Chapter 11
Misty
Aliens are not as fertile as humans.
That was one of the things written in the pamphlet she had been given to study before she left Earth’s general vicinity – she had already been on one of the Coalition satellite ships, just waiting for her transport out here. She read up on the species she was mating into, but, infuriatingly, it included very little information about the mating process. Only that her mate would, ‘guide her through it’. Very unhelpful. When she asked Ambassador Tzomei, he told her that it was likely because the species in question, the kreecharma, didn't actually know that much about their own mating practices and what they did know they didn't broadcast.
Of course, since she never actually got to talk to her mate at all, he wasn’t there to guide her through anything.
But that was just half of her pamphlet – the half written by the species she was joining. The other half was a general Coalition introduction that Ambassador Tzomei had a hand in authoring. It was a little more informative, but not by much because it was still expected that her mate would be doing the bulk of her introduction to his species and the universe as a whole.
In the pamphlet, humans were described as a highly fertile, highly populous species, and she was warned that this was not common in the universe. Most species needed specific circumstances to breed, others couldn’t breed without being mated first, and others still had such a hard time, their species were outright on the decline. Humans were considered incredibly fertile amongst their own species, but when paired with an alien male, human females were considered super fertile.
There was a big emphasis on having kids and the importance of reproduction out amongst the Coalition species that humans didn't have. She was well aware of that. She read all about it and even accepted that her alien sugar daddy might want an heir immediately – or something. Did kreecharma even inherit through bloodlines? She’d say that Tsok had never mentioned his family, but Tsok had never mentioned anything to her, so that was meaningless. She didn't actually know, but she’d been ready for the possibility to be brought up soon after her arrival. She’d even been kind of turned on. She didn't want to have kids with a guy she had just met, but she couldn’t lie and say that it wasn’t feeding into her kinks.
But nothing had ever gotten her so hot and horny as the moment that Tsok leaned down, his breath tickling her ear, whispering to her like it was a salacious secret-
“ Breed .”
She shivered, almost missing a step as her knees went weak. That was, unfortunately, the moment they got in front of Boktare and his mate for their turn to greet them. But she couldn’t even focus because her suddenly burning pussy was demanding he make good on that promise right now.
A promise he hadn’t made. A promise she didn't actually want him to fulfill because she wasn’t spreading her legs for this guy at all. She didn't fuck neglectful men that thought they only need crook their fingers and she’d obey.
But damn if she wasn’t going to fantasize later about his furry body rutting over her, grunting, thrusting, blunted claws digging into her thighs as he was ridden by the irresistible urge to breed his female like they were nothing but animals.
Fuck, she had lost all track of the conversation.
Luckily, it didn't seem to be a very deep one. She vaguely remembered Boktare and his mate – who they definitely introduced, but she couldn’t recall the name – smiling at her and welcoming her warmly before urging them inside.
Tsok promised to talk to him later and, with a steady grip, led Misty inside.
Misty was forcing herself back to reality just as they were turning away, letting the next person in line greet the hosts. But as they were moving, she couldn’t help but notice that Boktare’s mate – Fia! That was her name – giving her a knowing grin.
It was then that Misty realized that they weren’t wearing nasal filters. That the pamphlet from Kree did, in fact, warn that the kreecharma had sensitive noses when they weren’t covered by filters.
And, fuck, she was pretty sure the hosts were very well aware that Misty was dripping wet for a guy she’d traded a dozen words with in months!
It was a good thing they were moving away because she was absolutely mortified. Not necessarily because she was turned on, but because of the person that had done it. She couldn’t believe he’d gotten to her that easily. She wanted to smack herself and demand to know where her standards had gone because there was no way she was letting herself fantasize about a guy she not only didn't like but she didn't even respect.
But she was and it was annoying !
