Lathim paced the front of his home, not caring that he was naked. Liroz handed a vial to him. Lathim eyed it, wondering what the purple goo was. He’d never seen anything like it before, and he’d been to medical plenty of times since becoming part of Zelran’s military.

“You’ll have to rub it inside of her, where your cock goes,” Liroz said. “It will help lessen the pain and ease your entry. She should only feel a pinch. There’s nothing I can do about the possible bleeding though. From what I’ve studied of human anatomy, it is common for their females when they are with a male for the first time.”

“And this is safe to use on her?” Lathim asked, staring at the goo.

Liroz nodded. “It obviously hasn’t been tested on human females before, but my studies tell me that it will be fine. If there’s a reaction, please notify me and I’ll come right away.”

Liroz left and Lathim carried the vial to the bedroom, where Maggie peeked at him over the edge of the blankets. She’d covered herself completely, and he was glad she’d wanted to hide her body from their guest. He tugged the blankets from her and showed her the vial. “The medic says this will ease the pain. Will you let me use it on you?” Lathim asked.

“Do I drink it?” she asked, her nose wrinkling.

“No, it goes inside you.”

Her lips formed an O and she stared wide-eyed a moment. “All right. I’ll give it a try.”

She still looked slick and wet from her orgasm and he coated his fingers with the purple goo before sliding them inside of her tight channel. She gripped his fingers so snugly, he worried he would rip her in half when he entered her. Were human males so much smaller than him? He’d never seen one naked before, not in person, but he supposed they must have inferior cocks to be able to go somewhere so small without causing damage. He worried again that he would hurt her, despite Liroz assuring him otherwise.

“It tingles,” Maggie said. “And it’s a little cool.”

Lathim coated his fingers again and added more, wanting to make sure she was well lubricated with the goo, in hopes it would ease his entry and be less painful for her. He’d never bedded a virgin before. Maggie wiggled on the bed and gave a little moan as he thrust his fingers in and out of her several times.

“Are you ready for me, my mate?” he asked.

Maggie bit her lip in that enticing way she often did and nodded. Lathim crawled onto the bed, settling between her splayed thighs. His heart thundered in his chest as his cock brushed against the damp curls covering her pussy. He groaned, aching to be inside of her. Maggie’s hands slid up his arms and her fingers curled around his biceps. She gazed up at him trustingly and gave him a smile of encouragement.

Slowly, he sank into her, pausing to give her time to adjust to his size. Sweat coated his skin and it felt like it took hours to enter her fully, but once he’d managed to fill her completely, he felt a sense of rightness settle in his chest. She was his now, and would always be his. There was no hint of pain in her eyes, no pinched look on her face. Her foot rubbed his calf and he drew back, only to slowly ease into her again.

Maggie’s lips parted and she whimpered a little. “More.”

Lathim set up a steady thrust and retreat until he thought he would go mad. Maggie clawed at his shoulders, her legs hooking around his waist, as if to urge him on. His strokes came faster, harder, until she was crying out her pleasure, her head tossing from side to side. A scream erupted from her throat as her pussy clenched him tight and spasmed along his length, her release coating him.

Unable to hold back a moment longer, he pounded into her sweet body, taking what he needed, what he craved. When he came inside of her, he groaned with his release, his body trembling from the force of his orgasm. As the last spurt of cum slicked her channel, he rested his head in the crook of her shoulder to catch his breath. He could hear her heart beating just as hard as his and he smiled against her soft skin. Her hands caressed him gently and he rolled to the side, pulling her into his arms, against his body.

“I never imagined it would feel like that,” Maggie murmured.

“I didn’t hurt you?” he asked.

“No, it felt wonderful.”

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Good. It was better than anything I’ve ever experienced and I’m glad you enjoyed it too. I was worried about harming you because of our size difference.”

She snuggled closer, her breath fanning his chest. Lathim was more content than he’d ever been before. Even though he’d held Maggie while she slept, this was different. Now that they’d joined, they were one, truly mated. She was everything he’d ever wanted, and now she’d never leave. He should have told her about the injection, let her know it was possible in the next week or two he could get her pregnant, but he’d worried she’d hold him at arm’s length. He knew it was wrong of him, but he never wanted anything as much as he wanted Maggie.

As she cuddled closer to him, he felt her breathing even out and knew that she slept, but sleep wouldn’t come for him anytime soon. He wanted her again, his cock already hardening. But he’d let her rest. She’d had a hard day and he didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.

