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I could choke Calix for causing my mate to become upset.
“Aria,” I say, my tone softer. “You don’t understand.” She doesn’t. She wasn’t here when we watched our families die off one by one. She wasn’t here when we were terrified out of our minds. Successful reproduction with these aliens is so crucial. It’s truly a matter of life and death of an entire race.
“I think I have my answer,” she utters out —then hunches over and vomits without warning at her feet.
“Aria!” I bellow, and start for her as she becomes wobbly and sways.
Thankfully, Calix is right behind her and catches her before she collapses.
I quickly pull her into my arms and charge down the corridor to Avrell’s lab. His eyes are wide when I burst in through the doors but he doesn’t waste any time and ushers me over to a bed. I lay her down and she blinks slowly at me, her face pale. Snagging her hand, I pepper kisses on the back of it.
“What’s wrong with her?” I demand, my voice harsh and violent.
He begins hooking her up to some machines, a hopeful look on his face. His double fangs, while still not as prominent as the others since he filed his down some, show as he grins.
“Why are you so rekking happy?” I’m seconds from climbing over the table and wiping the smile from his face.
He picks up his wegloscan and waves it over her abdomen. A flutter of hope dances inside my rib cage. It always lights up red. Red is the color of death and hopeless futures. Like the landscape of The Graveyard. Like the skies that are radioactive with harmful toxins. But the wegloscan isn’t lighting up red.
It’s green.
Like bitter green-bunches that we survive on when meat is nonexistent.
Like the color of the stones we collect from the underground wells that always sparkle with clean water coming from deep within the core of our planet, safe from the pathogens that plague everything else.
Green is life.
Green is a future.
I splay my palm over her flat stomach and grin at her. “Aria…” Then, I turn to Avrell. “Is it true?”
He’s nodding, his eyes wide. “She is successfully impregnated.”
I let out a loud chuckle of delight and look down at my sweet, fertile alien mate. But she isn’t smiling. Her happiness has been swiped clean from her features and her brown eyes that always gleam with emotion are dead. Empty. Desolate.
“Aria,” I mutter, worry causing my voice to become husky.
She sits up and shakes her nog at me when I reach for her. “Don’t touch me.”
A growl rumbles through me. I want to pull her into my arms and lick every part of her, worshipping her body like she is the sun. But then I remember her desires. This would further anger her and drive her away.
“Aria,” I say again and hold up my palm, willing her to touch hers to mine. An apology. We’ll work through this. She and the other aliens will carry our young. Our future isn’t bleak anymore. It’s shiny and brilliant.
She eyes my hand like I’m carrying The Rades. Her nostrils flared in disgust. Her lip curled up, baring her teeth at me. When I reach a little closer, she hisses like that of a young sabrevipe.
“Avrell,” she instructs, her voice cold and hollow. “Show me to the navigation wing.”
“The navigation wing has been closed for many revolutions,” I snarl, my anger overtaking me. I boarded it up myself, unable to see more memories of our past for fear of succumbing to the depressing madness.
Color floods to her speckled cheeks and she points an accusatory finger my way. “It’s the farthest location from you.” Then she glowers at Calix. “And him. Send Hadrian with me if you’re worried about me being alone or if you want someone to watch over me.”
“No,” I snap. I want to yank her into my arms, and yet, I refrain. Every fiber of my being begs for me to do so. But my mate is fragile and angry. I won’t undo everything we’ve worked so hard for. I won’t betray my mate’s trust, even when she is cross with me.
She closes her eyes for a moment, more hot tears leaking out. I want to lick them all away. Whisper promises to her.
“I’m moving out,” she says firmly. “I need space from you. From all of you.”
“Aria,” I rumble out, my voice shaking. “You can’t leave.”
Her eyebrow shoots up, a challenging glimmer in her eyes. “I can. I will. You are going to let me.”
Calix still won’t look at me, his nog bowed in submission. Avrell remains still beside us. My hand fists and I drop it to my side, swallowing down the urge to stroke my claws through her soft hair.
“We should talk about this,” I say, panic rising in my voice.