Trying to ignore the ache between her thighs, she turned her attention instead back on the party. On the large, tiered ballroom that they walked into on the second story. There were three in total, rising up along the wall like it was an auditorium. And certainly, it looked like it could easily become one – especially now with a live orchestra on the bottom floor. But no one was seated like this was a concert. Instead, they were moving between the tiers, talking, laughing, having a good time.
They called it a charity event, but it looked just like any other rich people party she’d ever heard about. What was the charity even for? Did it matter to them?
Probably not. This was all performative to get the rich and powerful to part with their money. A group that she was part of now. That was a rather surreal thought. She took a few moments to grapple with it as Tsok took her around, introducing her to people. There were a lot of politicians here, bearing titles she didn’t recognize. That necessitated him explaining to her how his government functioned. A question she hadn’t really cared to learn about beyond what she needed to open her salon.
Kree was a planet under a singular government, as most of the Coalition worlds were. Their main ruling body consisted of a Chamber of Seniors and a Chamber of Workers. The Chamber of Workers were those that did the actual process of ruling. They set budgets, they enforced laws, they punished lawbreakers, and they handled the day to day minutia of running a planet. The Chamber of Seniors were the ones who actually made new laws and debated challenges to those laws. They were composed of workers that had been serving for a minimum of three years and were voted into their positions.
Boktare was a senior, and he was trying to make new laws regulating and restricting mating, and especially True Match. Tsok was the char, he was part of neither chamber. He was considered a leader of his own branch which included the intergalactic ambassadors and helped to regulate trade off planet. He obeyed the laws set forth by the seniors, but he wasn’t really under their command. He commanded himself and those under him.
He couldn’t make new laws, but he could bring the voting majority of seniors over to his side to oppose Boktare. The problem was that Boktare was a very popular and well liked senior. Not only were many other seniors swayed by his words, but a lot of the population was as well.
Tsok could, and was, trying to talk the others to his side. But Boktare was his biggest rival, and if he could get him to agree with him, Tsok could consider his campaign pretty much won.
All that was told to her in bits and pieces as they worked their way around the room. It wasn’t hugely interesting – politics never was – but she listened and participated in the conversations because if she focused on that, she could ignore how damp her thighs still were.
The party was in full swing, and she was just hitting her stride, when someone speaking in crisp, clear English, made her whip her head around so fast, she nearly sprained her neck.
“Hello! Oh, my gosh! Another human! This is so cool! ”
Misty blinked, stunned to see another human female rushing her way. She was so used to seeing fuzzy faces around her all the time, it seemed almost strange to see her own species anymore.
The woman coming her way had bright red hair, like a crayon, piled up on her head. She was wearing a pretty pink and gold robe that absolutely clashed with the color, but she was beaming so brightly, it didn't even seem to matter. She was holding the hand of a male with brown, tabby like fur, dragging him their way as he grinned indulgently at her. Neither of them wore nasal filters.
“Hello,” she said again, breathless as she came to a halt in front of Misty. Still speaking English. “This is so crazy! I heard there was another human mate here. I mean like here on Kree, not here at the party! I was so hoping that we’d get a chance to meet. But I didn't know I’d be meeting you tonight! This is so exciting. Oh, my gosh. I’m Jeanie, it’s so good to meet you. This is my mate, Vigo. I was really hoping I’d get a chance to say hi to you at some point. You have no idea how long it’s been since I spoke English. I think I was starting to forget it. Wait, you do speak English don’t you? Wow, this would be really embarrassing if I was just going off and you couldn’t understand a word I’ve been saying.”
Misty blinked at her, stunned stupid for a few seconds by the sheer amount of energy that was coming at her right now. Smacking into her like a tidal wave. Did this girl even pause for breath once that entire tirade?
“Er, hi,” she returned, speaking in English as well just because Jeanie had. “It’s nice to meet you. I, er, wasn’t expecting another human.”
“Yeah, me either,” Jeanie laughed. “I mean, I heard about you, but I didn't know you were going to be here. I would have brought you a gift if I had known! Vigo kept telling me I shouldn’t come to your salon to pester you. That we’re not going to be friends just because we’re humans, but what does he know? It’s just so nice to meet you!”
