Page 350 of Bride of Choice

Nodding, Elle turned fully to face me. “Elle pick Car-ree,” they announced, like it needed to be formally verbalized.

I was so damn confused. “You- you do?”

“Jes,” Elle grunted out. Bending, they scooped me up, shocking me stupid as they adjusted their hold, rumbling happily as my weight settled against them, and then just carted me off to wherever like a sack of potatoes.

“But you said…” I spluttered.

“Elle pick Car-ree. Car-ree no pick Elle. Elle pick Car-ree,” they stressed.

Thinking back on my earlier statement about picking the wrong people to be with, I stared at Elle wonderingly. If that wasn’t the sweetest thing I’d ever heard. A small smile tugged at my lips. “Can I pick you back?”

“No.” Elle didn’t smile, staring off ahead as she led us down a well-worn path.

My smile fell as my brow furrowed. “Ever?”

Blue eyes briefly shifted to meet mine. “Car-ree not say she make the bad choices? Picks wrong?”

“Well, yeah, but…” My god, I couldn’t pick Elle EVER?

Elle let out a series of grunts that sent their purr sputtering. “Elle pick. Elle first mate. Elle make Car-ree happy.”

My toes curled and my lips curved upwards at their words.

My smile fell and a squawk left me just as fast as they added, “Find goot male for second, also make Car-ree happy. Second male make Elle happy, help protect my Car-ree, put lots of babies in Car-ree for Elle.”

I laughed at first because why wouldn’t I? That sounds crazy. Elle did not laugh. They were completely, dead serious. “We’re doing what now?!”

Elle grinned as I started to kick up a fuss over all these babies I was going to have put in me and this mysterious, unknown male Elle was going to find for me, for us. I squirmed at the idea of having a three-way. Polyamory so would not work for me. I’d tried it once and quickly realized I’m the jealous type and it just wasn’t for me.

“I don’t want to watch you making crazy wild warrior love to some random guy.” Or anyone, I silently tacked on.

Elle stopped dead in their tracks at that. Their grip tightened as they leaned in and bumped their forehead to mine. “Lo denaii only mate one.”

“The females don’t. Rek told me,” I blurted.

“Elle warrior. Elle only mate one,” they growled out vehemently.

“And you’d be just fine if I mated some guy and we made love and had babies?” I mumbled in disbelief.

“Elle find my Car-ree goot male, goot mate, make my Car-ree happy.” A fierce scowl took over Elle’s face. “Or elssse,” they hissed.

“You’d be just fine with watching me with another romantic partner?” I clarified.

“Elle not watch,” Elle muttered. A snort followed.

My face flamed at the look they gave me, telling me they had no intention of being a voyeur hanging out on the sidelines.

“Mamma say no rush for babies,” Elle conceded shortly. Clearing their throat gruffly, they rumbled out, “Elle not in hurry to share.”

My face was so beet red, I thought it might catch fire as I pecked a kiss to a furry cheek and softly whispered as I nuzzled pale flesh and fur, “Good.”

???

Dorothy

I couldn’t lose hope. We had to find her.

My stomach was a ball of knots. Each day that passed with no sign of her and another formed to join the growing bunch.

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