by Belle Harper
“She is fine, Koh. I think she saw mating in the woods. That female Quinn doesn’t keep to her hut always. Especially with my brother.”
I looked back to where she had come from, it was closer to Quinn’s hut. Maybe he was right. Ryven—Apak’s brother—was new here. He was blind in one eye, but he somehow was chosen by Quinn.
Most males here in Clan Wolf were ones who would never have been considered for a female. So, it made me wonder what these human females looked for in a mate.
Makee wasn’t able to talk, yet Brooklyn had chosen him as a mate. She also had the scarred Tiji.
Luna chose her takxe, that had never been heard of. And she chose the smaller warrior as her first mate; he would never have been selected for a female in his clan.
Quinn had also taken her takxe. She had one chosen with her, but she chose the male who would tap his rock on the tree above her hut and wake her. The male with a missing eye: Ryven.
I could talk a lot of the human words; was a good builder and warrior. I was low born in my clan but would have been considered for a female if I wasn’t a rejected male who was outcast.
I had all the qualities an Aashi female would want in a mate. But for a human… I worried that I wasn’t what they would want. That I would never be chosen by them. I was fine and accepted that until Jee-seka came. She set my mating hormones into overdrive with her lovely scent. I loved to be close to her, it made my cock leak with seed whenever she was close, but it made the releasing of seed all that much more powerful.
I could see now why Daku kept his distance for so long from his mate, Luna, if he felt like this all the time, especially when she was close by. I didn’t know how he lasted so long without accepting her when she told him she wished to be his mate. My cock was sore from the many hours I had already abused it.
I made my way to Jee-seka’s hut. I could hear her breathing. She didn’t seem to be crying. I carefully knocked on the hut’s door to alert her to my presence.
“Who is it?” she asked. I smiled at her soft voice.
“It is I, Koh,” I replied and waited to see if she would like to speak with me. I heard some movement and the door opened to her beautiful face. Her scent surrounded me like a beautiful perfume.
“Hey, Koh. Is there something wrong with the hut?” she questioned. I didn’t think to make up an excuse as to why I was at her hut. My words were not rehearsed as I had before.
“I, ah… No, the hut is almost complete. I wanted to see you. You ran away fast to your hut and I was worried something had happened.” I saw her eyes dart back to where she had come from and her cheeks grew a shade of pink I had never seen before on her.
Ah, this was the color I had seen on the females’ faces before, when around their mates. Apak must have been telling the truth. She must have seen Quinn with Ryven.
“No, I just saw something I wasn’t expecting while walking. I just wanted to take a walk… No, that is a lie. I just didn’t want to lead anyone on. You know? Tomlee says he understands I’m not looking for a mate, but I don’t think he really does, and I didn’t want to stay there longer with him in case he got the wrong idea.”
I nodded. I didn’t understand some of what she was saying but I understood enough to know she didn’t want Tomlee to think she wanted to choose him.
“I can take you for a walk, I know of many places here that you have not been to. I would protect you.” I held my breath. That was not something she wanted to do with Tomlee, and maybe she didn’t want to do that with me also.
When she didn’t speak, I quickly added, “We can take Apak, he knows many places too.”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, no, I was just worried if I was taking you from your duties. Apak looks busy, but if you’re not, that would be nice. I feel like I’m getting cabin fever here.”
I didn’t want her to get this cabin fever. Was it a human illness? I would take her on walks every day so she would not be unwell. My cock was tight in my cloth, but I had wrapped it tightly. Like Nvaa had around Quinn before everyone knew he had the mating hormones. It was a clever idea. I didn’t wish for her to be scared of me and how my body was reacting to her.
“We shall go then. Jee-seka and Koh will walk together.”
Chapter Nine
Jessica
I was happy to be with Koh, he made me feel so at ease. So much so, I started to tell him all I knew about the M’Mori and the slaves they were using to mine. I even told him how I didn’t want to be here. That us girls didn’t have much of a choice, and I tried to go home but my people in charge wouldn’t allow that.
“I am so sorry, Jee-seka. That must have been how I felt when I was sent from my clan as a rejected male. Outcast into the free lands. But I met Apak, and we traveled together for many years. I found myself happier in the free lands than I ever did in my clan.” I could understand that, I had been in a clan here for hardly any time and I wanted out so fast.
“I am grateful for Clan Wolf. As much as I loved being free of all the clan rules of my former clan, they are not the same here. This clan gives me freedom and a family. And that is very important, to have others around you who care for you, and I now have someone to care for.”
I stopped, and he walked a few feet in front of me before he turned to see I wasn’t following him anymore. He stopped. I didn’t think about that. Being alone was something I had been so used to that I didn’t know anything else. But now, just in this past week, I had five new female friends. I woke up and wanted to see them and was excited they wanted to see me too. They would all ask how I slept, which wasn’t something I thought would make me smile every morning, but it did.
And I had Koh. He came to see if I was okay. But it was true. It was what family did. We were one big family here at Clan Wolf.
