Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
MURGUL
Vrog’s and my own rage are still seething deep inside as I gently deposit my little bright Starshine into a chair, before stalking over to the replicator to order her favored breakfast along with some raw meat for Neera.
Tics later, the replicator dings, and I pull Gwendolyn’s meal out before entering the sequence for Neera.
The mundane tasks do nothing to simmer my anger at my brother.
The dismissive, irreverent words he uttered to me before my mate arrived are a festering wound. They replay on a loop inside my mind, and I do not seem to be able to halt it.
“It did not seem pertinent to tell you at the time. You are hale and hearty after all, so there is no reason to be upset. It is what you were designed to do after all, is it not?”
Vrog’s rage is fiery hot, but mine is cold, filling the depths of my soul with ice at my brother’s irreverent words. Bikar used me. He only cared about getting his hands on the wormhole tech and used whatever means available to him to get it.
Which was… me.
A soft whine escapes my ruined throat as I allow myself to feel the depth of my brother’s betrayal.
I can always pummel him some more…? You may even blame it on me.
Chuckling silently, I reply.
No, as much as I appreciate the sentiment. I made our point. He will not be “hale and hearty” for some time. I do not think Einar will be very amenable to tending his wounds after Bikar’s revelation.
Valid point.
Multiple beings enter the dining hall behind me, and one quick inhale tells me all but Bikar and Bambi are present. Interesting that she chose to go with him instead of joining us, but that is of no matter to me. Their problems are their own.
Turning away from the replicator, I stop when I see Slavic, Ruby, Einar, and Rowan sitting at the table with my mate, looking at me with blatant curiosity as they take in my altered physical appearance.
I am rather impressive.
Yes, yes, we know.
Do not patronize me!
I would never.
Gwendolyn’s snort of amusement draws me out of my verbal diatribe with Vrog, and I lovingly smile at her.
Ruby, naturally, is the first to speak. “Okay, murder boy. You have some explaining to do, so get to it.”
I am glad the gods did not pair us with Ruby. Her mouth vexes me deeply.
Hiding my amusement and ignoring Gwendolyn’s snicker, I set my mate’s plate in front of her and scoop Neera out of her arms. The little theroquine offers me an indignant trill until she realizes I brought her food as well.
Neera dives face-first into the plate of raw meat and promptly ignores everyone else in the room in favor of her meal.
Slipping into the chair next to my mate, I motion for her to eat and frown when she shakes her head at me. “Murgul, honey. Let’s get the explanation part out of the way so we can all enjoy breakfast, okay?”
Pausing a tic, I think about it and nod in agreement.
“Go ahead and tell them everything; the time for secrets is over. The sealing of our bond negated the fracturing of my mind by the torture the Velgriddix subjected me to. Your soul fills all the broken, empty places within me.”
Tears are shimmering in her verdant gaze as she moves closer and brushes her cheek against mine in a tender caress. Leaning back in her chair, she looks over at her friends and grins.
“Okay, let’s start at the beginning.”
GWENDOLYN
After an impromptu family meeting at breakfast, Slavic and Einar told us about everything that happened on Deapra, once I finished telling them about Vrog, Murgul, our mental bond, and how Vrog was able to supersede the mating sickness.
Slavic and Einar took everything I told them in stride, and I could feel the relief pouring off Murgul that his brothers weren’t going to reject him for the secrets he’s kept.
In fact, in an extremely rare show of affection, Murgul hugged both Slavic and Einar before grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the dining hall—ears pitch black with embarrassment.
Murgul hasn’t said a word since he found out their mother and younger sister are alive. I’m not sure what’s going on in that interesting mind of his, but he hasn’t stopped pacing back and forth across our room since we got back to our quarters.
Tail whipping from side to side, showcasing his agitation with each step, he paces.
“Honey bunny, why are you so upset? I thought you wanted to meet your mother?”
He stops and looks at me. A culmination of anxiety, distress, and outright fear etched across his face.
“I do, but I am also very afraid. I am unsure if mam even saw me before the Aynar took me from her. She may not know… all that was done to me, not to mention how mangled I am from my time with the frackin Velgriddix.”
He’s got a point, precious one. Murgul is “fucked up,” as you humans would say.
Deep, abiding love interspersed with sympathy wells inside as I shake my head at Vrog’s comment, leaving my seat on the divan to go to him, Neera peeping in frustration at having her pets interrupted. “She’s your mother and isn’t going to blame you for things, quite literally, out of your control.”
Murgul leans down and scoops me up, burying his face in the crook of my neck, trying to soothe himself with my scent.
“Logically, I know this, but the scared youngling inside of me worries.”
Quit your whinging. Male up, meet your mam, then fuck our mate, and pass out. Simple as that.
I don’t even try to stifle my chuckle as Vrog puts his two cents into the conversation, but his next words shock me to my core.
I will even magnanimously stay silent so that your reunion is not marred in any way.
Look at you getting soft after taking a mate.
I AM NOT SOFT! I WILL DESTROY MANY BEINGS JUST FOR THE PLEASURE OF HEARING THEIR SCREAMS.
Rolling my eyes at Vrog’s unhinged ranting, I pull Murgul’s face back so I can look him in the eye.
“Everything is going to be fine, but we need to get ready. Slavic ordered Bikar to land the Zenith as fast and safely as possible. Ruby told me that earlier, around lunch time, which means we are probably already on Deapra.”
“Yes, I felt it when the Zenith landed. Einar sent me a personal comm to let me know when the end-of-rotation meal is and directions on how to get there.”
Touching my nose to his, I nuzzle him affectionately. “There’s no time like the present. What does one wear to meet their mam-by-mating?”