by Maya Carnage
"How did you know I was getting mated today?" I asked.
"Aaga wrote to us. She said that she had a vision, and she wanted to let me know. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this, Tracy. You're like a sister to me. Nothing would have kept me away."
"So, what else did you have to tell us?" asked Jessa.
"Zar's trackers have found out that it was the rogues who took Piper. They have narrowed it down to a couple locations of where they might be hiding her. However, they are not even remotely close to the Desert tribes," said Fiona, shoulders falling. "I heard that Karen left with Gher to find her?"
Lucia nods. "They left not that long ago, but they should be to the Desert tribes by now." Lucia hands the baby to me, and I hold him close to my chest, enjoying the comforting weight of his tiny body.
"I'm hoping that Zar's trackers ran into them. There are two locations, and I was thought that Karen and Gher could go to one and the tracks to the other."
We all murmured our agreement. It seems that Piper might be found here soon. It would be great not to have that to worry over.
We all sit together for the rest of the celebration. Fiona tells us how the other women are doing at the Desert tribe. Michelle is becoming fast friends with Pheena and Acanna, and Ophelia is dating one of Geris's hunters.
We laugh at the stories Fiona recants for us. Ophelia is as brazen as ever. Michelle's her usual sweet self.
When the baby starts to get fussy, Kate gives him to his mother.
"It's getting late. He probably hungry and it is way past his bedtime," said Fiona, getting to her feet. "We'll have to talk more tomorrow, okay?"
We hug her and the baby goodbye, she walks over to where Aaga and Graviel stand next to the table filled with food.
"She's right. It's getting late. I'm going to turn in," said Jessa.
Our group breaks up, some head off to bed, and the rest decide to grab something to eat.
I'm happy that Fiona made it, and that I got to meet the little guy, but it would have been better if we were all back together. It wasn't the same without the other four. I can't wait until Karen's back home, at least I know she definitely is returning. It seems that Fiona and the other two are enjoying living in the Desert tribe. They might have said that they will come home when they are done over there, but sometimes the heart changes your mind.
Home.
Huh, I think this is the first time I've really felt that that was the truth. Not even a half-truth, but that this feels like home. I thought that it would be harder, leaving behind everything on earth. And it has to a certain degree, but looking out at all of these people I realize that this new home comes with an amazing family.
I can't replace Mom, Gran, and Tommy, that will never be possible, but I can build something new. That's what Lorth has done for me. He's made this place my home and given me a new family, though I will say that the girls were mine from the get-go. Fiona had it right; we're sisters.
"Are you okay? You look sad, my mate." I'm jarred out of my thoughts my Lorth. Smiling at him, "I'm feeling good, better than good actually. What do you say we call it an early night, huh?" I waggle my brows at him causing him to laugh.
"My mate, it wouldn't be early, it is already past the time we usually go to sleep," said Lorth.
I lean in closer to him. "I wasn't talking about sleeping," I mock whispered.
He draws in a quick breath and takes my hand. We wave a hurried goodbye to the remaining guests and practically run to our empty house. Before we get to the steps, I pull us to a halt. "Wait."
Lorth looks back at me perplexed.
"I want you to carry me across the threshold," I tell him. The mating ceremony was close to a wedding back on earth but not quite, and so I want to adhere to this one tradition.
Lorth sweeps me up into his arms. Linking my arms around his neck, I lean down and kiss his neck. He groans as we walk into the living room. He takes us straight into our room and sets me down on the bed. I pull the gown over my head and let it drop to the floor. Stepping back out of my reach, he begins stripping out of his clothes.
I lean back on my elbows to watch as he reveals his body to me. He doesn't waste my time. Lorth takes off each piece right after the other, and before I can ask him to slow down, he is standing before me completely naked.
His eyes are emblazed with heat as he rakes his gaze down my bare flesh. His cock thickens, swelling and rising. Lorth reaches down and tugs at his dick. Jerking off in front of me, he groans my name as precum drips from his tip.
"Lorth," I moaned.
The sight of him pleasuring himself is something I won't forget, and if I'm lucky, will happen again. But right now I am too turned on for that, and I need him.
He drops his hand and crawls on to the bed. Boxing me in between his arms and muscular thighs, Lorth bites at my neck and shoulder. He trails his lips and tongue down to my breasts.
Taking one of the peaks into his hot mouth, he sucks it roughly. My back arches. My hands fly up and grip his back. Releasing the one in his mouth, he turns his attention to the other.
His hand drifts down my side. He slips a finger into my sex, and grind his palm down on my clit. His finger slams into me. The heat that was slowly intensifying in my core ignite. With a low groan, I come.
Lorth lets go of my nipple. He kisses his way up to my mouth. His tongue slips in as I part my lips.
His hand leaves my cunt. Placing them next to my head, Lorth takes one of his knees and pushes my legs apart. When he is resting in between my spread thighs, he reaches down and takes himself in his hand. He presses the broad tip of his cock to my opening. With a forceful shove, Lorth seats himself in me completely.
I groan at the sharp bite of pain and pleasure.
