Page 33 of The Alien's Pet

She bit on a nail. "No. Not really. I'm not sure. Could I come visit you or Alice?"

"We are not exactly a vacation destination, Karin. Once you decide to leave, you are gone for good. So, what is your answer?"

Karin didn't speak for a few moments. She had many things on her mind. But then she found herself saying, "I want to stay."

Korrev couldn't hide his surprise. "You want to stay with me?"

"And Alice," she couldn't help but say. Karin wasn't a naturally shy person, but saying out loud she wanted to stay with Korrev suddenly made her feel nervous. She had spent so muchtime trying to get away from him. Then, suddenly, she wanted him near her. It was foolish. Sometimes she couldn't believe her own mind.

Karin should run away. The logical part of her brain told her to accept his offer, but her heart, her heart wanted something different, and it was to stay with him. Forever. Even if it was as his pet or as his breeding mare, she wanted to stay with him. Being torn apart away from him, even if her memories were erased, would be too much for her.

"Are you sure?" Korrev pressed his thumb against her chin, tilting her towards him. "Because once you say yes, there is no going back. I won't let you leave my sight again, Karin. Do you understand?"

"I do," Karin responded. She was surprised her voice wasn't shaking.

A twitch of a smile appeared on his lips and his body relaxed. "Good."

That was all he said. They would probably never say the words "I love you" to each other. Korrev wasn't the type to say them. Neither was Karin.

That was fine. They didn't need to say anything.

Korrev knew what Karin felt about him. Karin knew what Korrev felt about her.

It didn't need to be said out loud. They just knew.

"May I have a kiss?" he asked, sounding so polite, it almost made Karin laugh. He was such a brute and aggressive man, it was hard to imagine him as anything else.

"I should probably have a bath first," she mused. She felt sticky, and not in a good way.

Korrev nodded. "And then?"

Karin giggled. "And then we can kiss."

Fourteen

After one more week of bedrest, Korrev and Azis had finally allowed her to have visitors. Karin guessed Korrev was probably sick of her whining so he just gave in to her whim. Or maybe he felt a bit sorry for her because her cough had returned with a vengeance. Sometimes she would cough so hard, her body would hurt for hours afterwards.

Azis had warned her it might take months for her body to recover from the bouts of poison, but she was doing splendid so far. When she had been told she was lucky to be alive, she had felt quite dumb that she ate the berries in the first place.

Her journey to recovery would be long, but she was hopeful that someday her body would stop hurting as much. Korrev had even taken her on daily walks, even though he fussed over her constantly as if she were as weak as a newborn.

Whatever the reason was for Korrev's rare generosity, she decided to milk it as much as she could. The very first thing she wanted to do was, of course, have Alice visit her.

Karin was in bed—in Korrev's large, fancy canopy bed if she had to be specific. Not in her pet bed. She had finally left the infirmary after pleading with Korrev. She was going to milk the poor-little-me act as much as she could. Korrev was almostspoiling her with attention and giving in to her every whim, something which he hadn't done before. She was going to take advantage of it for as long as possible. She was still weak, and there was no way Korrev would punish her in her condition.

The blonde had asked him for visitors. He had hesitated but agreed to let Alice visit for only one hour. It wasn't much, but she would take whatever she could get.

Alice had changed so much, she hardly recognized her. She was heavily pregnant and round. Practically bursting. But she looked downright adorable with her large belly, even though Alice complained her back and chest ached a lot.

Alice was due soon, which had made Kyvan annoyingly protective. She was surprised he had even allowed her to come, but when the king gave an order, not even Kyvan could say no. Korrev was breaking many rules for her, which made her secretly pleased.

"How are you feeling?" Alice asked warmly as she placed a hand on her large belly.

Karin felt a twinge of jealousy, even though it was stupid to feel jealous of her only friend. She had never wanted children. She had convinced herself she was not going to be a very good mother because her own mother had been shitty. She had made her peace that she was never going to experience pregnancy or carry her newborn in her arms. But seeing Alice looking so heavily pregnant, triggered something in her. Something which she couldn't explain.

Karin wished she could be the one experiencing pregnancy. She wished she would soon be the one giving birth to Korrev's child. She wanted to hold her own baby in her arms. Even though she was a bit disappointed she would only be able to bear male children.

Azis had warned her being bred could not happen for several months, until her body recovered, which, to be quite honest, just caused her to become more frustrated.

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