only female of Dakota and Paul Baker-Wik'ax and Caradoc Wik'ax, but now she was something more. She was now the bond mate to Star Base Commander Jamis Dexxirs and Sub Commander Taarig Ynn, two of the most feared and powerful Apre males in the universe. And they were hers, but did they understand that their lives had now changed too?
"What's wrong, Cali?"
Cali looked up over her shoulder at Taarig. Had he felt her concern? Could the meld take effect this quickly?
"Cali?" Taarig asked again.
"Nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking about how things are going to change now that we've bonded. Especially for the two of you."
"For us?" Jamis rolled up on an elbow to lay on his side to look at her. "Why would things change for us?"
Cali looked back and forth between them. "Because I melded with you. Our life spans are now tied together. You're half Zagreus now."
"What?!" they shouted together, both bolting straight up in bed, causing Cali to sit up too.
"You didn't realize that?" she asked quietly.
"I…" Taarig looked at Jamis for a moment. "I don't think we did. I know I'm still adjusting to the fact that you're not Earthan."
"I'm considered half Earthan, just like you're now half Zagreus."
"Ruk!" Jamis swore, rising from the bed.
"J…" Taarig rolled off the other side of the bed. He knew Jamis wasn't going to react well to this new reality. Jamis only liked change when he was in control of it.
"Just give me a rukking moment!" he growled at Taarig as he began to pace.
Cali could feel Jamis’s anger and sense of betrayal flowing through their bond, as well as Taarig's disbelief and uncertainty. They'd known she was Zagreus. She'd thought they understood at least some of what that meant but apparently, she'd been wrong.
Was this the way her mom and dad had felt after melding with her father?
Was this how her father had felt when they didn't readily accept it?
Like his heart and soul were being shredded by those that were supposed to love him.
Wrapping the sheet around her, she got out of the bed and put some distance between her and them.
"You should have told us about this before!" Jamis growled, his swirling grey eyes containing the slightest glow revealing the transformation was already taking place. "Given us a choice."
Cali blinked back tears at Jamis’s allegation. "How is it different than you making me your Lalla?"
"The difference is we asked," Jamis nearly roared at her.
"So did I!" she fired back just as loudly. Bond mate or not, she wasn't going to let Jamis talk to her that way, although there was a wobble in her voice. "When I vowed I'd be yours forever, you both vowed to be mine!"
Shock crossed Jamis’s face before he spun on his heel and resumed pacing.
"We did, and we are," Taarig spoke for both of them. He gave Jamis an irritated look, then before moving toward Cali, he gave her a reassuring smile and said, "It's just going to take us a little time to adjust." He lifted a hand to caress her cheek only to still when she flinched and quickly moved out of his reach.
"Then I think you should take it," she told him, pulling the sheet tighter around her.
"What do you mean?" Taarig asked quietly.
"You want time to adjust, then go," she waved her hand toward the door. "Adjust."
"You want us to leave?" Jamis abruptly stopped pacing and just stared at her.
"I want the males who are supposed to be my mates, to want to be my mates," she told Jamis. "You don't seem to. So go, take all the time you need to adjust. When you have, let me know, and we'll see where we go from there."
With that, Cali turned and walked into her cleansing room.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Taarig just stood there for a moment, unable to believe his Lalla had just walked away from him or that she'd flinched when he'd tried to touch her. He'd seen the pain in her eyes she'd tried to hide, but even more, he could feel it.
He growled as he rounded on Jamis, "I could beat you bloody right now."
"Try it," Jamis growled back.
"I'll do more than try if you don't get your head out of your ass right now. What were you thinking treating Cali like that?"
"Are you saying you're okay with her and what she did?"
"She didn't do anything except agree to be ours. Forever. Or did you plan on it being all one-sided?" Taarig accused.