Chapter 63
63
Selena
T he air in the tent shifted, thick with an unfamiliar energy that buzzed against my skin.
Zyxel took a deep breath, his chest expanding as though he were bracing himself for something monumental. My heart pounded as I watched his crimson and gold form shimmer, the scales along his body rippling like water under sunlight. The glow intensified, the heat palpable. Pulling my head away from his grasp, I took an instinctive step back, the hum of power vibrating in my ears.
His body began to ripple and shift, his body changing in ways that defied logic.
Crimson bled to obsidian black, the golden accents transforming into thin iridescent crimson streaks that caught the faint sunset. His sinuous naga tail became thicker, longer, with an almost prehensile strength that swayed behind him, ending in a cluster of fiber-optic-like strands—glowing iridescently, more pronounced and vibrant than before.
His torso stretched, broadening, the humanoid elements of his upper body melting into something more monstrous—yet still him. Two powerful hind legs, clawed and muscled, carried his towering frame upright. His arms extended, the hands morphing into taloned fingers that flexed and curled.
His snout extended slightly, forming two nostril slits and a lipless mouth lined with sharp, pearl-white teeth. His eyes, however, remained striking. Bright amber, almond-shaped, slitted pupils locked on me, pierced the space between us, fear and vulnerability shining within their depths.
Spines emerged along the length of his back, tracing down to the tail now coiled behind him. Thick, textured hair hung in heavy black locs over his shoulders, framing a creature that should have terrified me.
Yet, he didn’t.
I stood slowly, compelled to get closer, my heart pounding, but not from fear. As he stepped back, towering over me, I had to crane my neck to take in the sheer size of him. He was massive—larger than anyone in my clan, even Zirene. Power radiated off him in waves, but it wasn’t threatening. It was restrained, as if he were holding himself back, afraid to frighten me.
He took a hesitant step back, his massive frame dwarfing the elegant tent. The sound of his claws softly scraping against the rug covered floor sent a shiver down my spine. I stepped forward instinctively, tilting my head up to meet his gaze.
Yet, despite his monstrous form, there was something heartbreakingly familiar in the way he looked at me.
“Zyxel…” I breathed, my voice trembling with wonder. I reached out, my hand hovering near his cheek, but I didn’t touch him—not yet.
A crimson thread brushed gently against my mental shield, the tentative and soft caress. The signature was unmistakable. My heart stuttered, and I opened myself to it, allowing him in.
“Please don’t be afraid,” his mental voice whispered like a soft plea, raw with emotion. “ I’d never hurt you.”
Something deep inside me believed him without question.
My hand found the side of his face, his scales warm and smooth beneath my palm. Tears pricked my eyes, unbidden. “I’m not afraid,” I whispered, both aloud and through the connection. “I know you wouldn’t harm me.”
The moment the words left my lips, his legs buckled. He fell to his knees, his massive form folding as he reached for me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His tail curled around my feet, a protective cocoon anchoring me to him.
I stood frozen, overwhelmed as his head rested on my shoulder, the weight grounding me.
Everywhere my skin met his scales, they glowed faintly crimson, the color spreading and pulsating like a heartbeat.
A low, guttural sound rumbled deep in his throat—a sound so raw and filled with emotion that tears stung my eyes. It wasn’t a growl; it was a mournful weeping—the sound of someone who had carried a weight too heavy for too long.
“I’ve searched my whole life for you,” he pathed, the words reverberating in my mind. “ I never thought I’d find you, my enax . And now… now that I have, I dread that I’ll never be enough.”
His words broke something in me.
Tears formed as I guided him to the plush bed of pillows and blankets. I lowered myself first, coaxing him to lie beside me. His massive form curled protectively around me as though I were his anchor—the most precious thing in his universe.
He rested his head on my chest.
My fingers found his thick, textured hair, smoothing it, playing with it. It was a grounding act, as much for him as for me.
He let out a sound—a deep, resonant purr that felt like the soothing rumble of a space shuttle.
“You’re safe with me,” I murmured, my voice breaking. “Let it out.”
His purring deepened, a sound of gratitude and surrender—both deeper and more guttural.
The rawness of it pulled at my heart, tears spilling freely down my cheeks. There was something primal about his vulnerability, something that spoke to every protective instinct I had.
After several moments, when his trembling had stilled and the glow from his scales dimmed to a softer hue, I let out a deep sigh. “Tell me everything,” I said softly, my fingers threading through his hair. “Who you are, what you are, and how we’re connected.”
