“I have to follow through. Doing so will ensure our future.”
“She is still recovering and providing for thecubs, Sires. Her body will need time to recuperate afterward,” Xylo addressed the Aldawi princes.
“Thank you for the warning. I would have us retire in my Royal Apartment once we settle this. Once there, we will discuss what will come from our visit here.”
“Let’s get this over with. The twins will wake up hungry soon, and I would like to be sitting down for that.”
I could feel the room watch me as I pulled my hood off my head, revealing my silver hair for all to see as I took off my cloak and handed it to Odelm.
Zirene towered over me, standing taller than most of the other Aldawi in the room.
Just as Meti looked like their uncle, Prince Royak, my twins, Nocrez and Neazzos, looked exactly like their sire, Prince Zirene.
Zirene was like the blackness of space—devoid of any color. Along his back and sides were pewter stripes that started at the top of his head and covered the whole backside of his body, except his tail. He had a thin black tail with a dark steel bushy end. The front side of his body was ombre, from black to midnight blue.
He had two black-furred triangle-shaped ears on top of his head and long, midnight-blue hair down to his shoulders that matched his puffy upper chest. His face was a dark steel color and shaped like a feline from Earth. His amethyst eyes stood out as they framed a thick, high arched, triangular black nose while a pair of sharp fangs stuck out from his thick human-like lips.
His body radiated both agility and strength. Broad shoulders turned into muscular arms as his chest narrowed to his waist, then to broad hips that turned into S-angled legs. His hands were a strange human-feline hybrid with five thick, furry fingers with pads along their insides. Instead of nails,they had thick black claws. His feet matched his hands but larger.
Seeing adult Aldawi in the flesh explained how the Aldawi were capable of running in both bipedal and quadrupedal stances, due to the shape of their back legs and the length of their arms.
He wore a royal purple long-tailed jacket that went to his knees, covering his elegant black loincloth. Both his jacket and loincloth had silver details and allowed his tail to move freely behind him.
Zirene’s aura screamed dominance, elegance, and power to all who looked on him.
His brother, Prince Royak, was the same, but something seemed a little different about him. I couldn’t put my finger on it.
It was clear they were littermates, even though the same parents rarely produced the same physical attributes. They had the same coloring but different patterns and eyes. How could my cubs share the same coloring and patterns as the most powerful males in the galaxy?
I couldn’t lie and say both males weren’t attractive, but my desire was for Zirene.
Zirene slowly undid his jacket and took it off, revealing his bare chest.
“Agent Kaede, come here.” I could feel him muting his dominance on the room as the surrounding crowd relaxed and slowly stood. Kaede hurried over, stopped beside us, and bowed. “Hold this for me.” Zirene tossed Kaede his jacket. “You will mark me first, then allow everyone in this room to watch you submit to me as I mark you in return.” Zirene knelt down and pulled his hair over to the right exposing his left shoulder to me as he closed his eyes.
“By allowing you to mark me, I trust you and put my life in your hands.”
This male was the one my heart knew.
The one who helped make every day of the last nine years easier. The one who taught me all I knew, and by using that knowledge, allowed me to adapt to the world around me. Because of him, I could make friends aboard theDestiny. Because of him, I learned to trust and love both of my nestmates.
My body wanted his—to feel him against my skin. My heart wanted to trust him, wanted tolovehim—but my mind knew better. He took my choice away from me and impregnated me without my knowledge to fulfill his own agenda.
Stepping up to him, I ignored the others around us—especially the other male who hurt me so.
I brushed his long, midnight hair back, feeling its thick silkiness between my fingers. A small groan escaped him—shortened to a light purr. I traced his neck, feeling him shiver from my light touches as I searched for the perfect spot. I gripped his shoulder and fisted his hair as I brought my lips to it.
Closing my eyes, I lowered my face to the side of his neck and swiftly bit down. His fur coat made it hard to break his skin as the fur tickled my tongue. I locked my jaw and jerked my head back and forth until I broke his skin. The taste of blood flooded my mouth, soaking the fur between my teeth. The hiss that escaped Zirene radiated through my grip on him.
“Selena. That is enough. You made your mark,” Xylo cautioned.
“The guards…” Odelm warned.
“They will hold!” Royak barked.
He was mine and no one else’s.
I would not allow our differences to change that, even though things were still uneasy between us.