“I never thought of it that way, Koh. And even though I miss my old life, I have more here with Clan Wolf and the girls. This is stuff I never had on Earth, no one to ask me if I was okay.” I smiled at him and he returned the smile.
He was really a good looking Aashi. No idea why he was still single. How could any of the girls look past him?
The cramping feeling I was getting wasn’t right for my period. I was lucky that it seemed to be very light, but it was always like a hollow feeling inside when I was near him. It seemed to be when I was around Koh. Or Tomlee. I felt all worked up, like I wanted to jump him now and have him fill my empty belly.
The thought had me panicking. I was waiting for K’Tem. It had only been a week; I shouldn’t have these types of feelings towards others. It was just my body reacting to them. It had to be something in the water, nothing else made sense.
As we entered a clearing, I saw a small creature. It looked like a mini horse. It was purple and white and the size of a Great Dane. It was beautiful
I gasped at the sight of it but it saw me and dashed away. I hadn’t seen any other animals but birds here.
“That is an ahnn, they are skittish animals. They are good for meat on feast day, but now we prepare fish more than take meat from the ahnn. I don’t like fish as much, but it is what Luna prefers. Would you like something to eat? Drink?”
My eyes widened.
“You mean like pixxe or netah, right?” I hoped he wasn’t thinking about killing the ahnn for meat. I liked meat but I wasn’t about to see a beautiful creature die so I could eat. I would be happy with even the mushrooms over the ahnn any day.
“Of course,” Koh replied. I was starting to think he would have chased after the ahnn and killed it if I said so.
He led me over to a stunning water hole. The grass was short around here, and it was soft under my feet. I sat down and ran my hand over the small purple blades of grass. I scooped some water up with my other hand and drank from it. I was hot after the long walk, but out here it was so quiet.
I was used to the quiet, and I think I needed the break from all the loud sounds back at camp.
“I shall go get the food, I won’t be far. Stay here and I will return
very soon.”
I looked up and watched him as he ran, then climbed a tree, his twin tails were in sync with each other. Both waving until he got higher and one wrapped around a branch, and he swung himself like a monkey with four arms, grabbing and grasping as he climbed higher and higher, until I couldn’t see him anymore.
I closed my eyes and listened. Some birds made small sounds, and the leaves rustled a little in the breeze, but other than that, pure silence. Calming and relaxing.
I took a deep breath and lie down, my tee riding up on my belly. I took my runners off and put my toes in the grass. I sighed at the feeling.
I would just close my eyes. Only for a moment.
It was nice out here. Turns out, when I closed my eyes I must have slept for awhile. Koh didn't wake me, but I woke to a mountain of food beside me. Koh was lying beside me. He was still as his chest slowly rose and fell, his upper hands behind his head. He had his eyes closed also.
It gave me a chance to really see him. His long hair, which always seemed to be tied up, was now free and loose behind him. It was beautiful. Black and purple strands running through it. His eyelashes were a darker purple also, but I think what I noticed about Koh was he wasn’t exactly purple. He had more of a blue hue to him. It was pretty and so was he.
His lips were plump and so kissable… Wait, no they weren’t. They weren’t kissable. I couldn’t believe I thought of that. His chest was wide and muscular. God, you could tell he worked with his hands. And that six pack… more like eight. His cloth… oh, that looked a little tented. I quickly averted my eyes and looked at his thighs, so large and strong.
I had the urge to touch him. Just to see how he felt. Does his skin feel soft? Was it rough? His hair looked like silk. Was it?
He was sleeping, and he already had the mating hormones so it wasn’t like I would be triggering something. But then, it was kind of rude for me to touch him without asking. I wouldn’t like it if he touched me while I was sleeping.
“Koh?” I whispered. I didn’t want to startle him.
“Mmm… Jee-seka,” he mumbled back. I bet the poor guy really needed the rest. He had been working nonstop since I got here to Clan Wolf. So, I slowly moved over to the food and picked up the baseball looking one. I knew it was netah. I loved it, I didn’t even know how to describe the taste. But if I had to eat only one of the foods here on Aarzyn, I would pick netah.
I drank more water, and then decided to explore the area, but keeping close to Koh. It was beautiful, this area he took me to. I looked up into the trees, they were so tall. So far up. I couldn’t even climb one if I tried. The branches were too high for me.
I heard a sound and my heart started to race. I turned back to where I heard it. Koh was stretching his hands above his head and yawned before rolling over. He didn’t open his eyes. I smiled. He was so cute just lying there sleeping. If you didn’t know better, you would think he was a rock or something. He blended into the area so well.
I saw a white flower ahead of me. I cocked my head in confusion. I was told the flowers here were green. Not white. Huh… Up ahead there was a tree that was whiter than others. And if I listened closely, I swear I could hear machines? Holy shit. Were we close to the mines?
I took a few tentative steps and looked around. Where was it coming from? Left? Up ahead?
A blinding pain rocked through my head and all I could see was black spots… my body growing weak beneath me. I opened my mouth to call out for Koh but nothing happened. I didn’t know what was happening to me.
Then, everything went black.