He must have dozed off at some point because the next time Lathim opened his eyes, sunlight streamed through the windows. Maggie was still curled up in his arms, pressed tight against him, her breath fanning across him. She was warm and soft, and he wished he could stay in bed and hold her forever. While he hadn’t been assigned any duties yet, he knew it was only a matter of time. They wouldn’t let him hole up in his house for long. Until then, he’d enjoy his time with Maggie.

Rolling out of bed, he checked out the things she’d tucked away in drawers. She didn’t seem to have much. Aside from what she’d worn yesterday, she had two pair of pants, another of those things that went across her breasts, and two more shirts. His mate needed more clothes. Connecting with the communications center, he put in a request for more human clothes and gave them Maggie’s measurements. He didn’t know how long it would take for more things to arrive for her, and placed an order for books as well, stressing that they needed to be in the human language called English and that she liked books with kissing people on the covers. He knew he’d get harassed about that later, but as long as his mate was happy, that was all that mattered.

Lathim showered and pulled on a fresh pair of leather pants and a light blue shirt. Since he didn’t intend to leave the house just yet, he remained barefoot. His mate would be hungry when she woke, so he went to the kitchen to make something for her. He remembered that she wanted eggs from her Earth chickens and connected to the farming center to request some be delivered to his home. Another day, Maggie might enjoy going to collect them herself.

She’d enjoyed the billok steak, so maybe she’d like porshwine links with her eggs. He pulled some flat bread from the cabinet and placed it on the side of the plate before adding the rest of the food. He didn’t know what humans ate with their morning meal, but he hoped she would like the offerings of his world. There was a mash he could make too, but he decided to save that for another day.

Lathim set their plates out on the counter and went to wake his sleepy mate. When he stepped back into the bedroom, she was sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes. Her hair tumbled around her, making her look soft and sweet. She smiled when she saw him watching her.

“Morning,” she said. “Did I sleep too long?”

“Morning. I have the morning meal ready, if you’re hungry.”

She nodded and slipped out of bed, her cheeks turning pink. “I’ll just borrow this,” she said, grabbing his shirt off the floor and pulling it over her head.

The sight of her in his clothes was enough to set his heart racing. He took her hand and led her over to the counter where he’d left their food and helped her onto one of the stools. She smiled when she saw the offering.

“Eggs and sausage?” she asked, picking up one of the large links with her fingers.

“Porshwine links,” he said. “I hope you like them.”

She took a bite and her face lit up. “It’s really good.”

So far, she’d liked everything he’d prepared for her. Maybe it wouldn’t be hard for her to adjust to the food on his world, and he could always request the ships to find Earth food for her. They finished their meal and his mate yawned widely, stretching her arms over her head. The movement lifted her luscious breasts and made his mouth water. Lathim wanted to taste her again, lick her from head to toe, before sinking deep into her tight channel. But he worried she might be sore from the previous night.

An incoming link made him pause.

“I’m worried about my mate,” Rowrick said.

“So call the medic. What do I know about human females?”

“You have one,” Rorwick responded. “Bring her to see my Jillian. Something is wrong with her.”

“I’m not risking Maggie.”

He ended the communication and noticed his mate was staring at him intently. His eyebrows lifted as he waited to see what she would say or do. She looked around the room then back at him again.

“I didn’t hear anything, but it looked like you were talking to someone. With your mind,” she said.

“Rorwick linked to me.”

“How is Jillian?” Maggie asked.

Lathim shrugged, not wanting to tell her what Rorwick said for fear she may want to see the other woman, and he wasn’t certain it was safe. Her eyes narrowed at him and her lips pursed. Lathim braced himself for whatever was about to come out of her mouth, but she just stared at him a moment then shrugged and went back to the bedroom. Either she wasn’t going to put up a fight, or she was going to get him later when he least expected it. He was still learning about his mate and didn’t know when she would strike or how. Or if she would at all.

He heard the water running a moment later and knew she was showering. He cleaned up their breakfast plates and cleaned the kitchen. When he was finished, she was striding back into the room with a wet braid down her back and dressed in another of her stretchy pants and tops. He wouldn’t have minded if she’d stayed in his shirt all day, but the gleam in her eye told him that she didn’t intend to stay home.

“Show me my new home?” she asked.

