Page 13 of Possessive Alien Mate

She had spent her free time in the library, looking up images of the terraformed planet and dreaming of the day she would finally set foot on another world. The past few years had indeed been a mix of dread and excitement for her, though she had often strived to focus on the latter, telling herself that she would eventually find the happiness and the adventure she was seeking.

“Tell me of your dream,” Rem said quietly.

Her spirits sank. She didn’t want to lie to him, but she also didn’t wish to tell the truth. After a long moment, she opted to be as honest as possible without revealing too much. She didn’t want him asking questions about her uncle. “I-I dreamt I was back in Zone 15 and a monster was trying to drag me off a bus.”

He pulled back slightly to stare into her eyes. His gaze was filled with so much warmth that her eyes began to burn again. She was thankful Rem had a tender, compassionate side. He was comforting her and he seemed to genuinely care about her well-being in this moment. Hope rose within her.

The women aboard the spacecraft had been wrong. Marttiaxoxalians weren’t unfeeling brutes. At least this one wasn’t.

“I’m sorry you had a nightmare, my sweet mate,” he said in a gentle tone. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, I am.” She felt a flush rising in her cheeks. She was starting to feel embarrassed by what had happened. But perhaps her nightmare had occurred for a reason. This interaction they were sharing felt special and intimate. Whether he intended it or not, Rem was revealing his true character to her right now, the Marttiaxoxalian behind the mask.

She glanced out the window to find the sky was dimming. Had she really slept for most of the day? She straightened in Rem’s arms and gave him an apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry I slept all day.” Her flush deepened. “I-I know you meant for us to consummate our union earlier.”

“We will consummate our mating union tomorrow,” he said. “For now, I want you to rest and recuperate from the ordeal of your nightmare.” He looked her over and wiped his thumbs over the tear tracks on her cheeks once more, even though she hadn’t released any fresh tears since he’d last brushed them away.

A shock of orange filtering through the trees caught her attention. The sunset had grown even more magnificent than when she’d looked outside but seconds ago. She stared at the breathtaking sight, spellbound by her first sunset on this planet.

Rem wrapped the blanket more tightly around her and hugged her to his chest. Her eyes soon grew heavy and she drifted off to sleep once again.

This time, the monsters didn’t touch her.

Chapter 9

Rem found he couldn’t bear to leave Tyra alone, even if she was sound asleep. The description of her nightmare troubled him and reinforced his belief that she’d had a good reason to leave Earth.

A reason she hadn’t yet divulged to him.

He was starting to suspect something more sinister than poverty and lack of food and other resources. A monster had been tormenting her, and he very much wanted to know who this monster was.

Marttiaxoxalians dreamed just as humans did, and his people believed dreams were a reflection of the waking life. Dreams held symbolism and private meaning for each individual. He always paid attention to his dreams.

Before King Vaath had ordered Rem to take a human mate, Rem had dreamed he was standing alone on a dock, watching the ocean water ripple as he awaited the arrival of a ship. In his dream, he hadn’t known who he was waiting for, he simply knew he must wait until the ship arrived, as someone important to him was aboard.

But just as the ship had appeared on the horizon, the sky darkened and a storm swept in. He had awoken just as the thunder and lightning intensified and the waves lashed violently at the ship.

He peered down at Tyra. Was a storm coming?

Not for the first time since he’d met her, the need to protect her surged through him. He vowed to keep her safe, always, and he was now starting to reconsider his plans to take her into the shopping district. Perhaps they ought to remain closer to home and the palace until his dreams provided more clarity.

By the time Tyra awoke, it was nearly midnight. She blinked up at him and looked around, appearing a bit confused. The sound of nocturnal animals and insects echoed in the darkness outside, and she peered toward the window and then returned her gaze to him.

“I didn’t mean to sleep for so long. I’m sorry.”

“You need not apologize.”

“Have you been to sleep yet?” she asked.

“Not yet, but I will be fine. We’ll both try to stay up all night and as late as we can tomorrow. Hopefully that will help you adjust to the time difference and a new sleep schedule.”

She nodded and her attention was soon drawn outside again. He grasped her hand as he rose to his feet. The sound of the nighttime insects seemed to grow louder as he stared down at her, admiring the pretty sight of his mate with her disheveled hair and her sleep-clouded eyes.

“Would you like to see the stars?” he asked. “And the moons?”

Her mouth dropped open. “The-the moons? Oh, that’s right. Mars has two moons. Ph-Phobos and Deimos,” she said carefully, as if trying hard to recall the names. “I’d almost forgotten.”

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