to dissuade his pursuit, not their frequent stops to browse through the shops, nor the surge of crowds around them. He never fucking let up!
What the hell was wrong with this guy?
She would have been more frightened if it weren’t for the fact that he wasn’t glaring. He just appeared… curious. Nevertheless, she knew that her mate caught onto her unease, and that seemed to feed his own disquiet, making him increasingly tense as they made their way through the market. The entire time, their pursuer drew closer, little by little. He was just close enough that there was perhaps only the length of another a’sankh between them when her mate decided he had had enough.
Rhyst’s agitated growl rumbled through him, the spines on his tail and lower back stiffening just behind where she was seated. Instinctively, Charlie stroked her hand down his back in an attempt to soothe her mate. The male following froze, his singular eye widening, and he tensed. Rhyst rounded on the male, his tail held up as if preparing to attack, but tucked close to his body to not accidentally harm anyone. The crowd responded, trickling around them, giving the males a wide berth.
Within an instant, Rhyst had gone from indulgent mate to the lethal predator she had remembered from the lab. This time, however, she had the vantage point of one within his protection rather than a recipient of his anger. His arms spanned wide, protectively blocking off the male’s access to her as long, curved claws slid out of his fingertips.
“What do you want, Aysh?” Rhyst growled.
The other male peered at him speculatively. He shifted to get a better look at her, but every time he did, Rhyst mirrored his movement, blocking any view of her. The male let out an impatient rumble, but eased back a few paces, his expression thoughtful.
“So, it is true. You have mated an offworlder.”
“It is.” The suspicion was clear in her male’s voice as he stared Aysh down, the twitching tip of his tail betraying the depth of his restraint.
“And she accepts you as her mate—in every way?”
What kind of question was that?
“Of course I do,” she snapped, but the male ignored her response.
Instead, he smiled and eased closer to her. He likely would have touched her if Rhyst’s warning growl hadn’t make him reconsider.
“I want one,” Aysh said, a hint of longing and wonder in his voice, but most of all determination. “Where did you find your female?”
Charlie gaped at him. “Wait just one moment. You can’t just go and steal women!”
Now he reacted. A frown pulled his mouth downward. “Why not? Did Rhyst not steal you? You appear to be happy. My female would be happy with me as well. I would be a good mate.”
The last sounded almost offended as if she had cast doubt upon his ability to care for a mate. She winced.
“I’m sure you would be a fine mate,” she soothed, ignoring Rhyst’s growl at her acknowledgment. She stroked his back again, running her fingers through his mane. “But you still can’t steal her. Humans are like Tak’sinii in that we rely on rules of mating that involve courting and mutual agreement.”
“The king decided that you would mate Rhyst,” the male argued, his four arms crossing his chest.
“My situation with Rhyst is unique. I already was familiar with him, being together for many days while he was trapped in the colony. Any woman you stole would be afraid of you.”
His brow puckered at that. “I do not want my female to be afraid,” he admitted. “I will need to go to the colony and select a female to court. When you go, request my presence and I will find my mate,” he said, his eyes narrowing sharply on Rhyst.
Her mate bristled at the other male’s tone but nodded. “I shall request you when the time comes, as you ask. Now leave us so I might enjoy the rest of my day with my mate without further interruption,” he replied sourly.
The male grinned, his eyes sliding over Charlie appreciatively before he turned away and disappeared back into the crowd. Rhyst stared after him, his tail still flicking, the spines once more in a resting state. Charlie leaned against Rhyst’s back, her lips grazing the soft fur on his shoulder before she rested her cheek there. A content rumble vibrated through him as she snuggled closer to him, enjoying the contact as the rumble became a purr.