“You want to explore the base?”

She nodded. “For now. I’d like to see what’s outside of the walls too. You mentioned water that was safe for swimming, and a farm area. I want to see it all.”

Lathim went and put on his boots then reached for Maggie’s hand. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay home today?”

“I’m curious about this place I’m going to call home,” she said. “What if you have to leave and I don’t know where everything is or who anyone else is except Rorwick and the few commanders I met yesterday?”

She had a good point. He wanted her to know many people so she would be safe and looked after whenever he had to go on another mission. Unless he took her with me, but if she was expecting, that would be impossible. Lathim would never make her give birth on a ship when she would be much safer here. He still hadn’t confessed that he hadn’t gotten the injection yesterday, but maybe it wouldn’t come up. He hated lying to her, but he didn’t want her to push him away either. His conscience pricked. It was wrong to deceive her.

“Maggie, there’s something I need to tell you,” he said.

“About our outing?”

“No, it’s about…”

She held up a hand. “Anything not pertaining to our outing can wait. Now, where should we go first?”

“Would you like to see the market? It’s where we select out food and if a ship has landed recently, there may also be goods to look over. It’s much like your shopping on Earth, except we don’t use currency. Everyone has a job and helps out, and any money that we get comes from plundering pirate ships, and is then used to better our society by purchasing goods at trading posts that we can’t get here.”

She nodded. “Either you or Zorlok mentioned that yesterday. If everyone has a purpose here, does that mean I’ll get a job assigned to me too?”

He hoped he didn’t look as horrified as he felt. “It’s my job to take care of you. The position I have pays for both of us and any children we may have. It’s not necessary for you to work, and there aren’t really any jobs to be had.”

“So, I’m just to sit at home all day every day?” she asked with a frown.

Lathim hesitated. She didn’t sound happy about staying home. Did she really want a job? He’d thought she was just asking because she didn’t understand how their society worked, but if she was worried about sitting home all day every day… he didn’t know what he’d come up with, but there had to be something she could do.

“You said I could put a garden out back, right? If we can get anything to grow in planters?”

He nodded.

“Then what if I helped other people do the same thing? Maybe they’ll like our garden so much they’ll want one of their own. If everyone is busy working, they won’t have time to set up a garden. But I could do it for them, as long as the plants and dirt were provided for me.”

She looked so hopeful he didn’t want to tell her no right away. But the decision wasn’t really his to make. It would be up to the commanders if she would be allowed to have a job, and what that job would be. Setting up gardens for people seemed like a simple enough task, if their garden worked out. If the plants couldn’t survive out of the ground, though, it would be a wasted effort, as the areas around their homes had little grass and were mostly rock.

“We need to see if our garden thrives before you ask if anyone else wants one,” Lathim said. “In a few weeks, we should know if the plants will make it. If they do, we can present your idea to the commanders.”

“You’ll request the planters I need? And the plants?” she asked.

“I’ll request both.”

She smiled and let him lead her out of the house and toward the market. Many of his people waved as they walked past, but none asked for an introduction. By now, they all knew who Maggie was, even if she didn’t know their names. He wanted her to be comfortable in her new home, but if he introduced her to every cyborg they passed, they would never reach the market.

Telfir stopped them, waving at them with a huge smile. “Lathim, this is your enchanting mate?”

“Telfir, this is Maggie. Maggie, Telfir is one of my best friends. If I’m not around and you need something, look for Telfir.”

She smiled and waved at Telfir shyly. “Hi.”

“Many have wondered if you would show her around today. They were placing bets on how long you would keep her locked in your bedroom,” Telfir said with a good-natured laugh.

Maggie’s cheeks flushed and Lathim held her closer.

“Maggie wished to explore her new home. She asked about the market so I thought we’d go there today,” Lathim said.

“I believe that Balize and Skronle were setting some items aside for your mate, in case she wanted them for your home.” Telfir smiled. “I’d enjoy sharing a meal with the two of you sometime. After Maggie is more settled.”

“It was nice meeting you,” Maggie said softly.

“It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Maggie,” Telfir said.

Lathim guided his mate toward the market, curious what his fellow cyborgs had set aside for her. He liked that everyone was trying to make her feel more at home, and he hoped she appreciated their efforts. The marketplace was bustling when they reached the center of the base. There were tables set up with food, some set with goods, and a third table that was nearly overflowing with miscellaneous items that looked like they mostly came from Earth.

