Jakke knew that his father didn’t approve of his mate. He only hoped that Sydney hadn’t caught the meaning of his words about being ‘missed.’ He smiled back at his father, preferring to avoid this conversation in front of the guests.
Sydney picked at her food without eating. Was it stress? Or perhaps she didn’t enjoy the cuisine. Whatever the cause, her refusal to eat was concerning.
The meal passed in pleasantries and a thick tension that must have been felt by all present. As the guests began to leave, Jakke wiped his mouth with a cloth and turned toward his mate. Her plate remained full, the food long since gone cold.
“You have not eaten,” he said, his eyes darting between her face and the plate.
She forced a smile. “I just wasn’t hungry.”
“Are you ready to go?” he asked softly.
She swallowed, nodding.
Jakke stood, reaching down a hand. She placed her own in his and immediately he noted how cold she felt.
Turning, Jakke stared down at King Malick. “Father, I will show my mate to our rooms and then join you in your office.”
Malick nodded but offered no parting words.
Down the hall and to the left, Jakke pushed open the heavy wooden door, allowing Sydney to walk in first.
“This is beautiful,” she said, turning in circles as she took in the surroundings.
Jakke tried to see things through her eyes. Plush rugs, large tapestries, heavy wooden furniture, and of course, everything was clean. These things were common throughout the castle.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, he stared into those beautiful eyes. “Stay here and rest. I will be back as soon as I can.”
“Your father doesn’t like me. None of the guests liked me,” she said flatly, shoulders slumping. Her gaze dropped to the floor.
Lifting her chin with his finger to make her look at him, he tried to sound reassuring. “They just don’t know you. You’re different, exotic. Give them a chance to get to know you.”
Wrapping her in his arms, he kissed the top of her head.
“Besides, I like you just fine,” he added, grinning into her hair.
“When will you be back?”
“Soon. I’m sure he just wants to know about Takkeo.” He kissed her cheek and stepped back. “Rest, I’ll be back soon.”
Jakke hated leaving Sydney alone, but he did need to explain things, make Malick understand how important she was to him.
He ignored the sideways glances as he headed down the hall. News had traveled that he had brought home a Human. Not that it mattered to him.
Knocking on the door, Jakke heard “Come in,” before he opened the door and stepped inside.
He found his father sitting behind his desk. “Have a seat.”
The door closed with a soft thud, before Jakke took five steps forward and dropped into the leather chair. He leveled a stare at his father. “The way you treated my mate was uncalled for.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Malick waved the comment away. “Now tell me everything that happened while you were away.”
Jakke sighed and told the story about Takkeo bringing Sydney on board his ship without permission and the mating fever that had struck when he met her. His father listened intently with interest, nodding a little, taking it all in.
“Hmm…I thought it odd that you mated a Human. However, I must agree that with the mating fever, you had no choice.” He tapped his chin. “The question is what do we do about it?”
“What do you mean?” Jakke asked, anger rising.
“It sounds as though you mated due to uncontrollable circumstances, and now you are saddled with an alien mate. So, I ask again, what do we do about it?”
“Nothing!” Jakke practically shouted. Taking a deep breath, he blew it out slowly, forcing himself to continue in a normal tone. “As much as I tried to stay away from her, I like Sydney very much. And I feel very protective of her.”
His father leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, a smile slowly spreading across his face. “Very well, my son. I just wanted to find out if you were happy or not. Consorts come and go, but a mate is for life.”
Jakke rubbed his forehead at the mention of consorts. Time was running out.
Already gone longer than he had anticipated, he was anxious to return to Sydney. Hopefully she was resting. Lately she seemed to be sleeping more than the regular eight hours. Coupled with the fact she hadn’t been eating well…
“Takkeo is hiding in his suite. I’ll talk with him about his behavior,” Malick continued, interrupting Jakke’s thoughts.
Jakke nodded. “Is that all? I need to get back to Sydney.”
“Sydney…such an odd name. Yes, we are finished.” Just as Jakke was about to stand, a mischievous grin spread across his father’s face as he continued, “Enjoy the rest of your day; I had a surprise delivered to your rooms.”
Fear balled in Jakke’s chest as sweat beaded his brow. In a barely controlled voice, he asked, “What did you do?”
His father, unaware of the turmoil churning inside him answered cheerfully, “I had Cassia, Elle, and Kiaa delivered. By now, they should be waiting for you.”
Sish!
Jakke jumped up from his chair, threw the door wide, and ran down the hall.
The females are all together! Not only did he need to tell Sydney about the others, but he should inform Cassia, as well. She had always expected to become his mate.
This is a disaster! Takkeo was right, I am a fool! he thought in mounting horror.
When he entered the room, four beautiful and angry sets of eyes stared up at him. Sish!
Chapter 18
Sydney
Sydney watched Jakke walk out the door.
“Rest,” he had said. Instead she paced.
