by Belle Harper
I could see the fruit up there hanging off a high branch, I wanted to eat it so badly. But I couldn’t reach that high. I paced around one tree for a while trying to figure out how to get up there, the lower branch was not so far off the ground yet the second row of branches I couldn’t reach, I was looking for something to stand on, to raise me higher when I heard it.
I froze. Someone was speaking to me in an alien language. Was it one of the native people from this planet?
Yai had information of most things, but this planet he didn’t know much about. He had never seen one of the natives, he had only heard they were purple. That would help to camouflage them here in the large forest. He never mentioned predators, so I was unsure if there were any. I hadn’t seen any animals other than the birds who sang a pretty song overhead.
I hadn’t been looking out for predators or the natives, the thought had slipped my mind this day. I was hungry and growing weaker. I didn’t know where the voice came from. I crouched low, my legs and shoulders growing tight. Ready to flee, if need be. I scanned the area, but it all looked the same. I tried to focus on shapes. How could I tell if a native was hiding in plain sight against a tree? My eyes darted up… or above.
Run, my mind screamed. Run away. I couldn’t see the enemy so I needed to get out of there, before more came.
My color was not helping as I ran, I was a blue target on a purple backdrop. But it was the best course of action. What I didn’t expect was a M’Mori male to dart out from behind a tree. A sudden dark mood washed over me, my jaw clenched tight and I heard the roar of hatred flow through me. Yet I didn’t speak a word or move a muscle. I froze at the sight of him, my fists shaking with the need to kill him. He needed to die for his crimes against my people.
He placed his hands up and spoke his language… I stood stiff and unmoving. Was he wanting to taunt me, play with his kill? M’Mori weapons could kill me before I even reached him. But he stood still with his hands raised, was he surrendering himself to me? This had to be part of a game.
My eyes darted around to see how many there were. Were they hiding in the trees waiting for me to make a move on this male? If this was how they wanted to kill me, so be it. I wasn’t going back to the mines, but I wouldn’t go down without taking one of them with me. This M’Mori would pay with his life for what he did to my family. I took a step closer, waiting to see if any others presented themselves.
This male had no weapons? Or was he bluffing, would he surprise me in the last moment with a power stick then drag me back to the mines? I would break his neck before he could attempt it. I could take one on, but not more than one.
I watched as he dropped his bag to the ground. He was odd in the way he was behaving. He was not like the M’Mori I had encountered so far, he wasn’t as large as the others either. He was smaller, was he not a solider? He wore the uniform as they others had. He reached in and pulled out one of those communication devices. I cocked my head and looked on.
“Are you calling for others?” I grunted at his weakness to take me on. I was waiting for him to produce a weapon, one I could use against him. He might have food in his pack also, I would take him out and steal his supplies. Stupid M’Mori had no idea how I was going to kill him. I was ready, I felt like he was alone and I could take him down swiftly.
* * *
He spoke some words and his communication device spoke to me… in Zalli.
“I can help you escape.”
I took a step back, feeling slightly disorientated. My brows furrowed, what did he mean escape. I looked around again waiting for other M’Mori but nothing appeared. It was if he was truly alone and he’d offered me help in escaping. My breath caught in my chest a moment as I rolled the words over in my head.
“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?”
He moved in an uneasy way, I could see his limbs were a little shaky and the way he shifted was interesting to me. But he was still M’Mori. Why wasn’t he pulling his power stick on me, or worse his gun.
“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.”
My eyes widened at his words. He was escaping… his own people? I didn’t understand, this didn’t make any sense. When I didn’t make a move to speak, he spoke again.
“You have a tracking device on your ankle.” He pointed to the device that I had damaged with the rock days earlier. I couldn’t get free of it no matter what I tried. The damage I’d caused to my leg in my attempts was visible to him.
“I can help remove it.” He offered, I took a few steps back. Was this his way to get closer to me so he could hit me with the power stick? I wasn’t stupid. As much as the M’Mori thought we were.
“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 growled out. Trying to put warning in my voice.
“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.”
I would never let them hurt me again, I wanted revenge but I couldn’t take it if I was dead. I looked down to the tracker that was covered in some of my blood from my last attempt to remove it. I saw the light flash on and I knew what he was saying to be true. I felt all the adrenaline leave my body and without it I was left with a numb feeling. They’d let me think I had my freedom, then hunt me down as I thought this male had. How many Zalli had they done this too… my throat tightened at the thought.
I had tried so hard, injured my leg from the beatings I gave the device. Yet I didn’t give up, thinking I was free. I knew him to be speaking the truth. The M’Mori would not go to that much effort to take me. For me to only escape and not give chase. I let out a long exhale. The fight had left my body and my shoulders slumped.
I reluctantly took steps towards the M’Mori, watching to see if he would do as he said and free me from this tracker, or if he would kill me. I watched as he placed the communication device on his bag and hesitated at my approach.
