She might like the way I took charge over nexus calls, but no female wants that all the time. I wouldn’t risk pushing her away. I’d have to wait. But she was going to be such a good little wife for me. I wouldn’t have to wait long. Once she saw me, scented me… It wouldn’t be long.
“You okay to pilot this thing, boss?”
My eyes narrowed, slanting over at Nerus.
“Shut the fuck up.”
I found Zacal having a meal with Della, his mate, both of them in pleasant moods. I wondered how long that would last when I gave Zacal my news. I still wasn’t sure if he wanted me to succeed or fail in finding a mate that wasn’t D'vinda.
“Yiri, my sweet boy,” Della said as I entered. I went straight to her and pressed a kiss to the top of her graying head.
“Della,” I greeted her warmly. “Beautiful as always.” An adopted mother to me, Della was the only one to call me sweet. But to her, I was. I gave her the box in my hand, and her smile brightened even more.
“Pearls?” she asked, pressing the lock to open it.
“Fresh ones,” I said. “But you’ll have to share some of them.”
She gave Zacal a knowing look. “You would like something special made?”
“Yes,” I said. “Something for myAneah.”
Zacal made a disgruntled sound. “You expect me to believe this?”
“Have I given you a reason not to trust me?” I asked.
“I think you would say and do anything to avoid D'vinda,” Zacal said. “Convince me. I can’t wait to hear what you have in store for me.”
Della clucked her tongue with disapproval. “Don’t worry about him, Yiri. Sit and tell us about yourAneah. What’s her name? How did you meet?”
I took the seat across from Zacal, steeling myself. “Her name is Cora Keaton,” I said. “She’s a human woman. I met her through Bion Marriage Match. I sent you her arrival details already. I will be away for a few days when she arrives in Muria in a few weeks.”
“Send Nerus,” Zacal said. “You have too much to oversee here.”
“Nerus is my second,” I said. “He can stand in for me in any situation that might come up, but he cannot stand in for me where my mate is concerned.”
Zacal’s eye twitched, but Della nodded her approval. “I can’t wait to meet her,” she said. “Is she very pretty?”
“Stunning,” I said proudly. I brought up an image of Cora on my nexus frame and passed it to her. Zacal tried to look over her shoulder without appearing interested, but the old male failed. His eyes widened, but he quickly schooled his features.
“I would have preferred a daernir of means,” he said.
“My reputation works against me here,” I said. “And Cora is more likely to give me daughters.”
He nodded. “How can you possibly know she’s yourAneah?” he asked. “You haven’t scented her or touched her.”
I lifted a shoulder. “I just know. I’ve seen her face, heard her voice. That’s all it took. I saw an image of her among thousands of others, and in an instant… her eyes held me prisoner.”
Della sighed happily, laying a hand over her heart.
“Can she handle your life?” Zacal asked. “She won’t become a liability?”
“She’ll be fine,” I said. “I can handle her.”
Della pursed her lips. “He hasn’t told her.”
“It won’t be a problem,” I said. “She’s smart. She’s seen me bloodied on more than one occasion, and her reaction was concerned, but… not alarming. I can handle her.”
“Thisis alarming to me,” Zacal said.