Lorth trembles above me struggling with his passion. Pressing his lips to my forehead, he pulls almost all the way out before thrusting back in.
When he is no longer shaking, he picks up speed. His thrusts are hard and fast.
"Your cunt squeezes my shaft, mate. I won't last much longer,," he whispered.
His words cause me to hit my climax. My cunt pulses around Lorth's thickness.
"I love you, too," I tell him as I come.
He slams into me, making the bed hit the wall. After a moment, he stills, shooting his release in me. With a grunt, he pulls out and settles on his side. I turn over, snuggling into him.
He rests his chin on top of my head. "Do you mean it?"
I nod against his chest. "I've wanted to tell you for some time, but it never seems right. I was going to say something at the ceremony, but Aaga started speaking, and it felt wrong to say it afterward. I love you, Lorth."
Lorth doesn't say anything for a minute, but beneath my cheek, I can hear his hearts thundering. "I love you, my mate," he whispers to me sleepily. Smiling, I fall asleep with a happiness I haven't felt in a while, and in my mate's arms.
Chapter Eighteen
Lorth
The wind picks up my mate's scent and delivers it to me. Resting on my knees at one end of our house, I look down to the other side where Tracy is digging a hole for the fallas she has next to her. We have been working all morning, planting the ornery plants. In reminiscent of our first trial, the beginning of our relationship, we decided to fill our front yard with the fallas. We were up early enough to trek into the meadow where they grow and uproot ten of them. Five on each side of the steps. It took quite a bit of time to dig up the rocks and grass in front of the house. Now we are transplanting the fallases.
Taking a break from my work, I watch my mate.
It has been almost three weeks since our mating ceremony. I thought that I could not have been happier than I was in that moment, but I was wrong. Every day I grow more in love with her, and the happiness inside of me becomes stronger right alongside it. It is a blessing to be able to wake up beside her in the mornings. Smiling to myself, I think about how ferocious my mate was this morning. She was on top of me as soon as she opened her eyes. It wou
ld be nice if every morning started off that way, but sometimes that cannot be.
Tracy has been working on the garden. She wants to make sure it is ready for a large number of crops in the upcoming season. She has sometime before the cold season is over, I told that she doesn't have to rush, but she said it is better safe than sorry. She has been getting up early and out there before the sun rises, even Lucia has joined her when Exxil is able to stay with the children.
I would be out there with her, but I've been busy helping Gallan and his father with Tracy's greenhouse. Luckily it is almost done, and when it is finished, I will start helping Tracy in the mornings. She is looking forward to having a greenhouse. She has already planned what flowers will be in it.
"Hey! Those won't plant themselves, mister." Tracy wipes at her brow.
"I'm sorry, my mate. I couldn't help looking at you. You're too beautiful when you are gardening."
She laughs.
I pick up my trowel. Since most of the flowers are already planted, it doesn't take that much longer to finish the task. Tracy wraps her arm around my waist. We survey the neat roll of plants.
"Looks good doesn't?"
I look down at my mate who beams at the fallases. "Yes, it does."
She squeezes my waist, and when I go to kiss her, I'm interrupted.
"Hello, Uncle Lorth!" Ferle charges at us and slams into me.
"Oof... I think you broke something, Ferle." I muss his hair. He pulls back from me, shooting me an annoyed glare.
"I don't like my hair being touched," he grumbled. He leaves my side and takes Tracy's hand to show her a bug he saw over by the trees.
"I see that you've been busy," said Exxil. He's right. The fallases are not the only plants we have transplanted in our yard. Tracy wanted to clean up all the grass in the front yard, and then we placed shrubs from the forest around the trees. I took her up near the mountain to find some flowering bushes. They are on the sides of the house. There is still a lot of work ahead. Tracy wants to clear out behind the house and make a garden where it is always sunny.
"We like plants, and she was talking to Gallan's father about something called a playset. The children will love it, and we're going to have one built here once the plans are done for it," I said.
"Lucia mentioned them. I don't think we have enough space for one. I'll bring them over here to use yours."
"It's going to be for them, that's why we're making one."
His brows creased. "What about your and Tracy's children?"
"We are going to wait a few years. We aren't in any rush. When we are ready, then we'll have a babe."
The morning after the ceremony, Tracy said that she wanted to talk. Since seeing Gravis, she has realized that she would love to have a child one day. But that right now she wants it to be just the two of us. There are plans to enlarge the garden, visiting the other tribes, and going to the big market near the River tribe. When we have a child, Tracy wants us to be able to give the babe all of our attention, and right now we can't do that.
I was fine with that. I would love nothing more than to be a father and have a babe with Tracy, but the idea of having more time to ourselves, and not having to share her, it was tempting. We asked Aaga for a plant to help prevent conception. She gave Tracy a root, that from Tracy's reactions tastes terrible, that she has to boil in water until the drink turns purple. She has to drink a cup a day.
"I heard that you asked Lucia to move in with you," I said. "Why the change in mind? I thought you didn't like having her around that often." Exxil has warmed to having Lucia at his home more often, and he has been more relaxed since she started helping. Though it is strange that he would want her to live with him, especially so quickly, it took Pops months to talk him into asking for help in the first place.
