Marne arches a brow as he passes them. “Talk to Zorin. He’s got something planned for you in the central atrium.”
“Understood.”
I leave and call him on my earcom.
“Azrim, how did negotiations go?” Zorin asks.
“Well, brother. We are slotted for deep space training in a few weeks.” I nod at the Shifters that pass me. Each salutes me with a rap of claws to their chest. I return their gesture. “What is the status ofMoonshine?”
“All systems are green. We ran emergency procedure training while you were gone.”
“Good.”
“And Tessi is in the arboretum. I will have Sky come retrieve Rhysan. You have not yet bonded with her, Azrim. If she is to be ours…”
“You are very pushy about this,” I remark.
“Would you feel better if I was there?”
I squirm inside my armor because deep down I crave her as badly as I did Jezza, but Zorin did not take my mate, ever. “Give me a few minutes.”
“Understood.”
I walk to the arboretum and scan my wristband over the door. It opens for me just as Sky and Emarza are headed out with their pups and mine.
“She’s all yours,” Sky says.
“Wait, please.”
Sky stops. I take my son from her and hold him close, grateful he’s alive and happy. Rhysan licks my face. I brace his head to mine.I love you, my son.
He yips at me, and I’m delighted to see he’s trying to talk after so many months of silence.
Sky waits patiently until I hand him back to her. “The doc says he’s growing like he’s supposed to now. So you don’t have to worry.”
“Thank you, Sky. Send my best to Corzin and your daughter.”
“I will.”
I give Emarza a nod.
She dips her head as she holds Jorix and Sky’s daughter.
The doors close between us and blink that the atrium is sealed. I wander through the trees and bushes, looking for Tessi and find her beyond the fountain, sitting on a long cushioned bench, a hand protectively curled around her growing belly as she reads one of her paper books. She is beautiful in her blue dress, wearing an Isonian maternity halo. Its gold glints under the bright lights between small braids that weave around it to hold it in place.
For a moment, I just lean against a tree and stare at her.
Tessi gets up and walks to the fountain where she stands and closes her eyes. She hums a tune I do not know, but it is lovely and draws me closer.
I ease up behind her and draw in her scent, letting it soothe the emptiness and remind me that I no longer have to live in pain or in fear for my son’s life.
And it is all because of her.
She gasps, twists, and looks up at me. “Azrim.”
I run my hands up her bare shoulders and kiss her neck. “How are the twins?”
She laughs bashfully. “Good. Zorin cooks for me every night now, doesn’t let me do any chores, and… forget training. That’s a hard no with him.”
