Page 9 of Fated to the Alien Hero

Chapter 5

Evren

I am happy Astrid is eating well. She needs the sustenance to get her strength back. I had been worried during the walk back when she did not stir within my arms, but her even breathing had reassured me she was merely exhausted. I had been even more worried when several turns passed without her awakening, although Sage assured me rest would help. The fact Astrid appears to trust me is a miracle, considering the condition I found her in. I will not break that trust.

She finally finishes the last of the leburin stew. I do not believe she wanted me to help her, but I am glad she accepted my assistance. I finally have a mate I can take care of and look after.

“Thank you for the meal. It was delicious,” Astrid says.

“You are most welcome.” I set aside the empty vessel.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I will, but I wanted to make sure you were fed first. Is there anything you need?”

“Besides an arm that isn’t broken?” Astrid barely raises the appendage from where it remains within the cloth I had tied around her neck and chuckles softly.

How she can find any amusement in her situation is beyond me. I am still raging.

“Hey, I was just kidding.” A soft sensation brushes over my skin.

I glance down to find Astrid’s fingers of her uninjured arm pressed lightly against the fist at my side. Her touch soothes the heightened emotions and my hand relaxes. My flesh tingles and my mating marks darken in color. Almost as though she can sense the invisible reaction happening within me, she drops her gaze to where we are connected and then scans the swirling lines she triggered to appear.

“You and two of your friends have these marks, but your other friend didn’t. What do they mean?”

She traces a pattern on my lower arm and the pleasure of her touch travels straight to my cock. Beneath my leg coverings, I grow hard. I pray to Deeka Astrid does not notice. What will she say when I reveal the answer?

“Evren? I’m sorry. Am I not supposed to touch you?” She quickly removes her hand.

I shake my head, missing the feel of her. “It is not that.” Never that. “They are mating marks.”

The color bleeds from her cheeks. “I thought Sage and London said neither of them were your mate?”

“They are not.”

Relief crosses her face, but there is still something there I cannot identify. “Will I meet her then?”

Not trusting myself, I do not reach for her like my soul is calling out to do. But the words will not remain unspoken. “You already have.”

The furry lines above her eyes shift and a crease appears between them. “I don’t understand. The only people I’ve met are Sage and London. Oh,” she draws it out so it is more a sound and her eyes widen. “Is the other warrior your mate? Since he also has those marks?”

I nearly smile since that is a logical assumption. I shake my head again. “Neither Rassim nor Katem are my mate, although I can see why you might think that. It is you, Astrid, who has triggered my mating marks. When you first touched me out in the forest. That is when it happened.”

She stares, unblinkingly, at me. Her head cocks and the crease appears between the furry lines again. “I can’t be your mate. Not that I would be opposed to such a thing, but…but I’m married.”

Both my shoulders raise, mimicking the human gesture I have seen several of the females make. “Our goddess is the one who shows us who our fated mate is. She is the one who has said you are the female meant for me just as I am the male meant for you. Fate is what brought us together. It says you and I are the two people who are supposed to be bound to each other. That is why it was me who found you out there in the forest. I was drawn to where you laid. Your touch triggering my mating marks to appear and my soul light to ignite prove that.”

Astrid continues to stare, although her gaze drifts as she scans my chest, shoulders, and arms. I stand patiently while she performs her assessment. Is she pleased by what she sees? Does she compare me to her human mate? He is a vile male and not worthy of her. She is lucky to be rid of him. Surely she does not believe me to be less than him though?

“I still don’t understand,” she finally says. “How is this possible?”

I do not have an answer for her. Never before have I questioned Deeka or the many different paths she has placed me on. I cannot allow the uncertainty of our situation to be the reason I do so now. Astrid is mykeeshla. I have no doubts in my head or heart about it. “Do not concern yourself with anything right now other than healing. That is the most important thing.”

Astrid opens her mouth like she wants to dispute that but snaps it closed and gives a small nod.

“Good. Did you get enough to eat?”

“Yes, but could I get some water, please?”

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