Kattlyn

 

The entire room fell silent, making the encounter with Father even more uncomfortable. He stood dressed in black trousers and a white button-up shirt. I noticed his white hair had started turning silver around the hairline. I didn’t like the look in his keen eyes as I inclined my head and said, “Yes, Father.”

When he turned, I tracked him until he was out of sight. With a barely audible sigh, I spun around just in time to see worry splash across Alan’s face. I knew exactly how he felt. Navigating my family dynamics was tricky, but I had managed so far, even though there seemed to be two sets of rules—one for me and one for my brothers.

Trying to be reassuring, I plastered on a forced smile. “I won’t be long.”

“Is everything all right?”

“I am sure everything is fine.” Reaching out, I gently touched his bicep. “Wait here for me?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Thanks.” Time to face Father.

 

Quietly, I closed the door behind me and turned to face Father. He had his arms folded across his chest and was almost sitting on the front of his wooden desk. The look on his face, the way he studied me, made me feel like a youngling again.

“What are you doing with that Human?”

“Just talking to him.”

He pointed one long finger at me. “Stay away. You are to be mated to Jussin in a fortnight. The guests have been invited and the cook is making preparations.”

My anger rose swiftly and I fumed on the inside at the injustice. It wasn’t often that I stood up for myself, but this time I couldn’t hold my tongue. Meeting Father’s commanding stare, I said low and steady, “No. I will not.”

He rose to his full height, his face twisted with an anger that matched my own. “What did you say?”

“I said, n . . . n . . . no.”

“This is because of that Human!” he spat, spittle flying across the room, causing me to turn my head and stare at the floor.

When I looked up, I softened my voice, hoping to keep the argument from escalating. “What if he’s my true mate? Then what?”

Father paced the room before stopping mid-step. “Impossible.”

“It’s not—”

He turned on me. “Yes, it is! There are so many reasons he cannot be your mate.” He threw his arm up dramatically. “And the ceremony is set. You will mate Jussin just as your mother mated me. It is the tradition of the princess.”

“But, Father—”

“No!” His arm cut through the air, halting all rebuttal. “The ceremony will proceed as planned.”

“I cannot.”

He stood some mere standard inches away, giving me the stare down that makes so many cower. If I was to have any chance at swaying his decision, I had to stand my ground.

So I met his eyes with a determination of my own, not cowering in any way.

His shoulders slumped slightly before he dragged his hand across his face. “What would you have me do, Kattlyn?”

“Father”—I stepped forward and took his hand— “You know that it will not work. I can’t mate Jussin, not now. You must know this.”

“He will not let it go.”

“You are the king.”

“And the Human is . . . Human. How can he protect you? How can he give you offspring?”

These were questions that I’d wrestled with myself. I wanted young, to hear the sound of little feet slapping against the floor. To hear the tiny voice call me Mother.

“It does not matter. The fates have decided.”

Sadness dulled my father’s eyes and I thought he might, for once, listen to me for the first time since Mother passed away. And then he spoke.

“Just . . . stay away from him for now. Let me think.”

I offered no reply as I stared at the male who didn’t care anything about me. If he did, he could never do this. If he knew anything about the mating fever, he would know that there was no way I could stay away from Alan. After not seeing him for the last standard day, I didn’t even think it was a possibility.

With the formality of a princess, I asked, “Will that be all?”

He looked at me with suspicion. He normally does when I use the official voice with him. “Yes.”

Walking back toward the dining hall, my anger rose again. Father had valid points, if he was thinking rationally, but there was nothing rational about the mating fever. I couldn’t control it, couldn’t stop it, and I didn’t want to. It just was. The gods decided, and who was he to try and overrule it? The last person who tried such an idiotic thing nearly drove himself mad and was still paying for the consequences of his actions.

Everything drifted away when I spotted Alan leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching everyone that passed by, giving some a nod when they spoke to him. Things may be difficult, but I still couldn’t believe that the gods had sent me my true mate. He was handsome and strong. Maybe not Azziarin strong. But still strong for a Human.

When I got close, he spotted me coming, straightened to full height, and smiled. “Everything all right?”

Barely slowing down, I said, “Yes, let’s go,” and grabbed his wrist.

He let me tug him through the castle without a word, but when we stepped outside, I was jerked to a halt when Alan stopped in his tracks. Surprised, I spun around. He didn’t give me time to say anything as he pulled me into his arms. It drained all of my fight away.

“What did he say?”

He was willingly holding me in his arms. The last thing I wanted was to talk about Father. “Nothing important.”

He released me, but still held my hand. “Come on, Kattlyn . . .”

I glanced around anxiously to see who might be listening. The last thing I needed was for someone to report back. “Not here.”

When he also looked around, I knew he understood. He led me across the grassy landscape, through the trees, heading for the clearing. I was coming to think of it as our spot. When he reached the center, he spun around and cupped my cheeks in his palms. My body tingled in response and I almost forgot everything. Almost.

“What did your father say?”

