Page 44 of Her Alien Prince
I pressed my lips together flatly. How did he know about that? He saw the momentary shocked reaction at his knowledge and scoffed.
"You think I don't have you followed? You are my best bet on not living in fear of our mother discovering that our sister had a twin, and finally being able to tell the hive the truth. To honor Panala. Of course, I knew what you were up to when you disappeared to check up on the trade transports. I didn't follow you the first time, but after you said the chief had things handled, and yet you continued to go spy on the trade to Estreldez, I couldn't ignore it."
"I thought she was the Jewel of Estreldez, covertly dealing with a problem with the trade between Krelis, but I had been wrong."
"You weren't wrong," he corrected me. "She did handle a problem with the trade routes by treating the chief with kindness, and chatting about Krelis, and Estreldez through shared nectar. Doesn't matter if she was spying or not, our queeny was learning about what our warriors wanted, and helped soothe their souls even from another planet. And you were drawn to her even then. Don't think I didn't notice how the chief paused before asking questions, and how his eyes glossed over.
"You, Commander, were falling for our queen before she even knew who you were. Doesn't matter that you didn't know who you were speaking to. Perhaps yoursadid."
"Enough," I blustered. "I can't force her to complete our bond, and I can't let her go to the Kloaph party either. Queen Kai has made it clear she will go to any lengths to control Mabel, the whole thing's a trap."
"So what if it is? I've already got the horde ready to swarm the party in your defense on command."
"I will not risk more lives," I turned down the offer. I knew we would win a fight, but at what cost? The hive would be torn apart.
"Then tell your kansa what she means to you, and what is needed for her to claim control of the hive. I spoke with her, and she still has no idea that you're the one that made the nectar for her, or that all those conversations she was having with the Chief of Trade, Ong, were mostly with you using him as a proxy. Enough hiding, brother, enough stalling, enough waiting for the right moments." Gho-ran was standing now, his hands gripping at his braids ready to tear them out in his impatience.
Recalling all the conversations I had with the mysterious woman who traded for my nectar through my Chief of Trade, there was a singular confession that I believed would convince her that I told the truth. She never revealed anything about her parents, which is why I thought she was being careful as the only daughter of Estreldez's Almder, but she did speak of other things.
I sat at the edge of the bed, brushing away black hair from her cheek so it didn't cover her closed eyes. There was a subtle twitch in her jaw, near her ear, and I felt our connection through my kan pulse. "How much did you hear?" I asked her, sensing she was awake.
"Enough," she whispered, but kept her eyes closed.
She still refused to fully admit that she was awake, and I wasn't sure if it was because she didn't want to talk about what it meant that I was the one talking to her through my Chief of Trade, or perhaps she wished to ignore that she'd heard anything at all. I didn't know which one made me more irritated, but I couldn't stop my hearts from beating just a little faster as I admired her soft features. She was stubborn, and I admired that about her, yet I didn't enjoy being on the side of uncertainty and distrust directed from her. I knew I deserved it after ignoring her earlier, and I hoped she'd understand I wasn't fully myself.
"Sa means soul in krel, doesn't it?" she asked, and her green eyes stared up at me from thick black lashes. My hearts stilled, and I merely nodded my confirmation. There was something in the way she watched me that melted my insides, and I didn't wish for her to stop. I at least knew she heard that much of our conversation. She heard that my hearts, my soul, knew we belonged together before I let my mind accept it. What would she say next? I waited, and when I saw her eyes begin to leak, I couldn't stop myself from scooping her into my arms.
Her nose rubbed into my chest, and I whispered into her hair, "Whatever your choice, both my hearts will beat for you. Always, My Kansa."
"What is wrong with you?" Mabel smacked my chest with her fist, but it was as weak as a nit bug, barely noticeable, before she clung to my shoulder armor, pulling me closer to her. I understood this better than I understood any other emotion she could have given me in that moment. The instinct to protect yourself, and the desire to be protected. I felt the same as I held her in my grasp. Wishing to keep her close to protect the hearts she held, and warring with the need to push her away so I didn't harm her. Being my kansa mate made her a target, and without the hive's support... she would be in danger.
"I don't deserve you." It was my fatal flaw, being raised by a queen that saw me as nothing more than a tool. And as such, I was incapable of providing what my kansa had every right to, a life filled with happiness and peace. The hearts I give to her were damaged, cold, and hardened, but they were all I had to give.
I could feel Gho-ran observing us, and I regretted that I couldn't even give her privacy or time to process what was being asked of her. Would she accept me as her mate, and face my mother together? Or would I be sending her away with my brother to escape to my ship alone?
My answer came swifter than I could even have hoped.
Mabel's words hummed in my mind, "Those are the words of a man not expecting to return. I won't let him go up against his mother on his own."
Warmth spread through my kan, and I was suddenly aware of Mabel's small form huddled up on my lap as I sat on the edge of the bed. When I had wrapped my arms around her, it was her upper body that I clung to. At some point between her throwing her fists at my chest, and pulling her closer, she had crawled onto my lap. Her hips adjusted, and I closed my eyes willing myself not to get excited while Gho-ran was observing us mere feet away. My cock twitched, and Mabel stilled.
"If I reached for him, would he let me feel him this time?" Her thoughts entered my mind, and I realized quickly that she was unaware she had formed this connection with me. My mate had a dirty mind, and I was eager to explore this further. And yes, I wanted nothing more than to have her wrap those fingers around my cock, guiding me to her sweet center, but I'd have to tell my new-found brother to fuck off first. Her hand began to trace down my chest, and I groaned, knowing exactly where she was headed.
Gho-ran cleared his throat, and I cursed when his own thoughts entered my mind as well, "Should I tell her she's using her hive connection, or should you?"
Fuck, I thought, as much as I didn't wish to end the feeling of having her in my mind, sharing this with someone else wasn't my idea of a good time. Everything in me wanted her thoughts to only be for me, that she was accepting the bond, making her my kansa. I could only pray to the goddess that she was only projecting within this room, and not to other hive warriors.
"My Kansa," I spoke through our bond, "I would love to do all the things you desire, but I need you to direct your thoughts to only me. Follow where you feel my voice coming from and dismiss all others."
She pushed away to stare up at me with flushed cheeks. I shouldn't have smiled at her embarrassment, but even this was such an endearing look on her.
"You heard my thoughts?"
"So did I," Gho-ran announced himself, and I clucked my throat glands in warning. I wanted his presence to disappear from her thoughts, not for him to bring attention to it. She ignored him, and for that I was thankful. For someone so talkative, I recognized he avoided saying anything about his hooman spawn maker, and given how much he had already revealed, I felt bringing attention to it was not necessary. Though, I was debating this choice to let well enough alone as he invaded what should have been a private moment with my mate. When he was ready, he could tell me more of who the hooman was, and how they became involved with our mother. I suspected Gho-ran might not even know himself.
"You're the voice I heard before..." she said staring at me with wide eyes. "It's always been you. I thought I imagined it."
Mabel flung her arms around me and crashed her lips into mine. My hearts felt so full, and my wings buzzed behind me with emotions I couldn't express at her affections.
