Just A Bit Of Trust (Constel·lación #1)

by Noma-Tee Thompson

  Didra turned to Didac behind her. ”Primo wants to know what that is.”

  Didac laughed and pulled Vivian close, her back to his front. ”I don’t know ask my mate.”

  Vivian moved forward and took a soup bowl. ”This is sticky soup.It is made from Jute mallow leaves. The chef and I prepared it together. You use it a lot for fiber here. It’s nutritious, excellent for your health. Do you want to try it?’

  Primo hesitated. ’No, maybe later.”

  Vivian smiled at her husband. The soup wasn’t for the faint-hearted. She had added some chili spices as well. ”Nobody wants to try my soup Didac.” She pouted her lips.

  Didac moved forward and took the soup bowl from his mate. ”Well, I’m going to have some.”

  “But you do not like spicy food,” Didra said.

  “I like anything that Vivian makes. Take my word for it. She is a superb cook.”

  Didac kissed his mate and moved away with Primo and Severus in tow.

  Didra watched Vivian and Didac together. They looked so good together and so much in love. She felt jealous and sad: jealous because Didac had never been like that with her. Sad that fate hadn’t chosen them for each other. She was by no means in love with him, but the way things had ended still hurt. She felt humiliated. Everyone in Constel·lació was aware of the social alliance she had with Didac and for the first few days, they couldn’t look at her in the eye. She lowered her eyes in misery to hide her feelings. She soon realized her mistake when she caught Vivian watching her. It was at that moment that she knew that Vivian knew too.

  Both women stared at each other.

  “You slept with him, didn’t you?”

  Didra struggled to meet Vivian’s intense gaze. ”That was before he met you. Didac needed me and my help before he met you.” If she only knew.

  “And you helped him didn’t you?” Vivian couldn’t keep the bitterness from her voice.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “You are in love with him.”

  That was putting mildly. ”I am not going to respond to that, and you are way over the top.”

  “I don’t hear you deny it.” Vivian felt betrayed. ”Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It wasn’t easy for me to keep this from you. Guilt and shame have been gnawing at me. Please try to understand. Didac was alone, and I was alone, can you blame us from being drawn to each other?”

  “I understand, but it still hurts.”

  ‘No matter what you feel or think I am still your friend.”

  “What kind of friend are you? Were you just waiting for things to go sour between him and me so you can just slide back in?” Betrayal fueled Vivian anger.

  “That is not fair.” Didra reached for Vivian. ”I understand how you feel; I would feel the same way. If it makes any difference I will go away. While you and Didac have been building a life together, mine has been on hold. He has been the center of my life for so long, and the problem is that he is yours. What we had was convenient, it was never meant to last for long.”

  “Please just don’t touch me right now.” Vivian backed away and went to her room.

  Tears of rage, shame and disbelieve assaulted her. When she had been standing with Paka and Annais watching Didac and Didra a part of her had suspected something but she had dismissed it. Didra was a close friend; she could have mentioned this to her. To think that after all the intimate moments they had spent together, the laughter and the loving touches, Didac had never said anything. Just because they laughed together and the sex was good, her brain still had the capacity to see the lies. Lying by omission was still lying.

  Was everybody laughing at her behind her back? They must have been surely, thinking it was a perfect love triangle. Was that why Dolores made the snide comment before she fired her? All sorts of things were forming in her mind.

  She had trusted him and given him part of her. Her heart. And she had even believed that Didac had done the same. Given his heart. Now she felt that he had never given his heart at all.

  Dumb.Dumb.Dumb.

  Did they continue sleeping together after their marriage? All the times Didac had stayed away late telling her that he was working, was he having raunchy sex on his desk with Didra? They must have laughed together, thinking she was stupid for falling in love with him. Vivian closed her eyes to block the images in her mind. She felt just like a fool.

  The pillow she was laying her head on smelled like him. That traitor.

  Vivian took her clothes off and filled the bath with hot water and lay inside looking at the ceiling. There was something comforting about a bath and heartbreak. She went for it. This was her time to shine. In snot and tears.

  *****

  Didac listened to Oscar with half an ear. Didra was agitated, and Didac couldn’t take it anymore. It was distracting. Didac had tried to ignore it for most of the night. ”Do you have something you want to tell me?”

  “She knows, Didac.”

  ”Will you please excuse me?” Didac nodded his head slightly to dismiss Oscar. “What do you mean?” Didac was confused.

  “About our social alliance.”

  ”Why did you tell her.?” That explained why he hadn’t seen his mate in the last hour. He hadn’t wanted to ask around because he didn’t want any judgments from the other socialites.

  Didra resentment of Didac’s accusatory glance and tone shone on her face. ”She confronted me, and I couldn’t lie to her. She is a smart woman; she figured it out.”

  “I have to go to her; she must be hurting.”

  “I am hurting too. I know we didn’t have a true mating, but I cared for you. Imagine my surprise when I was told to move out of your chambers before you arrived back from Mother Earth because you were mated.” Didra’s pain stank. ”By Primo of all people, I have been trying to move on pretending this did not happen, but what hurt me the most is that you didn’t have the decency to tell me yourself.”

