Page 27 of Her Alien Prince
Trent
BOTH OF MYhearts stopped when Mabel proclaimed she would be nobody's second. I hadn't realized until that moment she thought I had made her a lower priority than that of my efforts to secure a future for my hive with Luan. My political union with Estreldez was important, but when I offered myself to Mabel on that shuttle, it was as my only true mate. My kansa... nothing less than the only one my hearts would beat for.
But then... it was Luan who spoke to my mind, wasn't it?
Was I rejecting my kansa bond for Mabel? When I thought she was in pain, I dropped everything to find her. Luan wrapped around me brought a tangy bitterness to my tongue. The very idea of thinking Mabel was distressed harmed my very soul. I'd do anything to take that pain for myself, and I was the one that caused her that pain with my words. I was not clear enough with my intentions.
She had to know, that I would sacrifice whatever there was with Luan for her... I would find a way to have our peace treaty without mate bonding if need be. Luan could still be the queen of the hive without making her my mate.I'd find a way, I repeated to myself, feeling this ache building within my gut at watching Mabel look at me with such venom in those beautiful green eyes. It was unthinkable to turn down a kansa bond, but I would do it for her.
Gaven spoke of her life being in danger, and my wings buzzed to protect her, to fly into battle, and destroy whatever it was that would harm her. As his fist gripped her slim arm, the only danger I saw was him. My vision blurred to red, and his only saving grace was that Mabel had wretched from his hold and he did not attempt to subdue her once more.
Sadness in Mabel's eyes tore through my chest and squeezed my hearts as she spoke of having the family she longed for be removed and lost from her future. I bowed my head in sorrow and respect for her own mourning. "I will join you, if you will have me."
When I lifted my eyes, tears brimmed and dripped down her cheeks before both of us. As if magnetized, we came together in a heap. I pulled her into my arms, and pressed her to my chest. Only then did my hearts ease. Allowing me to lend her my strength was not a weakness, but a show of truth to accept support when it was needed. The Krelis hive was strong because it was not one warrior but many working together. We are weakest when we work against each other, and with my mother as queen... the cracks in our unity were growing.
A soft flutter of air wafted on my face as I nuzzled into Mabel's silky black hair. My arms slid around to hold her closer, and I stilled at the solid barrier that prevented my attempt. I moved up, following the obstruction that was soft, and firm with just a bit of give, but I stayed close to her back, and then moved under to fully hold her. The pressure of the bottom of what I knew to be impossible touched my forearms, the protrusion of wings from where her loh resided. Yet they were as imperceptible as my own. Now that I thought to look for it, I could see the distortion of light rippling, and with me so close to her... it wouldn't be long before Gaven could see the change in how I appeared behind her form, so I pivoted and extended my own wings to distract him.
I whispered, "Does he know?"
With her cheek pressed into my chest I could feel her gnaw at her lip with uncertainty. She shook her head instead of speaking. So, he didn't know what she was...
"Who is your—" I stopped myself, remembering what she had said before about being raised by the Almder, and what Gaven had said of being raised by the offspring training facilities. She didn't know who her spawn makers were. "This shouldn't be possible." But it was... She was a krelin, raised with estrelds. I should have seen the signs, but with her estreld markers... I dismissed them. She wasn't just any krelin...
My hearts beat rapidly, and my mind whirled just as swift. What did this mean? How was this possible? I shook my head into her hair, closing my eyes to think, hoping that Gaven wouldn't interrupt me before I had a moment to process.
I knew how. I merely needed proof.
If I was correct, then I could save my hive, and convince this hidden treasure that she was who my hearts belonged to, regardless of any kansa blessing or not. But first, we had to make sure she was safe from harm. We would see this Elder Ezra first, and perhaps gain more proof of my suspicions if an elder knew more about Mabel's heritage.
"It seems I've received a better offer, Gaven. Mabel will be taking over your escort duties for now," I informed him before bending my knees and launching into the air, my hands swooped down to lift her by her firm ass, and her legs instinctively clung to my waist. I grunted my appreciation, and her own arms pulled close to my neck.
She whispered against my skin, sending chills down my spine, "Thank you."
"I wouldn't thank me yet, I require payment for my services," I joked, though I didn't know how much my own body believed I was teasing about wanting her. With her small frame cocooned in my arms, and her warmth pressed against my hardening cock, my interest was obvious. A different kind of instinct built within me, seeking to steal her away from here, and sequester us away for me to seduce her.
Instead of being frightened she purred, "Don't make promises you can't keep." She nibbled at my neck, and it nearly undid me, before her hand trailed down my torso, and latched onto my bulging length through my pants. My flight faltered and we dipped in the sky before I righted my balance.
My voice vibrated as I warned her, "If you don't stop, we will be taking a detour before we visit your elder. This is a promise I intend to keep." The palm of her hand rubbed firmly against my shaft, and I sucked in a heady breath.
Her green eyes were hooded with lust, and I suspended our flight out of the gardens. My wings buzzed behind me, keeping us afloat, I adjusted my fingers around her ass to slide along the crease of her cloak, wishing that I had thought to grab her beneath the layers instead of atop them. She bit her lip and closed the distance to explore and seek out more pressure from the colliding of our eager mouths. Her lips worked against mine, plundering for purchase with teeth tugging and delicate swipes of her tongue meeting with my own. I wished to lace my hand through her hair to intensify our kiss, but I would not stop the timed motion of my fingers rubbing in time with her own strokes of my cock, like we were one.
But it was not enough, and she did not stop as I had warned her to. This time I would not deny the nectar she offered, and I would accept the consequences of that. Needing to feel more of her without the constraints of her robes in the way, I rushed through the gardens to find a secluded spot away from prying eyes. When my feet touched ground, her wings burst out showing me the gorgeous green and yellow iridescent colors that swirled like stars in the midnight sky. They were exactly as I remembered the images of the last queen to be born to the hive beside my mother.
QueenLeahme...
Between heavy breaths Mabel asked, "Who's Leahme?"
Had I said her name out loud? I must have.
"I'm sorry for the distraction. Your wings remind me of her." I tucked some of her black hair behind her ears, and kissed her once more.
"Who was she?" she insisted, and I could have sworn I detected a bit of jealousy that made me grin.
"No one to be concerned about. She died when I was still a spawn." Her shoulders slumped and I feared I had ruined the mood so I tried to explain a bit more about her so she would not dwell on her death. "Queen Leahme, was the reason why I exist today. My mother's larva sacks were fertilized, but not growing... her care over the hive's last batch of warriors brought fresh life to Krelis, without her I probably wouldn't be here, and neither would many of the warriors that follow me."
I didn't finish the story of Queen Leahme, not wishing to frighten her. Many of the hive were in discussions of marking Leahme the new queen of Krelis when she died giving her last blessing to her only spawn. Some believe her spawn never grew, and others believe someone stole her only heir. Many of my hive believe there was a missing queen in the universe that would perhaps look surprisingly close to Mabel, if she weren't half estreld.
Imagine, Queen Leahme mating with a male estreld all those years ago. It seemed impossible, but my eyes did not deceive me. Mabel was in my arms and had wings just like who I believed to be her spawn maker. I needed proof to convince the hive, but I didn't need proof of anything to confirm how I felt about her. Regardless of if she wished to claim her rightful place as queen of Krelis... I would make her mine.