Misty couldn’t help but laugh as she shook her hand. “Misty. Nice to meet you too.”
“Vigo,” Tsok greeted the male before continuing in his native tongue. “Good to see you. I must admit, I’m surprised Boktare invited you here.”
“Surprised to have gotten the invitation,” the other male said. He was about as big as Boktare was, much taller than Tsok, and broader besides. Another mated male.
Would Tsok get that big if she…
Nope. No. She was not going down that road. She was supposed to dislike him, if not outright hate him, for his neglect. She had to remain focused. Keep it together, ladies, she told all her tingly bits. We are stronger than this!
At the very least, we have more pride than this.
“We think Senior Boktare is trying to prove he’s not prejudiced,” Jeanie was saying, oblivious to Misty’s internal issues. She smiled up at her mate with a dreamy look in her eyes. A hot spark of jealousy hit Misty hard, and she had to fight to force it back down. “Everyone knows he’s against mating, but he wants to make it clear that he means it from a purely ideological standpoint. I think we were invited here to prove that he’s still friendly with us. Since this is just a charity gig, not a political one, you know? It’s all about optics.”
“I think you’re correct about that.” Tsok nodded. “Well, I’m glad you’re both here. You can provide an excellent alternate viewpoint to a successful mating.”
“Well,” Jeanie frowned. “I think Senior Boktare is of the opinion that our mating is exactly the kind that he’s fighting against so hard.”
Misty frowned. “What’s wrong with your mating? You look perfectly happy to me.”
“Oh, we are!” Jeanie assured her, her entire face brightening. “I love Vigo so much! But, er, I can’t deny that our mating wasn’t exactly our choice. He was forced to scent me quite against our will. And we can’t even argue about that. But you two! Look at you! You’re controlling it so well!”
“That is my goal,” Tsok said with pride, holding his head high.
But Misty couldn’t help but notice that his hands were in the sleeves of his robe while Vigo had an arm around Jeanie’s waist. And she envied them that. The easy touch. The open adoration in Jeanie’s expression as she leaned against her male, knowing that he was going to hold her up. Knowing that she wasn’t alone at his side.
Beautiful and welcomed in the hall of a grand party, on the arm of a powerful, handsome male, and still somehow all alone.
“It is my goal to not mate Misty for quite some time,” Tsok continued. “At least until Boktare changes his mind. Even if that takes years. Decades.”
“Wait. What?” Misty turned her head, frowning at him. Hating herself.
She was supposed to not like him. She was supposed to despise him for his neglect, for the absolute lack of interest he had in her. She could be polite and friendly because she was living on his dime. She was still working on her independence, and she wasn’t above playing along to not get thrown out on the street until she was ready.
But she didn't realize until just this moment, when he denied her completely, that some part of her still wanted his attention. Some part of her had been hoping that maybe he would turn and look at her eventually. Maybe he was shy. Maybe he was bad at romance. Maybe he actually wanted a mate, but was giving her space to get comfortable and didn't realize that he was giving her too much space.
She had come up with half a dozen excuses for him already without even realizing it. Laying a bed of forgiveness that he could earn when he came to her with an apology and an explanation about why he had been behaving this way.
However, those pridefully spoken words, said with such ease and confidence, made reality hit her like a brick falling from above.
She was a political tool.
He was fighting against Boktare about this mating business, and he was using her to do it. And he was doing it by having her nearby and specifically not mating her. Because the kreecharma mated by scent. And once they did so, they became focused only on breeding their mate. A fate that Boktare had fallen into against his will, same as Vigo and Jeanie, apparently. A fate that Tsok was proving wasn’t inevitable by having his mate nearby and not even looking at her.
And realizing that, realizing what she meant to him, hurt . Because deep down, she had just been waiting for him to come around. To come see her. To mate her and give her the happy home and family she actually did want.
To make sure she wasn’t alone.
And now she realized he never would.