by Jade Waltz
Zirene pulled me onto his lap, my body pressed against his as he wrapped his arms around me. I felt dwarfed by his stature as he caged me. His fur was soft against my skin as warmth radiated from him. His paw-like hand lightly pulled my hair off my marked neck. I winced from the slight rawness. A purr resonated from his chest and its rumble vibrated against my back.
“I just want things to be how they were between us, but now, it is more than just us.”
“Selena… this wasn’t how things were supposed to be.” He sighed. “I don’t regret you being my Nova, but I know others won’t agree with us being together. A few have already voiced such opinions and will probably try to use it against both of us. Knowing this and the resistance I’ve already experienced, I wanted you to know me for who I am, not my position or power. I didn’t want the Yaarkins finding out somehow. I wanted us to be on an even footing—to be equals when we were together. I felt like I could be myself with you without having to put up the front as I do with others.”
I wiped the tears from my eyes. “That makes sense, but I am still upset about how everything unfolded.”
“Selena, I know it will take time to forgive me. I promise I will make it up to you.” He took in a deep breath before letting it out, tickling my neck. “Aldawi females tend to community-raise their cubs after the first month. They leave their mother at around six months to learn how to hunt with mentors, along with others their age. By three years old, they are sent to an academy during the day until they graduate at twenty-five years old.” He gently squeezed his arms around me. “I won’t have you around female Aldawi, not at this point in time, but I have hired a full crew for your clan’s land. You will have guards, a full kitchen staff, housekeepers, along with caretakers and mentors for all of our children—current and future. There will also be medical staff on-site with their own infirmary.”
“Why?” I choked, stunned by this knowledge.
“As you said, I impregnated you without your knowledge. I want to make raising our children as easy as possible, so if you want to do something, like studying a subject, having a career, or exploring the stars. I forced you to be a mother before you were ready, and I want to make sure you have the freedom of the stars to do whatever you want.”
Words failed me. He was giving me the freedom to do whatever I want yet continue to be a mother. I would never feel lost with all the help he hired. Raising children, not even of my own species, was something I feared. I didn’t want them to have a handicap by not giving them the knowledge they needed to be on the same level as other Aldawi children their age. When our cubs—and any children Odelm and Xylo may sire—were in the academy, I would have that time to do what I wanted without feeling guilty. Education was an important factor for all three species. I just needed to make sure we spent time at night together as a family.
He lapped at my mark, slowly at first, and when I didn’t object, continued at a quicker speed, his tongue wet and slightly rough as it brushed against my skin. I closed my eyes and focused on the sensations flooding me, feeling the pain gradually leave me.
“What happened after you marked me?” I whispered.
Zirene halted his licking. I could feel his hot, deep breaths against my wet skin, tickling me.
“You submitted to me. That is the greatest honor to give a male Aldawi—a female’s submission. In my struggle to not throw you on the floor and take you in front of everyone, I entered a focused trance and lost track of time. It is almost instinctive—primal. It’s an Aldawi tradition and happens whenever a female submits to a male, more so since I am a royal. My dominant aura thrived from your display, and in my dazed state, I lost control of it. It took Royak to fight me with his own aura and your nestmates using their appendages to make me release your collapsed, unconscious form,” he strained. His deep raspy voice, combined with his purrs, rolled through my body.
“How long was I out?” I murmured as I tried to comprehend what he told me.
“Five days,” he choked. “Your nestmates and I were frantic. I thought they would attack me, but their attention was on you and taking care of our cubs. Odelm washed your body with a cloth as Xylo inspected you. Xylo gave you boosters and monitored your vitals until you became stable. My doctor and your medical team took the time to upgrade your communicator, inserting your ID and credit chip. They sit behind your left ear.” I shot my hand up to feel the spot. “The triangle base that houses them hugs your skin and is almost unnoticeable. It can’t be removed unless you undergo intensive surgery.” I traced the triangle shape against my skull. “Between the three of us and my brother, we took turns taking care of you and the cubs. Sadly, your body stopped producing breast milk while you were sleeping, using all of its resources in healing you. We supplemented the cubs with the enhanced fish oil your nestmates brought until my doctor could produce a liquid meal replacement. I stood vigil while your nestmates and our cubs slept, refusing to sleep myself until you woke.”
“Five days?”
“Yes. I never want to experience that again.”
I looked down at my chest and noticed my breasts seemed slightly smaller than I last remembered. Sadness filled me at the loss of being able to provide for my cubs—even though it was out of my hands.
“Our cubs still need you, Selena. I refuse to let you believe that you are inadequate because you aren’t the same species—or because of the consequences of my actions. You produced three healthy cubs with no major difficulty. Things happened for a reason. Don’t let this minor mishap and the stress from the situation ruin anything else. Our cubs are being fully taken care of and will thrive on their own.”
I leaned into him, feeling his chest rise and fall as he breathed onto my shoulder. I felt disoriented with both this knowledge and the loss of days. While I was glad Odelm, Xylo, and Zirene were getting along and took care of the cubs while I was out of it, hearing about this side of Zirene I never knew about concerned me.
