by Belle Harper
When the females emerged from the hut they both wore huge smiles, and when Quinn saw us it grew even wider. My heart pounded in my chest at the sight. She ran down to us and my tails were seeking her out as she wrapped her arms around Eren and myself.
“This is going to be so much fun. We will have such a great time here. I am sorry for wanting to leave Clan Taanin. I know that was your home, but in time, we can make this our home. We can live here and be free. No looking over our shoulders.”
Eren stiffened at those words, and I never thought at all for the fact of leaving the clan that I would miss it. Until Quinn, I had never left the clan lands. They would never accept us back there, and I had looked over my shoulder waiting for a fight or challenge for Quinn. But here, we would have to do that more so than ever. I did not think Quinn knew of the dangers of being in the free lands, where all the outcast and rejected males lived.
“Enoh, you must consider taking more mates. Loona has three, but her first mate believes she will take another, Daku. I think it would be best for you to choose your other three mates soon. Maybe some from the Clan Wolf? I saw a large warrior, Nvaa. He would make a good mate—” Quinn held up her hand and pressed her palm to Eren’s mouth, stopping his words from coming out.
“Hey, are we happy?” She glanced to me and I nodded. I was happy wherever Quinn was. “Eren?” Her brow raised and I watched as he slowly nodded, but his tails told me he was not happy in the way Quinn only had two mates.
“Good, let’s not talk about more mates yet. Especially in front of Zezii. I think it’s rude.” I looked to Zezii and I thought he would understand why Quinn was not going to take him as a mate. I understood the feeling of not being a Chosen. Even though I was born knowing I would never have a female, because of my size I would forever be a healer, I still longed for such a thing, being a mate. Raising my own young.
All the males had gathered around closer now. Eren noticed as he stood tall. He wanted to show he would fight in a challenge for Quinn if he needed to this day.
“Can we have a feast day, even though it’s not feast day?” Luna asked the males in front of her. The older one without tails nodded.
“Thank you, Apak. I know you were planning one the first night we were here, but we never got to have it. And I really would love a way to celebrate being here with Quinn and her mates. Oh, and Zezii.”
Quinn clapped her hands and squealed loudly. I didn’t think such a high sound could come from my female. She ran back to Luna and they started to speak more.
“I will help prepare,” I told Eren as he followed after Quinn. He was always there to watch her and protect her just as Luna’s mate, Vallyn, was following.
“Come, Zezii, we shall help the brothers of our new clan prepare a feast.”
Chapter Five
Quinn
I was a little annoyed at the way Eren told me I needed more mates. I thought he would be happy with it being just the three of us. I knew I had been happy. He had asked me a couple of times while at Clan Taanin, but now he was very insistent. So much so that when I took a break to pee, he was right there telling me that I should consider more mates. For my protection.
But the clan seemed protective already. They had an alarm system and there were at least five here that weren’t mated to Luna, and I was sure they would protect me if needed. They would protect Luna and she had accepted us into the clan.
“Please, my heart, I fear I cannot protect you on my own.” I rolled my eyes. I could protect myself. For starters, I knew basic self-defense. I wasn’t as strong as an Aashi male, but I could hit some important stuff, like throat and balls. I knew some karate… Okay, I knew some cool looking moves I saw on the Karate Kid movies when I was a child. I was sure I could use the crane on an unsuspecting Aashi, he wouldn’t know what hit him… in the balls because there was no way my leg would get that high.
But then I was never alone, I always had Eren following me. And I felt safe with him.
“I will try, babe,” I soothed. As I patted his arm, his tails seemed to sway again. Like he could finally relax knowing I was considering more mates. He was really worked up on this mate shit. Maybe it was because Luna and her guys were attacked and he was worried that will happen again. Okay… maybe now I was a little worked up. I would have to ask Luna who the single guys were here, and maybe which ones were off-limits. Maybe this Nvaa was going to be hers. Eren couldn’t start just picking mates for me. I needed to do that myself.
