Page 31 of Across the Stars (Cosmic Threads of Fate #1)
As he settled his nerves and tried to muffle the demands of his cosmic thread, Watai felt a sudden calmness wrap around him, and he knew it was Iskzo assisting him through their connection.
Exhaling slowly, Watai opened his eyes and stepped through the vine curtain into his hut, wondering what awaited him.
Mae was sleeping soundly on her side in the hammock, holding her new bone comb.
Watai couldn’t help but smile at the scene, knowing how much Xaynu’s kind gesture and thoughtful gift had meant to Mae.
He cursed himself for failing to equip his threadmate with the necessary tools.
He’d been so focused on getting her clothes and training that he’d forgotten about her grooming and jewelry.
Every bead, shell, scale, and feather his people wore told a story. The vine necklace they wore revealed which clan they belonged to. Mae didn’t have any adornments, and he needed to change that.
Watai took the comb from her grasp and placed it on the shelf he had intended to make hers. Perhaps he needed to make more shelves soon, so she could have her own place to store her new belongings and add her personal touches.
He sat on the hammock’s edge and watched her sleep. He couldn’t help but feel tenderness and protectiveness for her.
Did she miss her own people and life back home? He hoped she didn’t feel lonely in this strange new place, and he wanted to make sure she was safe and comfortable, and that she knew she could count on him, forever and always, until Z’myu embraced him once again.
Even as he watched her sleep, he admired her beauty.
Her features were soft and gentle, in stark contrast to her strength and ferocity when she was awake.
Watai was captivated by her, by the way her chest rose and fell with each breath, by the way her wild hair cascaded around her face, framed like a halo by the stray strands that had escaped her braid dangling through the hammock’s holes.
He couldn’t help but be moved by the sight of her, so peaceful and vulnerable in her sleep.
Watai had never noticed the fine golden stripes that ran down her back like multiple wings, from her spine to her neck, along her shoulders, and all the way down to the top of her buttocks, peeking out from the seam of her skirt.
Unlike his people, her markings did not shimmer with the faint bioluminescence shared by all living things born from Z’myu.
For a brief moment, he was tempted to reach out and trace them, to see how they felt.
He was unable to believe she was real, that after all these years, he’d finally found his threadmate.
But he restrained himself. Instead, he sat beside her and gazed over her, taking in her beauty under the soft glow of the stones dangling from above.
It didn’t matter that the top of her head was barely touching his chest, forcing him to look down at her whenever he wanted to lose himself in his rich brown eyes.
Or that her light-colored skin lacked scales, making her more vulnerable in his land.
Watai had enjoyed the soft smoothness of her skin on his palms while they kissed.
Even though Mae lacked horns and a tail, Watai found her attractive.
He wondered if she was aware of how beautiful she was, despite their differences. How her mere presence, her simple smile, could light up the darkest of nights.
Watai couldn’t wait to see how her face would change in the practice arena, trying out different weapons and figuring out which one spoke to her as she sparred with partners and shot targets. He was curious as to what weapons she was already proficient in.
Was his sudden obsession with her the result of their shared cosmic thread? Or was he drawn to her strong personality and distinct characteristics?
Whatever it was, she was his, and he was hers. Their fate was intertwined for all eternity.
He watched her sleep for a while longer, lost in his thoughts. Watai leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before getting himself ready for bed.
As he stood, Watai saw that she was trembling very slightly. It didn’t matter how warm the air was around them. She was shivering.
Was her lack of scales interfering with her ability to regulate her body’s temperature?
Watai quickly grabbed the fur blanket from the shelf and wrapped it around her, tucking her in to keep her warm. He wondered if he should get her better clothes, something more appropriate for his tribe’s climate.
With an arm around her, he snuggled up to her in the hammock. As he sighed contentedly, his tail tucked under the blanket to keep it in place.
Watai couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty as he lay there holding Mae close.
He’d never felt this way before, and it was a strange and perplexing sensation.
He had always been confident in his abilities as a wingleader and mate, but now he had doubts.
Mae’s chances of making it through the harsh rainy seasons and other dangers in his land worried him.
He questioned whether he could have done more to prepare her, to make her feel more at ease.
Watai realized as he listened to the sound of her breathing that he’d never felt so guarded and possessive of someone before. He knew he should tread carefully and not push too hard, but he couldn’t help how he felt.
He needed to give her space to let her make her own decisions, but he couldn’t help but want to accompany her every step of the way. As Watai lay next to Mae, he made a silent promise to himself to always be there for her, to protect her and support her in any way he could.
He watched her sleep soundly and felt a sense of contentment. The sounds of the night filled the air, and he felt his own eyes droop with fatigue. The scent of Mae’s hair, a combination of some exotic flora, was soothing to his senses. He allowed his mind to wander and immerse in the tranquility.
Knowing Mae was nearby gave him a sense of security and comfort as he closed his eyes. He fell into a deep sleep, content to be near the one he was meant to be with.