“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 wanted me to trust him, I almost scoffed at the statement. I would never trust a M’Mori. Any trust I held in others was long gone. But the way this male spoke, if he was also escaping. Maybe I had a chance at freedom and a life that would include destroying the M’Mori people and all they cared for.
I sat down slowly and stretched my leg out towards him, I wouldn’t get any closer. He could attack my leg, but I would heal. It would slow me down but if he slit my throat, I couldn’t heal from that.
I watched as he pulled a strange silver tool from his bag and used it to remove the tracker. He spoke to me, letting me know what he was doing as he performed different tasks. Until he sat back and the tracker dropped free from my ankle. I rubbed the spot before jumping up onto both my feet. I must be going, I needed to leave this area. I had been here too long with him. Especially if they were looking for us both… but first, I needed to know.
“What is your name?” I asked. This M’Mori had kept his word. He’d freed me from the tracker device and I owed him a debt, one I would repay one day. The male smiled up at me, his teeth sharp and ugly. He placed everything back into his bag and stood tall.
“I am K’Tem. And you are?” I returned a smile at the male. K’Tem, a very M’Mori name. I touched my throat where I had been struck only days before by the power stick, thinking of
how today was so much different to days earlier. I decided to give him my name, rubbing my chest and standing taller.
“I am Sanza, I thank you, K’Tem. I owe you a debt.” I didn’t wait to hear his reply, I ran. As fast as I could away from him. He called out, wanting to travel with me.
“We are not safe together.” Was the last words I spoke to him before darting through the thick trees.
I was now free.
Chapter Thirteen
Elle
Nothing was worse than complaining of being bored—I missed binge watching Netflix—then finding out that Jessica had been kidnapped. I had nothing to complain about. I really didn’t. How could this have happened to her, after all the shit she had been through to get to Clan Wolf and now she’d been kidnapped.
The whole clan was in a frenzy, the males rushing around, shouting at one another. I wasn’t sure what to do, how I could help. I felt sick to my stomach, and my throat was tight as I blinked back tears. I was so worried, but not as much Brooklyn.
“It’s my fault, I was being pushy and she left because of me,” her mates were trying to comfort her as she kept blaming herself, I could see her tears. My mind kept running over what had happened.
Of course, it had to be those assholes, Clan Ariaan. Clan Wolf had released those Chosen guys and now they’d kidnapped her. If they couldn’t have her, no one could. I felt my body start to shake. Marin held me tight and I gripped onto him as if he would be taken away at any moment. He tried to calm me, but I was in a panic now. Worked up over my concern for Jessica, what if they didn’t bring her back? What if they raped her… killed her? I felt a wave of nausea wash through me.
I bent over and vomited without warning. Zurcov moved in swiftly and held my hair away from my face. I held onto Marin as everything spun around and I vomited again. I took deep breaths of air, trying to calm myself.
“My Elle, please sit down. You are not well, you look sick.” I looked up at Zurcov, I looked sick? Of course, I did, my friend had been kidnaped. I just threw up, I was hot, pregnant and my stomach was now a washing machine that wanted to expel everything it had inside. I wasn’t well at all, he was right. But not for any other reason other than my friend had been kidnapped.
“Water,” was all I asked him. I needed him to stop hovering, I needed some air.
It had been a few hours of sitting around, waiting for news, before I saw Jessica. I let out a deep breath and stood on wobbly legs. She was back, they had found her. I felt my chest lighten as I let out a small sigh of relief.
Her blonde hair looked a little matted but other than that she had a smile on her face as she walked back into the clan. She didn’t look upset or angry, she had a smile on her face. My eyes widened and my heart started to race when I saw whose hand she was holding. The reason behind her smile.
“Holy fuck, it’s K’Tem. He found her.” I muttered under my breath, mostly to myself, as I was shocked to see him. It was just as she had said, over and over. He would come for her, and he did. He was right there in front of us all, he’d come back for her. My chest swelled with joy for her, she really loved K’Tem and he was now here. My eyes watered and I wiped away tears of happiness.
I heard Hadley ask someone who the blue guy was.
“Blue guy?” I questioned, and when I glanced behind Jessica, there was indeed a large blue guy. He was huge, like really huge and topless with abs for miles. My mouth dropped open at the sight of him. He wore some strange shorts. But he was very human looking, if you looked past the fact that he was entirely blue—even his hair was blue— he was hot.
As Jessica got closer, I remembered she wasn’t much of a hugger. Actually, I didn’t think she enjoyed hugs or physical contact at all. I was going to ask her if she was alright but I didn’t want to trigger any memories after she had just been rescued either. So, I thought I would direct her thoughts elsewhere.
“Who’s the blue guy?” I asked instead, I couldn’t look away from him as he got closer. He was pure perfection, those shoulders were wide, and his biceps… I wanted to squeeze one with my hands to see if it was as hard as it looked. He was like a footballer who could also slam dunk. I know… two different sports but he could’ve played them both. Dang, when the corner of his lip went up in a sly smile, I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself blurting out something dumb to him. I looked back at Jessica, she smiled as she wiggled her brows at me.
