Page 32 of Possessive Alien Mate

Jav cleared his throat and looked from Rem to Tyra, and it occurred to Rem that he ought to properly introduce them. Once the introductions were complete and Tyra again assured Jav that all was well, Jav took his leave.

Rem closed the door and then turned to Tyra, his heart swelling with affection for her. When she smiled up at him, his spirits danced.

“I have been a giant… ass,” he said, repeating the unusual name she had called him twice now, “and I am truly sorry for everything, Tyra, for every little hurt I have caused you.”

She reached up to stroke his chin. “I have already forgiven you.” She drew in a deep breath. “And it is my hope that we can start anew.”

He clasped her hands in his and kissed her forehead. “We can,” he said adamantly, “and our mating union will be built upon love, trust, and respect.”

“I like the sound of that, Rem.”

Chapter 26

As soon as they reached their bedroom, Tyra came to a decision. She had been holding back certain truths from Rem, but now was the time to come clean. The time to unburden her soul.

“Rem, I want to tell you the full truth about why I left Earth.”

He led her to the bed, sat upon the mattress, and gathered her on his lap.

She looked at him pointedly. “You must promise me, even after I tell you, that you will not have my uncle killed.”

“What happened?” Rem asked in a wary tone as he tensed. “What did he do to you?”

“Promise first.” Her heart raced and her stomach clenched with nerves.

He growled. “Very well. I promise.”

“It was true what I told you about him not treating me well, and forcing me to work in his bar, but there’s more to it. After I started working there, he noticed that many of his patrons took notice of me. Many of them would grab me and try to kiss me, and some would even proposition me. That is, they asked for sex. I always said no, and whenever I refused, the men would offer me money.”

“Oh, Tyra. I am so sorry.” He ran a hand over her head, petting her. “You need not feel ashamed of what you did. I do not think badly of you. I promise.”

“No, you’re misunderstanding,” she said, though his acceptance of what he’d thought she’d been trying to tell him touched her, especially considering his recent bouts of jealousy. “I never accepted their proposals, but my uncle took notice of the attention the men were giving me and decided to capitalize upon it. He was planning to auction me off to the highest bidder on my twenty-first birthday. He had been planning it since I was about seventeen.” She shuddered. Uncle Sebastian truly was a vile man, and she was glad to be out of his reach now.

Rem’s eyes brimmed with shock. “Your own uncle meant to sell you? Gods, Tyra, I am so sorry.” He hugged her to his chest and continued stroking her hair.

“So you see, that is why I decided to leave Earth. I showed up at the Martian Affairs building in Bismarck, very early in the morning on my twenty-first birthday, as the auction was set to take place that night. I was so relieved when my application to become a mail order bride was accepted. A short while later, I found myself on a bus, headed for Fargo, where the spaceship was waiting to take me and the other brides to Mars.”

He pulled back slightly and then rested his forehead against hers. “Why did you not tell me about this sooner?” he asked, though his tone wasn’t accusatory. He asked the question in the gentlest voice she’d ever heard him use.

“Because I was ashamed, and afraid. My own uncle cared for me so little that he thought nothing of auctioning off my virginity to the highest bidder. I-I worried if you found out, that you might think there was something wrong with me, if my own flesh and blood cared so little about me.”

“I do not think there is anything wrong with you, my Tyra. You are my sweet mate and I intend to cherish you forever. I am only sorry that such a tragic circumstance led you to me.”

He kissed her then, a soft brush of his lips to her forehead. She loved when he kissed her like that, it truly made her feel cherished.

“Don’t forget that he is locked up now. He will never hurt you again. I will never let anyone harm you in such a way. I swear it on the Gods. You will be safe on Mars. I vow to protect you always. Always.”

She blinked back tears. “I-I know I am safe with you, Rem.”

“Thank you for telling me the full truth of why you left your home planet. I am touched that you have confided such a painful secret in me.” He swallowed hard and studied the golden flecks in her eyes. “Please know that I aim to spend the rest of my life building happier memories with you, my sweet mate.”

She smiled as his words filled her with warmth. “I like the sound of that. I came to Mars hoping for a fresh start. I spent years planning my escape, in secret, of course, dreaming of the day I would finally arrive on this beautiful planet and meet my mate. I used to even dream that I would fall in love with my mate.” She sighed and placed a hand upon Rem’s chest, right over his heart.

Rem held her as the sun rose in a splash of orange brilliance through the trees. The sound of nighttime insects faded, to be replaced with the singing of birds. She basked in the safety of his embrace and snuggled deeper in his arms. He caressed her back and sometimes whispered to her in his native tongue, his voice a soothing rumble at her ear.

“This is your new home, Tyra,” he eventually said, breaking the silence. “A place where you are wanted, a place where you are loved.”

Indeed, the sun was shining on a brand-new day, she mused as she peered up at Rem, admiring the way the sunlight glinted off his massive horns. She repressed a yawn, fatigue starting to overtake her. She’d been up all night, worried sick over her relationship with Rem and whether or not he was out committing murder.

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