by Octavia Kore
They both watched as she stomped off in the direction Oshen’s sister had gone, the tears she had been holding in finally spilling down her face. With a frustrated growl, Oshen spun toward Gulzar. “I was just trying to protect them.”
“I know.”
“He wasn’t in his right mind. He had already tried to force her into mating.”
Gulzar nodded, his eyes following their mate until he saw her sit down with the other female. “I am not blaming you, Oshen. There are stories detailing the mating hunts, but they have not occurred for many generations. It seems the tainted ones have continued the archaic tradition.”
Luz stepped into the small clearing where they stood, eyeing them cautiously. “I’ve received word from our sire. He didn’t get terribly far with the elders of the tribe, but he said Gulzar’s family has requested sanctuary within the dome. I’m going to assist him, if that is all right with you.”
“Of course.” Oshen nodded.
Gulzar sighed in relief. He had worried about leaving them behind, scared of the repercussions they might face because of what they had done for him and his mates. “Thank you for your help, Luz.”
The male smiled warmly. “It is my pleasure.”
“Oshen.” Gulzar turned at the sound of Lief’s voice. “Fyn and I are going to the dome to prepare everyone for your arrival.”
“Prepare them for our arrival?” Oshen asked.
“You are bringing not just one alien back with you, but two. We don’t need you causing a panic in the streets the moment you exit the pod.”
“As long as he doesn’t go full beast on anyone else, I think we’ll be fine.” Evafyn grinned as she walked up to Oshen, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Behave yourself, little brother.” She nodded toward Gulzar. “We will see you all soon.”
Gulzar stood, moving to lean against one of the larger trees as he watched Oshen’s family depart. His little goddess was still sitting on her own, her arms wrapped around herself as she stared off into the forest.
“She hates me,” Oshen whispered as he came to a stop beside him.
“She has been through so much lately, Oshen. Give her some time and she will forgive you.”
“I hope you’re right.” He sighed, his hands rubbing at the soft material of the tunic. “She needs something to eat. Carrying two pups looks like it has sucked the life from her.”
They watched as their mate lowered herself on to the log she sat on, her eyes closing as the sun played across her skin. She seemed exhausted, and the weight loss had been painfully noticeable as he carried her through the woods away from the carnage of the crashed dome. The little ones within her were growing, sapping what little strength she had.
“You find her something to eat and I will watch over her. We can find shelter for the night so we don’t need to move her too far.” He could see the reluctance to leave her painted on the male’s face. Gulzar placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Our mate will be fine. Take a moment to clear your head.”
With another glance in Amanda’s direction, Oshen turned to begin his search, leaving Gulzar alone with their mate for the first time since he found her on the beach. Crouching down in front of her, he let his eyes roam over her face. As if sensing his presence, their young began to call out, reaching along the fragile bond as they sought comfort from him. He pushed air through his crest, releasing a soft rattle to calm their wild movements so they wouldn’t disturb their sleeping dam.
“Settle now and let your dam rest. You will be well fed soon.”
He sat there with them for a time, calming the younglings and rattling to soothe his mate’s palpable anxiety. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves and he tilted his face up to feel the warmth.
Thank you, goddess, for all of your blessings.
Gulzar wished he could give her younglings as well, that he could experience the same thing she and Oshen would feel when these two were brought into the world, but the thought that he might lose her during birth like his own dam was enough to stop that dream in its tracks. He had been a large youngling from what Kyra had told him, and his dam had struggled. His little goddess was so much smaller than any of the females in his tribe, and he couldn’t imagine her carrying a youngling that size.
“I will love any young you bring into my life,” he whispered as he turned his face into her hair. “My blood or not, I will hold them in my heart as I hold them in my arms.”
He stretched his arm back to lay his hand on her belly, marveling at how much it had grown. This was his family; this was the ultimate blessing. He couldn’t ever see himself consummating this union out of fear she might become pregnant, but it wouldn’t matter. Being with them, being allowed to love them all, meant more to him than anything.
“Thank you, Zar.”
Oshen’s voice startled him and he looked up to see the other male standing at the edge of the small clearing, fruit piled high in his arms.
“For what?”
“For always being here for her, for the pups. You watched over her, loved her, before I even knew of her existence.”
Gulzar looked back at Amanda’s face. “She was one of the only reasons I had to live,” he said. “She has been a part of my soul for as long as I can remember.”
“I’m sorry for what I said before.”
“Do not think on—”
“No, let me finish, please.” Oshen sighed wearily. “I lashed out at you because of my own insecurities and it was wrong. I am happy to have you as part of our triad.”
“I am grateful to be included.”
Oshen stepped forward, depositing the fruit on the ground at his feet. “Mouni informed me that these were nutritious and that they should be safe for her to consume.” He picked up a galging fruit, inspecting the purple skin.
“They are popular among the tribe. And this one here,” Gulzar plucked one of the ripened kelpora from the ground and held it up, “is one of Kyra’s favorites. I can almost guarantee our mate has had one.”
“Is that one of those lumpy green things Kyra loves?”
