by Belle Harper
When I brought it up with the other Chosen, they said I was wrong. She smelled different but she did not affect them. Tyee confided in me that he, too, felt this pull in his chest; a feeling he had never experienced before. When she touched me and Tyee, I knew she felt it too. She must feel the pull in her chest because every time she was away from me, I felt it still. It only eased when she was with me, touching me. She liked to touch me a lot. She told me that was something they did in her world, and mate many times. She was unlike the Aashi females. I liked this about Quinn.
But I needed to make sure she was safe. My grandmother was the queen, I was a high born Taanin male, my father—the queen’s son—was a first and favorite male to my mother. My older siblings and my uncle—the queen’s youngest son—were also part of the chosen males selected for Quinn. But when Quinn refused them and chose Tyee and I as her mates, there had been a lot of tension within the clan, and my father was very angry with me that I would accept such a position as first mate over my elder brothers.
And now, Quinn had touched Zezii. This was not good. He was destined to be a great warrior for the clan; he would be a first mate when he was in his prime. I was unsure what the queen would do to Quinn for this infraction, or what she would do to Zezii. He would be outcast for sure. The queen would not allow a male to live in the clan with the mating hormones and no mate. But then, she let my brothers and uncle stay after Quinn touched them, but they were her own blood.
Zezii wasn’t hers, she would send him out as a rejected mate and I couldn’t let that happen to him. He was a young male and being out there… He needed a clan. And this Loona, she had a clan that my mate wished to belong.
“Grab all you can carry, we leave now,” I told Tyee, as he took some of the blankets from the nest Quinn was trying to pack into her clever backpack.
“Zezii, is there anyone you need to speak to before we leave?” I knew he was young, he only had one littermate, a smaller male who would one day be a takxe. He shook his head and lingered by the doorway. I could hear a great commotion outside, the queen would now know what happened and would be coming for my beautiful mate.
“Quickly, we leave now.” I took the backpack from Quinn and placed it on my shoulder as I had done when she first arrived. She squeaked when I lifted her up from where she stood and held her in my lower arms. She held a blanket tight to her chest.
“Zezii, remove the window covering of the hut at the back. We cannot leave from the front door.” Tyee had placed the table at the door, but it wouldn’t hold them back. It would buy us a few moments before they realized we had left. There was a loud banging; I could hear the queen’s mates now. My heart raced faster. This was worse than I expected.
“We must go at once.”
Outside in the cooler evening air, we raced on foot. Zezii was fast, much faster than I. I explained where we needed to go and he agreed to scout up ahead for us. I not only had to worry about my own clan after us but also rejected, outcast males in the free lands who might be close by who would take my mate from me. We couldn’t stop, we had to keep a fast pace until we arrived at this new clan. We would be safe once there.
“I can run, you don’t have to carry me, babe.” Her translator telling me her words were never the same as when it came from her lips. I felt my tiny mate tapping my lower arm, wanting me to let her down, but I couldn’t. She wasn’t as fast as I. I would carry her to safety. I couldn’t let her down, I couldn’t lose her when I had only just been given such a gift.
“I will carry you, enoh,” I whispered to her. I knew she wasn’t happy with this when she made her sound of frustrations. My mate was strong-willed like all Aashi females. But she was kind and sweet, something the females here were not. I enjoyed all her passionate yelling, as she called it. She would clap her two hands to get our attention when I would be more focused on the way she moved her arms, and the words were so beautiful even with a slight angry tone. She loved to tell us things for many hours that even the translator couldn’t keep up. She told me she wasn’t angry with us when I flinched away the first time she yelled. She told me she would never want to hurt me or Tyee, that she just got passionate about things and it was how she expressed herself.
But she liked when I was bossy and passionate. I saw the hint of a smile when I held her with my tails in front of others or took her to our nest for more mating.
A lot more mating than I was expecting, even Tyee was shocked at how much she needed. But she told us it was the human way and we needed to keep mating after the ceremony where Aashi only mate the one time. She wanted to mate many times a day and both Tyee and myself at the same time. She called it “an-nal” and it made her scream the loudest when we both mated her together. She told us that it was the rules of her world to mate all the time. I would never complain with those rules, they were the opposite to the rules of our world and they felt so good. I wished to know more about her world and their rules, but I always forgot to ask her after mating. It was like the words escaped my thoughts after I had given her my seed.
We travelled all night, and by daybreak we rested, hidden by the fog. We were quiet as we listened out for danger. I could sense outcast males in the trees. Quinn walked with us then, she no longer wanted to be carried and her angry tone scared me so much that I let her walk. I didn’t wish to upset her in any way, but I was very concerned about the other males. They were getting closer and even Zezii could sense it. His tails were rigid and he was tense and ready to defend Quinn.
“In-truda ellert,” was called out through the trees. It echoed around us, and immediately I was in defensive mode to block these males from my mate. I wrapped my tails around Quinn to hold on to her. But Quinn did not understand this was not a friendly group of males, she called back to them before I had a chance to warn her of the danger.
