Page 3 of Fated to the Alien Hero (Warriors of Tavikh #7)

Evren

Never before have I had this many conflicting emotions bombarding me. I do not believe Astrid understands what has happened between us. I do not understand, but nothing could make me happier. Except perhaps finding this male who abused her and…I do not know what I would do.

When she grabbed my hand, pleading with me not to let anyone know we found her, the most extraordinary thing happened. My mating marks appeared and my soul light sparked to life. Deeka has brought my keeshla —my fated mate—to me. But according to Astrid, she already has a mate. One who attempted to kill her. How is this possible?

No answer comes to me. For now, I will not think about it. My focus in this moment must be getting her safely to the village, so she can be treated by Kyler or Sage. Jodah is right. We need to go.

I turn to Astrid. “Are you able to walk?”

She nods shakily. “I think so.”

“Come, we will go slow.”

Rassim, Katem, Jodah, and I make our way back to the luani we left lying a short distance away. Astrid follows and I make sure I keep my pace slow and remain at her side in case she needs my assistance. We had been traveling back to the village with our kill when I spotted movement nearby. Imagine my shock in discovering that movement had come from Astrid.

I keep glancing at her as we walk, making sure she is all right. Pain is etched across her face, but there appears to also be determination. We reach the large beast and she sucks in a sharp breath.

“What is that thing?” she asks.

“It is a luani. A dangerous creature that will provide much sustenance for our people as well as a fur that offers warmth in even the coldest weather.”

“Wow.”

“Do you not have beasts like that back on Earth?” Katem questions.

Astrid shakes her head, flinches, and stops moving it. “Nothing like that. At least not exactly.”

I do not like that she is still hurting. My gaze shifts to Jodah. “Do you have more burim root?”

He reaches into his pouch and brings out a smaller bag. I hold up my water skin since his is empty and once he has added the crushed powder, I shake it up and step over to my mate.

“You are still in pain. Drink more of this and it should help.”

Astrid reaches for it and our fingers brush. My flesh tingles where she touches it, and the sensation travels the length of my arm and across my chest. My mating marks turn another shade darker. Eventually they will become as dark as the wood of the fiku trees.

“What predators roam your planet?” This is the first real opportunity I have had to ask about the humans’ former planet. The warriors with human mates have shared a few things their keeshlas have spoken about, but it is different coming from someone who actually lived there instead of hearing a story secondhand.

Astrid swallows the water and wipes away the few drops that cling to her split lip. I expect her to wince or flinch, but she does neither.

“There really aren’t any. At least not anymore,” she says. “There hasn’t been for a long time. But there used to be giants cats called lions. They weren’t as big as that thing there, but they sort of resemble each other. A little bit, maybe.”

She drinks more of the burim root-infused liquid before handing it back to me. I slip it into my satchel and then my tribe brothers and I hoist the luani onto our shoulders once again. My gaze shifts to Astrid.

“Are you ready now?”

“I’m ready.”

The five of us stride through the forest in the direction of our village. Our pace is much slower than it had been before we found Astrid. I keep my gaze on her while we walk. Her steps are slow and sluggish, and despite the cloth supporting her broken arm, she still cradles it and pain continues to mar her face. It is going to be a long and torturous journey for her, I suspect.

Rassim and Jodah speak quietly to each other at the front of our group. Beside me, Katem is silent. Normally we would discuss our hunt and the ways we can improve, but I have other things on my mind. Like my keeshla and this supposed other mate she has. Just the thought of him and what he did to her brings me to rage. I have never been known to have a temper or to anger easily. But knowing there is a dishonorable male who abuses females wandering around within the human settlement makes me want to search him out and make sure he can never harm another female again. But mostly so he can never harm Astrid again.

We continue our careful trek home. With each step we take, she slows more and more. Judging from her breathing and the wetness that has formed in her eyes, I do not believe she will be able to go any farther. It will not be as easy, but if Jodah, Katem, and Rassim adjust their hold on the luani, they will be able to carry it without me.

Once again, I chitter like a ketri, and they come to a stop and set down the beast. Each of them turn their gaze to me.

“I need to carry Astrid.”

“No, please,” she speaks swiftly. “I’ll keep up. I swear. I don’t mean to make more work for you.”

I shorten the distance between us, but stay an arm’s length away in order not to frighten her. “You are injured and in pain. There is still much land to cover until we reach our village. It will be my honor to care for you.”

Astrid hesitates and I wait patiently for her to realize I tell the truth. Finally, she nods. “Okay.”

I mimic the gesture and word. “Okay.”

