“I knew it!” came a familiar shout, and I grinned, joy suffusing every atom of my being as Carl flew towards me, arms wide to envelop me in a hug. He thumped my back. “I just knew we had to be mates, and you were just a slow bloomer!”
He stepped back. “You’re okay with it being me, yeah?”
“Very much, and apparently, I had a medical issue from a childhood fever that stopped me from entering mating fever.”
I glanced past him to the only other human in the room. “Hi,” I said to Alec, who watched us wide-eyed.
“Congrats. He’d been so sure, but the other guys pooh-poohed him, but it looks like he was right.” He leaned to one side, trying to see around Dr. Proslo and me. “Oh, mine isn’t here yet, I guess.”
“I’m sure he’ll be here any minute now,” Carl reassured him, turning to pat his arm. Looking back at me, he then asked, “So, are they able to fix that, or will you still be able to claim me without your plumage? I mean, you have your battle form right, which has the scales and fangs and all. Will that work?”
“No need,” Dr. Proslo said. “I have given him a nanite treatment which will kickstart the process for him over the next few days.” Dr. Proslo looked at the Mylos officer who’d run the mate matches. “I think perhaps the rest of the information is ready to be disseminated instead of waiting as planned."
The officer nodded. “Xeranos, please send the profiles to their tablets.”
Their tablets dinged, and both men looked, though Carl looked puzzled. His eyes widened, and he glanced first at me and then at Alec. Alec was frozen, staring at the information before him.
“I’m…we…me…you…him?” Carl said, for once, at a loss for words.
Alec glanced up. “Both of you? Really?” Hope shone from his eyes, though his shoulders hunched in as if he feared rejection.
“Yes, both of you,” I said, letting my happiness infuse my voice.
Carl grinned then. “Ha! Explains why we both couldn’t keep our eyes off of him, huh?”
“You’re okay with me having your mate?” he asked Carl. “And um, you…with um, me and Carl?”
“If it was anyone but you, I’d probably be saying no way in hell,” Carl confessed, “but I’ve wanted to wrap you up in a hug and hold you in my lap since I first laid eyes on you, and he’s not just my mate. He’s yours, too, so you need to also be okay with me sharing yours.”
“Same,” I agreed. “I was puzzled by my feelings.”
“Wow, just, wow.” Alec swayed, and Dr. Proslo rushed towards him.
Wow, just, wow.” Alec swayed, and Dr. Proslo rushed towards him.
“Let’s sit you down.” He grabbed his wrist and began checking his pulse. “Your heart rate is a bit elevated. Try to slow your breathing.”
Carl sat down beside him and began rubbing slow circles on his back. “Hey, just like before, yeah. Breathe with me.”
I stood, feeling frustrated and helpless as Carl helped our mate calm. I couldn’t even sit on his other side as Prolso was there, monitoring his heart rate.
“That’s better. I’m going to have you come in for a check up on your ship. I think there are better treatments for your high blood pressure, and they should be explored.”
“I’ll make sure he goes,” I vowed, relieved to be able to do something to help, even if it was simply this.
“I can remember to go,” Alec said, his mouth going in a firm, stubborn line.
“I’m sure, but it doesn’t hurt to have reminders.”
He nodded. “Yeah, okay. And um, to answer about before, yeah, I’m happy to share you both. I just can’t believe I’d be so lucky!”
“We’re the lucky ones,” I informed him.
“Super lucky!” Carl agreed.
Dr. Proslo stood up. “Now that’s also settled, you are all free to go. Congratulations once more.”
We each murmured our thanks to the good doctor and the mate matching service officer.