Chapter Three
Quinn
I almost started to run when I heard the words “intruder alert” called out through the trees. It was hard to get Eren to let go of me, he was very protective, so I just ignored his tails and walked as best I could being attached to a big ass alien. But the voices, they came from above and I knew straight away we were here, we were at Clan Wolf.
“It’s only me. No need for an intruder alert, boys,” I called back out to the trees. I couldn’t see where they were coming from, but Eren wasn’t impressed by my alerting them to my presence. Like, they already knew we were here. What was I supposed to say, nope, you can’t see me? I didn’t blend in with the trees here like the Aashi did. I stuck out… like an alien.
Eren held me tightly to his chest, and I tried to pat his arm to loosen his hold a little. He was my big, shielding warrior, but I also needed to breathe.
“Where is my favorite female in the world? Where is Luna?” It didn’t take long before I saw some purple guys holding spears and a hut up ahead. They watched us as we approached.
“Quinn.” I felt like crying and laughing as soon as I heard my name. It was like a feeling I had never felt before, like without her I felt lost and now... I saw her running towards me, her arms stretched wide. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I started running towards the woman I had become close friends with, the woman with the huge mess of curls that she never could tame. Except now, it was in a beautiful braid like the Aashi, and she looked so healthy and happy.
“Oh my god,” I breathed as I embraced her. I needed this; someone I could talk to about this crazy place. I felt like I could finally be myself. I could breathe and not feel like I was walking on eggshells.
“I know, right? I came here to get closer to you. I needed to see you, Quinn.” I held back tears as I felt Eren behind me. Then a big guy stood beside Luna. He was smaller than Eren and Zezii even, but Tyee was still shorter.
“This is my guy, Vallyn.” Luna beamed as she introduced him, placing her hand on his stomach. He stood taller at the touch and smiled lovingly down at her. I wanted to burst with happiness for Luna. He was a hottie.
“I would
shake your hands, but you know… mating hormones and all.” I didn’t know how to introduce myself to people on this planet, and then I just started laughing and Luna joined in until I felt like we were in a fit of giggles. The guys didn’t get it. Inside joke, I guess.
I felt Eren’s tail brush over me and I sobered up enough to introduce my guys.
“This is Eren, he is my guy. And I also have Tyee with me. He is my takxe and mate. ‘Cause you know… touching…” Then I couldn’t finish. Being with Luna made all this seem so crazy. I erupted into giggles and full belly laughs because if I didn’t say it, it would seem crazy, right? This whole experience had been crazy.
“Tell me about it. My translator got broken by the chosen guy, and I touched the guys who had escorted me back to the clan. Not that I didn’t want to, ‘cause well, look at him. My other two are hot as fuck also.”
Oh, wow, she had three mates and, well yeah, so far I couldn’t complain about the looks of these Aashi guys. Every one of them was attractive and they all had abs. So many abs. I didn’t know I was a woman to be so attracted to those muscles under that taut purple skin but here, well, hell yeah.
“Eren, babe, let’s go sit down and chill for a bit. My feet are tired.” I felt his tails become still and unmoving and realized what I had just said. I told him earlier I wanted to walk the rest of the way, which slowed us down a little, but being carried for too long hurt. I told him I was fine and not tired, but now I was; I was exhausted. And he was probably upset with himself for not knowing I was tired. Ugh… He was very sensitive like that. It was just, seeing Luna was such a relief that all my adrenaline must have drained me.
Luna took my arm with hers and led me over to this gorgeous hut. It was designed to wrap around the klaven tree as if it was one with nature and it was raised off the ground. It was really well done, someone had taken their time in constructing this. It was different to the huts I had seen in Clan Taanin. This one was a work of art. It was like a luxury tree house. And I wanted one.
We walked up the stairs and I couldn’t stop smiling as I ran my hand over the smooth wood of the banister. This felt like home. I could finally breathe being here with Luna. This place was so much better than Clan Taanin. I knew it would be, anywhere Luna was would be better than that clan.
Luna turned back to her mate, her brows raised and a hint of a smile.
“No mates allowed, girl talk only.”
I felt Eren’s tail tighten on my wrist. I turned and patted his arm while another Aashi guy, a smaller one like the same as my Tyee, complained that it was unfair, that Zigur was inside the hut. Luna laughed and kissed her mates and I did the same. Tyee looked a little out of his element. I blew him a kiss, then smiled to Zezii who was standing beside him. When his eyes widened, I panicked, turned, and made my way into the hut. I didn’t want to give him ideas, as cute as he was. I just… If he was that young, he needed time to grow up—not that he needed much growing—and he might think a smile was more than just that.
“Thank fuck, I needed girl talk.” I turned to Luna as she smiled and pointed to my translator, then to the huge nest in the corner of the room which had a face buried in there and looking right at us with a huge smile.
“We need to turn this off or Zigur will listen in. He was injured when we were attacked, so he is resting.” By the way he smiled at Luna, I think he was done resting.
“Enoh,” he called out to her, his eyes flicking to me then back to Luna. She went to him and kissed him, his tails went wild and I turned away at their private moment. When she returned to me, she gestured to a table and I turned off the translator.
