by Belle Harper
“Did you still want to practice? Or we could sit down by the fire and just talk, eat, make things that are not useable,” Quinn offered. She made me laugh and I shook my head.
“No, you make useable things.” She had tried to make a loom… it looked cool. I didn’t really know what it was at first until she explained that it could knit our blankets for us a lot faster. But it didn’t pan out like she hoped, it just wouldn’t work the way it should. Like for one, it didn’t knit anything.
Her mate Ryven—Apak’s brother who has only one eye—was working on it with her now. He was an odd guy, and he barely slept in her hut. He was always in the trees. But it was close to being finished. There was just something missing, and I was certain, if anyone could work this out it would be Quinn. She was the idea lady, she had lots of ideas. We had now built a shelter and under it was a huge table and bench seats because of one of her ideas. I loved it there, it was nice to keep the suns off you for a few hours in the day.
“Maybe both?” I could smell meat cooking; I was excited to get some in my belly. I was craving meat nonstop lately.
“Singing and talking it is.” She clapped her hands and spun, walking with an extra bounce in her step.
It had been hours. Okay, I thought it felt like hours, but I didn’t have a watch. I wasn’t allowed to bring one here, even if I did try. You would have thought the translators might be more equipped, maybe a watch and compass would have been handy. But nope, human girls get only the basics, and even then we didn’t get basics. We got fuck all when we were dumped here.
“Do you think the M’Mori have him?” I asked. I just couldn’t stop running different scenarios through my mind. Where was Adee? And Aalee had left before the search party, so now I had two of them to worry about.
“No, don’t say that. They wouldn’t have him. They wouldn’t come out here.” Luna patted my thigh, but the look on Jessica’s face was the opposite. She was thinking the same thing. It made sense, all those slaves of theirs had disappeared.
I know that K’Tem had taken the tracking devices off all the males here at Clan Freedom, and someone had gone and thrown them away, somewhere far from here. What if the M’Mori saw them on their tracking systems and went after them? Saw they had been removed, and now were out looking for the Aashi and Zalli who once wore them?
I wrapped my hands around my stomach and I felt someone rub my back. There was a commotion. I turned to see a bunch of purple guys coming through the main part of the clan. They were carrying someone on a stretcher and I knew straightaway it was Adee.
“Adee,” I shouted as I rose to my feet.
Chapter Twelve
Vetok
Adee was breathing, but only just. He had an injury to his head, a large rock covered in his blood laid beside him. He must have been climbing up the cliff and the rock came loose, hitting him as it fell. He had been laying out here in the heat without water for two nights.
“Adee,” my Hadley cried out. This male she had wanted as her mate, and now he was injured. I wasn’t sure if he would make it. Axoh and Jaim had given each other looks when we found him that told me they were thinking the same. But I didn’t want to tell Hadley that, she was worried enough about the littermate, Aalee, and it wasn’t good for the kits. So now I had to do something I didn’t wish to. I wasn’t honest with her.
“He’ll be okay, it was only a bump to the head. We need to get him back to the hut and heal him. He will be back to his happy self in a few days, my heart.” I watched as her shoulders sagged in relief. Jaim gave me a look, one of disapproval, and I shook my head. If he knew what was good for him he would follow my story.
“Oh, Adee. My poor Aashi.” She stroked his face. He was pale and clammy. “We will take good care of you.” Jaim gave her a sad smile and I growled at him, but Jaka understood. He took Hadley’s hand.
“You know what, we need to gather some medicine. We will need more to help Adee get better.” She hesitated as a few of us carried Adee into the hut and placed him on her nest. She was beside him, stroking his hair, her hands hovering over him, not sure what to do.
“Can someone go get it?” She looked around the room as she stood, worrying her hands and pacing. She kept glancing back to Adee and making sad sounds as Jaim spoke up.
“You should go get some. He’ll be okay now that he is here. Help Jaka pick the purple flowers.” I blinked a few times. Purple flowers? He gave me a look that he wasn’t happy with himself for lying but I nodded my thanks. She didn’t need to worry herself. I knew she was strong, but if we gave her something to focus on she would not worry so much.
