“Don’t ever leave me alone again,” he whispered against my lips. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“Oh, Peace, I won’t. I already promised.”
Wyn hugged me close, head tucked into my neck. “I hated it.”
My brow furrowed. Wyn was often alone and he had never acted as if it bothered him in the slightest. He did choose to work in the tunnels. He could work anywhere, but he’d chosen to be alone. However, I didn’t speak, because I wanted him to be able to tell me what was going on if he so desired.
“It was like before,” he muttered against my neck, pressing against the scent gland.
“Before what?” I asked in a soft voice, stroking his back.
“When I was a kit.”
My soul thrummed. He almost never spoke of his childhood. “Were you alone a lot?”
“I was the only drakcol child there. I was treated well, but I was very much alone. I spent so much time not having anyone speak to me or talking to anyone. Then when I went to the academy, I had no friends, nor did I try to make any. I barely spoke to anyone, and they almost never spoke to me. I was no one, especially at first. By the time I had proven my intelligenceand my place there, I didn’t want to be friends with anyone.” He looked at me. “Urgg was my first friend, and they gave me no choice.”
I chuckled. Urgg rarely did when they adopted strays.
“Then Seth and Edith. Now, Camden and possibly Bartholomew and Caleb. I have so many people.”
“You do.” I brushed my thumb over his cheek.
“But then it was gone.”
“Not gone, Peace. Just waylaid. They all still care about you and are right here. I promise. And you will see them soon, probably as soon as I release you,” I said, kissing his forehead. “Seth, Bartholomew, and Urgg aren’t locked in their quarters anymore. They will be pinging and seeing you whenever you like. You can even see them today if you like.”
“Not today.”
I breathed in his scent. “Not today.”
Wyn pressed as close as possible, and I covered him with my wings, holding him securely in my embrace. He took a deep breath. “I don’t like being alone anymore. I need to be able to see you and my friends whenever I want.”
I cupped the back of his head. “I will always be beside you, Wyn. I swear it.”
He kissed my neck. “Thank you.”
“No thanks are needed.”
“I don’t want to be assigned to the Vvekian ship anymore,” he whispered.
My soul lurched at a sudden rush of hope, but I forced it aside. “Right now is not the time to decide that.”
“I can’t be apart again.”
“And we are not apart. We are together.” I dragged my nose over the top of his head. “There will come a time to decide, but it is not now. If you feel the same later, then I will help you, if you wish.”
He curled in tight, and I rested my cheek on him, simply breathing.
Eventually, we did manage to eat a decent amount of actual food. While I had had two helpings—seed did not count—Monqilcolnen hadn’t seemed satisfied, but I hadn’t been able to put any more food inside of me. He had then taken me to the shower and washed me again. I’d put up no fight as he cleaned me, feeling treasured, and if I dared to allow myself the impossibility, loved.
Now, we were cuddled together on the couch, doing nothing. Monqilcolnen held me tight in his embrace, his face tucked into my neck. It was peaceful, this quiet time together, and yet, the sense of guilt didn’t quite abate. I had damaged theAdmiral Ven, my home away from home, and placed this entire mission at risk. I needed to fix it, but I wasn’t sure how.
It would be easier when we docked at a station and could regularly communicate with Tamkolvanloknol. If I could communicate with all of the seeker teams, not just read their reports, I was sure it would help immensely. With more seekers and engineers working as one, we would best my creation. I was sure of it.
But the niggling weed of guilt continued to prod at my soul. I should begin starting now, not lazing about with Monqilcolnen, as much as I enjoyed it. Much was to be done.
Monqilcolnen nipped at my neck, and I fought an instant wave of arousal. Something about his teeth sinking into me was so pleasurable. I enjoyed it more than I’d ever thought possible. I didn’t even understand why. Something about pain had always aroused me, though biting had never done anything previously,but when Monqilcolnen inflicted pain on me, it was different. It felt claiming, which I enjoyed on a whole different level. I needed to be claimed by him, and I very much doubted that would ever change.
