Page 1 of Aliens Snared My Heart (Awakened Womb #3)

1 / Paz

Jealousy is an underrated emotion.

Think about it. There’s nothing morally wrong about jealousy. It just means you want a thing that somebody else has. As long as you don’t steal, maim, or kill to get the thing you want, it’s all good.

No harm, no foul.

So, whenever I saw my two human pals laughing and smiling with their hot alien husbands and cradling their beautiful alien babies, and my insides churned with envy like a raging tsunami... I tried not to feel too guilty about it.

The wise recited words of my vovó rang in my ears, reminding me not to covet. But I didn’t covet my friends’ alien mates. Zat’tor and Linn’ar were totally not my type. Besides, their undying devotion was focused on Levi and Jaeyoung alone. I doubted the hunky aliens would notice if I blew away in the breeze like dandelion fluff.

I didn’t desire my friends’ specific partners. I just wanted a sexy alien mate of my own.

So, where the hell was he?

“Hello. Earth to Paz,” Levi drawled. “Or should I say, Eukaria to Paz?”

I turned to Levi. Like me, he was bent over the edge of a wooden box as we picked vegetables from the communal garden for the upcoming feast. A handful of colorful alien gourds threatened to spill from his arms.

“Huh? What is it?” I said.

He nodded to my empty hands. “Quit daydreaming and start picking. We’ve got to clear the old stuff to make room for the next harvest.”

Just to hold something, I grabbed a loose tuber halfway out of the soil. “You’re my ex -captain, remember? You don’t get to boss me around,” I said playfully.

Levi groaned, making me snicker under my breath.

“Yeah, I know, I crashed the ship,” Levi grumbled. “Can we all get over it already?”

“No way, dude. You’re never living that down.”

He rolled his eyes and threw a purple tomato-looking thing at my head. I caught it with my free hand.

“Levi,” a deep, sexy voice rang out as Zat’tor strode up behind him. “That is not a toy.”

The note of chiding was drowned out by the overwhelming affection dripping from his words. Zat’tor spoke to Levi like he was the sun, and everything orbited around him. A small pang of jealousy slithered in my gut.

Instantly, Levi melted. He blushed as he gave the huge green alien a sheepish grin. “I know, Zat’tor. Sorry. But I knew Paz would catch it. Right?”

I shoved the jealousy down. “Yeah. I was pretty good at sports back in the day,” I explained.

Zat’tor listened as politely as someone can listen when they only care about their mate in front of them. But I was used to that by now. I didn’t hold it against the Maeleon mates for not giving a crap about me. I wasn’t the center of their world—their mates were. Or filum, in the local tongue, though it had a deeper, more complicated meaning I didn’t fully understand.

Zat’tor murmured something to Levi that made him turn redder than a beet. I averted my eyes, staring down at the dirt. Just because PDA was a normal part of Maeleon culture didn’t mean I had to witness it. I shoved my hand into the soil and grabbed aimlessly until another potato-thing grazed my fingers. I yanked it out.

“Got another one,” I announced. “How many do we need?”

The lovebirds weren’t paying attention. Levi giggled like a schoolgirl as Zat’tor pressed little kisses to his neck. I resisted the urge to groan.

“Now who’s distracted?” I said loudly to Levi. “If your face gets any redder, you’re gonna pre-roast those vegetables you’re holding.”

Levi’s eyelashes fluttered as he lazily faced me. “Sorry, what did you say?”

I ground my teeth and gathered my haul. “Never mind. I’m taking this to Jaeyoung and Linn’ar.”

Levi didn’t protest. I doubt he even heard since Zat’tor was murmuring sweet nothings in his ear, and everything he said took precedent. Clutching my two potatoes, I stormed away before I witnessed the public conception of their second child.

I sighed as I headed to Jaeyoung’s den, where the food was being prepared. At least he had some decency. Levi had always been kind of a himbo—take the crash-landing, for an iconic example—but Jae was a high-strung, stuck-up guy. Well, at least until he met Linn’ar. The dark green Maeleon mellowed him out. I was glad he’d helped pull the stick out of Jaeyoung’s ass, even if it meant replacing the stick with... you know.

