by Jade Waltz
“What do you think?” Xylo’s deep mental voice asked, the aura of his thought a stressed black.
“I believe it would be smart to accept his offer. I would rather work with him than against him—”
“True,” Xylo interjected. “The princes warned me to work with him since Kaede would be within his rights to pull rank and override me if it came to an argument.”
Odelm continued, “Plus, Selena seems to trust him enough to fall asleep alone in his cabin. If you are correct about her delivering soon, we need to be sure someone is with her at all times. That will be much easier with assistance, even if he is not part of our clan. And Xylo, if you do not trust him yet, this gives us an opportunity to keep an eye on him.”
“Good thoughts. Give Kaede a chance to prove himself.” Xylo’s thought aura shifted to a pleased violet.
Odelm felt Xylo disengage, and his shield snapped back into place. It really was stronger than before—remarkable.
He turned back to Kaede, watching as he looked between the two of them.
“You’re doing that secret conversation shit, aren’t you?” Kaede questioned dryly.
“Yes. I was asking my nestbrother’s opinion. You will have to get used to it because that is how our species communicates—both within the clan and broadcasts from our leaders,” Xylo explained crossly.
Odelm put a steadying hand on Xylo’s arm and squeezed. He mentally brushed Xylo’s shields and sent his pale green strand to try and calm him. He felt Xylo accept his strand and take a deep, calming breath. He was clearly battling conflicting emotions. There was something about Kaede that bothered Xylo, and he was struggling to move past it.
“It is getting late. Before anyone says or does something we might regret, how about Xylo and I take Selena back to our room. We will see you for breakfast in the morning,” Odelm proposed.
“I didn’t mean to sound so harsh or to denigrate your species’ ability. I’m just a simple soldier, and I keep myself—and my charges—alive by always knowing what is happening around me. So, conversations that exclude me—especially when they are clearly about me, but I cannot defend myself—are difficult. And I’ll confess, I don’t fully understand this mental bond the three of you share.”
Odelm nodded at Kaede’s generous admission and apology. “Thank you. We will think about it. Just know, mental communication is important to our species and prevents a lot of miscommunication.” Odelm glanced between Xylo and Kaede. Tugging at Xylo’s arm, Odelm added, “Let us get Selena and go to bed.”
Xylo nodded at Kaede. “See you at breakfast. Do not come for us; I will message you when we are about to leave. Selena may end up sleeping in more often now, at least until she gives birth, and I do not want to wake her.”
“Confirmed. I’ll wait for your message.”
Odelm released Xylo’s arm and withdrew his mental strand. He walked over to the couch and carefully pulled back the blanket. Selena groaned, and he paused until she settled again, then carefully picked her up in his arms. He unwound his tentacles from his torso and secured her with them before turning back to the other two males.
Xylo nodded and led the way to the exit.
Odelm followed at a cautious pace, afraid of waking Selena. Xylo held the door open, waiting for Odelm to exit. He passed through the doorway, careful not to bump her and heard Xylo wish Kaede a good night. Odelm was almost halfway to their suite before Xylo caught up with him.
They entered their bedroom in silence, afraid of waking Selena. Xylo rushed ahead to the nestbed, pulling back the silver blanket in the center. Odelm carefully and reverently climbed the nestbed’s stairs and knelt on the center mattress, his emotions high at the significance of the moment.
His nestqueen.
He never thought he would be able to say that again.
He unwrapped his tentacles and slid his arms from beneath Selena. Xylo covered her tenderly with the blanket, then took off his wristband and set it on the nestbed table, staring at her all the while. Odelm followed his lead.
A mental brush caressed his mental shields once again, and Odelm accepted Xylo’s teal mental strand.
“Even though you have not given her your bonding spores, I believe it would be beneficial if we formed our own connection—like the unbonded males and close nestbrothers do. It will help in moments like this when we need to communicate and do not want to wake Selena. We can keep a strand loosely connected to one another and our shields will incorporate it, like they do with our bond-strand to Selena. It will not have the strength of the deep bonded connection to Selena, but any connection is better than none. I think it worth the loss of privacy if it helps us protect Selena and our clan.”
