Arobi's Queen: A Mate Index Romance (The Mate Index Book 11)

by S. J. Sanders

  He grimaced. “Pups would be easier to convince to eat as they should,” he admitted. His mouth curved as he gave her a sidelong look. “I suppose I can always look forward to our pups. Maybe they will teach the rest of your males something.”

  To his delight, their queen’s flush brightened beautifully, but it turned to alarm as she choked on her coffee. He rubbed her back as she sputtered until she cleared her airways of the liquid.

  Glancing up at him, her face paled. “It’s a bit early to be thinking of that!”

  “Perhaps,” he agreed easily as he stepped back. She was still not entirely comfortable with prolonged contact, but they had been gradually easing her into it, and she was accepting more from them as the days passed. Truthfully, he could spend all of his days stroking her hair and skin and taking pleasure from the variety of scents that were part of her alluring perfume. Especially the scent of her arousal, which had sadly dissipated after the mention of pups.

  His cock tightened with renewed vigor, and he bit back a hiss. Clearing his throat, he stepped back and smiled down at her. He knew just the thing she would enjoy. He had been out once to fetch her when she got distracted by a viewing port before her independent walks were shut down. He had even accompanied her a few times on her escorted walks after that. She loved the view from one port in particular.

  “If you are not of the mind to eat, perhaps you would like to come with me to watch our descent to the planet from one of the viewing ports?” he invited.

  Hayley’s eyebrows winged up and a happy smile stretched over her lips. “Really? You won’t get bored standing around while I gawk?”

  “Not at all.” He smiled. “The view of the planet from space is incredible… and when I get tired of looking at that, I can get my fill looking upon your beauty. I can never get bored of that.”

  Her blushed deepened but her smile widened. “All right. Let’s go, then.”

  To his surprise, she laced her fingers with his, her hand all but disappearing within his as they left their cabin. They walked leisurely together like that, hand in hand. Although he loved the touch of her hand in his, Bilax was attentively rigid the entire time until they arrived at their destination. Old habits die hard, and he did not trust the crew around their queen. Once it became apparent that the corridors were empty, only then was he able to relax to a small degree.

  Standing at Hayley’s side, they looked out at the planet filling the viewing port. Lush with lavenders and greens, isolated sprawling areas of yellow, and small bodies of water, the planet looked peaceful from space despite the dangers that lurked upon it, both from settlers and the wild creatures that lived there. He could hear the small catch of her breath as she stared at the sight with an expression of wonder, her eyes drinking everything in.

  “My first alien world,” she whispered softly. “It’s beautiful… Would it be awful if I said it scares me a little?”

  “No,” he answered. “It is a mark of intelligence. There are things that I would be afraid to face alone. Creatures of the mountains that are larger and vicious. For one as small as you, you would be a tempting target for all manner of detestable males who have settled on the planet to evade the law.”

  Tilting her head back, she glanced up at him with a smirk. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

  He chuckled and dropped his head to run his muzzle affectionately over her hair. She did not object, but let out a small, happy sigh. With his head lowered, he spoke softly for her alone. “True that there are things on that planet you should be wary of, but also know that your pack will always protect you. We are yours, and we will let no harm come to you.”

  Her hand slid out of his and up his arm as she leaned into it, resting her head against his bicep, hugging his arm to her. Warmth filled him at the contact. Such basic contact that so many took for granted, and yet he was absolutely starved for. He valued it as much as he did the trust that she exhibited with that one gesture. His chest expanded as a sense of worth overtook him. It was an utterly unfamiliar feeling for him, but one that gave him hope for their future.

  Chapter 13

  The port city of Intakfell was fascinating. Hayley attempted to see everything at once. At first there had been the small obstacle of being blockaded between the Arobi, which made it impossible to see anything. After some aggressive elbowing and demands for them to move so that she could see, she was greeted with an amazing view of chaos.

  Technology seemed to merge with a frontier feel, in that nothing seemed to be planned out or matched. Instead, buildings and a confused network of side streets seemed to be placed randomly off the main thoroughfare that stretched from one side of town to the other. Just as jumbled were the smells of different cooking foods on the air, mixing with the scents of the market. Some of them were unpleasant, but the atmosphere was an exciting one to experience.

  The guys didn’t seem quite as excited. In fact, they appeared to be the opposite of excited. Tension gathered through their bodies as they vigilantly turned their attention in numerous directions, nostrils flaring and ears twitching. They bared their teeth frequently and made a terrifying sight at times. If she hadn’t already become accustomed to their presence on the spaceship, she might have been backing away with some of the local residents. In fact, the locals seemed to give them a wide berth the moment they caught sight of them.

  Did they not have any friends?

  A short, wide male, his features vaguely reptilian with bulging eyes, came rushing out of one of the buildings toward them with a peculiar, almost hopping gait. Exeri relaxed marginally as the male approached. He seemed to know him, but even still the Arobi shifted his body in front of her, cutting off most of her view.

  She barely resisted the urge to poke him again. It was, after all, likely done with her safety in mind. But damn, she would have liked a closer look at the strange being. He—if it was a he—seemed to come up no higher than her waist. And she wasn’t a tall woman. The alien’s voice was thin and raspy as it spoke to Exeri.