After a tour of the small clan lands—they had two water holes, one for bathing and the other for drinking—we all sat down at a long wooden table. It was big enough to just fit us all, but no stools, we sat on the grass… purple grass. I took my shoes off and felt the warm earth beneath my feet. I wish I could strip naked and go swimming but this would have to do for now. Swimming later. I loved the water and I hadn’t had a real bath in… Shit. I probably stunk really bad right now. I had little bird baths since I got here, but that was because they told me the Aashi didn’t bath in water, just cleaned themselves with a small cloth and water.
“You have some seriously sexy clansmen here, Luna. Your mates are hot, and Zigur is so funny. Are you going to have five like they usually have around here? Or just stick to the three?”
I wanted to see what her plans were. Were her mates wanting her to add more? Also, did she have a thing for one of these guys, and if so, I needed to know which ones so I didn’t accidentally touch them. Not that they needed to be touched, most were rejected males. They were outcast from their clans. The queen touched them, starting their hormones, then left them to figure it all out. And others, apparently, just sent out as outcasts, meaning they didn’t have the mating hormones. I didn’t know what was worse—having to rub one out or to never experience that.
“I have a few single guys here if you’re looking at growing your little threesome there.” She smiled and wiggled her brows at me. Did she mean threesome as in me, Eren, and Tyee, or like three mates? Zezii was not my mate. I glanced over to him, ugh… He was so cute. Like more than cute. He was built like no seventeen-year-old I had ever seen. He was the darkest color of purple here. There was another large male sitting further down the table who I think matched Zezii in size. But color? It was hard to tell, the guy was covered in dirt. I think he needed a lesson in how to take a bath.
When Luna saw who I was looking at, she told me that was Nvaa. Which I was a little shocked at, Eren wanted me to pick the dirty guy? He turned to us and I tried not to giggle at the look he wore, now that he knew we were talking about him.
“Smile and wave…” Luna said under her breath and I did. His smile grew at the attention and he waved back. Then Zigur called out to Luna and waved, it triggered a bunch of the males to wave at us. I tried to hold in all the giggles but when Luna said she would spell the names out I laughed.
There was one who didn’t wave, but he looked at me from under his lashes. He wasn’t as big as the others, and I liked that he wasn’t waving and trying to get attention like some of the others.
“Who is the guy next to him—the one with the black and purple hair?” I knew the black hair was like our grays but I think it looked sexy. Eren had a few dark strands, whereas Tyee didn’t, but he was younger. Not as young as Zezii, which I had to keep reminding myself when my eyes drifted over his abs and the way he flexed his arms… four arms. That was a lot of arm porn there. Like, come on, don’t give him this body without giving him the age to go with it. My thoughts of Zezii’s muscles were interrupted when Luna started to speak close to my ear.
“That is K to the O to the H, down there. He is our lead builder guy. So he basically is making all the huts.” Oh my gosh, he was the builder of the huts here. Like, there were only two huts so far, but they were so beautifully crafted, he was skilled. I wonder if he would make me a hut or if I could work with him on designs. “And as I was saying about the one before, he was meant to be my Chosen. He stood up and defended me and they broke his arm, and we all
ended up here as outcasts.
“So, yep, now we are Clan Wolf, and I’m super happy. But now that you are here, I feel like this really can be a home.”
I felt the same way. I was glad to be here, and I could see now why Eren would want me to pick Nvaa. If he defended Luna, and was injured defending her, he would make a strong mate for me. Just… I wasn’t sure yet. I kind of wanted to see where we were going with just the three of us.
But I wouldn’t rule out getting to know the other males here. It would make Eren happy, I could see the way he watched me out the corner of his eye from beside me. He was following my gaze towards the other males, I felt his tails sneak up and gently brush my thigh when my eyes landed on Nvaa. I wanted to roll my eyes at Eren, knowing that he was hinting to me to make that choice. Nvaa was on my list… You know, if I had a list he would be on there. With the pros and cons, like back in high school. Pro: he would protect me. Con: doesn’t wash.