Balize smiled in greeting. “We’ve been putting things aside for your mate. Others have helped. We thought she might like first choice of anything from Earth. We were going to offer Rorwick’s mate the same, but she isn’t awake yet. The medics are treating her now.”

“Jillian hasn’t woken?” Maggie asked, her brow furrowed. “Shouldn’t she have woken up by now? Was she sicker than you thought?”

Balize shrugged. “The medics will determine what’s to be done. I’m sure they will take very good care of her. Rorwick called them in first thing this morning. Although, I worry how Rorwick will handle it if she never wakes up. It’s possible she was too far gone when you rescued her.”

Balize motioned to the table of human items. “Please pick whatever you want, Maggie. And if there are things you like on the other tables, you may select from those too. We want you to be happy here.”

Maggie smiled at him and began browsing the items. She selected a few small things from her world and then a Kesphan blanket and an Urian wrap. She fingered the tunics from Kalibras but moved past them. When she’d finished making her selection, Lathim picked up a few fruits to keep at the house in case she wanted a snack. Then he arranged to have the items delivered to his home. He carried the fruits with him in a canvas sack Balize provided.

Lathim pointed out a few other buildings before they went back home, but Maggie seemed restless. When they entered their home, she sat down and stared out at the garden, or where her garden would go. There was a viewing screen across from her, but she hadn’t asked for entertainment. When he’d mentioned he was bringing home a human, he’d been informed they would download as many videos from her world as possible, to help her feel more at home.

“Would you like to watch something?” Lathim asked. “We have videos from your world.”

Her gaze was curious as she looked at him. “Like what?”

He connected to the viewing screen and pulled up something called a movie. From what he understood, they were meant to entertain humans, like the sex videos they’d discovered. Except they’d thought they were for instructional use. He was glad that Maggie had told him otherwise before his fellow cyborgs used those tactics on other humans as a way to lure them to their beds. He’d passed the word along, especially to those leaving on missions.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the movie on the screen. There were others, but he didn’t know anything about them. This one seemed to be magical children and weird beasts. Maggie was delighted with the selection and curled up amongst the pillows. Lathim eased down next to her to watch it. While he didn’t understand most of what was happening, he found it entertaining just the same.

“Do you have others?” she asked when it went off.

“Many others. The computer can control the viewing screen, so if you wish to see something and I’m not home, simply request a movie to play.” He frowned. “I don’t know that they’re all in your Earth English though. Being a world of many languages, it’s possible some you wouldn’t understand.”

Maggie nodded.

“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I have fruit, or I could make the afternoon meal for us.”

“I don’t think I’m ready for lunch yet. I’m still pretty full from breakfast.”

“Another movie then?”

“What do you do when you’re here alone?” she asked.

“I mostly work, even when I’m on my home planet.”

“I meant here in the house,” Maggie said.

He felt his cheeks warm. “I used to pleasure myself instead of using the sex bots. I got tired of them.”

Maggie bit her lip but it looked like she was trying not to smile. He didn’t understand why that would amuse her. Maggie moved closer to him, placing her hand on his thigh. His cock jumped at the contact, and he wished they didn’t have clothes separating them. Was she trying to tell him that she was ready to go back to bed? Was she not tender from last night?

Maggie slowly unfastened his pants before reaching inside to stroke his cock. He hissed in a breath at the contact of her small, soft hand against his hard shaft. Lathim wanted to reach for her, to strip her bare and lavish attention on her, but he held back, not knowing what she wanted from him. Her hand on his cock gave him an idea, but what if she was just playing and didn’t intend to follow through? She was bound to be curious, and he would let her explore his body as much as she wanted.

Maggie pulled at his pants until he lifted his hips and helped her slide them down. They pooled around his boots, not letting him spread his legs very far. He tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, giving her as much access to his body as possible without stripping completely bare. Her hands were warm and soft as they coasted over his skin. His cock pulsed in time with his heartbeat, a bit of pre-cum beading on the tip.

She reached for him again, but hesitated.

“You can touch me wherever you want,” Lathim said.

Her cheeks warmed as her hand closed around his cock again, giving it a slow stroke. Maggie licked her lips and with her gaze fastened on his, she leaned forward and flicked her tongue against the head of his cock. He fought to remain still as she explored his length with her lips and tongue, teasing him.