I covered his hands with mine, just wanting to feel him. Emotions swamped my body. His electric touch, the frustration that remained from earlier. Without a word, I closed the distance and pressed my lips to his, hoping, praying he wouldn’t reject me this time.

Alan opened his mouth and his tongue darted out, tracing the edges of my lips. When I gasped in surprise, he took me in a searing kiss. His tongue found mine, swirling them together. He tasted like second meal, blood, and all male. I knew I had nicked his tongue with my teeth, but if he didn’t care, then neither did I. I’d never been kissed before and I tried to follow his lead. My knees were weak, like sticks of jelly. I wobbled, but his arm tightened around my waist, lending me the support my legs wouldn’t provide.

The feel of his touch as his fingers snaked through my hair, my body pulled firmly against his. I was lost, floating on a raging sea, unable to control anything around me. The moistness of his tongue. The tender touch of his hand. The hardness of his body. The way he pressed his hips against mine, letting me feel how much he wanted me. There was no denial, only acceptance.

My head tipped back. I was all sensation. He dipped me backward and kissed the side of my lips, my jaw, slowly down my neck. His tongue caressed my skin before heading back up to my lips. Nothing had ever felt so passionate, so right.

When he broke the kiss, he was breathing raggedly as he leaned his forehead against mine. I could feel his warm breath sweep across my face, could see the desire shining in his lust-filled eyes. His chest heaved as he said, “We have to slow down.”

“Why?” I asked, breathlessly. I didn’t want to slow down. I wanted him naked and inside me. Right here. Right now.

“Because we need to get to know each other first.”

For now, I knew all that I needed to know. He was meant for me and everything else could wait awhile.

“We can get to know each other later.”

Alan grinned and then pulled me tight against his body. “Right now, I just want to understand what this is.”

But the hardness pressed against my stomach told a different story. I knew he wanted me just as much. I wish I understood this Human desire to wait. Trying to respect his wishes, I tried to squash down the ache, the need I had to give him everything. Not that it helped.

When we broke apart, he took my hand and led me to the same spot we’d sat the first time.

With one arm wrapped around my shoulders, Alan said, “I still don’t understand this pull I feel toward you.”

“This doesn’t happen on Earth.” It wasn’t a question. I’d heard Sydney and the others talk about it. How hard would it be to have to date a lot of people just to find out that either one, or both wasn’t interested.

“No, it doesn’t. And to be honest, I’m leery of things I don’t understand.”

“What do you mean?” I desperately wanted to understand. I leaned my head over onto Alan’s shoulder and savored the feel of the closeness. All the pain and discomfort of being apart faded away and left only comfort in its wake. It was just the two of us, and it was perfect.

“I dealt with a lot of dishonest people who would use you to get what they wanted.”

My lips tipped upward and I gave him a sidelong look. “What would I use you for?”

He laughed. “Apparently sex because I don’t have anything else.”

I chuckled because he was right. “That’s plenty.” I liked the playful teasing, and it seemed as though he did too.

When the laughter died, he said, “Your father doesn’t want you around me.”

My heart hurt because I knew it was the truth. “Why do you say that?”

“I can tell by the way he glares at me.”

“Don’t worry about it. He glares at everyone.”

“And if he doesn’t agree?”

I sat quietly contemplating what to say. I didn’t want to scare Alan off, but he needed to know what Father had planned for me and my future. Maybe.

“Father has outdated ideas but I think he’s coming around.” At least I hoped he was.

“What do you mean?”

Shish! We were having such a great time and I didn’t want to ruin it, but he needed to know about Father’s foolish, archaic ideas. At least at some point. Smiling at Alan, I said, “It is nothing.”

When I thought about Jussin, and Father, my heart hammered away in my chest thinking I might be bound to another while my true mate sat right beside me. I had to put a stop to their plan one way or another.

“Hey”—he cupped my cheek with the palm of his hand— “are you all right?”

Looking into his eyes, I swallowed hard and tried to catch my breath. His touch, the thought of never being with him, it was too much.

“Yes.” I drew in a ragged breath. But it wasn’t true. I was stuck and didn’t know what to do. He wanted to take things slow but I didn’t have that much time. My hands trembled as the weight of the situation pressed down on me.

Alan must have noticed. “Calm down. It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t. My insides hummed with overwhelming emotion. Lost in a jumble of nerves, I wasn’t expecting it when Alan leaned in and took my lips tenderly with his. They were so strong, so soft. He took his time, letting me savor the feel of the kiss. Emotions fled one by one, leaving only desire in its wake.

Without thinking, without breaking the kiss, I turned and straddled him, pressing my core tightly against his hardness. He wanted me. I could feel it, mentally and physically.

He leaned back, breaking the kiss with a gasp. And with one hand he stroked my hair away from my face. “Kattlyn”—he licked his swollen lips— “we have to slow down.”

“Why? I don’t understand this Human need to go so slow. Not when we both know . . .”

“All I know is that we need to get to know each other if we want to make this work.”

Those words made my insides quiver. Something eased. If we want to make this work. That was the first time he’d hinted that we were meant to be together, and knowing that made some of my panic ease, allowing me to slow down and think sensibly again.