  “It is good to see the Entanga Pack back. I have been waiting. You were gone a long time,” the alien accused. “A situation arose while you were gone that has been most concerning.”

  “It was necessary,” Exeri snapped. The smaller male immediately drew back, frightened, and the alpha breathed out a long sigh. “My apologies, Foazarg. What needs our attention?”

  The alien nodded and came forward again as he straightened his clothes. “There have been sightings in the northern mountains near the mines. The details on what it is appear conflicting. At least that is the report that came to me.”

  The pack rumbled curiously around her, and Exeri cocked his head. “Interesting. Please forward the details to my comm unit and I will check it upon returning home.”

  “Yes, yes…” There was a pause as the alien shuffled. “Is that a human female with you?”

  “Our mate,” Exeri bit out.

  “How did you manage that? No one on Antari Minor can get a mate except the transplants who have membership status due to their home planet belonging to the Union.”

  “That is not anyone’s concern. Are we clear on that?”

  “Oh! Yes, of course. It is just surprising. Just be careful—if some of the rowdier males learn that she is here…”

  “If they are so foolish to attempt to steal her from my pack, then I will have no problem sending them to meet their ancestors,” Exeri said.

  “Of… course,” Foazarg squeaked. He bobbed an abrupt bow before scurrying away.

  Hayley watched the alien weave between the people crowding the street until he disappeared from sight. “What a strange alien,” she muttered.

  Simah chuckled. “Foazarg is a Mintigi, the original people of Antari Minor. For the most part they prefer to stay in their ancestral settlements, but they do come into the ports to deal with various business. My guess is that the mine just north of their village has a creature that needs to be dealt with.”

  “What if it was
just their village being attacked? Wouldn’t that have been enough of a reason?” she asked.

  The male shook his head regretfully. “Because we are employed by the mining and farming corporation, they typically will not come to us unless it is an offworld investment or colony port city being threatened.” He tipped his head thoughtfully. “Though I have noticed that it is rare for the predators to approach their village.”

  “Just how big are these predators, anyway?” she asked warily.

  “They are quite monstrous,” Tanji said cheerfully with a bizarre sort of anticipation—like he actually enjoyed hunting them. “Some are nearly as big as a house, with a mouth large enough to swallow you up in one bite.” He snapped his teeth together, and Hayley felt a chill shoot up her spine.

  “Shut up,” Simah sighed. “You are overexaggerating and scaring our queen.”

  Tanji’s ears dropped as he glanced over at Hayley. “My apologies. It was not my intent to scare you.”

  Hayley shook her herself and dredged up an encouraging smile. “No, I’m fine. At least I know that I have strong mates who’ll protect me from anything running loose out there.”

  Tanji nodded, his ear tipping toward her as he beamed with pride. “They make good eating too,” he added.

  She wrinkled her nose. Aside from gators, she had never heard of a predator that actually tasted good. Some people swore that bear meat was passable, but she didn’t believe it. She supposed that, given the Arobi were pretty scary predators themselves, it made sense that they would eat much of what they killed. But then… that meant…

  “Do they ever come close to your home?” she asked in alarm.

  Bilax shook his head. “They used to, but it has been some time since we had any come near our territory. For the most part, they seem to prefer to stay in the mountains unless something draws them down.”

  “Like the sounds of heavy machinery used for mining and farming,” Simah added with a snort.

  Hayley’s mouth dropped open. “If those things are drawing them out, why not discontinue it?”

  Bilax barked out a laugh. “And lose all the profit? The machinery makes labor cheaper. There are still people who go into the mine, but they are able to cut corners with machines. The farms are almost completely automated outside of the landowners who oversee them. This planet is rich in resources, so the solution is to employ hunters, such as us, to deal with creatures when they come out of the mountains.”

  “That almost sounds like more trouble than it’s worth,” she objected.

  Bilax shrugged. “Not to their records, I imagine. They are pulling in the expected profits, and much of the grain and metal is used throughout the Union.”

  “It still seems silly, but I suppose there isn’t much that can be done about it,” she said.

  “That is the spirit!” Tanji laughed as he wrapped one thick arm around her and squeezed affectionately before letting her go.

  Hayley rolled her eyes but smiled as the Arobi led her into the market, where they proceeded to purchase sacks of fresh foods at a bewildering speed. Somehow, despite the fact that they remained clustered around her, they seemed to move like lightning, snatching sacks of provisions quicker than she could track. Before she knew it, they were loaded down with fresh meat, fruit, sacks of what appeared to be basic essentials, and unfamiliar vegetables as they headed back toward the docking area just outside of town.

  This time, however, they hung a sharp left and walked until they arrived at a cluster of smaller private vessels. The cruiser they strode up to was black, and though covered in a fine film of dust and dirt, it was sleek and looked practically new. Hayley marveled at it as Bilax unlocked it and the entire pack piled in, pulling her in with them.

