Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
It was disconcerting to wake up to people arguing around me. My whole body hurt, and I was pretty sure there was a tube in my throat, but I couldn’t wake up enough to open my eyes.
“I do not care that he is human! He will be brought to our ships for treatment!” Aster shouted.
“You can’t move him without his family’s permission,” someone else argued. “If you do, it’ll be considered kidnapping.”
“Then so be it,” Aster growled. “I will not let my mate die because of human laws. I’m taking him with me. There is nothing you can do to stop me.”
I’d never heard Aster sound so fierce before.
He was usually so sweet and tried his best to make everyone happy.
He’d obviously been pushed past his limit now.
I couldn’t say I blamed him. I’d feel the same way if I was in his position, and I couldn’t even remember what fully happened.
I tried, but the memory kept slipping away from me and I fell back asleep before I could figure it out.
When I woke again, it was quieter, though not by much. This time, the arguing was familiar though and put me at ease.
“Arabella, stop poking at that! We don’t know what it does!” my mother scolded.
“Chill, Mama, it’s not hooked up to anything. Besides, aren’t you curious? We’re on a freaking alien spaceship right now.”
“Right now, all I care about are the two boys in that bed,” she snapped.
Two? Oh god, please tell me Aster didn’t get hurt.
Worry for the alien I’d fallen for roused me enough to open my eyes. The breathing tube was gone, as was the pain. I couldn’t say I was better, my whole body felt a little numb to be honest, but it was better than before.
My dad was the first to notice me. He was sitting calmly by my bed, holding my hand, and when he noticed my eyes open, he stood and smiled at me. “Hey, kiddo. Welcome back.”
“Aster…” I croaked. My throat was scratchy as hell for some reason.
Mom rushed to my side, nudging Dad out of her way so she could take my hand instead.
“He’s here, sweetheart. He couldn’t get any sleep unless he was holding you, so they let him stay with you.
” She gestured toward me, and when I looked down, Aster was wrapped around me, tentacles and all, his head resting on the pillow next to me. I was so numb, I hadn’t noticed.
I wanted to reach for him, to make sure he was okay, but I couldn’t move.
Mom must’ve noticed my confusion because she explained, “You were in a lot of pain, and they weren’t sure how long the healing would take since they’d never treated human gunshot wounds before, so they gave you medicine to numb you until they were sure you wouldn’t be in any pain.
” Her voice choked. “They shot you… They shot my sweet boy all because they didn’t like the changes being made. ”
“Who’s they?”
Dad shook his head, putting his arm around Mom’s shoulder and rubbing it to reassure her. “They haven’t told us much yet. We made some guesses based on the work you’ve been doing. Why else would they shoot you? You’re not making any of the decisions. They were trying to send a message.”
Clearing my throat around the scratchiness, I told them, “They weren’t aiming for me.”
The memories were coming back slowly, and I remembered clearly that the gun pointed out that window wasn’t aimed at me. It was aimed at Aster.
My arm must’ve tightened even though I couldn’t feel it because Aster woke up with a sharp gasp, jerking upright enough to look at me. “Enzo! You’re awake!”
Then he promptly burst into tears.
Eyes wide, I looked up at my parents. “I can barely move. Someone hug him.”
Arabella chuckled and shook her head, moving around the bed to hug Aster.
She didn’t bat an eye at the tentacles or the way they were twined around me.
She shushed him and pet his hair, which had escaped the french braid in some places and was in disarray.
My sister might be annoying sometimes, but she gave good hugs, and eventually Aster relaxed.
The infirmary doors slid open while my sister was still comforting Aster, and I wasn’t sure if I was happy or not to see Fimai bustling into the room.
The needle wielding alien was both terrifying and a relief.
She could do magic with her serums. “Ah, Enzo. You’re awake.
How are you feeling?” she asked as she came to stand at the foot of the bed.
“Numb,” I replied warily.
She blinked for a moment, frowned, then sucked in a breath. “Oh! Yes, I should have expected that. Apologies, I thought it would have worn off by now. It must last long in human bodies. I can assist with that, though.” She hurried off, and I shot a terrified look at my parents.
“Please tell me she didn’t just run to go get another needle.”
Arabella snorted, and Mom finally cracked a smile, shaking her head at me. “You and your needles. You’ll take whatever she has to give you, and you’ll be thankful for it. She saved your life.”
The comment only reminded me again that the gun hadn’t been aimed at me. I didn't want to think about that or how close I came to losing Aster. How anyone could look at him and want to hurt him was beyond me. He was the sweetest person alive.
“Don’t worry, Enzo,” Fimai said as she returned. “No needles this time. Aster will help you sit up, and you will drink this. It will help.”
She had a little cup in her hand, and when Aster helped me to sit up, she held it to my lips and tipped it back for me. I gagged at the taste but gamely swallowed it. I’d take nasty medicine over needles anyday.
“That will take a few moments to work, needles are faster, but I feel it is best not to stress your body right now. You’ve been through enough.
” She pulled up the hologram of my body, making a face when it looked off.
“Aster, please let him go. I can’t check on his injuries with you wrapped around him like that. ”
Aster looked reluctant but slid off the bed, sticking close to my side. One tentacle remained wrapped around my wrist, and when Fimai raised an eyebrow at him, Aster scowled.
“I can’t help it. His wrist was not injured anyway. Work around me.”
Fimai rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath about mates. It wasn’t until she went back to looking at the hologram that Mom whispered to me, “What are they saying? Are you alright?”
