Page 39 of His to Take

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A week later,and Ann had learned the ins and outs of her new home. She wandered around freely as nothing was locked. There was no part of the house hidden from her. She was the supreme leader’s mate, his wife, and was allowed to wander as she chose.

She loved the new house, even if it was too palatial, and had fallen in love with both the horse and the cow in the pasture. Rager told her that he planned to have a real farm here, that everyone would eventually be required to produce food of some kind, as the districts spread out. She liked that idea and thought it was a good idea.

She saw her parents when she chose to and saw her mother a couple of days after the night that they were made mates. Her mother’s relief when she walked into their house almost brought tears to Ann’s eyes, but she held herself in check. She couldn’t describe why she smiled like she did, but her mother could guess.

All she’d said was that she was glad it was working out well, and Ann agreed. She’d seen Amanda and talked with her. Amanda had been worried too, she’d said, but now, she could see a happiness in Ann that she’d never thought she’d see. She’d used the word contentment, and Ann had to agree.

She was contented. Happy with what life had brought her. She wanted to hate herself, to hate her new mate, but she couldn’t. Maybe one day, but right now? She just wanted to spend every moment with him that she could.

Because Rager spent most of his day at work, either with the district leaders, or with his men, she usually only saw him at night. He’d go in to work before the sun came up and come home well after it had set. It was a little lonely for her, but she’d made friends with the cook, Angela, and with the head housekeeper, Alice.

They were sisters and had survived the cataclysm in a cave somewhere. There’d been little food, but Angela had managed to find some cold-weather gear before the real snow started, and she’d been able to go out and forage for them. Ann wrote their stories down, the same as she did all the stories she’d learned so far, and added it to her file.

Their nights were spent having meals, swimming in the small pool to one side of the garden, and in bed. That was her favorite part, but it wasn’t just the sex. He’d talk about his plans for the future, and how they wanted to bring the Earth back to life.

He’d told her the maps of the world had changed, that there was a new mountain range in the middle of the country, and that most of the east coast had disappeared beneath the water once the ice thawed out enough to bring the planet back to normal. There were countries that no longer existed, not because they were empty, but because they, too, had disappeared beneath the water.

It was all very sad, but the plan that Rager had, to create small districts that would spread out over time, was a really good one. Families would be formed, and in time, people would be allowed to move out to wherever they chose, so long as they could be self-sufficient.

She didn’t ask him about the future for the wolves, and he didn’t mention them. That would be for another time, she’d decided, when they trusted each other more. She wasn’t afraid he’d be angry or distrust her, but she didn’t want to rock the boat. Life was peaceful, far more peaceful than she’d thought it would have turned out, and she wanted to hold onto that for a while longer.

He also explained his accent, and the accent of the other soldiers. Some had American accents, some had French, English, German, and many other accents.

“We were all taught one language, on our way here. I was assigned English, so I was taught to speak it with an English accent. Later, those that hadn’t learned English were taught the American version. And we loved to watch the American movies and television programs that we picked up as we traveled here. So, I was originally given English, while others were given a different language. That’s why we all sound different.”

“I see,” she’d said. It did make sense, but it still made her smile.

“What’s that smile about?” he’d asked and she’d laughed.

“Nothing, I’m just trying to picture a bunch of aliens watching television programs in space.”

“It’s not that hard, surely?” But he’d tickled her, and the conversation had soon turned to passion. As all of their conversations did.

Now, she was in her garden, happily waiting for him to come home. She had come out earlier to explore her plants and to put a few seedlings into pots. Rager brought them home from one of his trips to the ship and had asked her to take care of them. They were baby tomatoes, she decided, as she put the plants into pots. They’d have to go in the garden when they got a little bigger.

She’d been working quietly for an hour, when she heard voices outside. She knew it couldn’t be Rager, so she kept putting seeds into pots. It was probably only the servants, or some of the soldiers that patrolled the grounds.

“But, why did he have to be mated to her?” one male voice said, tinged with a Russian accent. “Her DNA is muddied, mixed with Neanderthals. The other woman, her blood is pure alien from the last time our people came here.”

Ann froze. This wasn’t their first time here? And who was this other woman the speaker wanted Rager to marry instead of her? She should have told the men she was there, but curiosity got the better of her, and she stayed still.

“Because he liked her, stupid. He saw her the day she arrived, and that was it.”

“He should have thought about the future. What will his children be like with her? The other woman would have given us superior children.”

“She didn’t want to leave Holland; he didn’t want to be mated to her. Why’s that so hard to understand?”

“We’re being assigned mates,” the other soldier muttered, and Ann knew this was the real problem. He hadn’t been given a choice, but his leader had. That was the way of things now, however.

“Be glad you aren’t at home, doofus. I heard the fires are raging even worse now, that they’re unstoppable.”

“That might be preferable. Have you seen the woman they’ve assigned me? I think she’s in her 50s, not her 40s like she claimed. Fuck. He got such a beauty, and I get an old hag.”

“Just be glad you were given someone and stop moaning about it all. I need to check on her cow, someone might try to steal that thing if she keeps leaving it in the pasture like that.”

“Yes, boys. Please go tend to my mate’s cow. Oh, and Girlian? Don’t you worry about who my wife is. I suggest you shut the fuck up from now on and do your fucking job instead. Or I’ll send you back up to the ship and have you sent home. Understand?”

“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Have a good day, sir.” Ann could hear their boots as they marched away. She smiled, even if they had irritated her. Rager was home, that made everything okay. Even if she knew she should hate him, it didn’t mean she could.

“I’m in here,” she called out to him and stood up when he ducked into the shed.

“I thought you might be in here. Heard that, did you?”

“Oh, yes. Poor you, mated to me when you could have some Dutch princess by your side.”

“I have you, that’s all the princess I could ever want, my dear.” He leaned down and kissed her, even though she had dirt everywhere, even in her hair. She laughed and pulled away to wipe a speck of dirt from his nose.

“I’m glad you think so.” She leaned into his embrace and wondered what had happened to the girl that had been so in love with Rex. It seemed she was gone, and Ann wondered if she would ever come back. She looked up into his orange tiger eyes, and then looked away. Rex would just have to stay a secret. Somehow. She didn’t see her new husband letting her go any time soon.