Mated and Alone (True Match)

Chapter 4

Tsok

That meeting really couldn’t have gone better!

There was a delighted pep in Tsok’s step as he returned to his manor. He had some important meetings this evening that he couldn’t be late for. A shame, because he would have likely enjoyed more time getting to experience his new mate.

She was lovely. A delight on the eyes. The sound of her voice was low, kind of husky, but such a treat for the ears. He bet it would be absolutely wonderful to have her moaning in his ear as he pounded her into the bed.

Ah, but no. He couldn’t think of such a thing. If she desired him, she’d invite him into her bed, and he’d go happily. For now, he couldn’t get himself worked up over nothing.

Still, despite telling himself that, he couldn’t stop remembering all her luscious curves, her pretty smile, her confident stride that made her bounce, bounce, bounce…

Oh, how he adored that bounce.

Then, there was that little beast in its crate.

He frowned, thinking about the cat creature she had in a box.

It had black fur, like himself, though it lacked the white spots he had on his ears and hands. It was pure black, with gleaming gold eyes. It glared out at Tsok like he was a threat and hissed in a way that was, at once, cute and threatening. Those little paws had surprisingly sharp claws. He didn’t know why, but he assumed that most creatures from Earth would have the same flat, soft claws that humans possessed.

But no, the cat’s claws were sharp and harsh. It struck at Tsok, hitting the bars of its crate in a way that made Tsok think it really would have hit him if the barrier wasn’t in a way.

He was slightly concerned. Not for himself, but his mate had such thin, fragile skin. What if that little beast turned on her? It might be able to do some serious damage. If only he had more time, he would have stayed to ensure the damned thing knew to fear him. Fear was the best way to keep feral creatures in line.

He’d come back to do it later. When he had more time.

There was a great cultural shift going on through his people right now. They had been so deliberately against mates and mating for so long, the very idea of it had become uncomfortable. That was why he had been scanned by True Match to find his mate. He could act as a role model. Let his people know that there really wasn’t anything to fear. That mating could be done safely.

And here was proof.

Tsok was walking away from his gorgeous, delectable mate that he’d just met for the first time. And yes, his cock was achingly hard, but he wasn’t turning into a feral, uncontrollable beast.

He was in control. Proud and strong. The very model of what a kreecharma male should be – concerned first and foremost for the wellbeing of his female.

He hadn’t ravished her, grabbed her, or slobbered over her. He greeted her kindly and warmly, then left her to get comfortable without hovering.

Yes, indeed. It was a perfect first meeting.

Back in his office in the Glass Manor, he returned to his desk. To his datawork.

He was going to keep a journal. He had actually already started. Since the moment he found out he was mated, he was keeping a detailed record of all the changes to his body that he noticed. Nothing medical, he wasn’t getting scanned, but there was more to mating than just the changes that occurred physically and subphysically. His thoughts, his feelings, his musings and concerns – all those were things that couldn’t be scanned. But he could still document them and present his story to his people as proof that mating wasn’t so terrifying.

His people feared that bond. To a point that it had shaped their entire culture. The modern day kreecharma weren’t the same that lived two, three, four hundred years ago. It wasn’t even a matter of the advancement of technology, or the fact that they’d joined the Coalition in that time. Mating was considered so unfortunate that those who, unfortunately, became entangled in that bond were people to be pitied.

There were a few kreecharma, he knew, that kept to the old ways. But they were fringe groups, considered backwards, unintelligent, even cultish. They certainly weren’t anyone that would live in the city.

There were also those that, for one reason or another, mated purely by accident. They weren’t looked down upon like those that chose the path. They certainly weren’t proud of the fact that they were mated, but they bore it like a heavy responsibility.

Well, all except those few that had gone through True Match and found their mate by choice – but safely. Those people were proud, but they were also few. They were also distrusted by the general population. It was no fault of True Match. It was just a natural result of something new challenging the established world order.

That was why Tsok had his mate brought here. It was why he was doing this at all. He, as the char of Kree, needed to demonstrate to his people that this new change would benefit them. That, as a society, they would all be better off if they knew exactly who their mate was, where they were, and what they were doing at all times.

It was for the safety of themselves, of their mates, of society as a whole.

And it was for that reason Tsok left her behind today. Though she was stunning, though he longed to remove his nasal filter and take a deep breath of her scent – which, truly, must be intoxicating – he would resist. He would curb those base urges. He would be a good mate to her, give her everything she needed and as much as she could ever want.

He would adore her in the way of his people.

And he would never actually mate her.