Cheeky Jessica? Huh…this was new. I liked it. I slapped her playfully, she was going to be just as bad as Brooklyn was. Trying to set us all up with single guys. But now she was truly happy, her K’Tem was here and she will feel happier around all us with our mates.
“Oh, shut it, you. We don’t need another match maker here, I was just wondering because he doesn’t look like an Aashi is all.” I chuckled as I joked with her. Hoping she would continue with this happy side to her I had never seen before. K’Tem being here was already helping her feel more cheerful and I wanted to keep seeing her like this.
* * *
The blue guy really didn’t look like the Aashi at all, was there another species here they forgot to tell us about? As he got closer, I realized he was injured. Shit. He needed help.
“Hi, I’m Elle. Do you need help? You’re injured.” I waved to him hoping he would come closer and I could see if I could help him. His eyes flashed to my waving hand and he slowed to a stop in front of me. He gazed down, his eyes were so blue, electric. I was already lost in the depths of them, I had never seen eyes like that before.
He studied me, like I was studying him. He probably had never seen a human before, like I hadn’t seen anyone who had looked like him before either.
“I am Sanza, Zalli Warrior.” He nodded to me as his way of introduction. Zalli Warrior… never heard of those people before. Or was that Clan Zaali? I was confused, I thought they were Aashi?
“Clan Zaali?” I asked but Sanza looked puzzled. Axoh overheard my question. “Not Clan Zaali. He is from planet Zalli.” Huh… that wasn’t going to be confusing at all.
He glanced up behind me and scanned the people there. I thought that was all he was going to say, that maybe he didn’t want to talk with me. But when he looked down again, his brow furrowed.
“How do you females look like Zalli, yet no blue? Or green? Like K’Tem’s mate Jessica. But your hair, I enjoy the color.” I smiled as my heart fluttered at the words. My hand nervously tucked my hair behind my ear at his words. I couldn’t help the blush that creeped up my cheeks. He liked my boring black hair? Well now I really liked him.
“Do you need help?” I pointed to where blood seemed to be on his chest and shorts. He shook his head.
“I don’t require help.” I pursed my lips, okay… um. Maybe he didn’t want to show anyone he was injured. Like how animals just try and hide it. He was trying to put on a brave face in front of them. I nodded but I was going to ask him again when no one was around.
“I am Marin, this is Zurcov. We are Elle’s mates.” And there goes the look in his eye. Ugh… I wasn’t cheating, it was not cheating if your mates want you to pick more mates, right? They had been asking me every day.
But apparently, they get a little jealous if you flirt with another alien species. Got that, only Aashi mates for Elle. I wasn’t trying to choose him as a mate anyway, not really. I just wanted to… well I don’t know. Help him. He looked so lost and lonely. Plus, he was injured.
He nodded to them both and I pointed to the table, where food was laid out. It was darker now, the moonlight was all we had.
“Are you hungry?” I nodded as he passed me, like a man starving he dove in. It was like he didn’t know what to eat next. Marin brought him water, and some for me.
“I can show you where the bathing pool is… or maybe it would be better to wash you down outside of it. At least for today.” I was thinking I didn’t want blood in there when I washed tomorrow.
“Where did you come from?” I asked, grateful my translator was still working. I needed
to charge it tomorrow. It would be on zero tonight as I could see it was getting close to being flat. He kept eating and looked around a lot.
“Oh, they are really good here, don’t worry. They will protect you now. I am from earth. I’m a human. The Aashi here take on many mates. I only have two. But most the girls have more.”
He nodded and looked beside me at my mates who were really cramping my style. I just wanted to talk to him was all… okay I was lying to myself. I saw him first and Jessica didn’t seem any way interested in him. He also needed help and I was good at helping others.
“I am a Zalli warrior, I can protect myself. I was not injured in the fight. The males who took the mate of the M’Mori male K’Tem were injured. I now wear their blood.”
The way he said it, it was like he was trying to scare me away. Although it would take more than that to scare me. I could already see that most the Aashi were scared of him and avoiding him. Except Apak.
“Male, Sanza. We haven’t many huts for sleeping. But you are welcome to sleep in my hut for the evening and I will take shelter elsewhere.”
God, Apak was like the grandfather around here, but the guy was so nice. He was the sweetest guy and really didn’t look his one hundred-fifty years, as he told me the other day.
I still can’t understand why a queen would chop his tails off. Did he touch her with them by accident? Because I sure as hell wouldn’t want to touch any of the queens with any part of my body. Unless it was a fist to the face.
“Thank you, good male.” Sanza replied to Apak. I was glad even then my translator could help him. Without it he couldn’t talk to any of the Aashi.
I took it off my wrist.
“Here Sanza, this needs to charge tomorrow, I can come help with that. But you need it more than me to speak with the Aashi.” I watched the look on his face as his brow furrowed, he ran a finger over the shiny black surface.