Jakke’s father didn’t like her. None of them did. Anyone with half a brain could feel the tension pulsing in that dining room. How could she possibly live here with everyone treating her like an outcast?
If she didn’t love Jakke she would ask to go back to Earth, and to hell with the mating situation. That was after all his doing, not hers.
But I love Jakke! she reminded herself. She had never expected that to happen, but it had. And now…
And then she remembered how everyone treated her and the smile fell from her face. There was no way she could go back home and live that miserable lonely life, but living here would prove difficult until she could win his father over.
If I even can…
Sydney liked Takkeo, even considered him a friend. Kavvan wasn’t so bad either. Maybe Jakke’s other brothers would be more accepting. Maybe his sister would be the sister she had never had! One could hope.
Hmmm….
Jakke’s father had said something about staying here tonight and that they could leave the next day. Maybe Jakke had his own house! Then Sydney wouldn’t have to see anyone.
Oddly, that made her feel better. You couldn’t move from total isolation into a big city without anxiety.
With that new idea taking root in her mind, Sydney went to the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face, and finger-combed her hair. As she looked at her reflection, she realized just how different she truly was from anyone else here. The alien on their planet. She barked out a nervous laugh at that thought.
Time ticked by slowly as she waited on Jakke. Maybe if she rested for a few minutes…not that she could sleep. Laying down on the couch, she closed her eyes, and thought about how much her life had changed over the past year. She’d gone from working in a level one trauma center to living on another planet!
A noise and low voices caught her attention. Slowly, she sat up and peered over the back of the couch, watching. The knob turned, the door opened, and in walked three beautiful Azziarin women.
What are they doing in Jakke’s room? Sydney swallowed hard.
All three had long, flowing white hair and the same blue cat eyes. Their bodies were slender, with hardly any curves. Sydney felt a littl
Who are they? Why are they here?
The one in the middle froze, hands on her hips. “Who are you?”
“I’m Sydney, Jakke’s mate. Who are you?”
Their eyes crinkled before they shot each other weird looks.
“Did you understand what she said?” the one on the left asked.
“No. I wonder what species she is?” the one in the middle replied.
Sydney listened to their back-and-forth conversation. Why couldn’t they understand her?
Slowly, trying not to draw attention to herself, Sydney eased off the couch to stand. She wanted to at least be eye-to-eye with those women.
“Why is she here?” the middle one asked again.
“Ask her.” The one on the right nodded at Sydney.
The middle one took a step forward, sniffed, her eyes hardening as anger covered her face. Sydney stumbled back.
The door banged open and Jakke filled the entrance. Sydney wanted to run to him but stayed rooted in place, her heart hammering with a mixture of fear, anger, and horror. His eyes scanned the room, touching on everyone before landing on hers.
Jakke stepped inside, heading toward her. Sydney was about to meet him halfway when the three females smiled and rushed to his side.
He tore his gaze away from Sydney as the female’s hands roamed his body, touching him with an intimacy that made Sydney sick to her stomach. His face melted into a smile, delight shining in his blue eyes.
Sydney couldn’t breathe as she watched those women— those females—touch her mate. Jakke’s gaze found hers once again, but the smile held.
“Sydney, I meant to speak with you about this first.”
He extracted himself and closed the distance.
Holding out a hand for her to take, she ignored it and crossed her arms. Eyes briefly landing on the women behind Jakke, she nodded at them and demanded, “Who the hell are they?”
Turning to face the women, he gestured to the one on the right, “This is Elle, and this” (he pointed to the one in the middle) “is Cassia, and that is Kiaa.”
Sydney nodded, though he hadn’t answered her question.
Looking down at her, he said, “Cassia, Elle, and Kiaa, this is my mate, Sydney.”
Sydney watched rage fill their eyes, then disappear when Jakke turned his attention back on them.
“I still don’t understand,” Sydney said with as much calm as she could muster. “Who are they to you exactly?”
The three of them closed the distance and the one named Cassia put her arm around Jakke.
“They are my consorts,” he said proudly, as though it was very normal.
CONSORTS!
She wanted to scream, but the scene before her stole both her breath and her voice.
Elle and Kiaa closed the distance next, their hands roaming Jakke’s body again. Sydney couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move as they touched him in places that should be only for her. Cassia kissed him with a passion that only promised sex. One of the others cupped his shaft through his jumpsuit and together they rained kisses on his body. She stood there while her entire world fell apart right before her eyes.
Then some sense of self-preservation took over. Sydney knew what love was; she’d watched her parents her entire life. And this wasn’t it. If Jakke wanted these women, then good riddance. There was no way in hell she’d let him have his cake and eat it too.
Sydney thought enough of herself to know she would never allow someone to treat her as a plaything, something to discard when other beautiful women appeared. She didn’t care if she loved him; she would never stay with a cheater. NEVER!
Watching a few more moments, Sydney’s heart shattered in her chest before she took a deep breath, turned, and stormed out of the door.
No one seemed to notice, not even Jakke.