“Okay.” My arms circled his neck and I grinned down at him. “What would you like to know?”

He laughed a deep rumble, the sound so genuine it made my heart flutter. “I can’t talk to you when you have your legs wrapped around me. I’m still a man.” His lips quirked playfully, his hands resting on my waist.

Grinning, and with slow, methodical movements, I crawled off his lap. It was more of a sexual tease, and by the playful look in his eye, he knew it.

“What would you like to know?”

“Tell me about you. What’s it like here?”

My mood dampened as I thought about life on Azziar. I blew out a breath. “Let’s see. Hmmm . . .”

“Come on, Kattlyn.” Alan nudged my shoulder with his.

“Fine. All right. I grew up with five brothers.”

“That must have been tough.”

“I didn’t think so at the time. I got all of Mother’s attention.”

“That’s a positive.”

“Yes. Risshi and I were closest with Mother. The rest of my brothers were more like Father. Except for Takkeo. He was young when Mother passed and I think he was the most lost.”

“I met Takkeo. I like him.”

I scoffed. “You say that as if he’s the only one you do like.” I bumped him with my shoulder. “You would like Risshi. Anyway, I imagine that any culture, any species, the parents want the best for their young. As I grew older, I could see that my mother was not very happy.”

“How so?”

“On Azziar, the males take a mate, but they also take consorts. Every time my father showed his consorts affection, I could see the sadness in Mother’s eyes.”

“She loved him.”

I slowly turned my head and grinned at him. “I guess she did.”

He gave me a faint smile. “Of course she did. Why else would it bother her?”

He just voiced everything I’d always suspected, everything I knew. Over time, Mother had fallen in love with Father.

“Then the Tureis attacked our planet and she was killed.” I stopped. Swallowed hard. “Everything changed after that day.”

Alan never asked, just patiently waited for me to explain.

“The more I watched Father with his consorts, the more my resentment toward him grew. And then Jakke showed up with Sydney.” I laughed as I recalled the day Jakke, the first-born, soon to be ruler of Azziar, showed up with an alien mate. “She was different, strong willed. And when she found out about Jakke’s consorts, she left him.” I glanced at Alan and saw a huge grin on his face. “What?”

“I was just thinking about how that would work on Earth.”

“What do you mean?”

“A man telling his wife that he’s sleeping with other women. She’d toss him, and everything he owns, out the door. Well, maybe she’d keep everything he owns.”

“I think I would like your planet.” When Alan burst out laughing, so did I.

“I like the idea of knowing who is meant for you.”

“Even though you don’t understand it?”

“Right.” He nodded. I liked the amused look on his face. He looked happy sitting here with me.

“Sydney came back to my brother after Jakke promised to be faithful.” The mood turned more serious when I looked over at Alan and said, “Watching them, I knew that was what I wanted. What my mother wanted.”

“That is not an unreasonable request.”

“No. Sydney changed things, and then came Chloe. It seems every time a Human showed up, things changed a little more.”

“Sometimes change is good.”

“Yes, it is. I like Sydney even though she has some unusual ways.”

“How so?”

“When she gets mad at Jakke, she’s gets right in his face and yells. Calls him a sorry ass a lot. Whatever that means.”

Alan burst out laughing again, and I loved the sound of his boisterous deep chuckle.

“That’s a common saying on Earth.” His laugh deflated to a grin. “You should see how different the females are there.”

“I would love to see your planet. Maybe one day I’ll get to travel the stars.”

“You would like that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.” But I had always thought it would be exciting to see something new.

“Let me ask you something.”

“Anything.” And I would tell him anything.

“Azziar seems so peaceful. The air so clean. How is it possible that everyone is this happy living under one rule?”

Now it was my turn to laugh. Everyone always thought that Azziar was so perfect, a nice little façade my family had perfected over time. “As far as I know, you are the only Human who has ever asked that question.”

“It’s just . . . working in law enforcement back home, I know how things can look one way and . . .”

“Nobody ever sees the bad?”

“Yes.”

“There are isolated groups that don’t like living under a king. They don’t believe that one person should have so much power.”

“I knew it!”

“The group closest to us call themselves the outlanders but they are still a good distance away. It’s an uneasy truce. Mother was friends with their leader, Kepa. He runs a stall at the market. When Mother died, he approached me one day, secretly of course, and told me that if I needed to get away, I had a place with them.”

“Why would you need to get away?”

“Have you met my family?” We both chuckled before I let out a long, slow sigh. Now was the perfect opening and it was now or never. “It is tradition for the princess to mate for political reasons. Kepa was giving me an escape if I needed it.”

When Alan stayed quiet, it worried me. Had I said too much?

Finally, he asked, “Does your father have someone picked out for you?”

I contemplated not telling him, but that was no way to start a relationship. Even I knew that. But still, I worried. The silence grew uncomfortable.

“Yes,” I finally admitted. “But now that you’re here, it doesn’t matter.”

He squeezed my shoulder but never replied. Had I just ruined everything?