I’d had the translation chip long enough that I’d forgotten it was there. Aster and Fimai must have been speaking in Krezikian, and my parents didn't understand.
It was Fimai who answered, her tone apologetic. “As far as I can tell, Enzo is doing fine. He will need a few days to fully heal, but the critical injuries are healing well. He will not even have a scar.”
“Oh… Wow…” Mom looked down at me in surprise. “So you weren’t exaggerating when you said they had a lot of technology to share with us.”
“Not exaggerating even a little,” I agreed. “Have you gotten to take a look around the ship?”
Mom shook her head. “I haven’t left your side. Your siblings have gotten tours, but I can’t say I was listening when they told me about it.”
I couldn’t blame her for that. She had been worried. I squeezed her hand, glad I was finally getting some feeling back in my fingers at least. “I’m alright, Ma.” To distract her, I tipped my head at Aster. “I guess you met my mate, then?”
Both she and Aster gasped together, and when I glanced at Aster, his eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
We hadn’t discussed the whole mate thing since the first time, but I realized when I saw that gun aimed at him that losing him would rip me apart.
If he felt even a little like I did, then the mate thing just made sense.
“Y-You’re sure?” Aster asked breathlessly. “We do not need to rush–”
“I’m sure, Aster. I love you.”
The sound that escaped him was something between a gurgle and a whimper. It was weird, and he blushed because of it, but it made me laugh. I winced when my chest and back protested, and Fimai made a tsk sound before bustling away again. Probably to get another needle. Sigh.
My pain snapped Mom out of her shock, and she started fussing just to have something to do to help.
She smoothed out my blankets and held out a cup of water for me to sip.
I was grateful for that since the scratchiness hadn’t abated and smiled at her when she smoothed my hair like she had when I was a kid.
When Fimai came back with the dreaded needle, Aster climbed back into bed, wrapping himself around me without making the injury worse and holding my face against his neck. “Just breathe, Enzo. It’ll be alright.”
I soaked in his comfort and compared to the pain in my upper body, the pinch of the needle was like nothing, so I didn't complain. It worked fast, like all Krezikian medicine did, and the pain faded a few seconds later.
“Don’t move around,” Fimai warned. “It masks the pain, but the injury is still there and healing. If you move around, you will make it worse. If you cannot be trusted to be still, I will numb you again.”
Pulling away from Aster, I looked her in the eye so she could see my sincerity. “I won’t move. Thank you, Fimai.”
Her scowl melted into a smile, and she patted my leg over the blanket. “You’re welcome, Enzo. Rest now. I will be in my office if you need me.”
“Can he eat?” Mom asked because of course she did. If she couldn’t heal me herself, she had to be feeding me.
Fimai tipped her head thoughtfully, then narrowed her gaze on me. “Is your stomach feeling upset? Some humans complained about the serum making them nauseous. We used quite a bit of our medicine on you, and you shouldn’t eat if you’re having a bad reaction.”
Thankfully, I felt fine. I seemed to respond well to the Krezikian medicine I’d received thus far. “I’m good. I’ve got a scratchy throat, though. I’m surprised the medicine didn’t make that go away.” The pain had dulled, but I still felt like I wanted to clear my throat every other word.
Aster growled, his grip on me tightening until Fimai smacked him on the arm with one of her tentacles. “Your throat was injured because the human healers were too rough with you. I told them to stop, but they wouldn’t listen.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, and honestly, I didn’t want to know.
My complaint got Fimai’s attention, and she came around to check my throat before disappearing into her office and coming back with another little cup.
This one soothed the ache in my throat and made it easier for me to swallow, which I appreciated.
Landu showed up to check on me, and after a few tears of their own, agreed to bring my parents and my sister to get some food for themselves and for me. Fimai went to her office, leaving me and Aster alone for the first time since I woke up.
He was still wrapped around me, playing idly with the edge of the hospital gown I was wearing. I assumed that was put on before I was moved to the ship. Catching his hand, I pressed my lips to his palm, leaning my face against it with a sigh. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Me?” he croaked and a fresh wave of tears filled his eyes. “It’s you I’m worried about. They shot you, Enzo!”
“They were aiming for you.”
He went quiet, and I could tell he was distressed but didn't know what else to say. Reaching for him, I pulled him down and pressed my lips against his. He sighed into it, melting against me, and when I pulled away, he buried his face against my shoulder. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
“Me too,” I agreed. “Next time we’ll listen better when security says there’s a threat.”
He huffed a watery laugh but didn’t lift his head.
I didn't make him. He might not have gotten hurt, but I was still coping with the fact that he could have died if I hadn’t gotten in the way.
Krezikian anatomy was different from humans.
What injured me could’ve killed him. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if that happened.
“I want to take you away from this place,” Aster whispered. “It’s not safe.”
I hummed, staring at the ceiling. “Maybe not forever. My family is here. But I wouldn’t say no to a vacation.”
His head jerked up, and that smile I’d fallen in love with spread across his face. “Really? You’ll come with me to Krezik?”
Chuckling, I nodded. “Well, yeah. It’s your home. I wouldn’t ask you to give that up. Just like I know you wouldn’t ask me to give up my home either. We’ll split our time or something. My enlistment contract is up in a year. We can leave then.”
Those tears he’d been trying to hold back spilled over, and he buried himself against my shoulder again, his body trembling with his heavy sobs. “I love you, Enzo Rozzee. You are the best mate I could have asked for.”
I never even knew to ask for a mate. But if I had, I probably would have asked for someone like Aster, too.