Jodah and I share a glance and the three of them manage to lift the luani. They take off again and I turn to my mate. “I will do my best not to hurt you.”

Astrid smiles softly. “I trust you.”

Her words are the sweetest sound. They are like the singing that Eloise does. This ‘music’ it is called. I know I should not, but I cannot help wishing for her to smile more often. Her cheeks are plump and her eyes sparkle like the stars that fill the night sky.

I should not be admiring her beauty and savoring her voice when she is suffering.

With as much care as I can possibly manage, I scoop Astrid up in my arms with a hand under her knees and across her lower back. She whimpers.

“I am sorry, keeshla .”

She takes in a shuddering breath. “It—it’s okay. Just give me a second, please.”

Her good eye closes, and she inhales deeply through her mouth.

I did not think to wash the blood from her face. What kind of mate am I to not clean her, at least? I must do better.

At last, Astrid appears to be more at ease. She gazes at me again. “I think I’m ready now.”

I hold her more securely, although not enough to hurt, and follow in my tribe brothers’ footsteps. To my surprise, she leans her head against my shoulder. Her soft breaths caress my jaw and my entire body tingles in the places where my mating marks appear.

“If I get too heavy for you, I’ll walk again,” Astrid murmurs so softly I almost do not hear her.

“You barely weigh more than a ketri.”

She lifts her head. “I don’t know what that is.”

“It is a small forest creature that lives in a burrow within the trees. When I see one, I will point it out.”

“Only if you’re sure. About me not being too heavy, I mean.”

I shake my head. “There is nothing to be concerned about.”

Again, Astrid returns her head to my shoulder as though that is where she has always been meant to lay it. I cannot explain what it does to me that she is so trusting. Especially after being beaten by the male she says is her mate. My vision goes dark with rage that anyone could hurt a female. Any female. They are the greatest gift and should be protected and treasured. Not because they are weak, but because they are the softness to our hardness. The gentle to our rough. They are the other half of our souls, and no male will ever feel completely whole with that missing piece of it.

Yes, we can be joyful and content with life. But we still yearn for our mate and for our soul light to warm that tiny fragment inside us that remains cold until it ignites. With Astrid in my arms, heat radiates through me so hot that I should be burning. Instead, I am comforted by it. Soothed.

I stare down at the top of her head, her features partially obscured by blood as well as the hair that cascades down. Leaves and dirt are stuck within the strands in addition to the prickled needles of the trendafili bush I found her under.

No one will ever harm her again. I will kill anyone who tries.

Rassim, Katem, and Jodah speak quietly amongst themselves while Astrid remains silent. I will wait until we reach the village and she has seen the healer before coaxing her to talk with me. She needs to rest and regain her strength first.

The sun has passed its zenith before we finally reach the village border. Calls of a mellenje ricochet back and forth, signaling our arrival. Moments later, we exit the forest, cross through the narrow swath of grass within a bari field, weave through a thin copse of trees, and approach the gated entrance where two sentries stand guard—both with mating marks.

Words of praise pass their lips at the sight of my tribe brothers carrying the luani, but quickly change to awe and wonder when their gazes land on the female in my arms and the marks that cover my own body.

“Blessings to you and your keeshla , Evren,” one says when we pass.

I simply nod and continue carrying my mate straight to the healer’s tent. Jodah glances over at me. “I will have someone bring the luani fur to your tent when it is cleaned and prepared.”

“Thank you.” I had forgotten it belongs to me now. It will make a wonderful gift for Astrid. A mating gift, perhaps.

Tribespeople stare, and smiles cross their faces. Pride swells within me that I have finally been blessed by Deeka.It only slightly sputters when I think of the worthless male she is already mated to. We reach the healer’s tent and I duck inside. Sage, Jodah’s mate, is the only one present. Her gaze lands on me and her eyes widen before she rushes over.

“Oh my god. Put her on the bed here.”

As gently as I am able, I lay Astrid on the elevated platform covered in furs. Her head lolls to the side, and she doesn’t make a sound.

“What the hell happened to her?” Sage examines my keeshla .

For some reason, I am hesitant to speak the truth. What will happen when everyone finds out she is already mated?

“Evren?” Sage prompts again.

“She was beaten.”

The healer rears back. “Beaten? By who?”

Astrid remains unresponsive.

“She said it was her mate.”

“Oh, shit.”

I have often heard this curse used by the humans. Kyler explained what it means, since his mate Zara has a bizarre fascination with excrement. We have only a few curses in the Tavikhi language, but in this case, Sage’s is quite fitting.

“Yes, oh, shit.”