Chapter 9
Klynn
He felt many emotions but I was not sure which was the loudest in Raxius.
For me, it had been confusion and fear at being different but I was not sure if a Dominant would feel the same.
He was a Dominant.
That was the only thing I was confident about. Everything else felt like moving pieces of the human game called Chess that had not settled to reveal the board. Did they not know what they wanted or was it because their bond had not fully formed yet?
Shiloh seemed the most settled but he was also confused and radiating emotion that even his mates could not miss. He had the confidence to hold up one finger to help manage his Dominant’s worries. He knew he must take care of his mates even if he did not fully know how to do that yet.
Raxius seemed to be feeling relieved as he crossed the space between them and ran his hand over Shiloh’s head. Shiloh shivered but Raxius was working hard to keep his reaction under control, which said how much he was feeling inside.
Was his hand shaking?
The careful pet to Shiloh’s head pleased them both but made the professor look like he wanted to wiggle like a person from Earth. He was feeling much as well, but he was more confusing to me. I had less than polite thoughts about him, but he surprised me.
“Good boy for sharing your thoughts with us.” The professor slowly inched forward one hand until he was hovering just outside of what books would call Shiloh’s personal bubble.
The boy was smart and raised one finger, looking like he wanted to smile as the professor puffed up and started petting his head too.
“We are very proud of you for adapting well to a new situation.”
Well, at least he knew how to praise his mate.
“I am proud of you both for adapting well.” Raxius’s low voice nearly rumbled out the quiet words, but he was doing his best to take care of both males. “New forms of communication are difficult to adjust to.”
And new feelings as well.
Did he understand that his mates would appreciate his desires?
The more traditional people of our planet took for granted the concept that mates would be compatible but I had not always felt confident in that fact.
Was Raxius?
Had he been confident he would even get a mate?
“The people around the gate on the Earth side have a saying that they use when they are stressed or worried about finding their mates. They verbally remind themselves that mates are always compatible.” Some had repeated that phrase many times.
“For many years they were not finding their mates in great numbers but they still passed on the knowledge that mates were always meant for each other.”
Having information did not always mean we gained wisdom and true knowledge from it.
“Our people here may need the reminder that even if their mates are from the other side of the gate, that truth still holds true. Our mates are the other half of us.” So no matter what direction his desires had taken, his mates were meant for him.
“There is wisdom in that but sometimes the bond hovers just out of reach.” Raxius seemed to gain confidence as he petted his human mate, but he did not seem as comfortable with the professor. “New situations are not always easy.”
“But they’re worth it in the end.” My human mate glanced over at me, giving me a look that I thought said he wanted to pet me as well. “You just need to find ways of communicating what you’re thinking, the good parts and your worries.”
Was that just information for the confused mates or was he speaking to us as well?
“Communication comes in many forms.” It seemed like Professor Zorin was ready to search for a variety of ways. “Nonverbal signals are an interesting way.”
They were also helpful when a mate could not use words or the mate bond to give information.
“Three…three fingers will mean stop or red…but…but I’m green now.” Shiloh seemed to find confidence in their touch, but I wasn’t sure how long his ability to give information verbally would last.
He seemed to be feeling overwhelmed but he was a submissive that was not getting enough steadying support from his mates.
His Dominants?
What was the professor besides confusing and annoying?
“Thank you for providing us with that information.” Raxius continued to pet Shiloh’s head and it seemed like both of them were doing better because of the action. “It is important that we know how you are feeling.”
For many reasons.
“We do not want to upset you.” The professor looked like they had already done that and he didn’t want to experience the situation again.
“Mates…mates are always compatible.” Shiloh repeating the words made my own mate want to smile but he did his best to keep that to himself.
“Whether it is the magic that made us or the ancestors looking into each heart and finding the perfect match, the outcome is the same. Mates are always right for one another. Sometimes it just takes us a while to remember that.”
And for the bond to settle in and provide the reassurance someone needed.
“It’s been a long time since anyone in my family found their mates.” Shiloh sounded more confident but I wasn’t sure if it was the topic or his mates’ touch that made him so. “They’ve had happy marriages but not mates.”
Oh.
That was…
How could…
No.
Reminding myself to stay on track and not get distracted by images in my head, I nodded slowly to give him encouragement to keep talking. “I’m glad the portal opening seems to have changed that for your people.”
Taking a deep breath, Shiloh let it out slowly and smiled. “Me too. But…but since I don’t have any practical experience, I don’t know what to expect.”
Knowledge was important.
“Like…like how long to expect it to form and…and stuff like that.” Shiloh’s anxiety rose significantly and I could almost see his brain doing the shutting down behavior he had described previously.
So could my mate.
“Raxius? Move your hand to the back of his neck and grip it firmly. You’re just trying to hold him tight enough to remind his brain that you’re with him and you’ll keep him safe.
” My mate nodded as Raxius seemed to perform the move admirably.
“Yes, that looks right. Fear isn’t always easy to manage, so we just have to help give him ways of feeling what we call grounded. ”
My emotions did not appear in this way, but I had read about it several times. “Fear of this nature seems to be like flying without wings and without a way to control the power. You are holding him to the ground and making him feel safe.”
My human mate glanced over at me, nodding slowly with a look that I knew was pride. “Yes. I like that explanation.”
“Thank you.” My mate was proud of me.
No.
I had to stay on track as the humans would say.
That meant being patient and waiting while Shiloh found his way back from his panic. My mate took help further and made a show of taking a deep breath while meeting Shiloh’s gaze. His caretaking abilities could not be held back and he was showing Shiloh’s mates how to care for someone from Earth.
