Page 1 of A Mate for Haax

Chapter 1

Esme

My stomach does somersaults as a kaleidoscope of butterflies tries to break free. I’m anxiously awaiting this next change in my life. Nerves prickle under my skin. My heart is pounding in my throat, but I’m thankful it’s finally here after days, and even months, of wondering what this exact moment would be like. Many of my friends say it’s a big risk putting myself out there like this, but I have to believe, in the end, it’ll be worth it.

A short brunette beside me bounces on the balls of her feet. “What do you think they’ll be like?” Her voice comes out a little shaky, and I know her nerves are probably just as bad as mine.

My gaze finds hers, my eyes clashing with her chocolate-colored ones. She is attractive and curvaceous, but not in the big boobs, small waist, and no fat kind of way. No, she’s full figured like me. I admire her confident stance as her little black dress melts into her body.

“Definitely different from us, but just because they’re different doesn’t mean they’re bad, right? I mean… I understand why the government took volunteers for this mates project instead of doing a lottery, ya know?” I pause to take a breath. “But think about it this way… they’ve been defending Earth from intruders and making sure our population doesn’t extinguish like dinosaurs for years now. One day soon, there will be no men left on this planet. One day, we’re going to need their help with more than just defenses. Plus, think about all the technology they’ll bring with them.” Yep, I certainly did just rattle off a bunch of nonsense. So much for not having nerves. I chuckle internally.

Her lips press into a thin, contemplative line. A loud noise breaks us from our revelry only moments later. My gut churns as we watch a large black spaceship, complete with bubble windows with neon stripes, hover over us before touching down in the port. Sweat breaks out across my skin. This is real now, it’s no longer just something hypothetical, it’s concrete.

I can’t believe it, I think to myself. Wind billows around the ship like the breeze flying off of a helicopter when it touches down.

A deep, gruff voice comes booming over the loudspeaker. “Ready yourselves, future brides. Your mates have arrived.” I roll my eyes. How cliché.

The sound of metal against metal as the door slides open brings all of our attention to the hull of the spacecraft. I imagine the noise closer up would be abrasive, but I’m farther back in the throng of people waiting for their mates in the docking area. Breath catches in my throat, and my lungs are screaming for more oxygen as I wait.

After years of dating and never finding my perfect person, I thought, what the hell, why not try? Obviously, I have no prospects here. Not that I would anyhow. Any Earth man I fall in love with and marry can’t give me children. They’ve become sterile, and no one can pinpoint how or why.

I watch as sexy, multiple colored, tall aliens depart one by one from the ship. We haven’t seen our potential mates, yet they know who we are. They picked us out specifically based on our photos. They claim to know their mate with just one look. I remain doubtful, but we’ll see.

Fear swirls within the chambers of my soul as I try to gather as much courage as I can and let it burn through my veins, watching more alien’s walk off the ship. They all look the same - tall, muscular, broad shoulders, slim waists. Each one is shirtless, wearing only low-slung pants as they approach the crowd of women waiting to meet them. Smiles and nervous giggles litter the previously quiet atmosphere.

My eyes rove over each male, wondering if he is the one who chose me. Not that I know what he looks like, but I hope I’ll feel some sort of strange connection. I know, it makes no sense since I’m doubtful of their ability to know their mate on sight, but, even so, the little girl part of me clinging to a fairy tale is hopeful.

We have talked several times over the last few weeks.

They call it a bonding time. It’s with the hope that they won’t feel like complete strangers when they arrive. Every day, I talk to him well into the evening about everything - from my likes to his planet and everything in between. It’s just been so easy.

He is smart, considerate, and thoughtful; much different than I thought he would be when all of this talk from the government started.

A tall male built like a body builder approaches the girl I was speaking with earlier, and they unite as if they’ve been away from each other for years. I can’t help the smile that lingers on my face, watching them interact. I hope that Haax and I get along just as well. Her mate has light blonde hair that falls just below his ears. Scales of green and blue run vertically up and down his midsection and over his shoulders.

The couple to the left of us meet in a quick kiss of hello, and I can’t help but smile at them. We have been told the mating bond will click into place instantly with one simple look. Our gaze must meet, and we will know if we are meant to be together.

I get lost in that daydream of looking up to find my perfect alien match looking at me with desire and need so desperate that I run to him. It is there for us. I can feel it.

A warning sound blares, and shrieks rise from some of the women surrounding us. Another ship currently hovers over the one that has just arrived. Only this ship does not look like the other. This one is a slimy green color like algae in a pond that needs to be cleaned.

Aliens all over are pushing their mates to the ground and hovering over them, shielding them. Protectiveness. A tingle of jealousy slips through my thoughts.

I look around frantically, stopping briefly on every alien in my view. Where is he? Has something happened to him?

I turn to walk away when I hear my name being shouted. Large footsteps fly up behind me, and a large hand wraps gently around my arm. I shriek, trying to pull myself away, when I hear an all-too-familiar voice. “Esme, it is I, Haax. We need to get down.” I drop down to the ground on my stomach, mimicking the other females with their mates, and, like the other alien mates, he covers me completely.

“Why are you…”

Lifting a hand, he places a finger over my lips, quietly telling me to shut the hell up. My heart is pounding, and I’m finding it hard to breathe. I can feel each palpitation. Being near him gives me only the smallest sense of security. I fear without him, though, I would be a ball of human huddled on the ground in a fetal position.

He leans down to whisper in my ear. A chill of symmetrical goosebumps line my arm from the warmth of his breath against my skin. Just the sound of his voice is soothing.

“Do not move. The Necorium are not as technologically advanced as the Grekarians. We have cloaking systems. Our whole entire body, when unmoving, is undetectable to them.”

To my right, the girl I was previously talking to lies unmoving. With glossy eyes and the sheen of unshed tears, I can see it from here that she is terrified.

None of us expected for this to happen. When their government told us they had been protecting us for years and wished to mate our citizens, we honestly kind of assumed they just wanted willing females.

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