Mated and Alone (True Match)

Chapter 14

Tsok

Davard was late today,

On the whole, that wasn’t unusual. He was doing the work of two males. Still, he wasn’t usually this late. Tsok wasn’t worried, but he didn’t like it. He could use this as an argument that Davard was doing too much and he should stop working so hard.

Stubborn old male.

Tsok didn't let his absence stop himself from working though. He had to finish preparing this report for the seniors so they could begin working on next year’s Coalition gathering. There was a lot of work to do, even with it being so far away. It was never too early to start, and he had a lot of plans.

Including spreading True Match further into the universe and on Kree.

While his government might be uncomfortable with mating itself, they certainly weren’t mad about the money the business was bringing in from offworld. It wasn’t the fact that mating existed that bothered them, only what it turned their own people into. Specifically the males. So, letting True Match flourish in the Coalition, where everyone else had more sane methods of mating, was quite fine to their way of thinking.

He could use that to leverage-

“Honored char. Forgive my tardiness.”

Lifting his eyes from his work, Tsok smirked as Davard climbed the steps to the second level where his desk was looking out over the rest of his office.

“There you are,” he started, teasing. “Here I was about to see if elder aid should be seeking you out.”

“You’re hilarious,” Davard said, completely deadpan.

“I told you that being both my aid and steward of my land was too much work for one male, didn't I? Doesn’t this prove it? You’re…” Tsok checked the clock, “half a mark late.”

“Ah, yes. A full half mark. How on Kree did you survive without me?”

“It was a struggle,” Tsok agreed calmly before fixing him with a grin. “What had you gone for so long anyway?”

Davard waved away his words. “Nothing that I couldn’t handle on my own.”

“If you say so.” Tsok sat back. “You’ll need to get Misty ready for a party in three days. We’ve been invited to another gathering.”

“So soon?”

“You say that like my social calendar was so lacking in the past.” Tsok scoffed.

“No, honored char,” Davard chuckled. “That’s not what… Never mind. I’ll have her ready. What’s the occasion? Another charity event?”

“No. The seniors who are on my side are having a fundraising event. I couldn’t possibly miss this. And it would be best if Misty was there. Vigo and his mate are coming as well. I think it will be good for Misty to get along with her.”

“Just because they are both humans?”

“She needs companions. I hate to think of her alone all the time in Fellbud Manor. Or working. A friend would be good for her. And they already have so much in common.”

“Indeed. I find that being from the same planet is, indeed, one great connection,” Davard said sarcastically. “As it happens, she does have companions. She’s made friends through her business.”

“Really?” Tsok hummed thoughtfully. He hadn’t heard about that. Though, he supposed, unless they were security threats, Davard would classify that as something he didn’t need to be told about.

Still, it was strange to hear she had made friends already. And yet…

He shook his head, focusing back on the topic at hand. There would be time for that later. “Just make sure she’s ready. You did well last time.”

“Oh, that wasn’t me.”

“Huh?”

“She chose her outfit herself. Did her own hair. Everything. I merely arranged the appointments.”

“Really?” Tsok beamed approvingly. “She chose all that herself? Including the jewelry?”

“Indeed.”

“Did she now…” He smirked, leaning back in his seat.

He thought it was just coincidence that she initially came to him already dressed like she was a fashionable kreecharma female. But no. Apparently, she was just highly attuned to what his people found attractive and beautiful herself.

That’s probably why her business was doing so well.

He frowned.

“Is there something wrong, Char Tsok?” Davard asked, cocking his head curiously.

“Hm? No. Not at all.” He sat back up. “Is there anything else to report on Misty?”

“No, your honor. Nothing important,” Davard inclined his head.

???

Ah, his mate truly was beautiful.

The event space chosen for the fundraising party was the rooftop of one of the taller buildings in the city. There was an entire garden up here, complete with delicate, fluttering insects with tiny wings that were similar to feathers. They were not birds, but their little wings made them seem like adorable, brightly colored balls of fluff floating around between the flowers and trees.

He guided Misty through, more focused on her than the lovely display of nature.

She was all in black today. This gown wasn’t kreecharma in style, so it must be human. The sleek silk of the skirt was shorter in the front, showing off her legs and the bright red shoes she wore – simple flats that connected to ties that wrapped all the way up her calf to her knee. A tight, black corset showed off the delicious dip of her waist, while black lace covered her low, flat decolletage. She was dripping in silver jewelry, accented with bright, gleaming rubies at her neck, ears, in her hair, over her wrists. The underside of her hair was a bright, gleaming red, like fire, and twisted up into a complex braid at the back of her head.

She was so lovely. She stood proudly at his side, drawing his eye by doing nothing more than looking around.

Although, staring at her, seeing her admire the garden with aloof grace, brought that uncomfortable, unsettled feeling back into his belly. Like something was wrong. Like something bad was happening, and he didn't know what it was, but there was definitely reason to be alarmed. Not panicky, but a low level anxiety that seemed to get worse whenever he looked at her.

But why though?

She was healthy. She was happy.

She hadn’t looked at him.

Not once. This entire night. Not even when he picked her up.

“Misty?” He called to her gently. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said shortly.

And all those instincts went absolutely haywire.

His human information pamphlet covered this!

Human females only described something as fine if it wasn’t actually fine! It meant that they had seen a problem and either were living with it or giving the person they were talking to a chance to fix it on their own.

Misty said she was fine.

Misty was not fine!