"Rexxil has become attached to her. He wakes up in the middle of the night, and he won't go back to sleep because he wants her. I don't like seeing my son upset, and having her live at the house would make it better. If I wanted to go to the shop earlier, I wouldn't have to ask her the day before to show up early. And Pops wants me to start making commissioned pieces. He has decided to focus on his crafts. If I start doing the commisioned pieces, I will have to stay later at the shop," said Exxil.
That would be convenient. His children would feel more at ease having Lucia around the house all day, except when she's in the garden. Meema isn't being replaced, but they need a mother. Lucia can fill that role while Exxil is unmated. "It will be good for them, and you, too."
"Hexxil starts work with Helencia at the pottery shop in a few days. She can't stop talking about it. When she gets used to it, she's going to make each of us something," said Exxil.
"I'll request a vase for Tracy. She is going to have plenty of flowers once the greenhouse is complete."
Exxil tells me that Ferle has decided he is old enough to train with the hunters. He has been spending most of his time after studies with Gallan in the training field. Exxil says that he is still too young, but maybe in a year or two, he can begin. Ferle has been throwing a fit and refusing to give in, Lucia has to make him come home before it gets too late.
Walking over to his son, who is trying to climb a tree, Exxil murmurs to himself about how reckless he is.
I chuckle, shaking my head.
"Your family is crazy," said Tracy.
"Our family is crazy, my mate." Wrapping her in my arms, I rest my chin on top of her head. I stroke her back. "Are you okay?"
Yesterday, the hunters came back from their two-week sojourn. They were going to stay away longer, but Fiona gave them a letter and urged them to return back here to give it to Sheila. Sheila had the women over to her and Teris's house to read the letter.
Fiona lets them know that Karen and Gher have found Piper. It was the rogue Trelik who took her all those months ago, and they don't know why he did it. When Karen and Gher came across Piper in one of the rogues' hideaways, she was alone. She said that they all left that morning to hunt for food, but they should be back soon. Karen wanted to wait behind, to capture the rogue who took her and take him back to the Desert tribes, but Piper didn't want to stay any longer. They are all at Zar's tribe, Karen is leaving in a few days to come home, but Piper is remaining behind.
She shrugs. "We're all worried about Piper. We don't know what happened to her, and from what Fiona wrote, she doesn't want to talk about it. Maybe Karen will know more." She steps back, out of my arms. "But I'm not going to think that much about it. I'm glad she's safe, and that Fiona can watch over her. I'm just going to focus on us for the immediate future."
Tracy has come a long way. Her smiles come more easily now, and I like seeing her focus on creating her life here in the Haanask tribe.
I've dreamed of having a mate my entire life. Creating what type of female she would have been, but none of what I imagined even comes close to Tracy. She's not perfect, but that is why I love her. Her flaws are what makes her who she is, and her mistakes have helped her grow into the female she is. I could not have dreamed up someone as magnificent as her, no matter how hard I tried.
The fact that I have the rest of my life with her is more than I could ever ask for.
Taking her hand in my, we walk over to where my brother stands, shouting for Ferle to come down from the tree. Tracy and I laugh, as the boy ignores his father frantic cries and climbs higher. If he were in any real danger, Exxil would have already climbed up after him, but the tree Ferle is it is only about ten feet high. If he falls, Exxil will catch him.
"Come on down, Ferle! I made you some of your favorite cookies, they're in the kitchen," said Tracy. The boy clambers down, racing into the house. Exxil shakes his and follows him into the kitchen.
When she goes to follow, I tug her hand, making her stop. She looks back at me with a confused look. "What?"
"Are you happy?" I asked.
She lets go of my hand, walks over to stand in front of me, and goes up onto the tips of her toes. She takes my face in her hands a
nd presses her mouth to me. Her kiss is short, but her message is clear.
"I was happy back on Earth, and I'm happy here. They're two different types of happiness, but the emotions the same. I love you, Lorth," said Tracy. "If someone were to have asked me a few months ago if I could go home would I? I would have said yes, but now my answer would be more complicated than a three letter word. I miss my family, and if I could have them back I would, but I wouldn't give you up for them. I couldn't. I love you too much not to have you."
Tracy and I walk into our house. Ferle's laughter can be heard before we even reach the front door. One day it will be Tracy and my children filling this house with their tin voices. That is a day I'm greatly looking forward to, but for now, I'm content with having my mate all to myself. I might never be ready to share her, but for now, I don't have to.
Author's Note
I hope that y'all loved Tracy and Lorth just as much as I did. It means so much to me that y'all continue to read and review my books, and I don't know how I could ever thank you all enough. I've dreamed of being a writer for a very long time, and now for it to be my reality, it is beyond anything I could have imagined.
I wanted to let y'all know that I will be releasing a novella in the middle of July, and in August the third book in the Ghegion Tribes series will be released!
If y'all loved the book or just want to leave your thoughts about it, please feel free to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog!
If you would like to contact me my email is
[email protected]
Love, Maya