“Yo,” I called as I entered their den, “if you want Levi’s half of the vegetables, you might have to—DUDE!”

I stopped as if I’d walked into an electric fence. I’d expected to see Jaeyoung and Linn’ar cooking together, like they always did. A sweet, wholesome moment. What I saw instead was a clip from an X-rated movie. Linn’ar’s broad back shielded most of the spectacle, but it didn’t stop the scene from being permanently burned into my brain.

Shielding my eyes, I complained, “Seriously, you guys? The feast is in two hours!”

“Oh, hello, Paz,” Linn’ar said brightly.

I sighed. It was hard to be annoyed when the dark green Maeleon was so freaking friendly. “Hi, Linn’ar,” I said flatly.

I didn’t bother addressing Jaeyoung. His mouth seemed... occupied.

“Two hours is plenty of time to take care of my filum’s needs before we begin,” Linn’ar explained. “Please don’t worry. We’ll be right on time!”

“Great,” I said. “Well... bye.”

I twisted on my heel and left before any more erotic images imprinted on my retinas.

I was no prude, even before crash-landing on Eukaria, and living among the sex-positive Maeleons relaxed any leftover Puritan ideals from Earth’s pearl-clutching society. That wasn’t the problem.

The problem was I was so fucking jealous , it felt like my brain was going to explode.

I rubbed my temple, but it did nothing to soothe my simmering envy. The only way I’d calm down was if my very own special alien mate suddenly manifested in front of me.

Hey, if cis men could get knocked up by DNA-altering alien genitalia on this planet, why couldn’t my wish happen?

But it didn’t.

I sighed as I wandered the village aimlessly. I didn’t know what to do since my friends were busy and I was now responsible for my pair of potatoes. I glanced down at them.

“Maybe you two can be my friends,” I mumbled under my breath.

Tragically, the potatoes did not respond.

The sound of high-pitched, joyful laughter caught my attention. I turned to see a few Maeleons villagers playing games with Dai’zee and Kii’ran, the children of Levi and Jaeyoung respectively.

A smile broke out across my face like the sun after a rain shower. The delightful sound of their laughter never failed to brighten my mood. Those kids were like family to me—and so were the Maeleons babysitting them. The tight-knit village had grown on me faster than I’d expected, and now, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

I recalled with a snort how scared I was when we first crashed on this planet. I felt stupid thinking about it now. What was there to be afraid of? This place was paradise. The weather was gorgeous, delicious food was abundant, and there were no office cubicles sucking out your soul while a boss breathed down your neck.

Sure, the Maeleons were seven feet tall with horns, claws, and rows of sharp fangs, but they never used those for harm. They were all cuddly, horny flower-lizards.

I walked up to the group, feeling better already. “Hey,” I called. “What’cha doing?”

Friendly faces welcomed me. A ball made of thick woven grass lay between the kids, who batted it back and forth.

The closest Maeleon was Fhi’ran, the village healer and Jaeyoung’s mentor. His purple scales glinted in the afternoon sunlight as he faced me. “Working up an appetite for the feast. Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Always,” I said. Then the unbidden image of Jaeyoung and Linn’ar popped into my mind. They were supposed to be cooking, not screwing. “Actually, I can wait. I’d rather play with these cuties.”

I let the image wash away as I plopped down on the ground. My heart warmed as the kids lit up, happy to see me. Dai’zee slapped the ball with her little green hand, shooting it my way. I grabbed it like a goalie and gently rolled it back towards her.

I should teach them how to play football, I thought. But I guess they’re too young to be kicking balls around and yelling “GOAL!”

Another Maeleon named Tau’run crouched near me. They were tall with yellow-green scales, like an unripe lemon.

“Would you like to sit next to me at the feast, Paz?” they asked.

I smiled at the invitation. I usually sat near Levi and Jaeyoung during social events, but honestly, I could use some distance from my human friends and their constant uninhibited PDA right now. And besides, why shouldn’t I spend more time with my Maeleon buddies? They were my pals, too.

“Sure, Tau’run,” I said. “Thanks.”

They smiled at me, yellow eyes sparkling. I couldn’t tell if they were flirting with me or not. Many Maeleons flirted with every adult they weren’t related to. Casual sex was common among Maeleon friends—it didn’t necessarily make them mates, or filum, or whatever.