When Zezii glanced at me, then back to Nvaa, I saw him sit up taller. Oh god. How could I pick Nvaa and not Zezii, who I touched? I could see how that could look in his eyes. Hell, it looked unfair in mine too.
Well, who was I kidding? Zezii was on the list. Even though I said he wouldn’t be my mate over and over. And I tried to convince myself he wouldn’t be. He still made the list. Pro: he was huge and cute. Con: he was too young for me.
Koh would make the list… Pro: he could build huts and all types of things… Yet to find a con.
Oh boy… I think I need to sleep first, before I really thought more about this. I was really exhausted and didn’t want to make any rash decisions. Especially when it came down to mates… It really was death do you part over here.
Chapter Six
Nvaa
When this female first walked into camp, her hair was like that of Luna, the strands were curly and so different to our straight Aashi hair. Her words were sweet but she scared me. I didn’t know why my stomach felt like I had swallowed a bird who flapped around inside there at the sight of her. Then it hit me, her scent. I had smelled her out in the Goddess arena. I didn’t know who it was, but now she was here I knew it was her, the one who made my heart beat faster.
My cock leaked in my loin cloth at the scent. I hid back, away from her as she entered camp to make sure she couldn’t see the seed I was leaking. This had never happened before. I had been wearing my cloth extra tight. I didn’t want anyone to find out my secret, but with the new female here, that would be harder than I thought.
The secret I held in my cloth was that when Luna was healing me back at Clan Zaali, she touched me, just a small touch, but it was enough to set off my mating hormones.
I had found that she didn’t mean to do this, the humans didn’t understand their touch did this to us Aashi males. So I had kept my mate marks hidden, covering myself in a layer of dirt so as to not alert anyone to them. I didn’t want Luna to feel as if she had to take me as a mate. She had been very clear she only wanted Vallyn and Axoh, and now Zigur. But she hadn’t approached me asking for me to be her mate. And now, Vallyn had mentioned she might take Daku as a final mate. Never considering me as one of her chosen. It hurt in my chest to know she did not wish for me.
But now Quinn was here, I knew why I hadn’t been chosen by Luna. I had been waiting for Quinn to come. The Goddess had plans for all, and she knew Quinn was to be my mate. I just needed to show her that I could be a good mate to her, in hopes she would choose me over other males. When the females entered the hut together, the first mates talked with one another.
Eren, Quinn’s first mate, approached me. I was unsure to what he wanted from me. Was he to fight me? I was a great warrior, but my arm had not completely healed, it was still tight from the fight that broke out at Clan Zaali over the bonding ceremony between Luna and the chosen males. My tails stiffened as I felt my skin tingle, ready for the challenge, but I wouldn’t fight this male. His female needed protection and I wouldn’t injure this male in fear she would be left unprotected while he healed.
“You, male. Vallyn has told me of you. You were a warrior chosen to be a mate to the female Loona, yes?”
My tails loosened slightly and I folded my upper arms across my chest and nodded in response.
“This is good, my mate will need strong warriors to take as mates. She has myself and her takxe, Tyee. Zezii is a young warrior, not seen his first fight, and not a mate to my Quinn. She is in need of strong mates, she will need three more to complete the chosen males.
“I will speak with her and guide her to choose the best warriors. Would you protect Quinn if there was challenge here?”
I nodded. I would protect anyone who was part of Clan Wolf. Never had I felt so free until we left clan lands and travelled here. I enjoyed the freedoms that were not given to me back at Clan Zaali.
“I would protect Quinn and Luna with my life.” And I meant it. I would lay down my life to protect the females from harm.
He nodded at me and returned to speak to Tyee and Zezii. I was excited, my heart raced at the thought she would choose me. That Eren, the first mate, wished for me to bond to his female. Her scent overpowered my thoughts so much that I climbed the nearest klaven tree and stroked myself like so many other times before, until I spilled seed and my cock no longer was hard and angry. Only now, my cock was still hard. So I spilled seed again.
