Page 17 of K'Vella

They're acting like bites don't mean anything important to my kind. We might be more eager to offer bites, and they don't technically signify claiming. They'd be hard-pressed to find a male that's covered a female as much as I have and not claimed her as his, though.

It's an honor and a gift that a female gives to a male she wishes to share her nest with to let everyone know she trusts him enough to wear his marks.

"I do." I try to push out of Alik's hold, but he keeps me pinned. He narrows his eyes at me and looks at Jovi, who shrugs.

"Why did you bite her, then?" Alik asks. "She just wants a baby out of this, and then she's leaving. You've guaranteed no one on Varon will give her a chance."

"Maybe I bit her because I don't want anyone on Varon to give her a chance. Did you think about that?"

Jovi and Alik give each other another look and then frown at me. Jovi sounds sad when he asks, "Why would you wish that for her?"

I don't understand how neither of them gets it. I'm pretty sure Alik was going to stalk Sloane on Earth if she didn't agree to be part of the crew, and Jovi would've been right there beside him. How is it so hard for them to understand that I might also be willing to do that for a female?

"Has it escaped both of you that I might want her?"

I don't give them a second to answer before continuing. I didn't think these two would be the ones I'd need to explain myself to. They felt called to a human, for godssakes.

"Or maybe, when we were together, she complained of the skin burning on her wrists, knees, and neck. Maybe I've been bitingher all over, so her marks finally show up. Maybe that might have something to do with it."

Jovi's the first one to figure out what I'm saying, and a smile splits his lips so wide that I can't help but smile, too. Alik isn't far behind, but he gives me a bewildered look instead of smiling.

"Does she know? We never knew of the pain. Does she know what it means?" Alik asks. He still has me pinned to the wall, but now it's more so because he's confused and isn't thinking about not wanting to hit me anymore.

"Not that I'm aware of. She didn't know what the feeling was, and I wasn't trying to scare her away. She's already so certain I don't want her."

"Didn't want to scare her away, but you bit the shit out of her," Jovi laughs and leans against the counter.

"I was trying to get the bonding marks to show up," I say defensively. I don't need to tell them that K'Vella also came hard every time I chewed on her. "As you can see, it didn't happen."

"So what's the plan now, then?" Alik asks, his demeanor shifting now that they both realize I'm in this for the long haul and not just using her for a rut or two. He takes a few steps back before crossing his arms over his chest.

Even before I realized K'Vella might get bond marks out of this, I was ready for the long haul. When I left my planet, I forced myself to be okay with never having a family. I knew the chances of finding a female who could carry my young were slim if I never returned to Rythar.

I became okay with it being me and probably Phial for the rest of my life. Of course, Phial kind of has Avery now, so even that plan was shot to shit.

"She didn't look too happy with you when she left," Jovi says.

"Yeah, because you both came in when she misunderstood what I said and then got all assholey, so now she thinks I don't want her anymore since my rut is over," I say, pointing at the twoof them like they're the ones who fucked this us, because they're definitely more responsible than me. They roll all six eyes almost in unison, and it has me growling at them.

"What is your actual plan?" Alik asks. "Gestation for your kind is what, seven months?"

"Six."

I rub at my temples, realizing how little time I might have with K'Vella if I can't convince her to be with me. It shouldn't be that hard. She was feeling the burning that signifies the mating marks trying to burn into her skin and pelt.

Jovi and Alik complained of the same type of burning before they finally bit into Sloane and claimed her for themselves. They were also very clear in wanting her for more than just a mission, though.

So far, K'Vella hasn't mentioned anything about wanting more with me. She's done the opposite. She made it clear before she helped me through my rut that she didn't want to have a relationship. And every time I've offered more, she's shot me down.

"Six months to court her," Alik nods. "That's plenty of time. I'm sure she'll come around by then. That's how long males house females on Varon, and plenty find lifelong partners in that amount of time."

"She might leave as soon as she knows she's pregnant," I say, pressing my lips together into a tight line. I don't want her to leave even after she has the baby, but I won't force a female to stay on the ship if she doesn't want to. "Is it wrong if I hope she isn't pregnant yet?"

"What are the chances of that?" Jovi asks with a laugh. "Aren't your kind like super fuckers or something?"

"Or something," I grumble and rub the back of my neck again.

The food synthesizer dings, telling me the food I made for K'Vella is finished. I move over to it and check to make sure it looks right.

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