“Zirene. What would happen if I triggered your dominant instincts again?”
“Somehow, you and your nestmates are as resistant to it as Royak. I hope it doesn’t happen again. If it does, you would have to shake me out of it.”
I laid against him in silence, absorbing the warmth radiating from his body and enjoying the pleasantness that fell on us. Keeping my eyes closed, I focused on his breathing, allowing it to calm me as we enjoyed a moment of silence alone together.
“Selena?” Xylo’s deep mental voice asked, his mental voice slightly panicked.
“Yes, Xylo?” I jerked from the urgency. “What is it?”
“Our cubs woke up hungry. Odelm and I were surprised you weren’t between us.”
I mentally grabbed both of their golden threads, including Odelm in our conversation.
“I am sorry to worry you both. I woke up, and Zirene tended me. We are in his office. We needed to have a long-awaited conversation alone, and I didn’t want to wake any of you.”
Relief flooded through both nestmates’ bonds.
“We understand, Selena. Is it all right if we come over?” Odelm asked.
“Of course.”
“Our cubs woke up hungry. Odelm and Xylo are bringing them over. Is it too late to call your doctor?”
“Selena,” he huffed against my shoulder. “It is morning. I can send for him and for Xylo’s crew… unless you want some alone time with your nestmates since they haven’t seen you awake yet.”
Opening my eyes, I stared through the glass wall into space.
“It’s frustrating not being able to keep track of time. I got used to depending on the Destiny’s terrarium time-lapse and the wristband they provided.” I dropped his tail and gripped his arms, feeling his soft and silky black striped fur. “Call them. The more I know about my status, the more comfortable I will be. Plus, I want the cubs to be checked on with me present.”
The sound of the door opening and the cries of my cubs caught my attention. Zirene halted his purring and let out a small whine at the in
trusion.
Xylo was carrying Meti against his chest while Odelm carried both twins in a sling, using his tentacles as support. They both seemed stressed and a little worried, Odelm’s shadowed coloring confirming my observation.
“Who should I feed?” I asked, eyeing both males as Zirene still had me trapped between his arms.
“Meti. We can feed the twins,” Odelm answered.
I turned in my seat to face Zirene. “Is it possible to get a replacement for my wristband or get something similar? They took the one I owned because it was designed to work with the Destiny, and since I wasn’t returning…”
His eyes trailed my body. “I can do that, but I planned for Kaede’s sisters to take you shopping to gather anything you need before we leave the station. Right now, we should make our way to the Royal Sitting Room. There won’t be enough space in my apartment to fit everyone.”
I surveyed my clan as they studied me. “Can you take our cubs there? We will follow you in a moment.”
Odelm nodded at me before turning and leaving Zirene’s office. Xylo eyed my position between Zirene’s arms and legs, his face devoid of emotion. After a few seconds of observing us, he turned and left without a word.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Gently, I pushed Zirene’s arms, signaling him to let me out. He hesitated before giving in and opening both his arms and legs. I stood up and turned to face him, placing my hands on his shoulders as I locked my eyes with his.
“Thank you for having this conversation with me. I felt it was effortless for us to talk to each other, but I still believe we have a lot to work on. Over time, I feel I can forgive you for what you have done, but at this moment, I am still upset. To be honest, I feel overwhelmed, and having cubs to take care of adds another layer to that. Even though I can’t believe it, I appreciate you hiring help for me.”
I reached up to trace my fingers along his shoulder to my mark. Against the black fur, there was a bald spot where my teeth had gripped him. Just like Odelm and Xylo, it was raised slightly on his skin, the top white.
A shiver passed through him. My focus landed on his face as he closed his eyes in response, the sounds of purrs sounding once again.
“We need to continue this conversation at a later time. But know, I don’t want any fighting among Odelm, Xylo, you, and me. I don’t want to raise our cubs around constant hostility. I would appreciate it if we talk about things we disagree on and not keep secrets from each other. I know you are a prince and have a lot of secrets about your Empire, but not between us—our clan, our family—whatever we decide to call ourselves.” I paused, tracing the mark on the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and studied him.
“Zirene, we have a lot to work out both between us and everyone else. The Destiny’s crew deserves some reward. Stars, you can even aid them in finding a new home to settle on. The princes will request that from you when the drama regarding our cubs and myself passes over. Their nestqueens can’t reproduce. Since they don’t have a stable home, their bodies won’t ovulate. Until then, they are just roaming aimlessly in Aldawi territory in hopes of finding a planet that both fits their needs and that your empire doesn’t want. Could you please help them out?”
Zirene slowly opened his eyelids and locked his gaze on me.
“You are now one of the most important members of the Aldawi Empire—both by being my Nova and Mate, and by delivering the first interspecies offspring. If this is something you wish, I will make a few changes in my plans and have a discussion with the princes of the Destiny. My hope is by doing this, you will be happy—including with what I have created for you.”
“They deserve to have a happy ending too… Without them, I wouldn’t have my own by being reunited with you.”
