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“Do they…” Tori’s throat worked as she swallowed heavily.“Do they ever come back?”
Whatever guilt that bubbled in my stomach cemented as agonizing pain dragged through my body and reminded me of all those I had failed.Sometimes, I wished we had stayed with the Ghaal, then at least they would never have turned their attention to other species and begun this ridiculous campaign to kidnap and steal.But if we helped them breed, then what?There would be more of them, with our DNA mixed in, and they would be stronger, faster, smarter, and who knows what damage they would do then.
It was a cyclic conundrum to which there was no correct answer.
“I’m sorry,” Tori whispered when I didn’t answer her question, knowing my silence meantnobecause they didn’t come back.None of them did.Not ever.If the Ghaal were unable to impregnate them throughtraditionalmeans, they would attempt surgery.Failing that, the species would be experimented on to see if any part of them could be transplanted or used to save the Ghaal.
“It’s not your fault… you didn’t know,” I said.
“It’s not your fault either,” she said, and I grunted, a sound neither of agreement nor acceptance.
We walked in silence for a while longer before Tori broke it.“Did you have sex with one of the asha?”
The question caught me off guard, and despite my earlier brooding, I barked out a laugh.When I glanced at Tori, her cheeks were aflame with embarrassment and anger.“Are you jealous, my mate?”
Mate.
The term had slipped out, and it was too late to take back what I said.Tori stuttered and stammered through a few responses before ultimately deciding to disregard that part of the sentence.“I’m not jealous,” she said.
I raised my eyebrows at her, wiggling them when she glared at me again, and I didn’t bother fighting to keep the grin from my face.“Oh no?”
Her spine stiffened, and she pressed forward with her questioning.“Did you, though?”
Stopping, I took a step and spun on the ball of my foot, forcing Tori to stop so she didn’t walk straight into me.Crouching in front of her, I ran my hands up and down her arms, a satisfied growl rumbling through my chest at how she shuddered under my touch.
My mate.
“No, Tori.I didn’t have sex with any of the asha.It’s been a long, long time since I have done anything of the sort before you, and it’sonlyyou that brings out the instinct in me.”
I loved this jealous side of her as much as I loved how she was strong and willing to fight, the part of her that had hunted for herself her first day on a strange planet.But Tori needed reassurance fromme,and I would tell her over and over again as many times as she needed to hear it.
My pheromones pumped out stronger, and her eyelids fluttered for a moment as she held my gaze, her expression softening.I wanted to take her here and now.I wanted the freedom to push her onto the ground whenever I needed her and sink my cock into her waiting cunt.My shoulders stiffened as I caught the thoughts before they got too far and tried to squash them down under layers of control.
Later.
Therewould be time for that later.
Was I so weak that even giving into my urges wasn’t enough to control me?
“I don’t even know why I’m jealous,” she whispered, and I brushed my thumb across her cheek, my grin only widened further as her eyes narrowed at me.
“Because you like me, and you just can’t admit it?”
She laughed as I smirked, my smile and her chuckle fading together as we both realized at the same time it was true.Her pupils flickered between mine, so much emotion in her brown eyes.She hid behind her veil of snark, the way she talked and fought with every step.
But inside, did she crave a mate as I did?
Tori cleared her throat.“We should keep moving, cover as much ground before nightfall.”
I smiled and took her hand because she had given me hope and gave me more hope with every passing moment.Her attitude around me had already softened, and when we touched, it was more than touch alone—we connected.
She was my mate, and I would wait a lifetime for her to realize it too.
“Whatever you say, my mate,” I said, taking a bold leap and purposefully throwing the term out there.Tori’s fingers twitched in mine, and she glanced sideways at me.
But she didn’t pull away, instead giving my hand a small squeeze.
My heart leaped in my chest.