He lifted his head slightly, his amber eyes locking onto mine, the vulnerable and disparate. “I’ll tell you everything,” he pathed, his voice trembling with resolve. “ But promise me one thing. Promise you’ll hear me out. Promise you’ll let me explain.”
“I promise,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
His amber eyes glowed softly, and his mental voice brushed against my mind, steady but laced with a deep sadness. “I am a Rkekh,” he began. “We are a minor species that, at one time, had a tiny home planet—a mere speck compared to the vast expanse of the universe. About as much as your Destima. Our galaxy’s government discovered us, and somehow my people became a rare and valuable commodity to those with nefarious plans.”
The weight of his words settled over me as I listened, my fingers brushing along his spines as though the touch could somehow soothe the pain in his voice. His shoulders tensed beneath my hand.
“The Yaarkins invaded our planet many generations ago, enslaving everyone. Those fortunate enough to escape—or who were off-planet—banded together, forming a network to keep our species alive and safe. We became nomads, traveling in clutches and remaining isolated. Only when clutchmembers found their enax would they separate from their siblings, never to speak to them again. Not only for their own safety but also to ensure the safety of their families.
I swallowed hard, trying to process his words. The image of isolated groups, living in fear, sacrificing their connections for survival, twisted something deep inside me.
“But why? Why would your galaxy’s government allow your species to be hunted like that?”
His head dipped, his spines shifting subtly under the strain of his grief. “Because the Yaarkins were powerful and ruthless. They thrived on capturing and controlling other races. My people are scientists and explorers, not warriors. We were no match for them in battle. Only the Verya have ever been capable of standing against them.” His mental voice grew heavier, sadness seeping through. “But in the end, even they saw potential…
“My people's unique genetic makeup made us desirable to those who saw an opportunity. We are known as shapeshifters—doppelgangers. We absorb genetic information from other species and store it in our spines. Each spine represents a different species. The larger the spine, the more time we’ve spent as that species. The ones near the top of our heads are the first we’ve copied, and the ones farther down are the newest additions.”
I shifted, my hand lingering along the intricate pattern of spines that ran down his back. Some were thicker, longer than others, their smooth surfaces glimmering faintly as my hand passed.
“Are there… others like you?” I whispered, though deep down, I feared the answer.
He shook his head slowly. “ No. I am the only one left at the base. There were more of us once, but when the Verya attacked, they either captured or killed the others. I fear they are continuing the Yarrkins’ experiments.”
My heart clenched. “Experiments like… me?” The words caught in my throat, barely audible.
“Yes.” His mental voice was filled with pain with the admission. “That’s why I’ve kept my true form a secret from everyone but my commanders. Only they—and Celyze, who learned of my existence through his stars—know the truth.”
I reached for his hand, threading my fingers through his scaled ones. Guilt rippled through me, knowing the extent of the security checks we had done when he’d first come to us.
“Then Mwe and Oeta know now, and so do I.” I frowned, now knowing why Ryzen and Zyxel were so resistant to being vetted—because they both were trying to keep his true identity a secret. “But you don’t have to worry. They won’t tell a soul. And my clan will keep this secret. I promise—none of us will betray your trust.”
“I believe you… you’ve surrounded yourself with loyal friends.” His fingers tightened around mine, the strength in his grip offset by the tremble that betrayed his fear. “ If I stay in this form too long, it increases the risk of being found. And if the Verya catch even a whisper of your existence, they will come for you and your children. That’s why I became a healer—to collect as much genetic material as I could. It’s safer to live among other species by becoming one of them.”
“Then why not shift into something else now?” I asked, my voice soft but steady. “We’re leaving soon, and with all the new arrivals joining my guard, you could blend in if you picked a common species that lives on Destima.”
He hesitated, his expression flickering between hope and uncertainty. “ It would raise questions. If I disappeared, people would wonder what happened to me—and why someone new appeared so suddenly near your villa.”
“That’s true,” I said softly. “But ultimately, the choice is yours. You have to decide what’s best for you.”
He shook his head slowly, closing his eyes. “My Ezzaska form… it’s the one I’ve spent most of my life in. It’s the one I identify with the most. Being anything else including my true form feels… wrong. Unnatural. I wouldn’t feel like myself.”
“That’s heartbreaking,” I whispered. “You should be able to be whoever you want to be without worrying about being hunted. You shouldn’t have to live like this .”
