Page 14 of Fated to the Alien Hero

Evren

I am grateful Astrid sought me out. My concentration in the sparring arena has been nonexistent, and I have all the aches and pains to show for it. I have been distracted all morning waiting for, and wondering when, my mate would awaken. It is like I told her, though, I must keep my training up if I am not going out to hunt.

“Have you eaten this turn?” It is past the morning meal and still some time before the midday meal, but there is always something available for those who hunger.

Astrid shakes her head. “Not yet.”

“Come then, let us get you some food.” I place my hand at her lower back and gently guide her toward the food stores where we should find a vast supply of dried meats and fruits or root vegetables to choose from.

Together we walk through the village. I cannot help but cast several glances at Astrid. What does she think of our home? It isgreatly different from the human settlement and Earth. Would she be willing to stay here with me as my mate? I will need to find her a tent to call her own when she is well. She would not want to stay in the one I share with Katem, Daveel, and Zalik. Rojtar recently moved into his own dwelling with his mate Abby and her brother, Carter.

“Did you sleep well?” A lot of her night had been filled with nightmares, but she did finally settle down just as the second moon touched the hilltop.

Astrid lifts a single shoulder. “Not really. Then again, you were there for most of it, so you saw. Thank you, once more, for that. You know, for staying with me.”

“Of course.” I would stay with her every night if it made her feel safe.

We reach the food stores and I grab the torch posted outside before entering. It is dimly lit within and there are stacks of baskets and chests filled with dried meats and fruits, along with many other items.

“What would you like? There is jerky made from luani or dried bizele, which is a type of fruit. The humans say it tastes similar to something you all call a…leach, I believe.”

Astrid cocks her head and her lips twitch like she is amused. “Do you mean a peach?”

“Is that one of your Earth fruits?”

“It is.”

“Then perhaps that is it.”

“I’m not picky,” Astrid says. “Whatever you think I might like, I’ll eat. Really.”

For a moment longer I study her, but she merely glances around observing everything. If that is the case, then I will share with her some of my favorites. She remains standing near the center while I search through the meats until I locate a bit of dried dhembi and several sprouts that grow wild out in the forest. With everything in hand, I return to Astrid and offer her the options.

“This is dhembi meat. It is the leanest and most tender in my opinion.”

She carefully nibbles on the end of the stick shaped piece. Her uninjured eye widens, and she makes a sound of delight that goes straight to my cock.

“Oh wow, this is delicious.” She takes a much bigger bite with her small, blunt teeth.

“It is one of my favorites. My nene used to sprinkle it with this special seasoning that brought out all the flavors when I was a kit.”

Astrid swallows. “Your nene? Is that your mother?”

I nod. “Rehata was the most wonderful nene and Levosh was a firm, but kind baba. I miss them both very much.”

“I miss my parents, too,” she says quietly.

“Would you tell me about them?” With a couple extra pieces of dried dhembi, I lead Astrid out of the tent and plant the torch in the ground outside it again. “Unless of course it is too painful.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not that. Well, not only that.”

We head toward the river where Zander recently finished having several benches built. Astrid sits and I settle in beside her, although I make sure to keep a respectable distance between us. Still, the warmth of her leg heats my own and I resist the need to twine my tail around her waist. I do not push her to speak. Rather, I wait patiently. Even if she does not tell me anything about her, I am happy enough to sit beside her in the silence. Just being near to mykeeshlais enough.

“I guess if I talk about my parents, I should also talk about Grady,” Astrid finally says.

My jaw clenches. As if she does not sense the hatred flooding my veins, she continues.

“I met him when I was eighteen. My dad introduced us, actually. Grady was an up-and-coming lawyer in my dad’s firm and he was doing everything he could to impress my father.”

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