Chapter Ten
K’Tem
Three days ago, I spoke to my brother. He was sending messages to two different types of care groups on Mori Mori. Trying to get support for what I had seen here and all the information I had sent back to him. Ones that would be able to help the Zalli.
He had promised me he would come and help save them all. I couldn't just leave them here; I felt guilty that I couldn't do anything more.
“I'm just going on break,” I told one of the other soldiers. He just grunted at me as I walked away. I left my gun and my datawatch behind. This was it; I was going to go find my fated. I quickly made my way past all the slaves and prisoners and into the woods. I knew the direction that I needed to head. She was close to mine eighty-three, I just had to head north and I would be there in a day or two.
I had only been going a few hours when I heard a sound up ahead. I froze. Was it an Aashi male? I wasn't too sure how they would react to seeing me, a M’Mori male, in their territory. I had no weapons to protect myself; I was unarmed. When I heard it getting closer to me, I decided the best course of action would be to greet them.
“Hello, who goes there?” I called out in the Aashi language, hoping to hear someone's voice in return and not spears or any of the weapons Aashi might have.
But whoever was out there had stopped. This left me in a hard position. Were they waiting for me to come out of where I was hiding behind a tree? Or was it an animal who had made the sounds and not someone else? I couldn’t stand here waiting all day, so I took a few steps forward, making sure to keep quiet. I crouched low, my clothing not helping to camouflage myself to the trees.
I heard something coming closer. They were running. I darted out to surprise them. Having that element, they might not be ready to attack me. But what I didn’t expect was to see a large, blue male in front of me. He came to a halt.
“Wow, hey.” I held my hands up. He was much larger than me, and stronger. But what was he doing out here? This wasn’t good for me if they were tracking him, he could tell them where I was. Crap.
“Do you want to be free?” I asked. I watched as his eyes darted around. Oh shit, this was the male from my first day. The one they held the holo-wand to his throat. I could see the scars it had left behind.
I slowly dropped my bag to the ground and held my hand up.
“Stay, please, don’t go. I can help you.” I wish I knew some Zalli words but I didn’t think I needed to learn any. I didn’t need to where I was going. Well, I didn’t think I did. He watched me; it was as if he was frozen, waiting to pounce on me. My datapad was at the top and I slowly pulled it out. He cocked his head and grunted something at me.
I pulled up my language app and set it for Zalli.
“I can help you escape.” When the words repeated back to him, I could see he was surprised at this. His brows furrowed, and he looked around as if there was an ambush he was waiting for,
“Why would you help me? Your people took me from my world, my family. All I had known. They treat us like nothing but dirt beneath their feet. There is nothing here for me but death and you will help me? Why?”
I felt so terrible to be connected to the M’Mori. If I could shed my scales, I would at once. I didn’t want to look like them. The way he watched me, as if I would kill him, was making me sick. This was not my people. I would never be like them.
“I am also escaping them. My fated mate is here. She is living with the Aashi. I am coming for her, but if I was to be found out, they would kill me.”
He seemed surprised at my words, and he shifted his weight around as if trying to trust me or what to make of me.
“You have a tracking device on your ankle.” I pointed to the silver device that seemed damaged, like he had spent some time already trying to remove it.
“I can help remove it.” He stepped up a few feet from me. What did I say?
“I have tried to remove it; they haven’t come looking for me. I have been here two days now. I do not need your help. I do not trust you to come closer to me.”
I was surprised. Two days. But also, he was much larger than me. And I had no weapons. He must not realize this, and I wasn’t about to tell him otherwise.
“The tracker is still on. They have told me they toy with you all. Letting you think you have escaped, only to come chasing after you. They might be on their way here now. I don’t want you to have to go back to them. Come
with me. My mate, Jessica, is waiting for me, and I don’t want you to go back to the mines. They will hurt you again.
“My brother is trying to stop all of this as I speak. He is rounding up others to come free all the Zalli, but I don’t know how long that will take. So please, let me do this for you.” He looked down again at the tracker. The little light flashed blue. I could see the defeat in his eyes. He must have spent a long time trying to destroy it; his ankle was covered in dried, red blood.
Reluctantly, he took a few steps to me, eyeing my hands as if I were going to attack him.
I placed the datapad down on my bag and held my hands up.
“I don’t have weapons with me. M’Mori weapons all have trackers. I don’t have anything to defend myself. Me telling you this, is in trust. I can trust you will not injure me, and I will not injure you.”
He sat down and stretched his leg out towards me. I looked down to the tracker, it was in bad shape but I would be able to remove it. I knew how they went on after I watched a few yesterday. I reached into my bag and saw him stiffen. I made my movements slow and showed him as I pulled out a screwdriver. It was an old tool that many M’Mori didn’t use anymore. I had packed it because it was something I had brought with me when I became a soldier. My grandfather had given it to me when I was a child.
It wasn’t something I thought I would need. It was in case my datapad was damaged. But now it was proving useful in more ways than one.
“Now, I will unscrew the lid. I will turn off the tracker before I remove it, because if I remove it before then, it will send out a loud warning sound, making it easier for them to find us.” Because now it was an us, not just him. I was in just as much danger being near this tracker as he was.