He gave me a faint, sorrowful sigh. “It’s my Star’s path, Selena. There’s not much I can do to change it.”
I frowned, my fingers twitching with the need to reach out and soothe him. “What does it mean to be your enax?” I asked after a moment. “What am I to you—and your people? Does the part of me that’s Rkekh mean I have one too?”
“As far as I know,” he began carefully, “from the data I’ve seen, you were only given the ability to absorb other species’ genomes. But even that is… different. It’s as if your human resilience—your species’ innate adaptability—combined with our gift and… somehow the Yarrkins changed it. Altered it. Maybe even amplified it.”
I placed a hand protectively over my stomach, the weight of his words sinking in. “And what does that mean for my children? For my cubs?” I couldn’t keep the tremor from my voice. “Both born and unborn?”
His amber eyes softened as they fixed on my hand. “ Your cubs are pure Aldawi,” he pathed, his mental voice steady but warm. “But by being your children, their abilities are enhanced—far beyond what is typical. They’re maturing faster than other cubs their age, growing stronger than they should be. It’s why their shadowstepping and shadow powers are already so developed. When they hit maturity… they’ll be a force to reckon with.”
I swallowed hard, my hand tightening against my stomach. “And my unborn daughter?” My voice was barely a whisper. “Kaede and I… we’re both demi-humans, him enhanced with his Ezzaska genome and me with Rkekh. Do we know… what she’ll inherit?”
Zyxel shook his head, regret flickering across his face. “No. It’s too early to tell. Until she’s born and we can run some tests, it wouldn’t be accurate. She could inherit whichever side is dominant. Or…” He hesitated. “Both.”
“Oh, stars,” I muttered, the weight of everything crashing over me.
“Whatever she is, Selena, she’ll be extraordinary,” he soothed. “Just like her mother.”
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head even as warmth crept up my neck. “You’re just trying to flatter me.”
“It’s hard not to,” he pathed softly, his tone so sincere it made my stomach flip. “But now that you know the truth about your genome, your children’s future… I think it’s time I explain what an enax is—and why you mean so much to me.”
“Zyxel…” I muttered, my voice trailing off as the weight of everything he’d revealed settled over me.
“Selena,” he pathed, shooting me pointed look, “just as my species can adapt and change, we are naturally genderfluid. We shift and align ourselves only when we find our enax.”
I blinked, trying to wrap my mind around the concept. “Then… you’re like my Vowels,” I said cautiously, “until…”
His gaze locked onto mine, unwavering. “If—and when—you claim me as yours.”
My throat tightened. “And if I do?”
He shifted closer, his body coiled, holding me tight. “Then my body will align with yours—forever set to be your perfect match, your perfect mate. There would be no other. My entire being would adjust, biologically and emotionally, to ensure I am what you need.”
I swallowed hard. “And you’re… fine with that?”
He nodded, a small, bittersweet smile tugging at his odd mouth. “Selena, until our Star paths crossed, I didn’t think I’d ever find my enax . I thought I’d spend my entire life running—running from the Verya, from the ones hunting me. But now…” His mental voice broke slightly. “Now, there’s no more running.”
“No more running,” I whispered, echoing his words as something deep and unshakable settled in my chest.
He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “All I wanted,” he began, “was to be alone with you—to explain all of this without interference, without anyone watching or listening. And now… now that I’ve told you the truth about what you are, about your children’s future… my mission is done.”
He hesitated, his amber eyes dimming with resignation. “I can live knowing I met you, my enax . Even if I’m only a small part of your life, I’ll be here—to help you, to help your clan.”
Something inside me snapped, fierce and undeniable. Without thinking, my hand shot out, gripping his thick, textured hair tightly. His eyes widened, but he didn’t pull away. “There’s no need,” I said, my voice trembling but steady.
His head tilted slightly, his confusion plain as he sat up, his gaze boring into mine. “No need for what?” he asked, his voice low, as though afraid of the answer.
I exhaled slowly, the truth settling over me like the weight of stardust. “To keep denying it,” I said, my words firm. “I can’t deny this connection anymore. You’re mine, Zyxel.”
The moment the words left my lips, his entire body tensed. He blinked, as if the meaning hadn’t quite settled in yet. Then his chest heaved, and his long, powerful tail curled tightly against the cushions around me, pulling me closer.