  The interior told the tale of what the exterior hinted. It was definitely a newer vehicle. Hayley was pretty certain it had the alien equivalent of “new car” smell. As they entered, there was a small storage compartment to the right in which the guys stacked their purchases before leading her into the main part of the cruiser. The pilot’s seat was in front of the console, while four other chairs lined the walls on either side. Simah patiently tucked her into a chair and strapped her in before settling into one of the chairs beside her. Tanji dropped into the other chair and belted himself in with a smug grin in Bilax’s direction. The other male snarled, but stomped to the pilot’s seat while Exeri dropped into a seat facing them from the opposite wall. His gaze was so fixed on them that it made Hayley shift uncomfortably.

  “This certainly is a big cruiser,” she said, trying to make conversation. “We have a few models on Earth that are owned by the super wealthy, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything this big or this nice.”

  She was certain that either Simah or Tanji would respond to her observation since they had been the chattiest with her, so she was surprised when Exeri’s deep voice cut in.

  “Our pack is a modest size, but this vessel seemed to be an adequate choice,” Exeri said. “It comes with extra seats and the option to add more if we have pups.”

  If we have pups…

  Hayley was at a loss for how to reply. That was the second time pups had been mentioned, and while she understood that the Mate Index was geared more or less with that in mind, her thoughts immediately went to all the hot, sweaty sex that would need to take place for that to happen. She was all for the sex, but her plans… Why was that wavering in her mind when it had been so strong? Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and wasn’t inclined to budge. So she smiled and turned her attention to something else, choosing to stare out the main window at the front of the vessel.

  The shift in her attention brought Bilax to the center of her vision, and she watched as the male moved his hands over the controls. The lights in the cabin flicked on as the cruiser began to hum at a low pitch. It rocked as the propulsion engines brought them up off the ground. Her stomach wobbled a little as their vehicle streaked forward, the rocky landscape giving way to vast fields and then forests. The ship finally began to reduce its speed as the trees below cleared away to reveal a large glade near the base of the mountain in which sat a pristine group of dome structures attached to each other by what appeared to be long halls. A lush garden surrounded the building, providing a bit of beauty and familiarity to their destination.

  Try as she might, nothing looked natural to her. The ground was too yellow, the plant life in vibrant hues that she had never seen in nature. The brilliant teals and neon shades among blooms and leaves were the most visually bizarre, although the shapes did in some fashion remind her of plant life on Earth. Still, the overall effect was quite unsettling, especially when splashed against the stark whiteness of their house, so she stared speechlessly as the ship slowed further and began its descent toward the structure.

  Several large, squat birds—completely lacking necks as far as she could see, and possessing long, curved beaks—took to the air on enormous wings as the cruiser settled on the ground just to the side of the house. Hayley wasn’t given a moment to attempt to get her bearings before Exeri unbuckled her and yanked her up into his arms. She drew herself tight against his chest, praying that he wouldn’t run into something as he carried her bridal-style out of the cruiser.

  He didn’t set her on her feet once they exited. He didn’t even break stride. In fact, she was pretty sure that his pace picked up as his muscles hardened with noticeable excitement. She glanced over his shoulder and saw the rest of the pack following them, their expressions eager and tense as their bodies seemed to practically vibrate from their restraint. They said nothing until they reached the door.

  Exeri placed his palm on it, and the locking mechanism unlatched audibly seconds before the door slid open. He glanced down at her solemnly, his eyes softening.

  “I understand that it is a human custom for a male to carry his mate over the threshold?”

  Hayley blinked in surprise. “Well, yes…”

  The male stepped forward before she even got all her words out,
carrying her into the dome as it lit up, showcasing the breathtaking beauty of the home. Hayley stared at the lavish surroundings. It was… incredible.

  A rattling growl drew her attention back to the male holding her. His eyes were locked upon her, and a quick look around confirmed that all the males stalking closer bore the same look. Their gazes focused and flaring with heat, their muscles quivering with tension.

  The moment had come.

  Her body reacted instantly, not surprisingly since she had spent the last few days almost constantly at the edge of arousal. Her nipples tightened, and her sex clenched instinctively as damp heat flowed to settle low, slicking her pussy with an unexpected swell of need in response to that dominant sound and the close press of Exeri’s muscled body.

  “Now… you are ours,” Exeri snarled as the pack swooped in from all sides, their clothes discarded to reveal the entirety of their naked forms—every bulging muscle and flat plane, running down to the swollen sheaths that contained their sexes. Only Exeri was still dressed since he was the one holding her.

  Hayley’s breath rushed into her lungs with a gasp of excitement.

  “Ours,” they growled in agreement.

  Chapter 14

  Exeri felt his chest expand with a sense of triumph. They were home, and their queen was hot, eager, and willing between them. Finally, his pack had their queen. They had paid their dues in service to bring down their slavers, and they had worked hard for revolutions afterward to secure an appropriate home. They even suffered through a painful week of close confinement with their female.

  It all led to this moment. She was theirs.

  A sense of rightness flowed through him as his pack pushed closer, their muzzles brushing her as they inhaled her scent, imprinting it upon them. If there was any chance that her scent wasn’t ingrained upon their senses from the days in their cabin, that was rectified now as the pack moved in with the instinctive intent to bond.

  They had denied themselves long enough.