Page 80 of Dealing With Drak

When he begins to slow and his breathing becomes less labored, the dizziness of exhaustion starts to creep up on me. Drak’s hand shifts from my face to my stomach, his fingers spreading wide to encompass it.

“My mate… I am lost for words.” He leans down so that his tender lips can kiss my cheeks, peppering the flushed skin. “My fierce and lovely female, you have made me feel more than anyone or anything.”

“You did most of the work,” I mumble sleepily. “Top marks, by the way.”

He laughs tiredly, slowly pulling out to lie by my side. Neither of us mention the mess between my legs. Instead, he tucks my head into the crook of his neck, and he sighs. “Does that mean I have done well, my An-nana?”

“Ten out of ten, would fuck again,” I say with a giggle, kissing his chest.

“That was not like the mating that I have had before.”

I snort. “I know you’re new to the whole mates thing, but talking about past sex kind of ruins the glow.”

“I do not mean to bring it up,” he says quietly. “I only wish to tell you that what I have done before does not even come close. I believe you have just taken my virgin-city.”

I have to bite my lip to hide a laugh at his mistaken translation. He’s being vulnerable and open about how he feels, so I can’t giggle. “Virginity, you mean?”

“Yes,” he agrees. “That is what Stee-vee says it is called when you have not taken a lover. I feel as though you have taken mine as she did to Marrec.”

Well, that’s ridiculously sweet and flattering.

I knew Drak and Stevie had begun a bit of a brother-sister-style friendship on Earth before she left, but I didn’t realize how much they’d spoken. I’ll have to thank her for being nice to him before I was ready to.

“Well, I suppose since you only brought it up to compliment me, I can’t be upset with you, now can I?” I tease before softly adding, “I’m sorry your past experiences weren’t good, baby. You didn’t deserve that.”

I can feel him smile into my hair. “Do I deserve you, my Mean One?”

“More than you know.”

31

Anna

The very next morning, Drak tried to put some alien device on me. A health monitoring bracelet that I didn’t want to hear about, let alone be subjected to wearing. Though, I suppose he didn’t so much as try to put it on me as ask me to wear it. I refused, for obvious reasons. I do not want to be monitored by technology I don’t understand and don’t actually need.

He took it well enough, appearing a bit bummed until I told him that I’d wear it if I had to. Because he’s effortlessly honest and sincere, he admitted that if I were to get pregnant, it would bring him a lot of relief to see me wearing it. He flat-out said he would be very worried for me, especially with what happened to his mom. Which, if I’m being truthful, is the saddest but sweetest damn thing.

I readily agreed that if I get knocked up, I’ll slap the bracelet on. I can deal with a bit of uncertainty about it if seeing my vitals and health status keeps his mind at ease. After all, I learned that all the other girls are wearing them only hours later while sharing lunch at Terum’s house.

The devices look sort of like futuristic fit-bits and none of the girls seem to mind them. I hear Stevie and Sarah each wear one too, but I haven’t seen them yet. Apparently we’ll be catching up later on this week, after we’ve had more time to settle in.

Megan, though, tried to talk up the bracelets to me, showing me hers while we all ate lunch together. Impressively, I didn’t scowl at her and brush her off. I let her gab on about how much she likes it, only tuning her out a bit. When she asked if she changed my mind, I bluntly told her no before adding a mumbled thank you for your input.

I think I shocked the hell out of her because she fucking hugged me after, telling me that she couldn’t wait for us to be better friends. It was alarming… but sort of nice.

Now that the meal is long over, Drak, Caleb, and I are about to start walking back to our place. I’m definitely going to need a nap. After all of the food I was instructed to try and the amount of polite social conversation, I’m wiped.

Aprixian food is good, very flavorful, and fresh, but I think I’m so stuffed I won’t be able to eat even a bite more when dinner comes rolling around. But seeing Terum alone on the back porch, I tell my brother and my mate to go on without me.

“You will have someone walk you back?” Drak asks, squeezing my hand softly.

I barely contain an eye roll. “I’m perfectly capable of walking myself back home, babe.”

Despite my attitude, he grins. Reaching behind his back, he unholsters his laser blaster and passes it to me. “If you insist, you will do it armed.”

Utterly pleased, I lift up to my tiptoes and smack a kiss to the side of his handsome face. “You know me so well, my love.”

“The best,” he agrees, pressing his own kiss to the top of my head. “Until we reunite, my mate.”

---