Her lips closed around him, sliding down his shaft, as her tongue flicked along the underside of his cock. Lathim groaned and fisted his hands at his sides to keep from reaching for her. He let Maggie taste and explore as much as she wanted, his need growing with every suck, and every sweep of her tongue. His transmitters willed his cock into submission, but the harder she sucked, the closer he was to exploding in her sweet mouth, his body ignoring his commands.

“Maggie, if you don’t stop, I’m going to come,” he warned. “I can’t hold on much longer.”

Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked him harder than before and with a cry, his hips bucked and he came, filling her mouth with his cum. Maggie drank it down and then licked her lips as she stared at him. His breaths came out ragged and harsh as he reached for her, smoothing her cheek with his fingertips. No one had ever done that for him before, except the sex bots, and he didn’t count those. He reached for Maggie, pulling her down onto his lap and kissing her fiercely. Already, his cock was hardening again, eager to be inside of her, if she’d allow it. She might be his mate, but he would never force himself on her. If she accepted him into her body, it would be because she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and never because he’d forced her to take him.

“I want you, Maggie, but tell me and this stops right now.”

“I want you too,” she said softly before pressing her lips to his once more.

Lathim kicked off his boots and pants, then rose, lifting Maggie into his arms. He carried her through their home and to their bedroom, where he eased her down on the soft bedding. She had on too many damn clothes and it took him only minutes to strip her bare, tossing her boots and clothes onto the floor. The curls between her legs were already damp with desire, and he groaned, needing to feel her wet heat wrapped around him.

“I want to go slow, to make it wonderful for you,” he said, as he leaned down to kiss her again.

“I don’t want slow,” she said.

“Maggie… you don’t know what you’re asking for. You should tell me to be careful with you, to take my time. You should remind me that you’re fragile.”

She snorted. “I’m not fragile, Lathim. I managed to escape the pirates on my dad’s ship. If I were some delicate flower, I’d have been screaming for help while they did whatever the hell they wanted to me. Instead, I fought back and I got away.”

“And I’m grateful for that,” Lathim said. “But compared to my people, compared to the sex bots I’ve been using, you are fragile. I love that you fought back against the pirates, and I’m glad you remained safe until I found you, but you deserve to be treated with the utmost care.”

“Lathim?”

“What is it, my precious mate?”

She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down. “If you don’t fuck me right now, I’m going to take care of myself.”

His eyes widened at her coarse language and the image of her pleasuring herself. It was something he wouldn’t mind seeing in the future, but not right now. No, right now he wanted inside of her, desperately. Her hips cradled his as his body settled over her and with one sure thrust, he entered her. Maggie gasped and her nails bit into his shoulders. Lathim groaned from the sheer pleasure of being inside of her.

“Let me know if I hurt you,” Lathim said.

Maggie nodded, looking up at him with complete trust. The way she so easily placed herself in his care humbled him, and made him even more grateful that she was his. He’d always dreamed of a mate, and now he had the perfect one. Lathim drew back and slammed his hips forward, entering her hard and deep. Maggie cried out, but her eyes were glazed with pleasure and not pain.

He took her hard and fast, their bodies slapping together. He surged inside of her, only to pull back and slam home again. His grip on his control was slipping, his release getting closer and closer. Maggie gripped him tight, her channel pulsing around his shaft. She cried out as the wet heat of her orgasm slicked his cock even more. Lathim growled and let loose of his control, snarling as he powered into her, driving every bit of his cum as deep as it would go. Despite Maggie’s talk of waiting for babies, he couldn’t wait to see her round with their child.

He thrust deep one last time and pressed tight against her. Maggie lay panting for breath under him, her skin dewy with sweat. Her hands absently stroked his arms, almost as if she were petting him. Lathim pressed a kiss to her lips before rolling and taking her with him. Their bodies still joined, he wrapped his arms around her and just held her close. As much as he didn’t want to tell her the truth, he couldn’t keep it from her any longer. She needed to know they might have created a baby. It wasn’t right for him to keep something like from her, no matter how much he wanted her.

“Maggie, I need to tell you something,” he said.

She cuddled closer. “Is it bad news?”

He hesitated.

“You paused which means it could be bad news,” she said. “I don’t want to ruin the mood.”

“But it’s important,” he said. “I should have told you before now.”

Maggie sighed and looked up at him. “Then tell me now and get it out of the way.”

