“On the plus side, their stuff has more glitter than a drag act’s dressing room, but yeah-” Chaz-Titi comes over to me now, prizing the seed-pot from my grip and forcing my dagger hand to lower “-we’re trying to introduce them to the concept of chocolates and flowers, but obviously old habits die hard.”
I peer down at my human friend with flame-colored hair. “They are trying to steal my mate,” I grunt at her, still not soothed at all by this whole situation. Because I do not have my heart-stars, they think she is not mine. They think they are more worthy of her matehood. They are not broken males, and think they can care for her better than I.
“I know, Ricky. I know,” Chaz-Titi says, patting my arm. “But let’s not castrate anyone today, okay? Not before breakfast, anyway.”
She grins up at me before hooking her arm through mine and then Polly’s to steer us away from these traitorous males. I cannot return the smile, instead, I elect to glare every Trixikka in the eye as we pass, deciding how best to dispose of each of them.
* * *
“I will talk to them. They meant no harm and were just excited about the new female,” my High Spear says as he offers his Zahreenah a bite of cured meat.
“The new femaleismy mate,” I remind him, barelyconcealing my growl. It would not do to growl at a High Spear, but this is maddening. My tail wraps around my Polly where she is seated next to me, the tufted tip reaching right around her middle.
Maybe we should have stayed out there in the jungle.
It is a ridiculous thought, and I shove it away as soon as it appears. But still, the whole display of my brothers this day has had my feathers bristling - bound wings or not.
“Er,hello?” Polly says, raising her hand. “The new femalehas a name. And she was not warned about possible gifts of…that nature.”
All the females stifle some laughter - well, all except the meekest of them, Bea. She only grimaces and hides behind her curtain of dull-colored hair.
“Sorry, girl,” Ah-Lanah offers as she rocks little Nova in her arms. “They’ll all back off when Aloryk’s chest has its ‘Grand Lights Switch On’, I’m sure. Some of these guys could barely look me in the eye when Mav’s heart-stars came in. Speaking of Mavyx-” she starts, pausing to shush the tiny youngling who begins to fuss. “-when do you expect him and the rest of them to return, Rynn? I’m anxious to have my man back.”
My High Spear starts to answer, but I am not truly listening. All I see is the way my Polly glances down at my star-less chest, and I want to scoop her up and tell her that if I couldwill theminto existence, I would. Instead, I shove a large piece of tyk-tyk fruit flesh into my mouth and chew, hoping the sweetness will wash away my sour mood.
After breaking our fast with the females, High Spear Rynn makes me promise not to dismember any of my brothers. In return, he will remind the males that a female’s choice is of the highest importance.
And Polly chose me.
The High Spear also requested that I attend a meeting with him this night regarding the other rescue party and the caves they have journeyed to. The gathering itself will take place up in the Mother Caves and I do not relish the thought of having to be flown by other males up there to reach it.
It is while I walk my Polly back to our hut that I am lost in thoughts of damning my own broken wings that my female surprises me by taking my hand.
“Hey, are you ok?” she asks, her voice soft and her brow laced with concern.
I glance down at our conjoined hands just as she shifts the position, threading her fingers between mine. Her hand is so tiny and vulnerable. It makes my palms look monstrously large. Yet she gives her hand to me freely anyway. She trusts me to keep her safe.
I give a small, probably unconvincing smile in answer to her question and continue walking. What is ‘ok’ anyway? The other females have told me it is a general feeling of content, and I do not feel that.
I am beyond joyous that I have my female now, but cannot shake the feeling that a better male will come along and take her from me. What if she was meant to be mine before, but now I am broken, the Goddesses have someone else in mind for my Polly? Maybe that is why my heart-stars are not shining for all to see?
As if reading my mind, Polly squeezes my hand with her tiny one, tugging lightly to make me halt my steps. “Aloryk?” she asks, peering up at me before dropping her gaze to my bare chest. “Do you… do you maybe think there’s things we could try doing tomakeyour heart-stars appear?”
My little female sinks her teeth into her bottom lip as she blinks up at me, her gorgeously curved hips twisting in a fidgety sort of motion. She is looking at me as if I should know what she is talking about, but I do not.
Unexplainably, my cock begins to swell.
Chapter 20 - Polly
The other bird guys want undeniable proof that Aloryk and I are ‘mates’. I get that. Their culture is different to humans - if there’s no special twinkles, it’s not a done deal.
And, in all honesty, I think I’d like that proof, too.
The way it’s been described to me, this heart-stars business means so much more than putting a ring on someone’s finger and saying some vows. It’s like your very soul is declaring, ‘this one - this one is mine, and I am hers’. And what girl wouldn’t like that? A huge, permanent neon sign on your man’s body that stakes your claim? Maybe it’s kind of primal and not at all progressive to think that way -so sue me.
My best friend, Niska was once in a long-term relationship for four years. Everyone thought they were perfect for each other and the guy was head-over-heels for her. She’d planned out their whole future only to come home from work early one day to find him very preoccupied with some platinum blond chick in their bed.
She was utterly blindsided.