We may have been the same species but we were not the same.
They were both generally smart individuals, though, and watched my mate carefully. The professor even shifted his touch so he was making small circles over Shiloh’s chest which seemed to please him.
When it seemed like fear had been conquered and his breathing was steady again, I went back to his question. “The bond is different for everyone. I have seen it connect deeply almost instantly. The mates in question met at a planet-wide gathering we hold every five years.”
Well, what we would see as every five years.
“They met. They said hello. The bond fell into place. That was it.” I shrugged as Shiloh giggled. “It was odd to watch. Like…like going to Walmart and coming home mated instead of cereal.”
Smiling wider, he seemed to appreciate my story. “I take it that’s not how it is for everyone?”
“No.” Thank goodness as the people who spoke English would say. “Most matings I have seen from the beginning go slower. The couple or group shows special interest in each other. They talk. The bond grows.”
Hmm.
“If they are waiting for their third, for example, the first two that meet are sometimes…there is an English word…oh, in limbo.” They had the most interesting words. “They are waiting to complete the bond until they find the rest of their family.”
How many of our people were waiting for their third because they were on the other side of the portal?
The professor and Raxius both turned to study me like I had said something interesting.
Had they not talked to anyone about their own bonding?
“Waiting?”
Raxius’s question had me understanding why so many humans rolled their eyes on a regular basis.
“Yes. The bond begins to fully form when all the parties who will become one are present.” Two could not become three even with magic.
I knew they were given this information in their earlier education but it seems like they had forgotten it somehow.
“There is some belief that fear or emotions of that nature will slow the bond to give the parties time for discussion, but studying that is difficult.” No one wanted to admit to fear which made it hard to research the effects it had on bonding.
My people were stubborn and did not always work in their own best interest.
The professor and Raxius glanced at each other for a moment before going back to focus on Shiloh, but the look was enough to speak volumes.
Were they ready to communicate more effectively?
Were we still necessary?
“Why don’t we give you guys some privacy.” The almost question from my mate had the three males nodding as he stood and looked to me.
Nodding, I gave him a physical showing of my agreement. “I think that is a wise course of action.”
Standing, I focused on Shiloh. “You are more than welcome to ask either of us any questions you may have about mates, bonding, or our world in general.”
His mates did not seem very well versed in helpful verbal communication, so help and conversation might be necessary.
“Thank you.” Shiloh blushed as he glanced between his mates and back to me. “I appreciate that and thank you for coming over.”
The quick glance he gave the professor made me think he understood his mate had been less than polite about the invitation but he kept those thoughts to himself. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?”
Shiloh’s request seemed to be more out of Earth politeness than real interest, so I was glad when my mate shook his head. “Another time.”
Yes…another time when they were less confused and the bond had been more deeply established.
For both parties…because it was time for me to take my own advice and communicate with my mate to deepen our bond.
I just wished knowing how to do that came easier.
The English phrase about a pot meeting a kettle was starting to make more sense.
Taking the first step was easier than I expected as we exited the professor’s home. My human agent frowned and looked around. “If we’re not careful, I’m going to get another invitation to dinner.”
He was being humorous as well as factual.
“Would you like to come to my rooms?” There were many English ways to ask him to come to my home, but I wasn’t sure which would give him the right information. I wanted communication and intimacy, but I did not want to give him the impression I wanted to Netflix and chill.
He nodded, giving me a faint smile that said he was pleased. “That sounds wonderful.”
Moving closer to him, I brushed my arm against his and inclined my head in the direction of my home. “Good.”
Because I could hear footsteps coming closer and whispers of words like human and toilet.
My people needed a hobby besides asking my mate ridiculous questions.
Explaining in words that we needed to move quickly was not an option, so I did my best to give him the nonverbal signals of jerking my head and frowning to show frustration. After a moment he stood straighter and his strides grew longer.
My mate was highly intelligent…and had learned to expect my people to be frustrating.
We reached my rooms just as our audience came into view, but I was quicker and had us behind the privacy screen before they could call out.
“We are safe.” No one would interrupt with a privacy screen in place unless it was an emergency.
My frustration must’ve shown because my mate chuckled and pulled me into his arms. “Thank you.”
Curling into him, I let out a dramatic breath to show him my emotions. “They had questions and I do not feel like having you answer them.”
“Ready to have me to yourself?” His tone implied the human expression of teasing, but I nodded.
“Yes. I have shared you enough and will have to do so again tomorrow.” That would take getting used to. Whatever was mine should stay mine, but I was going to have to share my human.
Sharing was not caring.
“But we have privacy now.” He performed the Daddy head kiss and rubbed my back, sending signals about his own thoughts. Reading about humans had been incredibly smart on my part. They did so many physical things to communicate. “And I don’t have anywhere else to be until mid-morning tomorrow.”
Meetings.
People from every planet loved meetings.
Oh.
“Are you hinting about what you would like or are you just giving me information?” His tone had been too careful for me to guess. “Some humans prefer to go slow.”
Was he a go-slow kind of human?
At what point did he want to resume our previous conversation?
When was it appropriate to show him my toys?
More communication was definitely necessary…but since he was my Dominant, did I need to wait for him to initiate the discussion?
What would the submissives in my books do?
Hmm.
A more dangerous question might be to wonder what the dragons on the other side of the gate would do, but I wasn’t sure I would ever be ready for that level of stress.
They enjoyed making questionable decisions but I just wanted to find comfort with my mate and to finally meet my Daddy.