“Come, my Stee-vee.” Gently lifting her into my arms, I am glad to feel her head rest upon my chest with content. “Simply close your tired eyes and I will get us there. You may explore our world with renewed energy another time, yes?”

Her hair brushes against my skin as her head dips. “Sounds good, babe.”

My lips dust over her forehead gently, and I begin the small journey.

* * *

Stee-vee remains sleepy in my arms as I guide us into the Mountain Transportation System. It is an advanced mechanism of clear tubes with connections to every visitable location in the mountains. Similar to hu-nimelevators, only not nearly as juvenile in practice. They go in many directions, rather than simply up and down. Entering our home’s data point and the key words to grant access into the computer, I hold her steady when the tube begins to move.

She grumbles sleepily, likely feeling the soft hum of the M.T.S. Her nose drags against the skin of my chest. Her long breaths brush along my heart, and it is a good reminder that she belongs just where she is. Stee-vee may not possess a soul seed that glows bright and beautiful at the sight of me, but she has all that I have ever desired of a mate. Love for me in her eyes, trust for me in her heart, and lust for me in her core.

It is my aim to make my mate as satisfied with me, as I am with her. I am a good male, it is true. And yet, I know of many good males. Some of whom she has met, but many that she has not. I will crumble into a million unmendable pieces if she ever decides that I am not what she desires for her heart. An unfathomable amount of ache would wreck my body and break my mind, and still my soul would shine to her. I would never let her go.

Brushing away the horrible thoughts, I press a gentle kiss to her temple. I do not wish to wake her, but to silently remind her how precious she is to me.

Though the home that I have built is very deep into the mountain, closer to the top, it does not take long for the M.T.S to come to a stop. Clear doors slide open, parting the tube so that we may exit only feet from our front steps.

If it were only up to me, I would have made my home even deeper within the mountains, harder for even the transportation to get to me. But when I began speaking of this project, Terum insisted I remain somewhat accessible. Despite growing up without a stable family, I gained one over the years. Rem, Drak, Terum, and the twins… I would not wish to have them feel unwelcome, even if I preferred solitude.

I was thankful for Terum’s insistence after finding this piece of land connected to the forest gardens that have brought me much calm over the years, but I am even more grateful now. I would not wish for my mate to feel too alienated from society, especially with her friends likely coming soon. She has lived with them for much time now, and I want her to feel as though she has access to them.

Also, it helps my many worries of her fragile nature that there are menders in the nearby city—only a brisk ride in the M.T.S away. And the home I have built is still a lovely sight. Not a building for miles and miles, only endless seas of plant life.

The many blue grasses are hidden as the sky is dark and the stars only provide dim light. We do not have a bright moon like Urth, but many smaller ones that are only visible during the day. They shift around our sky along with the view of six neighboring planets.

Even without a lit moon, I find our night skies to feel peaceful. Just barely visible in the speckles of starlight is our home.

The structure I crafted is built in, on, and around some of the oldest trees on Aprix. It has many sets of stairs and even two small bridges connecting some of the separated sections. It is unlike any of the Urth dwellings we bore witness to while there. I hope that is appealing to my little blossom. Though, if it is not, I will simply change it for her. No work of mine is more special to me than the soft female I cradle close.

I eye the wood building once more before ascending the short set of steps to the front door. It is an overwhelming sight to see—the house that I spent many hours building—while holding my mate in my arms. Small creatures chirp their various noises in the distance, but remain in the forest where they are happiest. The soft sounds of nature become mute behind us as I softly secure the door with its locks.

I will carry my mate to our room, take care of any of her needs, then put her to bed. She may try to attack my mouth with hers, but I will be a strong male. I will insist she must regain strength before tempting me. My cock will behave because I command it to do so. I must take care ofeverypart of my Stee-vee, not only the many needs of her greedy cunt.

“My mate,” I say, keeping my tone soft. “Do you need to powder yourself?”

Despite her sleepy state, a smile breaks free on her lips. “No, Marrec. Ineverneed to powder myself. I told you this.”

I grin in return. I understand this powder room she once spoke of is simply another term for the hygiene facilities. There are no powders that hu-nims require. “I know, little blossom. But it is nice to tease you, I find.”

She turns up a brow. “Oh, you find that, do you?”

I certainly do. She releases these groans of fake frustration and sometimes playfully pushes at me or pokes me. Anything that causes my mate to make pretty noises and put her hands on me is a good thing. I will do much of this teasing to her, I have already decided. Rem is perhaps right about the fun of taunting, though I only wish to do it with my Stee-vee.

“Yes,” I affirm. “But there will be no teasing of any kind until you have slept away your ship-sickness. Do you need hydration?”

She laughs. “The only hydration I need comes from your cock.”

My pants become tighter, and my chest heavier. Such boldness from my sleepy mate.

“Tortuous female,” I chide. “You will not have my cock until you have slept.”

“Oh?” She licks her lips. “Won’t I?”

I must be firm in this,I remind myself. No harm shall come to my mate because of the careless nature inside of me that longs to pound her into exhaustion. She must first be free of her sickness.

“Do not tempt me too strongly, my seductive mate. Let me care for you, please?”

I find that Stee-vee and I both enjoy the word please from one another. I would never truly plead to another being, but I would plead with her. I would do anything with her.