Odelm looked up from Selena’s peaceful face to Xylo and met his gaze. He agreed though he knew it was a big decision. Allowing anyone, other than your nestqueen, to roam the shallow parts of your mind freely was a sacrifice of privacy. Though it could also create a special bond of friendship. How had he gone from being alone, to being blessed by the Fates with a second chance for a nestqueen to now being blessed with a nestbrother who wanted to form an intimate connection?
He was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Odelm sent his strand to Xylo, who accepted it right away. Xylo sent his own strand back to Odelm, and together, they willed the connection. He felt a jolt as their strands fused together to form one thicker strand, pale green and teal entwined.
Thoughts and emotions flowed from Xylo—contentment at the new connection, traces of thoughts about what he needed to study tomorrow—and Odelm was able to pick them up easily through the new nestbrother strand that linked them. Each of their personal golden nestqueen strands to Selena remained unchanged.
Odelm sighed with happiness.
“If you turn the lights off and lower the curtains, I will grab you a blanket.”
Odelm nodded in agreement.
When Xylo returned, he handed Odelm a silver blanket before lying down next to Selena.
Odelm stood there, awkwardly, examining the glowing bioluminescent patterns on Xylo’s body before he covered himself with his blanket.
When had Selena offered Xylo the center spot? He stared at all the empty spots in Selena’s gigantic nestbed and wondered which he should take.
“Lie on the other side of her. There is plenty of room and no other nestbrothers to worry about. If she has a problem with it, she will say so in the morning, but I believe she would want you there, just as she wants me here. It was difficult for me to fathom at first too.”
Odelm was about to nod and settle beside Selena when his gaze fell on the glowing white bite mark on Xylo’s neck. Selena? He glanced at her and saw that her white spots also glowed.
“Result of our coupling. I will explain tomorrow if needed. For now, go to bed. It is pretty late.”
Nodding again, Odelm gingerly lay down next to Selena, using his tentacles to pull the blanket up. He shifted to lie on his side, facing Selena, tracing her glowing white spots with his eyes.
He could feel his mind relaxing as his eyes grew heavy. It had been a long and eventful day.
“Thank you for everything,” he whispered to his new clan as sleep claimed him.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Selena
Sounds of deep breathing woke me.
Opening my eyes, I tried to piece together how I’d gotten here. The last thing I remembered was Kaede asking me about names for my cubs while I relaxed on his couch.
Yet here I was, snuggled up against Xylo’s side with my head resting on the blanket over his chest and my arm thrown over him. Lifting my head to peek, I saw none of his vines wrapped around my blanket—as I had every other morning. Instead, there were three violet tentacles in their place. And underneath my blanket, I felt another wrapped around my ribcage, beneath my breasts. Its cool, rubbery weight felt amazing, offsetting the warmth around me. I became hyperaware of the tentacle rubbing against my skin, each small movement sliding slickly against the underside of my breasts, making m
e shiver.
Odelm must have felt my movement in his sleep because he turned, pressing against my back as he wrapped his arm around me. His hand slid down to caress my pregnant belly through the blanket. His slow, heavy breaths on the back of my neck confirmed he was still asleep.
I laid as still as possible and let my mind wander, enjoying the quiet moment of solitude.
It was hard to believe only a few days ago I’d woken up on the Destiny, yet here I was snuggled between two gorgeous and caring alien males. My nestmates. It would seem like a dream, except I’d had plenty of experience with those in my dreamscape, and I could tell the difference.
Thoughts about my dreamscape brought him back to mind. I’d been so busy, I hadn’t taken a moment to consider the implications of his being Aldawi. What was so important he still needed to keep his identity a secret? What did he look like? Who was he? And how would he really feel about me bringing another male—make that two males—with me? Sure, he’d said he accepted Xylo and said he would accept any others I may want—as long as none were Aldawi. But would he really? Could he?
