his mouth. “Valka no honor,” he said, his voice not as loud as it usually was.

“What are you taking about? You have so much honor. You’ve done so much for your tribe already.”

Valka shook his head.

“Valka…”

“Valka no die.”

“What?”

“Honor die in battle. Valka alive.”

“Valka, that’s ridiculous! If you’d died in battle, who would have saved me? Not Oscal, or Elkva, or even Toska. They were all with their own females. Even Katva wasn’t in the village that day. But many were. Not one of them was brave enough to fight Skala. But you were. And you didn’t even hesitate. And I know, even if I hadn’t been yours, you’d have fought him and stopped him from hurting anyone, even Patricia.”

Valka looked at his mate, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“And your people, Valka. It’s only been a few weeks, but still, they are so much happier. So much more relaxed, and proud to be who they are. That’s because of you. Because you removed the threat that loomed above their heads for so long. That’s honor. What you did was honorable.”

“Valka old. Only old. All others die.”

“There are elders. I’ve heard you speak of them.”

“Not warrior. Not like Valka.”

“You mean your age. None that are of your age?”

“Yes,” he said nodding firmly.

“Because you’re a better warrior than they are. If they’d been as good as you, they’d be alive, too. But they’re not. So they’re dead. Too bad for them,” she said, her snippy attitude clearly showing.

Valka’s smile slowly started growing.

“Seriously, if they were as good as you, they wouldn’t be dead!”

Valka started chuckling.

“You see? You’re alive because you’re better than they were. And that’s honorable! To be that strong, that gifted, and despite what was done to you and your family, by some of the very same males that you had to fight beside, you’re still fair to those still in the tribe. You may grumble and complain, but you’d protect any of them that are still here. It’s who you are. And in addition to being Chieftain, you have friends. Friends that come visit you every day to make sure that you and I have all we need while I recover. And you have me, Valka. You have not only honor, you’re blessed. Your gods smiled on you, and rewarded you for all you went through and became despite losing so much as a child.”