Chapter Six
Zirene
Zirene watched Selena interact with her two nestmates as they fed the cubs, studying their every movement as they continued to have a silent conversation.
Was he jealous of their connection?
He often pondered that question. What Selena had with him and what she had with both Odelm and Xylo was unheard of outside of their three species. She spent the last nine years getting to know him. They connected easily right away, despite their drastic differences. Over time, they had become close, and it didn’t matter he wasn’t with her physically… other than knowing she was still in the hands of the Yaarkins. It pleased him that their conversation allowed them both to reconnect. He wasn’t jealous of Odelm and Xylo, for he also had his own special connection with her. She was his Nova. Their souls unconsciously connected to intermingle with each other when their vessels were in a deep sleep. That was something no one else could have with her, and no matter where he was in the universe, his soul would know when hers called out to him.
Zirene was comfortable enough with his connection to Selena not to feel any hostility or jealously around Odelm and Xylo. They were both respectable males, and by their species’ instincts, they would always put both Selena’s and their cubs’ needs above their own. They had taken care of and loved Selena while she was on the Destiny. Zirene knew they would continue to do so when he was away managing his star system and protecting the Aldawi Empire. That was the main reason why he was fine with Selena having consorts. It wasn’t Aldawi nature to have any relationship—even when a royal claimed a mate, they never lived with them. He was breaking tradition by wanting to reside with her when he was able to and allowing her to have other males.
He hoped they could get everything they needed to do at CEG HQ over with soon. Zirene wanted to take Selena and their clan to the place he had been building over the last nine years. There were more people moving in than he originally thought, but he had made sure there would be plenty of space. Zirene wanted to see how she reacted to everything and be able to spend time with her before he had to leave for his next mission.
Selena and their clan with their cubs. That was something he needed to process.
Aldawi typically only kept familial ties with members of the same gender because that was how their society was split. Now, he had both a mate who was his Nova and a daughter. Having them live among males would be something others in the Aldawi Empire would question. He hoped having Selena and the rest of their clan reside on the property he had prepared would suffice for now. Sooner or later, she would want to explore the stars.
Zirene focused on his tablet, using his implant to write out the documents as he moved his fingers along the 3D projection. The minimap on the lower right stated his brother Royak was almost here. He was bringing both the Aldawi doctor, Vikvez Veycan, and their half-brother, Pavryn Ayvar.
Aldawi recently adopted an implant similar to Agent Kaede’s full-body implant’s AI system, which allowed the user to sign in and connect to the Aldawi Empire’s new technology as long as their permissions allowed. Only certain high-ranking members of the Aldawi Empire had implants designed like his, giving them special customizations and permissions in their respective fields.
They were something no one in the CEG could duplicate.
These implants allowed the Aldawi to fully upgrade all of their fighter ships to be pilotless, smaller, and more lethal. The pilots could log-in their personal dreamdome and have full control of one of their assigned ships on the carriers. The fighter’s new technology allowed them to see everything around the ship in real-time and react to it. If their ship was shot down or used in a destructive way, it would spare the pilot’s life. This gave the Aldawi the upper hand with no downtime, training new pilots to replace the ones who died.
A scientist could use their implant to assist in research and performing surgeries. Doctors could look up symptoms in real-time to give more accurate aid to patients. This allowed Aldawi doctors to be able to refer to all information on all the registered species in the CEG.
They also added a communicator to the implant, allowing them to understand and communicate in any language, written or verbal. If a language was not registered in the CEG, the
implant would observe, record, and self-teach itself that unregistered language so it could be uploaded into the system and then shared with others later on.
This new technology would allow the Aldawi to communicate with any other species that tried to invade the Euph Galaxy once again. The Aldawi would be victorious in any future wars—if they were to happen.
News about Selena was spreading through the space station like a deadly virus. The politicians and scientists became excited once they learned about Selena’s capabilities and the existence of their cubs. He had a sinking feeling someone would decide to test his own capabilities and try to take her away to study. The problem was, he didn’t know if he should prepare for an organization or a leader from one of the CEG species to give him trouble. No matter what, it was his right to defend what was his, and he wasn’t afraid to slaughter anyone involved.
He glanced up from his tablet at his clan. They were all lying together on the large circular resting chair, the cubs sleeping on a smaller version a short distance away, curled up in a pile.
An odd feeling passed through him as he realized he could do moments like this. How effortless it was to work on things while in the presence of Selena and their cubs.
“Selena,” Zirene purred.
Her gaze jerked from their cubs to his, locking her eyes with his own.
“Yes, Zirene?”
He studied the males beside her, noticing their attention was on him. Returning his focus to her, he gave her a gentle smile, trying not to frighten her with the news.
“It seems like Royak is bringing the Aldawi doctor I told you about, along with our half-brother.” He said, turning his attention to Xylo. “I don’t have an update on where your princes or crew are, but I ordered a breakfast buffet to be delivered here, so we don’t have to venture outside these Royal Aldawi Commons.”
Xylo nodded before stilling for a moment, then glanced at the double entry doors. “It seems the princes gathered my team and are trying to get past the royal guards you have stationed—”