Page 55 of Treasured By the Alien Rogue

“I don’t want their meat.” Her eyes glowed with humor, though I wasn’t sure why. “I only want one male’s meat, but he hasn’t offered it to me recently.”

Bork? No, she couldn’t be thinking of him. He was old, though it wasn’t uncommon for an older male to mate with a younger female. But she hadn’t looked at Bork as if she wanted him to offer her meat. Cresar was too young for mating. Who could it be?

“I see,” I said.

Perhaps she meant Efendest. He hadn’t come near; he’d slipped away before offering his meat. I hadn’t noticed her attraction for him yesterday, but she might show her interest in a completely different way than a Zuldruxian female.

“I hope you’re offered the meat you long for soon,” I said, my voice choking off with dismay.

Her low laugh rang out. “I’m going to see what I can do to make sure that meat is offered to me as soon as possible.”

My heart sunk, and I glanced toward Gerain and Floosar standing close by, both looking as if they were about to laugh along with Amanda.

I was missing something here, but I couldn’t figure it out.

Gerain tugged on the hem of my loincloth and nodded at me. “You need to hunt.”

“You’re correct. I owe you meat.”

“Yes, yes, you owe me meat. Not courting meat, of course, but meat to fulfill our deal. I believe you owe someone else meat as well.” Her low chuckle was echoed by Floosar’s.

“Who?”

She only laughed harder. “Get me at least one haunch and be sure to bring back extra. That’s all I’ll say.”

“Two haunches might be best, don’t you think?” Floosar said quite seriously, though her eyes sparkled as well.

Gerain grunted. “You are a wise male, Xax. I can see why the gods chose you for this honor.”

It was an honor to hunt for another, but I wasn’t sure that was what she meant.

However, I liked how she turned her warm gaze toward Amanda. I would always be Amanda’s friend and hopefully her lover and mate, but she needed other friends to make her life complete. Cresar, Gerain, and Floosar were a good start.

“I’ll leave immediately.” I tightened my grip on my spear.

Gerain nodded, her lips quivering with laughter. “Yes, do.”

“I’ll be back swiftly,” I added as I started toward the woods.

“Yes, hurry,” Gerain said.

As I trotted into the woods, I had no idea why the three females rolled with laughter.

Chapter 26

Amanda

“Ibelieve you should ask Xax to help you plant your spore,” Gerain said after he’d disappeared into the purple foliage. “He’s one of the best when it comes to cultivating spore younglings.”

“Alright.” I nibbled on my lower lip. “How long do you think he’ll be gone?”

“He’ll do this quickly,” Floosar said. She lifted the basket she’d left when we went for the spores. “When he presents you with meat, what do you intend to tell him? He’s like my brother, and I wouldn’t want to see him hurt.”

“I’ll accept his meat,” I said.

“You do know that our gods will have the final say in this,” Gerain said, chiding me. The humor had left her eyes, replaced by a touch of sadness. “It would be wrong to accept his meat and then have to give it back.”

“I have the final say in what meat I choose.” I was going to be firm about this. I didn’t care what the gods decided. They weren’t going to run my life.

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