  Didac wished he could have done things differently. “My intention was never to hurt you. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and offer you the courtesy you deserved. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

  “Well, you did.” Didra wiped her eyes. ”I like Vivian. She has been a great friend to me. You have to tell her the truth. I am glad she found out because I felt like such a fraud. I would like to believe that she would find it in her heart to forgive me and that we could be friends again.”

  “You are lovely female, Didra; you will make someone a fantastic mate one day.” Didac didn’t know what to say.

  “If I am this lovely, wonderful person, why couldn’t destiny choose me for you?”

  “Destiny has her way.” Didac’s face was remorseful, but there was not must to be said anymore. He made his way to look for his mate

  *****

  Didac tried to open the bedroom door for the tenth time. He was locked out. He cursed in disbelief. The guard patrolling the castle looked at him apologetically. Now the guard knew that the King and Queen had a dispute, and he counted on his discretion not to spread the news around. He was the King. This was his castle. Nobody had the audacity to lock him out. Except for his human wife. He almost laughed in disbelief.

  He knocked again and waited. She didn’t come to the door.

  “Vivian, we can talk about this,” Didac shouted through the door.

  “There is nothing to talk about; you made a fool of me,” Vivian yelled back. ”Find somewhere to sleep.”

  This had to be said even with the sensitive eyes of his people. ”I could never love Didra the way I love you.”

  “I don’t care right now. You lied to me.” But she loved him in spite of it.

  “Open the door so we can talk about this.” Didac was losing his patience. “Don’t make me do this.”

  “Do what? What are you going to do what you haven’t done already? You stabbed me in the heart.”

  “Stop being dramatic.” Didac found himself irritated.

  Suddenly the door opened. ”
Yeah, you call this dramatic, I will show you dramatic.” She opened the door and threw a pillow and blanket out. Didac moved to pick them up. She yelled with her hands swooping the air around them. ”You know what while you at it suck your dick too, your supply of blowjobs had dried up.”

  Vivian’s small fist connected with his jaw while he was bent over. Didac threw the blanket and pillow on the floor and held her wrists while she struggled to land kicks anywhere she could reach. ”Some men have met their deaths for doing less.”

  “What? Are You going to kill me? Let the killing begin….”

  “Come on; we can talk about this in our chambers.”

  Vivian pushed his shoulders and took a few steps back to avoid his touch. “No, we will speak of this right here and right now. Everybody knew but me so why should I give you the benefit of privacy. Did you sleep with the whole of Constel·lació? Hmm King Didac, tell me?’

  “I shouldn’t have to defend myself or Didra. I may be the King, but I am male, and I have needs, I couldn’t bear a lifetime alone.”

  “You are so quick to tell me that you are a man now, huh, when I first met you, you couldn’t tell the difference between the two.”

  “It’s different with you; you made me realize the difference, and I allowed it because we are meant to be together. I have never been this way with any other women besides you.”

  “How do you expect me to believe you right? You only tell me you love me now because I caught you.” Vivian defenses were breaking. The very thought of being without him made him want to cry louder, but she looked to the floor, tears streaming down her eyes.

  Didac saw it too and thought it safe to touch her. Her feelings blended with his. Her pain became his grief. Her disappointment became his. It made him sad.” I do love you very much; I cannot imagine a life without you, and I was just waiting for the right time to tell you. I didn’t tell you about Didra because I didn’t think it was important.”

  Didac’s palm engulfed her cheek tipping her head so she could look at him.

  Vivian lowered her lids and her voice raspy from crying, new tears gathering in her eyes.” You lived with the woman and when you got mated you continued working together alone in your office. Can you imagine what is going on in my mind right now?”

  “I know what you must be thinking, but once a Constel·lación male is mated, the thought of touching someone else is unbearable.”

  “I know that, but I cannot help how I feel.” She almost whined.

  “I would be worried if you felt different.” Didac pulled her face to his chest and rubbed her back.

  “Just promise me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “No matter how hard we fight and disagree, just promise me that you will never keep important secrets from me.”

  “I promise.” Didac opened himself up to her.His feelings and thoughts were indistinguishable to hers.

  It was unbelievable how she felt about him. Every time they touched and kissed it felt like the first time he wowed her. ”You know when I met you; I was in awe of you.”

  Didac chuckled gently.” Uh, what do you think of me now?”

  Vivian kissed him. There was tenderness in the way their lips met. “That you are special.”

  “You are pretty unique too.”

  “I love you so much. Right now and right here I feel there is nothing you could ever do that I would not forgive you for. You may hurt me, but I will always find a way to forgive you. I know the way we met was not really ideal, but you freed me in so many ways.”

  “I love you too. When we make love…… it is the best feeling. When you kiss me and look at me with your big brown eyes, my heart stops, and I feel like the most powerful man in the solar system.”

  ”Ok, that will do.” Vivian pulled him into their room.” Let’s make up.”

