14. Stromm
14
STROMM
I survey my hut, ensuring everything is in place.
Soft furs cover the bed, freshly aired out in the sun. The floor is clear, the usual clutter of belongings tucked away, leaving the space tidy and welcoming.
It is time to make things right with Em-uh-lee. Tonight, I will ask her to be my mate.
Only one thing left to do before seeking her out and asking her to talk: securing the belt holster around my waist, and donning my weapons.
By doing this, I can keep my promise—I can protect her, and she will never be unsafe with me. No more jealous mistakes, no more pushing her away.
With a deep breath in and out, I steady myself. I am ready.
I hear a voice outside my hut. Em-uh-lee’s voice.
“Stromm? Are you in there?”
Smiling, I lift the flap to greet her. She looks determined, nervous, beautiful. The gods have blessed me with her presence. A sure sign that the time is now right.
“Em-uh-lee, come in. I was just coming to find you.” I offer her my hand, and she takes it, stepping inside.
“You were?” She sounds pleased.
“Yes.” I revel in the feel of her soft fingers twining in mine, and a surge of longing courses through me. “I am sorry for being a jealous ass.”
Em-uh-lee laughs. “Are you?” Her voice is light and teasing. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t come up with that phrase by yourself.”
I grin. “It was Jill-ee-un. Yet she was right.”
My mate’s smile warms my heart. “Yes, she was.”
I exhale, and continue with my apology. “When I saw you at the fire last night, you looked different. Still beautiful, yet more than that. I felt…overwhelmed by my emotions. Desire, need, longing.” I swallow hard, my throat tight. “And when I saw how the other males looked at you…I felt anger. Not just at them, at myself.”
Her brows lift slightly, her head nodding for me to continue. She does not interrupt.
“I was angry at the others for desiring what should be mine…angry at myself for what I could not have.”
“You could have had me if you hadn’t pushed me away.” Her posture stiffens, and she pulls her hand from mine. “I didn’t change my look to get the other males’ attention. I did it to get your attention. Imagine how it made me feel when you rejected me again.”
Her words hit hard and true. “I am sorry for that. It was not my intention.”
She places her hand on my chest, over my heart. “You could have had me then, Stromm. And you can have me now if…”
My breathing slows as I wait for her to continue. Her lips part, drawing my attention, and her small, pink tongue darts out to moisten them. My cock, already hard, becomes impossibly rigid.
Without thinking, my hands go to her tiny waist, drawing her close. The time feels right for the kiss- zing the other mated males have talked about. The Terran mating habit that I have never experienced, yet long to try.
More words do not come from her lips, so instinct tells me to claim them. She leans into me as my head lowers…
Then she jerks back, her eyes wide. “Are you carrying a gun ?”
I straighten with pride, my chest swelling, my fingers holding onto her waist with a possessive grip. “I have adapted by learning how to shoot,” I declare.
She stares at me, her emotions flashing too quickly to read. “Adapted to what?”
How can she not see this? “To a new way of protecting myself and my mate.” I have practiced this speech, have chosen my words carefully. I will say them now, before she walks away from me again. “Em-uh-lee, I have loved you from the moment I opened my eyes in the med hut and found you by my side. That is when my heart became yours.”
Her lips part slightly, her eyes searching mine. I hold her steady, my grip strong but tender. “Now that I can protect you, provide for you, I am ready to build our life together. If you will have me, I vow to be the mate you deserve. Forevermore.”
Waiting for her to smile, to laugh, to launch herself into my arms and tell me she will be my mate is the hardest thing I have ever done.
Yet she says nothing, her hand slipping from my chest.
The hut feels too quiet, the air nearly suffocating. She pulls back. Not much—my hands can still clasp her waist. Just enough to put me on edge.
I thought this was what she wanted. What we both wanted. “Say something,” I beg.
Finally, she speaks. “On Earth, becoming mates is called getting married. Couples have a formal ceremony where they pledge to love, honor, and cherish each other for better, for worse, in sickness, and in health.” Her eyes swirl with emotion. “No matter what.”
“I pledge the same.”
She holds her ground, her expression unreadable. “Do you?”
Her challenging tone unnerves me, yet I nod.
“The first time things got hard between us, you turned your back on me. If I pledge myself to you, Stromm, if I agree to become your mate, I need to know you’ll stand by my side. No more pushing me away if things get hard. Because hard times are coming.”
A cold feeling settles in my gut. “Why do you say this? Perhaps our life will be easy once we are together in all ways.” I still, sensing the shift in her posture, her voice, her energy.
“Zavra intercepted another message from Earth Gov. It confirmed what we suspected. They plan to come here, to take the mothers and their babies.”
I know this is what the Terrans feared…what their Rakui mates feared. To have this confirmed only strengthens my vow. No one will take what is mine.
Em-uh-lee leans closer. “When that fight comes here, can I count on you to do whatever it takes to fight back?”
My throat tightens when I sense this is more than a simple question.
It is a test. A challenge.