“Sorry, gave him his first hand job this morning and well…” I laughed. Oh god, I loved how freely Luna talked. I missed this type of thing. I bet the other girls did too, being isolated from each other was not good for anyone. Mental health and all. Like putting a fish in the desert and telling him to adapt. But you can’t talk to your other fish friends.
“Tell me about it, these guys have no idea about sex, or the fact you can fuck more than once, or together at the same time.” Luna’s eyes widened at the last part.
“Really? Oh man. I want to try the whole threesome thing but they have such huge cocks.” I laughed. Because well, yeah, they were equipped. But cock sizes and height seemed to match. Well, from what I had seen.
“Tyee is smaller.” I realized that sounded wrong. “I mean, like, for human sizes he is still bigger than your average guy but the perfect size for me. But Eren is too big for anal. And have you seen Zezii? Fuck that, poor guy probably has a third leg. Even my lady parts are saying no and he isn’t even my mate.”
Then I felt bad for thinking like that, ugh. Not his fault I fucked up and touched him. I shouldn’t talk bad about him and his body. He was young and it wasn’t fair for me to say those things.
“I take that back, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sure he is a great guy. Just… I wasn’t really intending on touching him. Hell, here, my hands are like weapons and I gotta keep them to myself or I will end up with a harem of guys.” But then, was that a bad thing here? More hands… No. No time to think of more guys when I finally had Luna here with me.
Luna smiled as she wiped away a tear and then wrapped me in a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re here.”
Me too.
Chapter Four
Tyee
I was not sure of what we would find when we arrived at this other female’s clan. When the other female, Luna, ran at my Quinn, I held my breath, ready for the attack. Aashi females were very territorial and would attack another if they came on their lands.
But when they embraced each other and Quinn made happy sounds, I knew I had been blessed by the Goddess with such a wonderful mate. I had been blessed to be chosen as her takxe, but to be her mate, that was unheard of and I never would have thought it possible. I still woke every day believing it was a dream. That this was not real. But then Quinn would reach for me, touch me, and stroke my tails. I knew it was real and it made my chest swell to know she wanted to have me as her mate.
But being here, I saw a small warrior that was a first mate, the same markings like that of Eren, and a takxe with mate marks. His smile was wide as he watched the females embrace and make the happy sounds. I realized I wasn’t the only takxe these human females had taken as a mate. It made me feel better to know these other males in this clan might not challenge my bond to Quinn. I had feared that more when the rejected male, Daku, came and took my healing tools for an injured male and she wished to live here.
Eren was concerned about this new clan, he worried the same thoughts. That these males might challenge us, and Quinn had taken no more mates than us two. We wouldn’t be able to stop them even if they tried. But Zezii, he was a large warrior. He may be young, but he now wore the mate marks on his thighs—stronger marks than a rejected mate as Quinn kept touching him—and I felt much better knowing he was with us. These other males might believe he was her mate and not challenge him.
“Zezii, we should go be with Eren.” He was now talking with other males of the clan while Quinn was having “girls talk” with her female friend Luna inside her hut. It would be good to show force if they intended on taking Quinn from us. As I walked over, I puffed my chest higher. I stopped by the smaller takxe.
“I am Axoh. I was chosen to be Luna’s takxe, but now I am her mate. It is good to meet another takxe that was chosen as a mate. We have both been blessed by the Goddess.”
I nodded in agreement as I listened to Eren and Vallyn speaking. It was not a friendly conversation between clan brothers, but it was one they were taking as first mates. Something that didn’t happen often, even within a clan.
“Quinn wishes to join Clan Wolf. We have come here in hopes these wishes of our mate will be met with this new clan. One full of outsiders who understand the needs of our human female.” Vallyn nodded to Eren and they spoke more on the matter.
Axoh was good company, he spoke of many thin
gs they had started at Clan Wolf. One of those was how the rules were different than that of a traditional clan. Luna said everything would be equal, and everyone had a role to play. No longer was a first mate the warrior chief. Here they had three, and they oversaw protections of the clan.
“I am in charge of healing, but I wouldn’t have been able to do so without your healing tools, Tyee. I would like to share this role with you. Equally.”
I thanked him for the offer. It was a good one and I accepted at once, hoping it would make Quinn proud to know her mate and takxe was now an important member of the clan.
After some time, the males went about their business. Vallyn stood nearby Axoh, and Eren approached me and Zezii.
“We must speak to Quinn about taking more mates. We need more protection for her, I do not feel I can trust the protection here. So the more mates she takes, the better we can protect her. Zezii, as much as you are young you may wait many years before finding a mate, but the males here believe the M’Mori will bring more in the future.”
Zezii nodded, his tails limp at his sides. I felt sad for him, but it was not like Quinn pulled at his chest as she did to Eren and I. Or his tails. Her scent drove me crazy and when I was near her, my cock leaked seed. Wanting her to be close to me, touch and stroke me to release. Things Aashi males were not supposed to have or want, but I now needed it all the time.
But Zezii will get that with his own female. He was young with many years before he was of prime mating age. Quinn needed a male of prime age, a warrior with many years of experience.
