I mentally grabbed both of their golden threads, including Odelm in our conversation.
“I am sorry to worry you both. I woke up, and Zirene tended me. We are in his office. We needed to have a long-awaited conversation alone, and I didn’t want to wake any of you.”
Relief flooded through both nestmates’ bonds.
“We understand, Selena. Is it all right if we come over?”Odelm asked.
“Of course.”
“Our cubs woke up hungry. Odelm and Xylo are bringing them over. Is it too late to call your doctor?”
“Selena,” he huffed against my shoulder. “It is morning. I can send for him and for Xylo’s crew… unless you want some alone time with your nestmates since they haven’t seen you awake yet.”
Opening my eyes, I stared through the glass wall into space.
“It’s frustrating not being able to keep track of time. I got used to depending on theDestiny’s terrarium time-lapse and the wristband they provided.” I dropped his tail and gripped his arms, feeling his soft and silky black striped fur. “Call them. The more I know about my status, the more comfortable I will be. Plus, I want the cubs to be checked on with me present.”
The sound of the door opening and the cries of my cubs caught my attention. Zirene halted his purring and let out a small whine at the intrusion.
Xylo was carrying Meti against his chest while Odelm carried both twins in a sling, using his tentacles as support. They both seemed stressed and a little worried, Odelm’s shadowed coloring confirming my observation.
“Who should I feed?” I asked, eyeing both males as Zirene still had me trapped between his arms.
“Meti. We can feed the twins,” Odelm answered.
I turned in my seat to face Zirene. “Is it possible to get a replacement for my wristband or get something similar? They took the one I owned because it was designed to work with theDestiny, and since I wasn’t returning…”
His eyes trailed my body. “I can do that, but I planned for Kaede’s sisters to take you shopping to gather anything you need before we leave the station. Right now, we should make our way to the Royal Sitting Room. There won’t be enough space in my apartment to fit everyone.”
I surveyed my clan as they studied me. “Can you take our cubs there? We will follow you in a moment.”
Odelm nodded at me before turning and leaving Zirene’s office. Xylo eyed my position between Zirene’s arms and legs, his face devoid of emotion. After a few seconds of observing us, he turned and left without a word.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Gently, I pushed Zirene’s arms, signaling him to let me out. He hesitated before giving in and opening both his arms and legs. I stood up and turned to face him, placing my hands on his shoulders as I locked my eyes with his.
“Thank you for having this conversation with me. I felt it was effortless for us to talk to each other, but I still believe we have a lot to work on. Over time, I feel I can forgive you for what you have done, but at this moment, I am still upset. To be honest, I feel overwhelmed, and having cubs to take care of adds another layer to that. Even though I can’t believe it, I appreciate you hiring help for me.”
I reached up to trace my fingers along his shoulder to my mark. Against the black fur, there was a bald spot where my teeth had gripped him. Just like Odelm and Xylo, it was raised slightly on his skin, the top white.
A shiver passed through him. My focus landed on his face as he closed his eyes in response, the sounds of purrs sounding once again.
“We need to continue this conversation at a later time. But know, I don’t want any fighting among Odelm, Xylo, you, and me. I don’t want to raise our cubs around constant hostility. I would appreciate it if we talk about things we disagree on and not keep secrets from each other. I know you are a prince and have a lot of secrets about your Empire, but not between us—our clan, our family—whatever we decide to call ourselves.” I paused, tracing the mark on the juncture of his neck and shoulder, and studied him.
“Zirene, we have a lot to work out both between us and everyone else. TheDestiny’s crew deserves some reward.Stars, you can even aid them in finding a new home to settle on. The princes will request that from you when the drama regarding our cubs and myself passes over. Their nestqueens can’t reproduce. Since they don’t have a stable home, their bodies won’t ovulate. Until then, they are just roaming aimlessly in Aldawi territory in hopes of finding a planet that both fits their needs and that your empire doesn’t want. Could you please help them out?”
Zirene slowly opened his eyelids and locked his gaze on me.
“You are now one of the most important members of the Aldawi Empire—both by being my Nova and Mate, and by delivering the first interspecies offspring. If this is something you wish, I will make a few changes in my plans and have a discussion with the princes of theDestiny. My hope is by doing this, you will be happy—including with what I have created for you.”
“They deserve to have a happy ending too… Without them, I wouldn’t have my own by being reunited with you.”
CHAPTER SIX
Zirene
Zirene watched Selena interact with her two nestmates as they fed the cubs, studying their every movement as they continued to have a silent conversation.
Was he jealous of their connection?
