Page 12 of Aliens Snared My Heart (Awakened Womb #3)

12 / Kur’tok

I raced across the landscape so hard and fast my muscles burned. Fury raged inside me, obscuring all logic. My argument with Paz was the only thing on my mind. I was so angry, I couldn’t think straight.

Why did I say those things to him? Why did I break my word?

I snarled, frustrated with myself. In the end, my choice was the right one for Paz. I wasn’t good enough for him.

But all I wanted to do was turn around and run right back to the human...

I growled hard through my teeth. None of this would’ve happened if I didn’t catch that flesh-bag in my snare. My life would’ve gone on as usual. Eating. Sleeping. Berating my underlings. I was fine with it.

Wasn’t I?

Thinking about my life before Paz filled my chest with a cold, empty feeling. It was useless. No matter how hard I forced myself to be happy without him, it didn’t work. I needed Paz.

After pushing myself to run, my muscles were exhausted. I finally slowed down and sat on a rocky ledge. On top of the emotional discomfort roiling in my gut, my stomach was empty. I needed to hunt real food.

I scanned the landscape for signs of movement. Anything would do. I’d even settle for a light insectoid snack at this point.

A dark blur sped past in my peripheral vision.

My gaze snapped towards the motion, but my reaction came too late. Something crashed into me.

My body was launched through the air. I landed with a heavy thud.

My heart raced. What happened? Was I so distracted by my thoughts that I’d let another hunter sneak up on me?

I lifted my head to stare at my assailant. It was a krokutta—a spotted, quadrupedal carnivorous beast with fangs and claws sharper than my own.

I got to my feet and snarled at it. The krokutta was bigger than me, but I was no pushover. I’d survived enough fights to hold my ground against such a beast. The trick was to make myself a difficult meal. If I gave it enough trouble, it would give up and find weaker prey.

My feelers rose, flaring with bright red. I hissed to bare all my fangs, and I stretched out my clawed fingers.

“Come on!” I roared at it. “Fight me if you’re not a coward!”

The krokutta hesitated. My shouting and puffed-up posture intimidated it. Getting out of this situation would be easier than I thought.

Suddenly, the krokutta’s ear twitched. It turned swiftly to focus on something far away.

I paused and followed its gaze to two upright figures in the distance—both familiar, but one of them small and frail.

My heart lurched.

Is that...?

The krokutta didn’t waste a second. It licked its lips, then bolted towards the figures, abandoning me for weaker prey.

For Paz.

Rage exploded inside me. I launched after the krokutta with lightning in my veins. Wind whipped my face as I chased the hunter down.

I wouldn’t let it hurt Paz. No matter what.

The krokutta was within pouncing distance. I saw the figures clearly now—Paz and Haz’rull. They had only just seen the beast in their path.

Paz yelped, pure terror flashing over his face. He must’ve known he couldn’t escape this hunter by talking to it—and now it was too late to run.

“MOVE!” I shouted over the wind.

It happened in a split second. The krokutta sprang, fangs ready to sink into Paz.

I slammed into the beast in midair. It yowled as I threw off its trajectory. We landed in a chaotic tumble of angry limbs. It heaved for breath, winded. The ambush was enough to keep the krokutta busy for a few seconds, but it would get back up soon.

“Run! Now!” I yelled at Paz.

Paz didn’t run. He stood frozen to the spot, staring at me with wide-eyed panic. “What about you?” he shouted back.

“Just go!” I snarled.

The krokutta seized its chance to counterattack. With a powerful swipe, its thick claws scored my face. I hissed at the stinging pain. It slashed me hard enough to pierce my scales and draw blood.

“Kur’tok!” Paz yelled.

Why wasn’t that idiotic human running away? Didn’t he know I wanted him to be safe?

“Get out of here!” I snapped. “Haz’rull, take him and go!”

I saw a glimpse of fear in Haz’rull’s eyes as they grabbed Paz’s arm and ran. To my disbelief, Paz struggled hard enough in Haz’rull’s arms to yank himself free.