I still felt conflicted about him. I’d thought I knew everything about his character. We had spent time for so many years—practically my entire life—but knowing he had intentionally impregnated me without my consent? That unsettled me. I would’ve never considered him capable of such a thing. Perhaps I had been naïve? What were his real plans for me—and for our children?
No... cubs.
It was time I acknowledged that’s what they were. I’d been avoiding it, but they were Aldawi, which meant the proper term was cubs.
I sighed.
So, what was his end game?
I hated not knowing. It meant I didn’t know how to prepare.
A horrible thought occurred to me. Was it possible Kaede had, in reality, been hired to ensure my safe delivery to a new—if gilded—prison?
Kaede seemed to genuinely care about my wellbeing. Last night, I’d seen a fragility in him I hadn’t before. When he’d removed his visor, I’d been able to see his raw, conflicted emotions. I felt like I was finally seeing the real Kaede, instead of the mask he presented to the world—literally. He used the visor to keep the world at a distance as well as to create a mysterious persona that helped him do his job. To project confidence and dominance so no one would think to challenge him.
Without a doubt, he was intelligent and highly capable—or he would never be able to manage all the tech he did—but I wondered if he put so much focus into his work simply to gain respect and fit in. He certainly—
I jerked, emitting a loud gasp, wincing as a sharp pain hit my lower rib.
Both males jerked awake at my sudden movement and untangled themselves, looking at me with worry. Xylo lowered me carefully to the mattress as Odelm nervously backed away from me, staring at my stomach.
I hissed as the pain struck once more.
“Selena. What is wrong? What is happening?” Xylo asked frantically as he tugged my blanket down.
Lifting my shirt, I placed my hands on my stomach and locked scared eyes with his. “I felt a sharp pain under my ribs. Twice now. Is it my cubs? Are they all right?”
Xylo smiled in relief. “Everything is fine Selena. It seems your cubs have finally decided to wake up and get active. Right on time. I was hoping yours would be similar to a normal Aldawi gestation period.”
“Is she going to be all right?” Odelm inquired, still looking worried.
A flutter rolled across my stomach.
“Yes. I would have been more worried if Selena’s cubs had not become active soon. They will only become more active as they grow and start running out of room. Her stomach will get much larger. As she gets closer to her delivery date, she will need more rest and food. It will take a greater toll on her smaller frame. It is fortunate we set up a schedule last night to assist her.”
“You’re saying my stomach is going to get a lot larger?” I asked in disbelief, looking down at my hands framing my stomach. It already stuck out past my average breasts. I’d never thought I would ever be this large and couldn’t picture becoming larger still.
“Do not push yourself too hard during your daily swimming lessons with Odelm, but the exercise will be good for you. It will keep you fit while supporting your body, despite the extra weight. Even if you do everything I say, I am not positive how your body will react to your advanced pregnancy. You have been altered radically, so I just do not know. It is all just best scientific hypotheses at this point.”
My stomach rippled again, and I smiled.
“Can I feel them?” Odelm whispered, approaching with caution.
I looked up at him in shock. “Of course!”
Grabbing his wrist, I placed his hand over my stomach.
“I don’t know why you’re asking. It’s not like you had a problem cuddling up against me this morning,” I smirked up at him.
He froze and tore his eyes from my stomach to look at me in horror. “I am sorry. I should have asked you—”
“Odelm, I was teasing you. Relax. I’d have wanted you to sleep next to me had I been awake to be asked,” I said gently.
“Odelm, I told you it was alright.”
Feeling the start of another flutter, I grabbed Xylo’s hand and placed it alongside Odelm’s, then rested my own just above.
Silence reigned as we felt the cubs move.
The moment felt right.