“Okay, purple flowers. We’ll get a heap of them.” She turned and left with Jaka. Jaim and Axoh got to work, cleaning the wound on Adee’s head. It was on the back of his head and it was really bad that he wasn’t healing.
Jaim did all he could before he sat down beside him. He used a cloth and water to wash his face. I watched the way he cared for Adee. I knew he would make a great mate for Hadley.
“I am not proud of myself for the words I told Hadley. I did it only because I understood what you both were doing. She is going to be so upset with me when she returns.” I shook my head. She wouldn’t be upset, well, maybe. But she didn’t have to know.
“Jaka would tell her that there were none here and get her to pick something else. Just take it and act like it will help. One day she will find out, but then it would be okay. Adee will be healed and her mate, as will you.”
I could see he didn’t believe me, but I knew Hadley. She told me that she had worked out a way to choose Jaim and Adee and keep Aalee close and cared for. My mate had a huge heart, too big, and I worried so much that she was taking on too much. She needed to relax and not worry.
Hours had passed and Adee’s condition didn’t change. If anything, he looked paler. Jaim had spoken to a few of the other takxe and they had stopped by to help, but they didn’t know what else they could do other than wait. Jaim had tried to get Adee to wake so we could give him some water. We were worried he hadn’t had any and that was stopping the healing process. But he had also lost a lot of blood. The door to the hut opened slowly.
“We’re back. We couldn’t find the purple ones, they must be hard to find with everything being purple. But Jaka climbed high and we got green ones. I held them while he went up the trees. He said they work just as good.” She handed a bunch of green flowers to Jaim as he glanced to me and nodded.
“Yes, green…” He didn’t know what to say so I jumped in.
“My heart, green will help Adee, too. He is doing much better now. He is using your pillow. It helps with his head bump.” She looked down at his sleeping form. I wished Adee would wake to her voice, but he didn’t. Not even a small movement.
“Can I sit with him?” She moved to where I was sitting beside him and I opened my arms to her to come sit on my lap. I would hold her while she sat beside him to give her strength. “Do you need help with the flowers?” She turned to Jaim and he shook his head. She crawled into my arms and her hand reached out to stroke some loose strands of hair from his face.
“Wake up soon, Adee. I have news I want to tell you, but you have to get better first, okay? I will make a deal with you, if you wake up.” I held her tightly to my chest and she sighed. Her hand was now on his shoulder, her head nestled in the crook of my arm, and she stayed like that until I heard soft snores from her.
“I will take her to our hut.” Jaka reached out to me but I held her tighter and shook my head.
“No, it’s best she stays here. She will be worried if she is far from him. Look how she still holds him tightly. We cannot take her from Adee. It would upset her too much.”
Jaka looked to where she was still holding on. Her body may be resting, but her hand knew she was holding him still.
“Did Adee just move?” Jaim asked, moving closer. He looked a mess, watching for so many hours for Adee to wake. I looked over and I didn’t see anything from the injured male.
“You must be looking too hard, Jaim. You need rest too. Please rest, I will watch over Adee. I will wake you if something changes.”
It took a few moments for Jaim to finally relax, his eyes still focused on Adee as he laid down on his blanket, his eyes finally closing.
“You sleep, Vetok. I will watch Adee. We can take turns to care for him.”
I felt heavy with sleep. I needed it but I didn’t want to with Adee injured like this. But when Jaka told me to sleep again, I nodded. It was dark out now, and my eyes were hard to keep open.
“A few hours, then wake me. We take turns.” I shifted my weight a little and let the darkness take me.
Chapter Thirteen
Hadley
I woke to whispers, Jaka and Jaim were speaking in hushed voices and my translator wasn’t on. I didn’t understand all the words they were saying but I had been getting much better at it. It was still dark, but the moonlight was filtering in through the window, which was still open. I felt warm so I was glad to have the cool breeze coming in.