Consorts!
Someone could have warned her about this, but no one had said a word. Not Jakke, not Kavvan…not even Takkeo. She had given Takkeo everything she had to offer. She had given Jakke her body and her love. And what had they given her in return but deceit and betrayal?
Sydney’s walk turned into a jog as she ran down one corridor only to turn down another, and then another. It didn’t matter where she went, as long as she got away from here—away from Jakke. His actions had made it clear that he wanted them all. The bliss on his face was very telling. Had he ever looked at her like that?
No. He had looked at her with lust, but not happiness, not joy. Maybe he really didn’t want a Human mate and just told her those things because he was stuck with her.
Oh, God!
She battled the nausea in her stomach and ultimately lost. She was alone and couldn’t hold it in any longer; she threw up on the pristine white floor.
“Sorry,” she mumbled to whoever might have to clean it up.
Swiping her mouth with her sleeve, Sydney kept walking until she saw a figure standing in the hallway.
“Takkeo!” she called out.
His eyes widened at the sight of her.
“Sydney! Are you okay? What is wrong?”
Rushing over to her, she flung her arms around his neck. He returned her hug awkwardly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked again.
“Can we go somewhere and talk in private?”
“Does Jakke know where you are?”
“Jakke doesn’t care where I am.”
She was trying hard not weep. Takkeo led her down a few more corridors and then into another suite of rooms. After closing the door, he turned.
“Please tell me, what is wrong?”
“His consorts showed up, and they were all over him.”
Confusion covered his face. “I don’t understand.”
“Is it normal to have consorts after you’ve mated?”
“Yes, most everyone has them.” The confusion cleared and understanding shone from his eyes. “He still had not told you?”
She shook her head.
“And…this does not happen on Earth?”
“No, at least, not where I come from. If I was married on Earth, the first time he touched another female, I would leave his sorry ass. Females in my world DO NOT SHARE!”
“But you’re not on Earth, Sydney. This isn’t your world…this is Azziar. And we have different customs.”
Eyes blazing, she fumed. “You’re right, I’m not. So, if he gets to have his three consorts, how many do I get to have?”
Takkeo reared back in shock. “None! Mated females don’t have consorts! No Azziarin male would even consider touching you now, not with the mating scent on you!”
Sydney sucked in a sharp breath. “What mating scent?”
Takkeo grimaced before turning to take a seat. Clearly, he didn’t want to be the one to explain things to her.
“When he bit your neck, he released a chemical that tells everyone that you are mated.”
Vaguely, she remembered Jakke telling her something about that…
With granite eyes boring into Takkeo, she fisted her hip. “I need to leave. I want to go back to Earth.”
“I cannot help you with that, and Jakke will never take you back.”
Sydney began to pace. Jakke’s father didn’t like her, women had their hands all over that sorry man she dared to call mate, and he enjoyed it! She didn’t sign up for any of this and mated or not, she would never stay with a cheater. She didn’t give a damn what they called it on this damn planet—cheating was still cheating. Sydney had lived the last several years alone and the last six months in isolation; she could do it again. It would be better than constantly dealing with this pain throbbing inside her chest.
Turning, she squared her shoulders and stared at Takkeo.
“Takkeo, I saved your life. I fed you what little food I had at the time. But I didn’t sign up for any,” she waved her arm around like a mad woman, “of this shit! You brought me here. You once told me that you were indebted to me. I want to leave. I don’t want to be anywhere near Jakke. If I can’t leave this planet, you can take me somewhere besides this castle.”
“Jakke will be furious if I do that.”
“You owe me! You can do this one thing for me, and we’ll be even. I don’t want Jakke to know, and he doesn’t have to know that you helped. You can keep a secret, can’t you?”
He dropped his head and scrubbed his face before looking back up. “You are putting me in a terrible position.”
Sydney knew that, but it couldn’t be helped. There was no way she would remain here and watch those…those females seduce her mate.
“Takkeo, you brought me here against my will after I saved you. You can do this one thing for me. Please, help me leave!” she almost begged.
“My brother lives by the ocean,” he said reluctantly. “I could take you there.”
“Will he tell Jakke?”
Takkeo shook his head. “No, they have never been close, and they never talk to each other unless it is about business. Also, he would not approve of how Jakke handled this situation.” He sighed. “I told him he should have spoken to you sooner. I would have, but it was not for me to do.”
“I thought he was close with all his brothers,” she replied absently.
“Perhaps at one time. Don’t get me wrong, we are there for each other in a time of need, but Jakke is closest to Kollin.”
This was too much. Sydney wanted to run away, leave it all behind. And the longer she stayed, the less chance she would have to get away. Right now, those females were…she couldn’t think about it.
“Can we leave now?” She looked at Takkeo, eyes pleading.
“What about your things?”
“I don’t care about them. I’ll make more clothes or borrow some. I’m ready to leave.”
“Let me grab a few things and I will be right back.”
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