Page 19 of Her Alien Prince
It was out of my hands, Almder wasn't saying shehadto mate with Trent, but I knew what happened on one-on-ones during the peak of the moon ceremony. After all the interviews I'd conducted, I knew more than most that mates hardly stuck to talking points. They would be alone, the radiation would increase their mating hormones, and with the added boost of the Almder's blessing... it was rare for couples not to copulate. A clamminess slicked my palms, and I wrung my robes to dry them, only to remain gripping the fabric as if my life depended on it.
I was upset... I hardly ever became upset. Even my eyes watered, close to brimming over. I didn't even register that Luan was talking to me, when she sucked in a breath, and gave me a soft doe-eyed expression of pity.
"Might as well get this over with then," Luan pivoted the conversation, and I was thankful that she wouldn't force me to talk about my new status as infertile, nor why I was so affected by a message that had nothing to do with me. But didn’t it?
She headed down the benched seating towards the arena of mates, towards Trent, I knew that was her destination. My feet moved without thought, following close behind her.Mine, my mind repeated like a chant. Fingers clenched and unclenched at my side, an irrational anger unfurling within me towards my best friend the closer she got. Trent quickly moved through the mass of off-worlders, they parted like a sea in a perfect storm to make way for him.
My back loh burned, and throbbed, like they would melt if his strong arms didn't wrap themselves around me. With every step he took, his shoulders heaved, and his nostrils flared as his golden eyes locked on me. No, not on me... Luan, I corrected. I stilled as his wings snapped open, murmurs buzzed through the crowd as they watched, curious as to what was happening. He was magnificent, the iridescent black with a sheen of yellow glinting in the moon's light reminded me of the universe and the twinkling stars of countless planets I'd never see.
I'd stay on Estreldez, become an elder like Salph and Ezra, unmated, but respected. I would find my place in the clan once more, even if it wasn't with him. With him? What was I even thinking? When did I start including him in my plans for anything? He certainly wasn't going to stay on Estreldez, he was the Prince of Krelis, and...
A small gasp escaped Luan's lips, as her mating loh burst from her back into diamond wings so beautiful, they captured the awe of everyone as Trent stood before her. I was but an insignificant being hidden behind the future leader of Estreldez. It was rare for mating loh to extend so far and grow so much... so quickly. She was truly compatible with him, and it wasn't my place to destroy my clan's chance at peace.
I knew her mating loh would emerge, but there was a large part of me that had hoped it would be with someone else. It was obvious with his proximity, and her silver eyes homed in that Trent would be her mate... her loh would emit a pheromone encouraging them to be together. Though my own mating loh hummed and I felt them grow from my shoulders... it would never compare with Luan. And if Ezra had known I was even here, she would scold me for putting my life in danger by tempting fate.
Letting him go was the right thing to do, I assured myself, and I turned to leave them. I would only get in the way.
A voice entered my head, "My mate..."
My lip quivered at how cruel my imagination was to hear his voice calling me his. I ran through the crowd as fast as I could before I humiliated myself further.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Trent
WHEN MABEL DESCENDEDthe viewing deck, I had assumed she made a choice to be here, to see me. It was obvious by the wide breadth everyone gave they knew I was a krelin, and feared I may harm them. That was the reputation estrelds have marked my species with, and it wasn't earned without reason. My queen had made many decisions that prioritized krelins over any other, and it wasn't how I wished to continue. Without a queen at my side, overthrowing my mother's rule would require great sacrifice I didn't wish to put my warriors through when there was a path avoiding death.
I had to sway the opinions of her most zealous followers, and that would only happen if I had another queen to place their trust in. Luan, the future Almder would be the ideal figurehead to rule and guide our planets, but the one I wanted was hiding behind her.
Outstretching my hand in offering, Luan's loh glowed like the moons, making my second eye lid close to protect my sight on instinct. From her back diamond-like daggers sprung forth shaped like wings. The uncanny similarities to a warrior, and queen, of Krelis was difficult to ignore. A single display of her fierce loh would convince many warriors to switch loyalties, especially if the radiation blessed them with active mating glands in the process. But, it was the back of another that I watched running away from the arena which froze both my hearts in an instant.
Mabel had made her choice, and I was not among them.
Luan's wings flexed behind her, a glow enveloping the arena in a warmth when I heard a mate's call in my head, "Mine."
Was this Luan? Had I been wrong to assume this connection was with Mabel?
I closed my eyes, and sent my response through the bond, "My mate?"
Luan's cheeks blushed fiercely when I reopened my eyes. Had she heard me? Her hand laced into mine, I had forgotten that my hand was still extended in offering. She took a cuff from her arm, pulling it down and passing it over her slim wrist and on to mine. The black jewelry which fit snuggly on her arm, was a perfect fit for my wrist.
Tarnpul.
This was an offering, and I had to wonder if she was giving this to me because Mabel had told her to, at Gaven's insistence, or she was my kansa, and this was genuine interest? Only time would tell.
Another large male approached, an off-worlder with the mark of a slave on his neck. And the Pride of Acatalec, Loric, an estreld known as a great warrior, and an agreeable politician. I had trouble focusing on either of them too closely, continuing to stare at Luan for signs that we were forming a bond. Already, I could feel my mating glands react, seeking to spray her with my musk and take her back to Kia Mountain to begin our mating.
It was auspicious that Luan should be a prime candidate for queen, and my kansa mate. The goddess had truly blessed this peace treaty's success.
"I have not made any final decisions on anything," Luan snapped at Loric, bringing my attention back to the task at hand. Being the Almder's daughter, it was natural for there to be competition for her affections, and I was unsure how our kansa bond would be felt by her, being as our bond wasn't complete and she was not a krelin. It was possible the reason why she was unable to communicate through the bond was a side effect of her being estreld, and we would have to consummate fully to solidify the mental link.
Kansa bonds were rare, but there was never a recorded instance of the bond not being reciprocated, even with the few mates that were found outside of Krelis. My second believed his own mother was kansa bonded, but she sent him away. If he was correct, then rejecting the bond was possible. There was a male found from a planet called Rewrth, a species called hoomon. Gho-ran was half-hoomon, and had told me he wants to visit Rewrth someday.
"My apologies for assuming," the off-worlder replied with mischief in his tone. There was obviously some kind of pissing contest between Loric and this male that I needed no part in. I wished to leave. Nothing about this situation was comfortable for me, and I struggled with whether it was due to Mabel running away, or the way Luan’s eyes kept darting over to the other males.
Some would be agitated with such displays over a mate that was clearly mine to earn approval from, but there was no contest when a kansa bond was involved. I was unconcerned with their petty bickering, and surprisingly, I was also unaffected with the blue estreld warrior leaning into whisper, "When you're ready," to Luan. He intended to court her, and he was an honorable mate,for someone else, I added internally with a smirk on my face.
My hearing was impeccable, whispering would not deter me, but Loric knew that. It was a challenge.
