Page 14 of Their Human to Entice

“Yes, yes, the conversation about cock.”

I move back to the bed and continue setting it up. It grew dark not that long ago, but I know Beren wants to get Nia in her new home tonight. It has already been three nights of her not sleeping near us, and it is burning my mate up inside.

Every night since she has been here, we have curled up in our new bed in the home we will soon share with Nia. I know we are staying out of the great hall since Beren will struggle not to bring Nia into our home. I know I am very much wanting her near, and she is not even my mate.

Erkoz rubs his chin and then seems to settle on his words. “Are you interested in females at all?”

“Just one,” I answer honestly. I have watched Kendra bathe many times before. I do not want her anymore, though. I want only the female who is mated to my mate because she is the most perfect female for us.

“Which one?” Erkoz narrows his eyes. “Because there may be something important you need to know.”

“Nia,” I answer, confused about how he could possibly not know who it is that I am talking about. “Beren’s mate. She is beautiful and soft and all of the things we have ever wanted. I am sure her personality and mind are just as perfect.”

Erkoz’s eyes go wide and not in amusement, fun, or anything else that might be more characteristic of him. No, he is worried—more worried than I have ever seen him before. I never even knew that he was capable of anything other than being annoying.

“Where is your mate?” Erkoz asks.

“Right outside. He was finishing with sealing up the remainder of the cracks in the stones.”

Erkoz runs out of the house before I even notice he is leaving me. I drop the pillow I’m fluffing nice and soft for Nia and follow him, hoping his intention is not to upset Beren. He is already having a rough time since Nia did not seem too enthused to be mating him.

I have told him many times that she just needs some time. He is the best male, and she will notice this sooner or later. There is no reason for him to stress about it as much as he does. He has told other males that they need to have patience with the females, so I do not know why he does not take that advice himself.

“I need to speak with you,” Erkoz is already pestering Beren when I get outside. Beren is very purposefully ignoring Erkoz as he continues to seal the last few cracks. “It is urgent, and I know you think Erkoz is an annoying male, a male who has nothing better to do than to bother the others, but I am here to offer you help.”

Beren looks up to where I’m standing right behind Erkoz and gives me a questioning look. It is a small narrowing of his eyes that others might miss because of how minuscule it is, but I have been with him for many years and have learned most of his mannerisms.

“He asked me about my enjoyment of cock and females,” I say. I know this will rile Beren up, but it is necessary, I feel, to get his full attention.

Erkoz is a smart male and steps behind me, knowing Beren will go for his throat first and listen to his reasoning second. He hesitates when he is first met with my palm on his chest and a hopeful smile on my lips.

“Speak and be quick,” Beren snaps.

“Your mate is interested in having others woo her,” Erkoz says and shifts more behind me like he is a cowering young who is afraid of a scolding he is about to get. “She is with Dath’s mate in the great hall, scheming of ways to get into their pants. It is what they have said.”

“And you allowed this?” Beren’s hiss is loud in the night air.

I do not know why Nia would look to others for companionship unless she is unsatisfied with Beren as her mate. There is no way because he is the most perfect mate.

“I allow nothing,” Erkoz says, the humor returning to his voice now that he knows he’s not going to be killed. “I heard them scheming, listened to it all, and then came to you when I felt I knew everything I needed to know. I would not have even come to you because I did not think you were interested in females, but I think your female may be interested in you.”

“We are very much interested in females,” Beren snaps, somehow missing the better part of what Erkoz says when he says that Nia wants us, or at least seems like she does. How Erkoz could notice this, I want to know, but I also know that he might be making all of it up to trick us and make us look like fools.

“Yes, well, I do not think a single male in this tribe knows this,” Erkoz says, stepping out from behind me now that it seems the worst of Beren’s outburst is over. “Ralleth has given his blessing on allowing your mate to play with the brothers as my Kendra does.” Erkoz pauses, tilts his head to the side, and then adds. “Well, more than my Kendra since your female has made it clear she is interested in cock.”

Beren lunges for Erkoz, but the other male seems ready for it and quickly dodges out of the way. He smiles brightly as I wrap an arm around Beren’s shoulders and hold him back from attacking Erkoz.

“He wants you angry,” I murmur to my mate, hoping to calm him enough to see reason.

Of course, Erkoz does not help anything by laughing at the fool Beren is making himself out to be. We gain nothing by attacking Erkoz, and he only wins because he can tell he is getting under at least one of our scales.

Beren takes a deep breath, his eyes flickering back to black as he tries to calm himself. He looks at me but asks a question of Erkoz. “When?”

“Tomorrow,” Erkoz says. “She was talking with one of her sisters about all the males who are agreeable to being with mated females.”

“I will kill them then,” Beren says it like it is an answer to this problem when it most certainly is not. “Give me the names they talked about. I will kill them all.”

“For what reason? Because your mate is looking for companionship in the form of lovemaking?” Erkoz chooses the wrong words on purpose, as if he does not know how little control I have over my mate on a good day. “They have done nothing wrong and will not do anything wrong if we play this correctly.”

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