These two males were now connected to me and would be a part of my life—and the life of my cubs. Watching their expressions change from awe to happiness to pride proved my instincts had been right about their nature. If they cared for our cubs even half as well as they cared for me, I’d have no complaints.
Once the cubs settled, I released their hands, allowing my own to fall to my sides.
Odelm whispered, “That is one of the most beautiful things I have ever felt.”
“I agree,” Xylo murmured.
As I struggled to sit up, they reached out to assist, then settled next to me, Xylo helping prop me up from behind.
“Did you get everything moved in? How’d I get back from Kaede’s?”
“Yes. I had no difficulty registering, and the princes said to send you best wishes. With Xylo’s assistance, I got all my belongings transferred to one of the spare rooms. When we finished, Kaede messaged us you had fallen asleep, and we carried you back here to your nestbed—where you belong.”
“Odelm was worried about claiming the other spot next to you in the center. Worried about how you would react.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t see the symbolic importance of it that you two do. There are two spots next to me and two of you.”
“They are reserved for the nestqueen’s Favored—her Primary and Second.”
“So, if I hadn’t decided on a Primary or Second, I’d sleep alone down here while you both slept on one of the outer pallets? That’s absurd!”
“Well, Xylo offered me a spot—said it was okay—but not you.”
“That’s because I was already asleep. I had made it clear to Xylo, in no uncertain terms, I didn’t want to play favorites. If—and only if—I select any other mates, then we can discuss who gets to sleep where, figure out a rotation or whatever. But I still want equality in this clan, this family. Now, I’d rather we focus on other things.”
“Like what you will do about the Aldawi sire of your cubs?” Xylo questioned.
I shrugged. “I’m still not sure, but you will both be the first to know, and you have nothing to worry about.”
“Then we will not.”
They left me alone to freshen up in the bathroom. Both males had seemed to understand. We all knew if I ever accepted my cubs’ sire, it might require some adjustments, but that was a problem for another day. In no case, would I jeopardize what I had found with Xylo and Odelm.
I exited the bedroom in an outfit much like yesterday’s and smiled over at my nestmates as they stared down into the terrarium. They turned toward me as
I stepped closer.
“I messaged Kaede. He should be on his way to meet us for breakfast,” said Xylo.
The door chimed.
Rushing over, I beat them to the door and opened it.
Kaede stood there with his hands behind his back. “How are you feeling this morning?”
I smiled. “Well rested. I believe I left without saying goodbye last night. I’m sorry for falling asleep on you.”
“Your rest is more important—as is getting you some breakfast.” He glanced behind me. “Are we ready to go?”
The four of us made our way to the café and had a quick breakfast together. The three males seemed to have come to some sort of agreement last night, the conversation flowing freely as they discussed Odelm’s musical instruments and Xylo’s preparation for my delivery. I sat in silence, listening to their male camaraderie, pleased I didn’t need to worry about them getting along.
When we arrived at the infirmary, the three healers were already there, hard at work. Odelm and Kaede waited near the door, out of the way, as Xylo ran his daily scans and gave me my prenatal vitamins. Xylo and Chyox confirmed all was well.
Before leaving with Odelm, an imp of mischief possessed me. I walked over to Xylo and stood on my toes to make myself tall enough to reach his face. He grabbed my hips to steady me, and his eyes lit in wonder as I placed a quick kiss on his cheek.
“What was that for?” he asked as his eyes met mine.
“I felt like it.” I smiled. “I hope you have a good day. See you at dinner.”
He let go of me, stunned.
I peered over at the healers. They looked at us in confusion.
Rolling my eyes at them, I turned and sauntered out of the infirmary. Before I’d gotten even as far as the lift, Kaede and Odelm caught up with me.
“What was that about?” Kaede asked as he pushed the button for the third floor.
“The kiss? I’d read about it when researching humans. They often talked about a ‘wife’ kissing her ‘husband’ on the cheek when he went off to work.” I shrugged. “I was curious. I wanted to see what it was like.”