the stockpiles of furs, and the chiselled out areas of the cave system all took time to build and accumulate.
Sev grunts at me, patting the pink scar on my chest, then replaces my top without applying any salve. He smiles down at me, his finger and thumb holding my chin, his eyes boring into mine. He speaks again and pulls me to my feet.
Sev guides me through the cave’s entrance and out into the wilderness. I wonder where we’re going as we walk through the forest on a worn pathway. Sev holds my hand gently, keeping his pace slower than I know he’d like to so I can keep up. The suns shine brightly above us, their rays penetrating the canopy of leaves overhead and casting dancing shadows on the ground.
It doesn’t take long to get to our destination. Sev smiles, tugging me towards the small lake. I take a moment to appreciate the beauty of it, so serene in the wild. Flowers dot along the edges, and branches from mature trees hang over the water.
Sev speaks again and pulls me to an area I did not expect to find way out here.
A tree swing.
Hanging from a thick branch attached to a strong tree is a broad swing. Vines are weaved around lengths of wood wide enough to fit both Sev and Dev. Sev guides me over, places firm hands around my waist, and lifts me up gently. My feet dangle high off the grass, and after Sev sits next to me, he takes my hand and swings us slightly.
I’m still so impressed that an alien who looks so hard can be so soft and sweet. We sit in silence, watching the blue liquid and listening to the birds. This will have to be a spot I frequent from now on.
That thought has me freezing.
Have I already decided I’m staying?
What other options do I really have?
Thinking about the aliens while my hand warms inside of Sev’s, I realise even if I had the opportunity to go back to civilisation, I don’t think I would. The mere thought of abandoning them again has my chest clenching.
No.
My place is here, with them. I don’t know how I know this. Call it an innate reaction inside of me, a gut feeling. Regardless, I’m staying with them.
Sev and Dev.
As I finish that thought, Sev turns to me, holding both of my hands inside his large green ones. He begins talking to me softly, his dark eyes darting between mine. Strong emotion is written on his face, his expression is one of sincerity, and his voice sounds like he’s asking for something from me.
But what?
The frustration begins to build again at our inability to communicate, but I squash it down because whatever Sev is trying to say to me is very important to him. I listen, trying to pick up familiar sounds, wondering if his language is one I could learn someday.
“Harlow,” he murmurs in his rough voice, and it causes my heart to flutter. Sev reaches up to my face and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His strong fingers wrap around the back of my neck, and he pulls me in for a kiss.
I moan against his lips, which are becoming increasingly talented. Sev is a quick learner and has paid attention to what I like in a kiss. For example, I like to lead.
Our kiss deepens, and I wrap my hands around his neck, our bodies pressed against each other, when I get a flash that pulls my breath from my lungs.
I sense his desperation, his desire for me, how much he cares. I see images of us lying together, me naked and pressed between his body and Dev’s. My pulse skyrockets when I see Sev standing behind me, his fangs bared, his teeth sinking into the skin of my shoulder.
Mine!
Mate.
His voice echoes in my head, and I pull off of his lips, staring into his eyes. Sev looks nervous, and I wonder if he meant for me to see those or not. He lets me go as I jump off the swing and pace back and forth.
Is that what the feeling I have inside of me is?
Am…am I his mate?
There is only one sure way I know how to check… Turning towards Sev, I dart forward and pull his knife from the sheath on his hip. Though I’m sure he could stop me, he doesn’t. Extending my hand palm up, I glance at his arm, letting him know my