They both looked up in surprise at Amanda, who was eyeing the bounty Oshen had brought. “It is.”
“Oh, thank you, merciful gods. I’m starving.” She sat up and snagged the fruit from Gulzar’s hand. “How do you open this thing? I never saw Kyra do it. I just ate what she gave me.”
A laugh rumbled through Gulzar’s chest as he held his hand out. “I’ll show you.” With little effort, he cracked the fruit in half, flipping it quickly so that the juices were not wasted. “Scoop the meat with your fingers.”
A low moan tumbled from her lips as she dug in, popping small chunks of the meat into her mouth. “It’s like guilt-free steak.” She sucked the juice from her fingers. “So damn good.”
Gulzar felt his body tighten as he watched her finish off the first half and start on the second. He felt his length harden within its sheath, pressing against the slit, begging to be free, but he pushed against it with his palm, willing it to go away. Even Oshen seemed to be coming undone by the way she devoured the food, his eyes never leaving her mouth and his breath quickening.
She wiped her chin as she set the fruit aside. “Thank you.” Her eyes swept over him, trailing down over his arm to the hand he had covering his slit. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” The word was little more than a breathy whisper. He swiped his thumb beneath her bottom lip, wiping away the juice she had missed. “You are so beautiful, little goddess.”
She reached out with her hand, her fingers grazing his cheek before she leaned forward, pressing her soft lips to his. Gulzar rattled in surprise, his eyes going wide. His lips parted when her tongue ran along the seam, slipping inside to brush his own before running cautiously over the tips of his teeth.
His little mate pressed closer, her hands slipping to the back of his head, tugging at his xines. The tip of his cock slipped free from his sheath and he growled low in his throat as it rubbed against the palm of his hand
. This was something completely new, and he wanted more.
Gulzar pulled away from her, his breathing ragged as his eyes narrowed on his mate. “What was that?”
Amanda blinked, her pink lips pursing.
“The kiss?” Her brows furrowed. “No one’s ever kissed you before?”
“Not like that, no.”
Oshen moved closer, crouching near his leg. The male’s scent was nearly as overwhelming as their mate’s. It clouded his mind and he growled as his cock pulsed beneath his hand. He watched as Oshen leaned forward, pressing his lips to Amanda’s as his clawed hand caressed Gulzar’s thigh.
Goddess, help him. This was torture.
Inhaling the combined scents of his mates, Gulzar let his eyes close, listening to Amanda’s soft whimper.
Warm lips brushed his chest and he looked down to see Oshen drawing closer, his mouth moving up his throat to his cheek. When Gulzar looked at Amanda, she had her lip caught between her teeth and her fingers trailed gently over her breasts. As he turned his head back, Oshen’s lips descended on his. He felt the sharp tips of the other male’s fangs nip at his skin and rattled in excitement.
“This is pretty much the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” Amanda’s breathy whisper drifted over him, and Oshen pulled back with a soft chuckle, leaving Gulzar panting and aching for more.
When Amanda reached for the hand that covered his slit, he stopped her. “This is not permitted for me. Those who are damned should not consummate a mating. They should not mate at all.”
Amanda frowned. “Zar, if this is something you really don’t want to do then I’ll respect that, but this whole ‘damned’ business is something we need to talk about.”
Here it was. Here was the rejection he had been waiting for. He cast his eyes toward the ground, not wishing for her to see his pain.
“You’re not in that village anymore.” Gulzar felt her hands on his face, turning it toward her. “Neither of us gives a damn about their laws. You aren’t responsible for what happened to your mother. Do you hear me?”
Gulzar’s throat tightened with emotion. “I hear you, little goddess.”
“Good,” Oshen grumbled, his hand moving into Gulzar’s. “You are wanted here. You belong with us in every way possible.”
The male reached up to unclasp the tunic at his shoulder. Gulzar flinched as the fabric fell away, revealing the scars. Proof of his damnation.
Amanda gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she pulled him forward, her fingertips brushing against the closed wounds. “What happened here?”
“These are lashings,” Oshen growled. “Who did this to you?”
“They are punishment.” Gulzar swallowed thickly. “They are lessons from the elders.”
“Why were you punished like this?”
He could hear the tears in her voice and grimaced. “Because I touched you.”
“Gods, Zar.”
“It was worth every lash.” He reached up to twist a strand of her hair around his finger.
“How long have they been doing this to you?” Oshen asked.
“Since I was old enough to withstand it. Lashings were part of my reeducation.” He moved his hand up to stop Oshen’s hand as he traced the old scars. The first ones I received were for speaking to a woman who was not Kyra or Kythea.”
“I’ll be glad to never see that place again,” Amanda said as she slid her arms around his neck, pulling his face against her breasts. “I’m sorry they treated you so horribly.”
The feel of her body against his was enough to reignite his desire and the way Oshen’s fingers trailed over his xines had his eyes closing in contentment. This was his life now. Gulzar could feel his worry, his fear, slipping away from him as his mates touched his scarred body.
“No one will ever do this to you again,” Oshen whispered against his shoulder where his lips pressed. “Things will be different within the dome. The Venium are not perfect, but they would never do this.”