“Kur’tok, watch out!” Paz cried.

His warning gave me a split second to dodge another swipe. Now I was furious. I ducked my head and charged the krokutta with my horns. It yowled as the tips gouged its shoulder. Throwing itself to the ground, it kicked me off with its muscular back legs. I grunted as it tossed me aside.

Paz ran haphazardly towards me, skidding on his knees by my side. “Kur’tok!”

I was equal parts relieved and annoyed to see him. Despite my fear and anxiety, my heart soared. Even after our argument, he still cared. He could’ve left my domain. He could’ve abandoned me.

Instead, he was right in the middle of a battle for survival. Idiotic flesh-bag.

“Are you okay?” Paz asked, breathless.

“No, I’m fighting off the beast trying to kill you!” I snapped.

Paz gasped. “You’re bleeding! We have to—”

The krokutta leapt, its hooked claws aimed for Paz. He was an easy target. If it snatched him, the krokutta would escape before I could stop it.

Grabbing Paz with my tentacles, I shoved him down into the dirt and climbed on top of him. The next instant, sharp claws raked down my back. But worse was the white-hot pain that followed when a couple claws snagged my sensitive feelers. I roared in agony.

My eyes clenched shut. Searing pain surged over my skin, but I couldn’t move. I had to bear the hunter’s attacks because I was the only barrier between Paz and the beast—and I couldn’t live with myself if Paz was hurt.

“Get the fuck off Kur’tok, you alien hyena fuck!”

A high-pitched squeal shrieked in my ear. Then the pain suddenly stopped. I sensed that the beast behind me was gone.

Confused, I opened my eyes. I glanced over my shoulder to see the krokutta stumbling away, whimpering and yelping loudly.

I stared at Paz, who beamed with pride.

“What did you do?” I demanded.

A wild grin stretched over his face. His eyes shined as he lifted a small branch. “Hey, this walking stick came in handy after all! A quick poke in the eye and that big guy turned into a wuss.”

Adrenaline pounded through my system. I took a few breaths as the dizzying terror melted away.

I couldn’t rip my gaze from Paz. It felt like he’d disappear if I looked away—and in the last few minutes, that reality had been dangerously close to fruition.

Overwhelmed by a surge of emotion, I snatched Paz into a tight embrace. My feelers smoldered with saturated bursts of color: fear, relief, love.

I felt Paz’s racing heartbeat against my chest. My pace rivalled his own. My nostrils flared as I buried my nose in his head-fur, sucking in the warm scent of it.

Paz let out a breathy laugh. “Hey, Kur’tok? This is nice, but you’re kinda crushing me.”

I eased my hold on him, but I still wasn’t willing to release him. I wouldn’t ever be.

“You fool,” I muttered. “Why did you come here? You could’ve gotten killed.”

“ I’m a fool? I was looking for you!” Paz argued. “You’re the one who threw a big baby tantrum and ran away. Do you know how insanely worried I was?”

My chest tightened. He was that concerned?

I growled. “Still, you didn’t need to—”

“Oh, cut it out,” Paz said. “Are you a red-flag possessive alpha male or not?”

His words made no sense. “What?”

Paz sighed in exasperation. “Never mind. Just... get it through your head that I’m here for you, okay? I’m not about to run away when you’re in danger.”

I snorted. “Well, you should. It was stupid to stay.”

“Then I’m stupid.” Paz grinned. “But so are you.”

“How?” I grumbled.

“Let’s see... you ran off like a baby man instead of actually talking to me, then got yourself bloodied and bruised saving a human who was supposed to be your dinner. Sounds pretty dumb to me.”

I scowled at him and muttered, “My feelings about you being a meal have changed.”

Paz’s expression softened. He reached up and brushed his fingers gently across my face. “My feelings about you haven’t,” he murmured.