“Remember when I said I was going to get the injection that prohibits sperm production?” he asked.

She bolted upright. “You lied to me?”

“Not exactly. I did go to get the injection, but the medic wouldn’t give it to me. He said there was still some serum in my system and he didn’t want to double dose me. There’s a slight chance I could get your pregnant anytime between now and when my next injection is due.”

“You had to have known that before we had sex for the first time,” she said.

“I did. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It was wrong of me, and…”

Her hand cracked across his cheek. Lathim worked his jaw to make sure she hadn’t broken anything, then reached for her hand to make sure she hadn’t injured herself. Her palm was red and her fingers looked a little puffy. She tried to pull away from him.

“Maggie, stop. My bones are made of metal and you could have broken your hand.”

She stilled and let him examine her hand, but she glared at him the entire time. When he finished examining her fingers, she ripped her hand out of his and stormed into the bathroom. He heard the water turn on a minute later and he sighed, realizing he’d screwed up. He should have told her from the beginning that he couldn’t get the injection, but he hadn’t and now he’d have to pay the price. He only hoped she wasn’t mad enough to renounce their mating and find another bed to warm.

Despite their short amount of time together, he truly did care for her. He just hadn’t been thinking when he’d kept the truth from her. He’d known it was wrong and yet he’d done it anyway. It wasn’t a logical thing to do and he had to wonder if maybe his circuits were malfunctioning. He did a quick assessment of his systems and determined that everything seemed to be in proper working order. It had been a very illogical, male response to mate with her and not tell her there could be consequences, because he’d known she would probably tell him to wait. And he hadn’t wanted to. Perhaps if Liroz hadn’t told him to lie… No, he couldn’t completely blame Liroz. He’d gone along with it.

What was that human term he’d heard before? Asshole. Yeah, he was an asshole, and he needed to make it up to her somehow. Lathim pulled on his clothes and hesitated only a moment before leaving. It was obvious his mate didn’t want to speak to him right now, and he didn’t blame her. He linked to the base’s main computer to access the human files that had been downloaded once he’d notified them two human women were coming to Xpashta. He scanned through them, hoping to find something about how to soothe his mate’s hurt feelings, and came up empty.

He changed course and went to Rorwick’s home, hoping that perhaps Jillian had woken and might be of some help. He rang the chime outside Rorwick’s home and waited for his friend to answer. The scowl on Rorwick’s face told him that he’d come at a bad time, but he was desperate to win his mate’s affection once more. He’d thought they were growing close, before he’d gone and ruined it.

“Is Jillian awake?” Lathim asked.

Rorwick snorted. “She’s awake. If your mate wants to visit, now might not be a good time.”

“I was actually hoping that Jillian could help me with something. I made a mistake with Maggie and I don’t know how to fix it. None of the files we’ve downloaded were any help.”

Rorwick stepped back. “You can see if she’ll talk to you. So far, she just likes throwing things at my head.”

Maybe it was a good thing he hadn’t brought Maggie to visit. She may have decided to follow Jillian’s example and thrown things at him when he made her mad today. As it was, her angry glares were bad enough. Rorwick motioned for Lathim to follow him and he led him straight to Jillian.

“You’re back?” a sharp voice said. “If you’re hoping I’m out of things to throw, guess again.”

Something shattered against the wall and Rorwick winced. “I brought company. Remember that I told you one of your kind mated one of my kind? He’s come to talk to you about his human mate.”

Jillian snorted. “Like I want to help any of you assholes.”

Lathim stepped into the room and noticed how pale Jillian was. She might be well enough to throw things, but it was obvious she was not at full strength yet. He decided to keep his visit short so he wouldn’t tax her any more than necessary. She eyed him with a hostile gaze and he settled on the stool across from her.

“My name is Lathim, and I’m afraid I’ve done something very wrong and I don’t know how to fix it.”

“So, your mate’s pissed at you too?” Jillian asked. “Good. Serves you assholes right for kidnapping human women.”

“I didn’t kidnap Maggie.”

“No? So, you offered to take her back to Earth?”

“Well, no.”

“Then you kidnapped her. What else did you do to make her mad if that wasn’t enough to send you scurrying for cover? Does she at least have good aim? I can’t hit the big lummox over there no matter how many things I throw.”

“Maggie has never thrown anything at me. She did strike me tonight though, which isn’t like her. She’s normally very sweet and quiet.”