I think the guys were talking about water, and drinking it. At that thought I also felt like I could have some water. My mouth was dry and, oh fuck.
“Adee?” I looked up from my hard pillow. Vetok’s arm was sweaty where my cheek had rested, and I rubbed my face. Shit, I had fallen asleep in his arms. I moved my hand on Adee’s shoulder and back to his hair, avoiding the bump he had on the back of his head.
“He is fine, my heart.” Jaka came to me, my translator now working. He kissed my forehead. “Water?” he asked me, as if he knew my thoughts. I nodded.
“Yes please, water. Does Adee need water? Has he woken up yet?” I couldn’t really tell if he was still pale with the lack of real light, but his skin didn’t feel so cool and clammy. He felt warm, like Vetok did. That was a good sign, he must be healing.
“Adee is okay for now,” Jaim answered as he passed water to Jaka, who helped me drink it while Vetok slept. His arms held me tight, he wasn’t letting go. Even while deep in sleep he was protecting me. I patted his arm.
“Babe, I need to pee.” I felt him shift, his arms peeling from me, and where he held was covered in a sheen of sweat. The cool breeze now chilled me. He was like sleeping with a hot water bottle. As I moved away from him, over to the pot where I pee—and everyone else does too—I felt his tail reach out and wrap around my ankle. I chuckled to myself. He still couldn’t fully let me go.
Jaim and Jaka looked away from me while I did my business because it was hard to pee with an audience. Adee said something. I almost knocked the pot over as I rushed to his side with the other two. Vetok jerked awake and we all peered down at Adee.
“How do you feel? Water?” Jaim asked him. Adee’s eyes were closed, and he didn’t move. But he moaned again, and this time I realized it was a hurt moan.
“Oh baby, we will have you better.” I took one of his hands in mine. He was awake, but I bet he had a headache. The green flowers will make him better, maybe Jaim had already given them to him. I looked to Jaim who held a cup out as Jaka tried to help Adee to sit.
Adee’s eyes opened slightly. He blinked and groaned as his hand reached for his head. I reached out and stopped him before he hurt his bump more.
“Adee, you hit your head. Don’t touch it, it will hurt.” His eyes now opened wider as he tried to focus on me.
“Goddess?” he asked, and it made me smile. Oh, he remembered me. That was good, he knew who I was.
“Yes, that’s me. Hadley, the goddess that fell from above.” I squeezed his hand as Jaim offered him water, holding it to his lips to help him drink. He had two cups before he shook his head, and I could tell that hurt him. His eyes rolled a little in his head and it worried me.
“Go to sleep, Adee. I will be right here when you wake up.” Jaka lowered him back down again and Vetok looked over him as he moved a blanket up his legs. I wanted to cry at how sweet my mates were. I hadn’t even accepted Adee as my mate, and yet they treated him as if he was family already.
“Come sleep on me, my heart.” Jaka reached out for me, but the grip on Adee’s hand grew tighter. I laughed.
“I think Adee wants me here. Beside him, yes?” I asked. I would happily lay with him in the nest. I was just so relieved that he was talking and getting better.
“Goddess, yes.” I giggled at the nickname he had decided to give me. I could be his goddess if that was what he wanted. It made me feel good to know he wanted me here. I was upset that Aalee hadn’t come back to see his brother, but he should know he was okay.
“Can you let Aalee know that he is okay, he is awake and stuff?” I looked to Vetok. He nodded with a small smile.
“I will go find him now. He will be glad to hear the news.” I moved carefully into my nest and laid beside Adee. My hand in his, resting against his belly, he gave a small smile and my heart burst.
“Go to sleep, I will be here when you wake up,” I promised him.
A few days had passed since Adee was injured. He had healed, but slowly. Jaim thought it was because he was outside in the elements a lot longer than usual Aashi were so it slowed the healing. But after speaking with him, I was thinking something else had gone on. He had no idea how he fell. I thought maybe he didn’t want to tell me that he slipped. All the Aashi were good at climbing trees, and I had never seen one fall before, so maybe he was embarrassed.