A shiver ran down my spine. What did that mean? The way he said it sounded so rich and meaningful, but I must’ve read too far into it.

Paz pulled his hand away, frowning at the blood. “We can have that conversation later. You’re really hurt, Kur’tok.”

“I’m fine,” I insisted.

Paz put his hands on his hips. “Well, I’m friends with a doctor, and if he saw your injuries, he’d flip. So yeah, you are not fine.”

I grumbled but didn’t argue. After I’d almost lost him, I was done arguing with Paz. From now on, he could have whatever he wanted as long as he stayed by my side.

I rose with a heavy grunt. Now that the adrenaline left my system, I felt the aftermath of that battle. Stinging pain prickled on my face and back, and my muscles screamed from exertion. But it was all worth it knowing Paz was alive and well.

“Hey, Haz’rull, you okay?” Paz called.

I’d forgotten about them. As Paz caught up with my underling, I slowly approached the two.

“I’m all right,” Haz’rull said, giving Paz a grateful nod. “The krokutta ignored me because you were an easier target.”

Paz grinned and held out his branch. “Aha! Except I wasn’t, thanks to my handy-dandy walking stick.”

How could he be so easily amused moments after nearly dying? I sighed, wondering how the flesh-bag had stayed alive this long.

“Wait, is that a fruit tree?” Paz asked, pointing to a tree a few tail-lengths away. “Lemme grab a snack for the way home.”

Home...?

My heart twinged. He’d said that unprompted. Did he really mean it?

As I supervised Paz from where I stood, Haz’rull sidled next to me. Their expression was guarded but hopeful. Neither of us spoke for a few long seconds. Out of nowhere, shame settled beneath my skin like silt. Haz’rull had brought Paz to me. They both could’ve stayed at my domain and been safe. They could have left and escaped to freedom. Instead, they followed me into the dangerous wilds just to make sure I was safe.

I suppressed the hesitation in my throat, then muttered, “Thanks.”

Haz’rull’s feelers blinked with yellow surprise. “I’m sorry?”

“You didn’t need to come,” I said under my breath. “I appreciate... that you watched over Paz.”

Haz’rull stared at me in amazement. “You’re welcome, Kur’tok.”

A drop of cool relief dispersed the hot guilt simmering in my chest. I couldn’t recall the last time the two of us spoke without animosity. It felt good.

As we watched Paz stand on the tips of his toes to reach the lowest fruit, silence hung in the air. Then Haz’rull asked, “What do you think about him?”

“Paz?” I snorted. “I think he’s too short to reach that fruit.”

Haz’rull let out a slight huff of mirth, but their tone was pointed. “What do you really think?”

I shut up. I understood Haz’rull’s true question. Fear constricted my throat. They couldn’t possibly understand how I felt about Paz. Would they ridicule me? If I was in their position, I would have.

My conflicted silence went on long enough that Haz’rull spoke again. “I’ll ask a different way. Do you believe Paz is your filum?”

A frustrated growl rumbled in my throat. “He can’t be.”

Haz’rull’s tail drifted back and forth thoughtfully. “You are not somebody who lives by can’t. If you want something, you take it.”

Their tone was edged with barbs, but the meaning was clear. Here was something—somebody—I wanted more than anything, and now I hesitated to truly make him mine. I bluffed and commanded, but in the end, Paz made the choice to stay or leave.

To be with me, or to abandon me.

“For what it’s worth,” Haz’rull said, “that human is wild about you.”

My heart skipped a beat. Before I could interrogate them further, they strode up to Paz and helped him grab fruit from the tree.

Could Haz’rull be right?

I’d lived as an outcast, doing un-Maeleon-like things. But this, I knew instinctively how to do.

I took a breath to steady my anxious heartbeat, then focused hard on Paz. My nictitating membrane curved across my eyes.

A soft, golden glow engulfed him, shining as bright as the sun, and tiny sparkling particles danced around him like stars.

Against my every fear, there was the proof.

Paz was my filum.