“I can’t believe no one from the crew has bothered to check in on me. Maybe I should call them?” she asked, needing to focus on something other than this alien asking her to move in with him after they’d met a week ago.
Apodis’ eyes flicked away from hers for a split second before returning. Instead of answering, he pulled her down into a kiss, her body tingling with delight from the surprising affection. Soft and passionate, so different from the feral way he’d claimed her mouth with his mating tentacle during her heat.
She groaned into him, tangling her fingers in his silvery hair and pressing down on the hard length between his legs. Everything was perfect when shewas in his arms. She could call Castor later, deal with NovaFlora when it came time to see the orb glows bloom.
As Gemini ground down into Apodis’ lap, she heard the whirring of a mechanical door, though she didn’t bother to look until he pulled away from her with wide eyes.
“Z! What are you doing?” Apodis asked, looking flustered as he carefully eased her back onto the mattress next to him.
Zenith hopped onto the bed, ambling over and sitting in front of them.
“I am checking on Gemini, of course. How are you feeling?” he asked, examining her with those strange, black eyes.
“Better. I think the, uh, heat is done.”
“I knew you were an omega from the moment I met you,” Zenith said, and she had to resist a chuckle at the surety of the caerulian’s words. “I trust Apodis has treated you well. He told me you were bleeding.”
She quirked a brow at Apodis, who just shrugged, then turned back to Zenith.
“I’m fine. It’s a normal thing for human females. And Apodis was a perfect gentleman.”
She shared a devious smile with Apodis, nuzzling against his shoulder. He had been a gentleman alright, giving her exactly what she needed to get her through her first heat.
“I am glad to hear that. Does this mean youwill be staying?” Zenith asked, as nonchalant as ever, despite the significance of his question.
“Until the ceremony,” Apodis quickly added, glancing between her and Zenith. “Will you stay with us until the Bloomveil? It’s a celebration that precedes the blooming of the orb glows, just two days from now. We can… take you back to your camp afterward.”
Zenith delivered a fierce glare Apodis’ way, though said nothing as Gemini’s heart began to race. She knew she should get back to camp now, at the very least call Castor, but she was still pissed about the fact that they hadn’t been worried in the slightest when she’d been lost in Lumeris.
If she stayed until the ceremony, that would still leave two days to get back to camp and help prepare for the whole reason NovaFlora had sent her here. And the idea of witnessing a cultural observance coinciding with this xenobotanical phenomenon was too intriguing to pass up.
“Oh, uh, yeah. As long as I’m welcome. I would love to see that.”
“Of course, you are welcome,” Apodis assured, pressing a firm kiss to the top of her head.
“Most welcome,” Zenith agreed. “Oslieth mates always are.”
CHAPTER 16
APODIS
Guilt weighedon Apodis like a collapsed star, pressing against his conscience despite each joyful moment he spent with Gemini.
Though his comm was silenced, he caught each new missed call as it popped up on the screen—obviously left by Gemini’s colleagues and getting more frequent every day. If they could just make it to the Bloomveil, perhaps she would see how serious he was about her staying.
Gemini didn’t want offspring, which relieved much of his doubts, as did the easy way they seemed to get along. She fit right in… with the cabin, with Zenith, withhim, making his life better in every possible way.
There were no more lonely nights, just Gemini cuddled up with him in front of the fireplace, pettingZenith like the three of them had always belonged together.
Back in Aerumi, many of the younger Oslieths lived a much faster life, always glued to their comms and looking for the next big thing to get to. But Gemini seemed to enjoy stillness of the mistforest, just like him. She had spent hours digging up the haphazard garden he’d tried to start, making sure to remove any invasive species and saving the ones that were edible.
They cooked dinners together and swam in the river, though nights remained as chaste as they were before her heat. If you could call the clear tension that had been straining between themchaste.
It was undeniably pleasant, holding her in his arms as they fell asleep, breathing in her floral essence and feeling the warmth of her body pressed against his. She scented him each morning, though he was still sure she wasn’t aware of what she was doing, and pet Zenith while she ate her breakfast in bed.
The act of being able to dote on Gemini’s needs filled him with satisfaction, like it was what he had been made to do. Itwashis duty as an alpha to care for his mate, though he hadn’t truly understood what that meant until now. She was his goddess, and he was her mere servant, a responsibility he gladly accepted.
“I’m excited about tomorrow,” Gemini said asshe traced a finger down his chest, snuggled up against him after another beautiful day.