Gulzar caught his bondmates’ gaze and shivered with the force of the desire he felt. He had never imagined that he would find himself mated and he had certainly never thought he would be accepted into a triad, but here he was, surrounded by his mates.
“Is there anything we can get to help them heal? They look so painful.” His female frowned.
“The Venium don’t normally use materials found out here.”
“I am fine. It would not be the first time they had to heal on their own,” Gulzar told them, pulling back to look up at Amanda. She still had the headdress tangled in her hair and he reached up to touch the glowing stone that rested against her skin. “Do you know what this is?”
“It was something Kyra and Kythea gave me.”
“This is a mating stone.” He ran his finger over it, smiling as it shimmered in the light. “We collect them when we find or select our mates. Traditionally, a male will dive into the okeanos to search for one that matches our eyes, or as close as we are able to find. Once it has been retrieved, both mates eat the miliseed so that they are able to breathe beneath the waves. It is within the okeanos, within the waters that Una and her mates united, that our people become one.”
“This wasn’t from you though.”
“This is the stone that my sire gave my dam on the day they were mated.” Gulzar felt a smile tug at his lips. “Kyra knew the whole time who you were to me. She knew that this belonged to you.” He took her chin in his hand, pulling her lips down to his for a gentle kiss. “You were worth every single strike, every single moment of pain.”
“I hate that they hurt you.” His little goddess swiped at a tear at the corner of her eye.
“I would take it all on again if it meant I could be blessed in this way. I may never have young by blood, but—”
“Wait.” Amanda pulled back, frowning down at him. “What makes you say that? I mean, I know I’m pregnant right now, but these two are going to need siblings at some point.”
Gulzar shook his head. “I could never risk your life for my own selfish reasons. I could not bear losing you too.”
“There’s risk involved with anything we do, but there are ways to lessen complications now.”
“I ripped my own dam apart during my birth. I tore her from the inside when I became stuck.”
“I’m sure that was just some sort of survival instinct, Zar.”
“I was too big for her. Look at you.” He took her hips in his hands, pulling her close. “You are so much smaller than she was.” Gulzar felt his heart clench at the thought of her having to carry his young, of her suffering as his dam did. “I will not…”
“Your mother didn’t have the same options I will,” Amanda said, her fingers trailing up his arms. “There are things we can do during pregnancy, ways to monitor a baby’s growth. We can prevent that.”
“Tell us what we can do to help.” Oshen brushed his shoulder.
Closing his eyes, Gulzar took a deep breath, asking himself that same question. What did he need? What did he want? His mates were offering him a life he hadn’t even dared to dream of, and he wasn’t going to let it slip through his fingers.
“Touch me.” The words tumbled from his mouth before he had even realized he’d spoken them. “I have spent my whole life being told I was unworthy of something so simple. I want that from both of you. I want to feel equal.”
“I’m sorry for what you went through, Zar.” His female whispered as she ran her palm down the center of his chest, watching as his plates glimmered. “I loved you for so long and I’m so glad you’re here with us.” When the same light appeared beneath Oshen’s hand, Amanda smiled. “You belong with us and no one can take that away.” She stepped closer, wrapping them both in a warm embrace.
Fear welled up within him as he allowed his mates to surround him with their presence. Was it really going to be this simple? Were they really going to allow him into their family, into their lives? He had spent his whole life on the outside and here they were, offering
to bring him in. His emotions overwhelmed him.
When he pulled back, his breath rushing in and out of his lungs, Amanda shared a knowing look with Oshen. “Maybe you can tell Oshen where to find something to help your back and I can share something with you?” Her fingers brushed over his stomach, dropping down to the hem of the tunic he wore.
“The saku leaves,” he rasped out. “They are the only blue leaves in the woods. You cannot miss them.”
“Be safe,” Oshen whispered into Amanda’s hair as he pressed a kiss to her head, his hand caressing her belly before he stepped back with a smile.
When Oshen was out of sight, his little goddess knelt down in front of him, her hands sliding beneath the fabric of his garment, brushing over his hard length. With a growl, Gulzar reached down, pulling her into his lap so that her face was level with his. The xines on his neck reached out, stroking her face and hair, touching the tiny glowing stone that made his heart race.
“You are mine,” he whispered the words as if he couldn’t believe them himself.
“Yes.”
“Mine,” Gulzar hissed, crushing his mouth to hers. He worried he was doing it wrong, that his lack of experience was going to make this awkward and unpleasant, but the way she moaned into his mouth sent a shiver of pure lust through his body.
His name tumbled from her lips as she pressed the front of her body to his, grinding against him, digging her fingers into his shoulders.
“Gods, Zar.”
He was grateful Oshen had stepped back and allowed him this time with her. It wasn’t that Gulzar wanted her to himself—he felt the pull toward his bondmate as well—but the thought that he would have to struggle to please both of them this first time had made it daunting. When his little goddess pulled back, shimmying down his legs until she was on the ground between his knees, Gulzar frowned and tried to pull her back.
“What are you doing?”