But after, he said things about how he hadn’t even climbed the wall. He didn’t remember it. That was different. He also said it was a dumb place to climb, that he would have gone up the way I had fallen. The place he was found was a sheer cliff wall. Even Vetok said he wouldn’t climb that.
“We move into our hut today. We have made you the bed.” Jaka smiled widely at me. I chuckled as I shook my head.
“Oh, have you now?” I flirted back, but Vetok just stood there with a funny look on his face.
“Yes, we did. You wished for a bed and we made you one. Even bigger than Elle’s bed.” He was so serious about it too. I laughed. Oh dear, I couldn’t ever tease Vetok.
I hugged them both. I was excited to see the hut. I had told them what I wanted. It was similar to Elle’s, but I wasn’t keen on the two levels so they made a hut that was one large level. I hadn’t been inside yet and I was very excited.
“Jaim, Adee.” I turned to them in the hut. They were both sitting beside each other, looking over at me. I could see the sadness in Jaim’s eyes that I was leaving…
“Did you want to come move into our hut today with me… mates?”
Adee’s mouth dropped open. It made my heart stutter a little at the sight. I made him speechless. Jaim stood, then bowed to me.
“I… are you wishing to choose me as your mate, Hadley?” he asked, his voice laced with hope. I nodded.
“Yes, if you will have me. I want you and Adee to be my mates.” Adee stood, but he swayed slightly. Jaka reached out and caught him before he could fall again. His head injury was not good still and he was a little uneasy on his feet at times.
“Hadley, my goddess. You bring me great honor of being your mate. You have my heart, always.” I couldn’t help but go to them both and wrap them both in my arms. Swoon-worthy words from Adee.
“I will always take care of you, Hadley-who-came-from-the-sky,” Jaim whispered into my ear.
I took a step back and held onto Jaim’s hand with one and took Adee’s tail in the other as Jaka helped support him.
“Let’s go home.” I turned to Vetok, who was beaming. He led us out of the hut and to our future.
Chapter Fourteen
Aalee
Apak was a good male, he had accepted me into his hut just as Hadley had said. It was a well-made hut. A male named Koh, who was mated to the female with hair the color of the suns, had helped build it. I had never seen one constructed in such a way. I was very impressed with his skills, and you could see it every time you walked into the hut. It was large with two levels, raised high above the ground as all huts were. Yo
u never knew when the wet season came if we would have floods here. The waterfall and the fact we were so low meant the chances were high. It happened every so often, that’s why all clan huts were usually above ground level.
I could hear some talking outside from where I slept on the second level. I had a large area. I had never had my own space like this; there was a half wall between me and where another area was for another single male but ,so far, we only had Apak and a male named Wolan from Clan Wolf. They were down below, on the first level.
I looked outside and found my litter brother Adee was walking with assistance from Jaka. I felt sad that I had not been there for him, but I couldn’t be close to Hadley. My hands wanted to touch her, I wanted to be close to her when she was near, and I couldn’t do those things. She would kill me if I did. But now she was there. Jaim held her hand, his smile the largest I had seen since she had considered him as a chosen mate. Adee’s tail was gripped in her other hand.
“Chosen mates,” I whispered to myself. She had chosen them, just as she promised me. I moved into this hut as she had asked, and she had kept her word to me that she would take them as mates. I leaned outside the window a little more to see them, and her face arched, the twin suns hitting it in such a way she glowed like the Goddess. She took my breath away as her eyes found mine.
A small smile spread on her lips as she nodded to me. I found myself nodding back at her, a smile now breaking across my face at the sight of her, my brother and best friend now with a female to call their own. I was happy for them. I was glad she had picked them… but in that moment I wished she had chosen me. I was broken inside, and she knew that. But deep down, just a little part of me wished she would have seen me as more than broken, that she would have pushed harder for me. I wanted her as my mate, but now I was too late.