If Tau’run was flirting with me, should I respond? Could my filum be this nonbinary yellow alien? My sexual partner’s gender or genitals had never mattered to me. To use an old Earth term, I’d be considered pansexual. But here on Eukaria, there was no such word. Even the Maeleons we referred to as ‘he’ or ‘him’, like Zat’tor and Linn’ar, weren’t necessarily male. They didn’t mind, but some Maeleons like Tau’run never liked those pronouns, so we ditched them for something neutral.

I glanced Tau’run over. They were attractive, but I didn’t feel a spark. I was supposed to feel something special and romantic when I met my destined alien mate, right?

Nope. Nothing.

After playing with the kids for a while, I drifted to the edge of the village where I often found myself. I stared out into the Sweetfields, watching the long, colorful stalks sway in the breeze. Once, Jaeyoung and Levi asked me why I spent so much time standing there, and I didn’t know how to respond—because I didn’t understand, either. It was a compulsion I gave in to every time.

Why? No freaking clue.

A jolt struck me as I suddenly remembered something Linn’ar told me. He’d suggested my filum was “out there” somewhere. At the time, I hadn’t given it much thought, kinda like when your tia says there’s plenty of fish in the sea when you break up with your ex.

But maybe it wasn’t hopeful reassurance. Maybe my mate was literally out there.

A memory wriggled into my mind, something Zat’tor said a long time ago, but it slipped away when my train of thought was interrupted a second later.

“Paz?” Tau’run called from a few feet away. “The feast starts soon. Join us.”

“Huh?” I said, pulled back to reality. “Oh, right. Thanks.”

Shit, what was I thinking about? It was perched right on the tip of my tongue. Or brain. I just needed something to jog my memory...

“Actually, Tau’run, can you come here for a sec?” I asked.

The lemony Maeleon obliged, walking up to me. “What can I do for you?”

I gestured past the Sweetfields. “There’s more Maeleons out there, right?” I asked, gesturing with my hands as I spoke.

“Yes, there are other Maeleon villages,” Tau’run explained.

“Hm, that’s not really what I meant. I can’t remember exactly what he said, but when we first arrived, Zat’tor mentioned some young Maeleons had gone off somewhere. Do you know anything about that?”

Tau’run blinked slowly. “Yes,” they said after a long beat. “They went on a quest.”

“A quest!” I cried, slapping my thigh. “ That was it. I couldn’t remember the term, just that it was epic and important.” I snorted a laugh. “Some diplomat, huh? I’m supposed to be good at words.”

Tau’run gazed at me patiently. “If that’s all, let us return to the village. I’m sure you are hungry after all that playing.”

“Sure, I’m coming,” I said without moving. “Do you know when the questing Maeleons are coming home?”

Tau’run tilted their head. “That is up to them.”

“Oh.” I tried not to sound too disappointed. “Could I like, go and find them?”

As if struck by invisible lightning, Tau’run’s feelers spiked into the air. They looked like a spooked cat.

“Paz, you mustn’t,” Tau’run said, their tone grave. “It is dangerous beyond the Sweetfields.”

I blinked, surprised at their over-the-top reaction. How could it be dangerous on this paradise planet? The worst thing I’d seen were giant insects, and those things just buzzed around and stuck their butts into flowers.

Still, I didn’t want to offend Tau’run by arguing with them. They were local, born and raised, while I’d lived here less than a year. It was naive to assume I knew everything about their planet. But I wasn’t some clueless tourist, either. As an interplanetary diplomat, survival on alien planets was part of my skill set. I could fend for myself if necessary.

As I fantasized about it, my plan solidified. My alien mate had to be out there. I knew it. And when I found him and brought him back, I’d have a filum of my own.

Then I wouldn’t be the only single human on the planet anymore.

My little secret excursion wouldn’t hurt anybody, and I wouldn’t be gone long, anyway. I’d pop out, scope beyond the Sweetfields for the questing Maeleons, and be back by tomorrow. Nobody would even notice I’d left.

And with tonight’s feast distracting the whole village, slipping away would be easy as cake.

Sexy alien mate, here I come.