Zirene would grow more accustomed to having Kaede around, freely touching Selena, over time.
Having the clan together again had made him realize how much he missed his older brother. He hoped that they could reunite. Even though they’d always had similar dominance levels, Royak had never fought him for control. They had always understood that Zirene would lead the fleet while his brother, who was the politician excelling in foreign affairs, would rule.
While their roles as commander and politician hadn’t changed, Zirene had become Sovereign by a rite of challenge, leaving Royak to fade into the shadows. He was smart to do so because if he hadn’t, Zirene probably might have mistaken his brother’s presence as a challenge while his Nova had been kidnapped and his sanity had slowly left him.
Zirene leaned over and pressed his nose to the top of Selena’s head, inhaling deeply. Once again, his nose was attacked by the assassin’s odor covering his Nova’s natural calming scent. He would have to get used to the scent during her pregnancy; at least it wasn’t permanent. Hopefully, he could replace Kaede’s scent on her skin with his own as soon as she healed from delivering her new daughter.
For now, it was a reminder that she was carrying young, and he needed to make sure that his Nova got anything she needed.
He didn’t know how demi-humans could handle such a long gestational period, especially after seeing projections of how large the pregnant female could become.
Glancing down at Selena’s stomach, he tried to picture it bulging out. Xylo said that she could become as wide as her arms stretched in a circle with her fingers touching. That was such a barbaric measurement, but when Kaica had provided him an example with her arms, he had grown concerned.
“Masmi here,” his sister’s voice boomed, echoing against the walls. “Ah, you’re awake! Welcome home, Selena. You’ve been missed.”
“I’m glad to be home, where I belong,” Selena replied, her voice wavering. “But it seems I am missing something that is mine.”
“Your cubs.” Masmi’s eyes softened. “I would tell you not to worry because they are safe and sound, but after what you’ve been through, I know my reassurance can’t be enough.”
“I’ve heard reports and seen footage of them, but that doesn’t change that they aren’t here in the flesh.”
“I understand your maternal instincts well. You don’t need to explain that to me.” She shot a glance around the room. “You may have collected a harem of males at your beck and call, but they can’t replace your cubs or understand what a female feels when her cubs are gone.”
“I would like to thank you for taking them in.” Selena’s voice cracked as tears started to fall. “If they had come with me, then I don’t know how I—”
“I know,” Masmi hissed, stunning the room. Her eyes darkened as the hairs on the top of her head stood. “My pathetic excuse for a sire felt threatened by change and dared to risk the lives of innocents just because they didn’t fit into his plans for the future. Know this, Selena: Your cubs were welcomed here with open paws by my sisters. Their cubs don’t care about the silver on their fur—they know they’re playing with the Sovereign’s kin, future rulers of the empire. If anyone on this planet tries to hurt them, I will gladly end their careers or their lives. Your cubs can’t control their lineage just as you and Kaede can’t. I reject thatpure Aldawitalk my sire tried to spread across the empire.”
“I will purge any who think they can get away with those toxic beliefs,” Zirene growled. “If they think they can challenge me, I will defeat them and mark their corpse with my royal waste as a warning to the galaxy. We have demi-human citizens within our empire whose genomes were spliced with genes from more species than we could even catalog. I won’t tolerate hate speech against them.”
“Sovereign and Beacon. Brother and sister. You both have my loyalty until the cosmic embrace welcomes me. I will defend your bloodline with my blood.”
“I appreciate that, Sister.” Zirene sighed. “I hope we never have to call on you to honor that allegiance.”
“Me, too.” Masmi tilted her head, exposing her neck as a sign of submission, before gazing at Selena. “Enough of this talk. Let me get your cubs.”
Masmi turned her head and released a loud, shrill whistle.
Watching his sister, Zirene smiled and pulled Selena close as his tail tightened around her leg. Masmi’s eyes narrowed on him, and she scoffed before rolling her eyes. “You need to keep my brother in check, Selena, or he will become as unruly as Kaede.”
“No one can be as unruly as Kaede,” she countered, stifling a giggle. “He does what he pleases and doesn’t care whom he angers along the way.”
“Not true,” Kaede grumbled, crossing his arms. “You wouldn’t let me forget the snide comments that I’ve made even if I could.”
“Making jabs about how many mates I am adding to my clan is no way to flirt with me. You pissed me off so often with your jealous opinions. If I took a shot at your cock, I wondered if you would stop being one.”
“Then you would have nothing to ride as you moan my name.”
“Kaede!”
Selena hissed as she tried to smack him, but Zirene grabbed her arm and held her tighter as Masmi filled the nestroom with her laughter.
“I take it I’ve missed some developments in your clan.” Mischief filled her eyes as her lip curled into a smirk. “Has my brother gained another clanbrother since the last time I’ve spoken with you?”
“If you study my neck, you can see all the marks she left on me.” Kaede tilted his head to the side and pointed to the most recent one. “She is as territorial as an Aldawi, perhaps more so because of her Circuli traits.”
“Congratulations, Selena!” Masmi beamed. “If you ever need a break from all the male posturing, let me know, and you can take a break from all the… cocks… at my villa.”
“Oh, Stars,” Selena muttered, covering her face. “Maybe I should just go for that soak in the pool and hide from embarrassment.”