Jillian nodded. “If you pissed off one of the quiet ones, then I’m surprised all she did was hit you. Did it at least hurt?”

“No, and I worried she might have broken her hand. Now she isn’t speaking to me.”

“Well, if kidnapping her didn’t piss her off, what did you do to make her so mad?” Jillian asked. “I have to know what’s going on before I can try to help you. And honestly, I don’t know that I should. Maybe your Maggie and I should ask for housing where we can bunk together and leave you two dumbasses out in the cold.”

He didn’t understand everything she said, but he caught the gist of it. “I kept something from her, something important. She thought that she couldn’t get pregnant if we mated, but there’s a slight chance that she can.”

Jillian’s jaw dropped and her gaze swung to Rorwick. “You can get us pregnant?”

She screamed in outrage and searched for something else to throw, but it seemed she was out of ammunition. It made Lathim wonder just what she and Rorwick had been up to for that bit of news to upset her so much. Had the two already mated? She’d been so sick, he thought it was doubtful, but that didn’t mean Rorwick hadn’t made his intentions clear.

“How do I fix things with my mate?” Lathim asked.

“You don’t. She needs time to process that you lied to her. If she’s giving you the silent treatment, be glad that’s all the punishment you’re getting. If it were me, I’d have threatened to cut off your balls.”

He winced and placed a hand over his cock, in case she was feeling bloodthirsty and decided practice on him before going after Rorwick. He pitied his friend if this was the mate he’d chosen. She was nothing like his sweet Maggie, although, it seemed even his mate had a temper when she was angered. He never should have listened to Liroz when the medic suggested that he not tell Maggie about the injection. He’d lost her trust and he didn’t know how to get it back.

“Will she ever forgive me?” Lathim asked.

Jillian shrugged. “I don’t know her so I can’t really answer that. If it were me, I’d want you to be scarce for a while. Is there a hunting party you could join for a few days? Or maybe get back on whatever ship brought us here and disappear for a while.”

The thought of leaving his mate made him sad, but if that’s what she needed in order to heal, in order to forgive him, then he would do it. He’d make sure someone checked on her often, in hopes that it was only him that she was angry with. Going back on a ship seemed like the best option. The Sphinx would be going on a short run. He just needed to make sure he was on board before it left. He wouldn’t be gone more than one of her Earth weeks, and maybe that would give her time for her temper to cool.

“Thank you, Jillian,” he said, rising to his feet. He motioned for Rorwick to follow him.

“Are you going to take her advice?” Rorwick asked.

“I think I will,” Lathim said. “But I need someone to provide meals for Maggie three times a day, and keep an eye on her.”

“Consider it done. If I need help watching over her, I’ll ask Sorus. I’m sure he would consider it an honor to help guard your Maggie.”

Lathim hurried home. He quickly packed and sought Maggie. He found her in the solarium and he paused inside the door, not certain if his presence would be welcome. But whether she wanted to talk to him or not, she needed to know that he would be gone for a little while. He was sure she’d welcome the chance to be away from him, if she was still as angry as she’d been before.

“Maggie,” he said softly. “I know you’re mad at me, but I need to talk to you.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “What is it, Lathim?”

“I’m going on a short trip on the Sphinx. I’ll be gone about one of your Earth weeks. Rorwick will provide meals for you while I’m gone, and you can go visit Jillian if you wish. If you need something, don’t hesitate to ask someone.”

“So that’s it? We argue and you take off?”

“I thought you might like some space. I’m sorry that I lied to you, and I’m even sorrier that you’re mad at me. I thought if I took a short trip, maybe it would give you some time to calm down. Just know that I would never do anything that would hurt you, Maggie.”

“You took away my free will, Lathim. You could have gotten me pregnant, knowing that I didn’t want a baby right now. That’s a pretty big betrayal. It’s not something I’m just going to get over.”

He nodded. “I’ll return soon and we can talk. Until then, know that I’ll be thinking of you every second that I’m gone.”

She snorted and turned away from him, presenting her back.

Lathim’s heart ached but he gave her the space she seemed to want. He left quietly and hurried to the Sphinx, joining their crew for the short jaunt to the Riley Space Station. He didn’t know what they were going after and he didn’t care. With some luck, they’d run into some pirates and he’d get to fight out his frustration. Anything would be better than the pain he felt at knowing he’d harmed his mate.