Page 6 of Keeping His Mate

As I push through the brush and make my way past the tall, lush trees of the Ga’Nvi forest, I let the collective sounds of nature settle the adrenaline still coursing through my blood. The drip of rain falling from the leaves, the creak of a branch as a small creature jumps from one to another in search of sustenance, and the squelch of my boots as they sink into the mud. It is quite peaceful here, just outside the village.

It is a shame the only safe time to enjoy the depth of the forest is while the sun sits in the sky. Once darkness emerges, the wretched tr’gorys follow. They lurk within the shadows of the night, seeking blood and flesh however they can get it. Despite making this territory our own, the tr’gorys remain, circling us in the darkness, only returning to their dens when the sun rises. Tr’gorys killed one of our clanmates not long after we arrived here on Oluura, so we know to avoid the creatures.

Even when I witness a tr’gory from afar, I shudder. I would rid this planet of the whole lot if I could. Useless, vile monsters, they are.

Once I reach the falls, I allow myself time to take in the tranquility of the falls and the pool of water it spills into. Tucked away, but within a short walk from the village, it is the ideal spot for escaping the constant bustle of the clan. Though, ever since Varrek was attacked by a tr’gory the day he brought Cloh-ee here, most of the clan has not ventured to this spot.

I have no concerns I shall come face-to-face with one on this day, however, as the sun is still high in the sky. So, I will collect the seeds I require and return to my home, my garden, where I am safe and surrounded by quiet.

Locating the cluster of piloi flowers by the far corner of the pond, I collect the seeds that have fallen to the ground beneath. Many are broken or turning from the vibrant orange color of a newly fallen seed to a dull brown, so those I leave in the dirt. I crawl around the flowers until my pocket is filled with the seeds, and the knees of my pants are wet and stained with soil.

I smile as I run a hand over the seed haul in my pocket, knowing this should create at least forty new blooms in my garden. Spending the rest of this day carefully planting these seeds, tending to the newly bloomed pilois, pruning dead leaves from the patch of vakopurri that is starting to grow––that will certainly erase the disappointment from my horrid performance on the training grounds.

No one in the clan knows I have a garden on my roof. Few members have seen the inside of my home at all. It is my private space. A silent, hidden oasis. It is just for me, and I plan to keep it that way.

Before I depart the falls, I decide to scrub this dirt and grime from my skin. I will have a proper wash when I return to my dwelling, but for now, I wish to feel the chill of the water on my face and chest. To remove the remnants of this morning from my body and feel energized as I move on to the next part of my day.

Climbing up onto the ledge of the pond, I sit sideways with my knee bent and my other leg dangling, so I am able to keep an eye on anything that would approach while I am here. I use both hands to scoop the water and pour it over my head, then my chest and back.

A contented growl rumbles in my chest as I let the water run down my skin, eventually soaking the top of my pants. Not that it matters much since I will change as soon as I return home. Bending over, I shove my face beneath the surface of the water, gritting my teeth as the chilling temperature sends bumps over my flesh. Plunging deeper, I dunk my entire head, scrubbing the dirt from my hair.

When I return to the surface, I let out the breath I was holding beneath the water, and flip my head back, letting the excess water fly behind me.

It is then that I hear a squeal of surprise. When I turn, I find Elle-noor, the mated human I saved, who is also, quite possibly, my inara. She is...here.

And she has been watching me.

CHAPTER 4

ELEANOR

Iam absolutely not watching Bruvix. I was not peeping on him as he splashed his heavily muscled chest and arms with water from the falls, and then flipped his wet hair back like some god-like model in a cologne ad.

Nope.

That’s not what I’m doing.

But the way Bruvix is looking at me right now, it’s clear he thinks I’ve been ogling him like a supreme perv.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you,” I finally say in a quiet, embarrassed voice as I wipe the water he splashed me with from my eyes and hair. It’s also all over my shirt, under which I’m not wearing a bra, so as an unfortunate bonus, my nipples are now hard and poking through my tunic.

“Why are you here?” he asks, his tone gruff as his gaze scans my body. When they land on my breasts, I feel my nipples harden even more to the point of aching. “You were...watching me? Why?”

“No, it wasn’t like that,” I quickly reply, holding my hands up in surrender and averting my gaze. “Ava was giving me a tour of the village, but Kaiva called her back to the med room. Something about Chloe’s cramps...I’m not sure.”

Bruvix continues staring at me with those incredible navy-blue eyes, and for a moment, I forget what I’m trying to say. The blue is so dark, they’re almost black, but there’s also a shimmery quality about them. Even though he’s standing about five feet away, I can see several silver flecks in his irises catching in the sunlight as he continues to scowl at me.

He’s trying to intimidate me, but it’s not working.

Okay, maybe a little.

But he’s more intriguing than intimidating. I get the sense that he carries every painful memory he has on his back. He seems like a kind soul, but a lack of confidence forces him to keep a wall between him and everyone else. Maybe I’m way off, but that’s the vibe I get, and I’ve always been good at reading people.

“Um, so anyway,” I continue, babbling on in nervousness. “She told me there was a nice waterfall out this way, so I just followed the sound of the water, an–and here you are. I just got here, like, two seconds before you splashed me.”

“Why do you have this?” he asks, tugging at the corner of his eye with his finger. Did he? Is he seriously making fun of my eyes right now? Even in fucking space, Asian eyes are mocked, apparently. Unbelievable.

“Just because my eyes are a different shape doesn’t mean you can fuc–”

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