At the feast that evening, Apak sat to my right and Koh to my left. We had built a hut for ourselves to sleep in, but Apak suggested we give our hut to Quinn and her mates.
“You’re right, we must give them our hut, they will need somewhere to stay and we can sleep under the stars and moon. That is no trouble for us,” Koh replied. I watched him as he kept glancing over to Quinn. He too must want to be chosen, to mate bond with Quinn as much as I did. Apak held no interest on his face for Quinn, he gave the same expressions and looks to Luna. When I heard Luna speak my name, I looked over and saw the females watching me. My tails vibrated. Were they discussing me to be a mate to Quinn?
When Quinn smiled at me, I felt like I was dreaming. I waved my hand back to her, so did Zigur and Axoh. But I noticed then, Quevin, and the littermates Xell and Qrux were also interested. They waved to Quinn also, she smiled at them all. I did not like this, my body was tense at the thoughts she would choose them over me. I would make a good mate, but I knew in my heart they would too. I would just have to show her how good a mate I could be, starting this night.
When the feast was over, Tyee approached Apak, Koh, and me.
“Our Quinn is tired. I was told you have given up your hut to her and she wishes to sleep. May she use it now?” Apak nodded to the small male and quickly made his way towards the hut. I could see Koh fussing with his hands. He thought this hut to be good enough for us males, but not good enough for a female. I agreed, Quinn needed a large hut, one like Luna had. But this would do for now. She was not like female Aashi, if she was anything like Luna then she would be very happy with his fine hut.
“Come with us, I will show you the way to the—” My words stopped as I saw Quinn approach me. She wore no foot coverings like Luna so often did but when she smiled up at me, I lost all the words in my throat. How could just her smile chase away my words? This was unheard of.
“Thanks, big guy. I’m really beat and need to go to sleep soooo bad.” Her words were sweet and soft, her translator voice so rough and informal. I didn’t understand all her words. Beat? Was she hurt? Injured in a fight? She seemed fine to me and her mates did not tell us she was beat. It must be one of those words that did not translate correctly.
But the word sleep, this I understood, I knew the human word for it too. I wanted to tell her that she was welcome to all my belongings. I didn’t have much, only what I had gathered here. I wanted to use the human words I knew, but it was like my mouth was still broken at her sight and I only stared at her like a shy kit.
“You may take all my blankets for your nest. I am sorry I do not have a better hut to offer you, Quinn. I wil
l start on a hut for you and your mates in the morning,” Koh offered and he bowed to her. She smiled at Koh, but this one was bigger, you could see the happiness in her eyes. I felt a pang in my chest.
She didn’t look at me like that and now I had lost my words, I could not tell her the same and receive the beaming smile in return. When Eren looked over at me, I could tell this was important. I should speak to her, and the way she reacted to Koh was how she should look at me if I was to ever be considered a possible mate. I never had experienced this before, and I didn’t know how to make her see me as more than just an outcast male.
I must try harder to make Quinn to see me.
Chapter Seven
Quinn
I had been here only two days before Eren complained about me bathing with Luna, in front of Vallyn.
“I do not like that Vallyn can see my female without her coverings,” he tried to argue with me on the way back to the hut we had been staying in. Eren could see Luna too, so I didn’t see what the problem was. His queen—well, his grandmother—walked around with her boobs out. I had never seen Vallyn even look in my direction. But Eren had started an argument with Vallyn this morning and I wasn’t having it. He had become very jealous or… Well, that wasn’t the right word. I wasn’t sure, he was just being a grumpy asshole and I didn’t like it. Something was bothering him, but he wouldn’t tell me.
“You know, if you have such a problem then don’t come with me anymore. It is a nice time to bathe and you don’t like to bathe like that. Us humans, we love it. If I could bathe multiple times a day, I would. So stop picking fights.” I poked him in the chest with my index finger to get the point across.