  Epilogue

  Years later

  Didac sat behind his desk looking over the plans Agostino had given him for Abramo’s dungeon transfer. The security conditions of the dungeon he was assigned to were designed to make escape impossible for any prisoner should they attempt to escape. Abramo had managed to smuggle ten genetically enhanced humans to attack Constel·lació killing six hundred of his people. Common sense ascertained that he had inside help, so he wasn’t taking any chances. The earlier Abramo was transferred, the better for everyone.

  The premeditated attack on Constel·lació had led to his pragmatic decision to attack Mother Earth. Regardless of his stoicism, he was a creature of emotion and making that decision without eliminating his emotions had been unattainable. That had proven to the best decision he had ever made, Martin Bradford’s treachery had not only fostered an opportunity to meet his true mate but eradicated any threats to his planet.

  It wasn’t easy to be King. His character was under constant attack, his personal life under a microscope, and his every utterance ruthlessly analyzed. His mate was an exceptional female and Queen, who shared the glory and the agony of his position.

  A soft knock on his door brought him back to actuality.

  Chimo, the Senior Official of the household in the castle stepped in without waiting for an answer as expected.” Didra to see you, Your Majesty.” He slightly bowed.

  “Send her in.”

  Chimo disappeared through the large office doors, and a few seconds later Didra paced into the room and stood opposite his desk looking down at him. ”I am leaving.”

  Didac stood up and made his way around his desk. ”Where are you going to go?”

  They had been living together when he had gone to war with Mother Earth and had come back home mated without having the courtesy to inform her himself. Didac had asked Primo to tell her to pack her belongings before he came back home and leave the castle. They had continued working closely together until his mate; the Queen had found out about their past dalliance. Vivian had given him a choice, to fire his secretary or their mating would cease to exist. Didac hadn’t thought twice about it; he had terminated Didra’s position as his secretary. Didac still felt awful about it even if Didra had explained to him that she understood. He wasn’t proud of it, but no matter what Didra thought, he still cared about her well-being. He hadn’t left her high and dry. He had given her a lesser position as Secretary of Labor.

  “I am going to travel the solar system.” She and Didac were not true mates; they just had a social alliance that worked. Spending a century with someone even if you were not in love was a big deal. Letting it all go after the way it ended was the hardest and emotional draining experiences she had ever had. Seeing him with his mate day after day almost fragmented her. But it was so hard to hate Vivian, she was caring and loving individual and foremost, she had the people’s interest at heart. She was worthy to be called a Constel·lación.

  Didac took Didra’s hands into his but Didra snatched them away. ”Vivian will be displeased if she caught us touching each other in any way.” She had spent enough time with Vivian to know that earthlings even if not possessive, had boundaries to how, when and especially whom you touched. Most mated Constel·lación males did not take kindly to their females being touched by any males. Hence, she was confused by the tradition.

  “She has been here long enough to know that Constel·lacións like to touch each other.” The King may have believed what he said, but would never dare to do such when his Queen was present. Both knew it.

  Didac was never in love with Didra, but he always gave her the respect she deserved. He always made it a point not to hurt her feelings.

  “No, I feel bad enough already for not telling her about us. You know what.” Didra’s eyes watered. ”She still wanted to be friends after, but it was hard for me to remain, friends because I was jealous of what you have and I know she is important to you because you chose her. I can’t deal with it. Seeing you together every day made me realize that if I stay, I would never figure out who I am without you. I need some time away.”

  “I am sorry, I should have realized how
much this cost you. What I know now is how you felt without telling you.” The need not to be alone had driven them together. All the time and emotions invested were hard to obliterate even if both knew it was a slight possibility that it was not going to pay off. How would he have reacted if it had been him?

  “It's fine, I knew that one day you would find your true mate, but it was so unexpected.

  “Please don’t go, we need you here.”

  “No, you don’t. I feel so embarrassed, Didac. The way people are looking at me, like I am a home wrecker like I slept my way to the position I had before.”

  “We both know it’s not the truth. So what if they think that. You are a Constel·lación, you are a fighter, I will fight with you. You can start over; it can be done.”

  “Where does Vivian fit in all this? It is not going to work. I will leave; it’s not going to be forever. When I return you never know, the people would have changed their minds.” Didra twirled around to leave. ”You will have to inform Vivian of my departure.”

  “You were going to leave without telling me?” The two must have been absorbed in their feelings because they hadn’t even heard Vivian enter the office. Normally it was hard to sneak up on a Constel·lación because their hearing was enhanced.

  “I’m sorry Vivian; I think it’s best for all of us. I wanted to hate you so much, but you were so kind and good to me, and I felt like scum. Every day I kept the secret from you, it was another day I compromised myself, piece by piece and I don’t want you to compromise yourself because you are nice.”

  “I hate to say this, but now that you are no longer working in proximity with my husband, I don’t worry about it as much. I will but can you rethink your decision. Constel·lació is your home as much as it is mine. I would hate to see you go because of our mating.” Vivian meant it from the bottom of her soul.

  “I have made my decision, and it is for the best for all parties involved.”

  “I will have to accept it then. I just hate the position our mating has put you in.”

  “I know.”

  The End