“I swear it,” he pathed, his voice trembling with conviction. “I’m yours. Only yours. I want no one else, Selena. I’ve never wanted anyone else.”
I pressed my hand lightly against his chest to keep him steady. “I’m not foolish,” I said firmly. “What we have isn’t love—at least not yet. But I consider us friends, and most of my relationships with my clanmates started that way. I’m not concerned about how we will grow closer, but if you’re going to be mine, there are rules.”
His amber eyes darkened, his scales along his neck shifting slightly as if bristling. “Don’t play with me,” he murmured, leaning back like he didn’t quite trust my words. “Don’t… joke about this.”
My growl came low and sharp. “Do you think I would joke about adding members to my clan?” I snapped. “About sharing my nestbed ? This isn’t a game, Zyxel.”
His hands flew up in surrender, his tail twitching as he pleaded with me. “Selena, no—I didn’t mean it like that. I swear, I’m not trying to offend you. I just can’t believe it’s real.”
“I might have made a sudden declaration, but I am telling the truth,” I replied, grabbing a pillow and wrapping my arms around it, holding it tightly to my chest. “I want to stop fighting our connection and claim you. My life is full of unknowns, and I don’t want to regret not claiming you as my own… especially when my clan has given me their blessing to do so if I wanted to.”
“Please, tell me the rules,” Zyxel pled. “Whatever they are, I’ll agree, just to know I’m yours.”
His earnestness broke through my frustration, and I softened, nodding. “First rule: there’s no fighting amongst my clan. Disagreements are fine; I expect that. But disrespect? Absolutely not.”
He nodded quickly. “I understand. I respect your clanmates—all of them. Even Kaede, despite his… aggressive tendencies. I know he’s unstable, but—”
“He overreacts,” I admitted, “but given everything we’ve been through, I can’t fault him. We are currently in a high alert state, so I understand why he's been acting the way he has.”
His tail shifted closer to me, brushing lightly against my calf. “I promise I’ll never disrespect them. And I’ll defend you, the clan, our family, and the cubs with everything I have.”
Something in my chest fluttered at the conviction in his voice. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Good. And another thing—my children deserve their adolescence. I won’t let them be groomed into leaders or anything else they don’t want. Meti already has an interest in ruling, with her brothers at her side, but they all want to train at the academy and have their aunts train them to be assassins. I won’t stand in their way.”
He inclined his head. “It’s not my empire, Selena. I’d only be a royal consort if you claim me, so it’s not my place to push them toward leadership. That’s between you and their sire, Zirene.”
I relaxed slightly, grateful for his understanding. “And there’s no peacocking, ” I continued, my tone firmer. “I love my mates for who they are, no matter species or how we came to be. You’ll have to understand that.”
He exhaled heavily, his broad shoulders relaxing. “I’ve already spent so much time coming to terms with the fact that you had five—almost six—mates when we had first crossed paths. I know what we have is fresh, but we have years ahead of us. If jealousy comes up, I’ll learn to manage it. I don’t want to ruin this.”
I leaned back slightly, feeling the tension in my body ease. “And finally,” I said, my voice quieter now, cupping my stomach once more, “once this pregnancy is over, I’m putting myself on prevention—and suggest that all my clanmates do as well. I’ve been pregnant since the moment I’ve been free, and I’m done—at least for now. I want time to live, to grow without worrying about having more children. I don’t want to become a breeding factory for my clan, especially when the future is so unstable. I'm not saying I won't ever have more children, but if and when I do, I don't want the clan to fight over who gets to impregnate me.”
He looked at me, wide-eyed, but nodded. “That’s fair, Selena. More than fair. I’ve gone my entire life believing I wouldn’t find you, let alone have children of my own—especially since I was always on the run, looking over my shoulder. Whatever you decide, I’ll stand by it.”
I studied him, surprised by his sincerity and open acceptance. “Do you agree to everything?”
“ Yes,” he pathed, his voice steady. “Every demand is reasonable.”
“Good.” I smiled softly. “Finally, every clan member has their own bedroom, so you can keep yours at the villa. But once we’re done here…” I leaned forward, my heart racing. “You’ll be invited into my nestbed. ”
His jaw fell slack. “Once we’re done here?” he asked, his voice barely audible.
I didn’t answer with words. Instead, I climbed onto his lap, cupping his face with both hands. “I told you that I was done resisting, Zyxel,” I whispered. “I’m claiming you.”