Page 8
I find our mate tucked into a ball shape within the cold sheets, staring off with a blank expression.
She doesn’t blink as I enter the room and sit on the bed near her, lost in her own thoughts.
I risk a touch to her leg, reaching out with a steady hand to gently pull her from her reverie, needing those beautiful ocean eyes to meet mine.
She startles at the contact, pulling more into herself. “I’m fine.”
I do not take this as truth, opting to remain near her. One of our jobs as her mate is to provide emotional comfort, even if she does not freely ask for it. So I stretch myself out on the very edge of the bed, facing her, hand sweeping forward to push the hair out of her eyes. Just a few bell tolls ago we were all smiling and about to get intimate, and my face was buried between her thighs. Now it feels as if a great distance has grown between us, and I know that it is because of the kruul’s mate.
I must believe this, because it would pain me too much to think Margaret simply developed a dislike for us.
It is not becoming to speak ill of the kruul’s mate, but we have enough freedoms on this ship to speak of what we wish to in our own homes without repercussions. “You are frightening us, Margaret. Can you tell me what happened in your meeting?”
She opens her mouth and winces, then goes back to her ball, closing her eyes to me. “I am well.”
I wait until her features relax a little before trying again. If speaking isn’t something she’s ready to do at this moment, perhaps I can offer her comfort in other ways.
It takes some muscling to pull the tension out of her body, but eventually I have her body nearly straightened out so I can pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her and tucking her face against my chest. I take it one step further by throwing my leg over her hip, completely encompassing her while I squeeze her to me gently, running a hand up and down her back.
“If you do not feel like talking, then I will. If any of the rules recently established were announced to you, then we owe you the greatest apology. It was not our intention to pull you from your home, only to keep you as a glorified prisoner here.
“It was not like this when we left, and I know time passes differently here than it does on earth, and many practices are kept from triads without a mate, but…this is not what we wished for you. We were very angry to have to release you to a room of strangers. We were… very angry.”
“I want to believe you,” she whispers quietly, her voice scratchy.
My alarm spikes, wanting to call my triad mates in here for help, but she’s already struggling, and I do not wish to overwhelm her further. “Your voice…it hurts you? What happened?”
She blinks up at me, eyes holding onto much sadness, and my heart further breaks from it. I catch the tear that escapes, holding her tighter. “Sweet Margaret, we belong to you wholly. If you are nervous to talk to us because you fear our reaction, know that the only thing you should fear is how we choose to seek vengeance on those who have hurt you. You are our priority; do not let the kruul’s mate poison you against us. If that is what has happened.
“If we have done something to turn you from us, please, speak of it so we may rectify your pain. You must know the lengths we’d go to to make you happy and well.”
I press a kiss to her skin and she shudders, her fingers finally grasping onto me desperately. She snuggles into me tightly, pressing her face against me with more force. “It’s not you guys. It’s…it hurts to speak. She told us that is a burden we must bear living here; that the air is not meant for us to breathe so it punishes us. The other human women there… it took me too long to learn why they were all so silent. They did not speak a single word during the meeting.”
I cannot refrain from calling in my brothers any longer. Our mate needs them, and we need to figure out as a group where to go from here. Instead of yelling, which would surely offend my mate’s ears, I send a signal through their wristbands.
She tenses when they enter, but I reassure her they are here for her, and then she’s desperate to touch them.
Owiin lays behind her, rolling her over and holding her while she begins to sob. She is mourning, I realize, because she has just given up her entire life to be with us, and our people are punishing her for it.
“It is more serious than we thought,” I tell my brothers carefully.
Adeema is perched at the end of the bed, hand holding her adorable feet over the sheets, but I give him my spot so he can be closer.
I need to pace anyway, to think of a way out.
“She claims it pains her to speak, that the Kruul’s mate told her the air we breathe here will harm her voice. I’m thinking that doesn’t stop until it’s gone, for she said none of the other human women spoke. I thought they were too silent when they exited the room. We must learn more.”
Owiin’s hand gently cuffs her throat, the heat seeking where her pain is.
“She also made sure I understood that I should be repulsed by my body. We got an anatomy lesson on Violetian females, framed as lifting them up as superior beings. Did you notice…and I kind of hope you didn’t, none of the other humans had breasts?”
We all still, my hand instantly flicking to my wristband to look up more information. We were looking up our responsibilities earlier so we could be compliant, but we did not have the time to research the responsibilities of our mate.
It takes a few turns to discover the information I want, because they clearly don’t want it to be very accessible, but our leaders are honorable enough that they will not hold it from us entirely.
“Here,” I tell my family as I project everything for them to see. “ Requirements of human mates once a mate bond is firmly established: Human females should remain scarce of the kruul’s mate unless she calls them for valuable education. It is her ship, and the humans should consider themselves guests here.
“ Seeing as their presence is unsatisfactory to the kruul’s mate, humans are subject to her guidance. As of this publication’s release, human females will undergo involuntary vocal therapy, so they are quiet and respectable members of our ship .
“ Human females will also undergo a necessary beautification process once they have committed to members of the Violetian race, in order to be more desirable to them. This process is subject to the kruul’s mate’s jurisdiction and will require the female to become more physically similar to the Violetian females. They are expected to adapt to our culture, to emulate the Violetian females, as it is an honor to be gifted Violetian males.
“ This beautification will include body alterations and mental shaping if necessary. Human females are to be reminded often that escape pods are available for their use, should they find these rules unpalatable .”
It goes on with more droll talk on how humans need to match the aesthetics of Violetian females in all ways in order to please their mates, but the only thing it is rising within me is sick.
They want to…mutilate my mate. So that the kruul’s mate doesn’t feel insecure about the differences in her body.
“It does not even clarify where the escape pods go to,” Adeema states, jaw clenched as he grips onto our mate.
No wonder she was so upset; she must have thought we were fully aware of all this and supported it. She must have felt so betrayed, us leading her here with smiles on our faces, only to completely change everything about her so she could better fit in with our people.
“Margaret, we must take you home. That is the only thing that I can think of doing. If you stay here, you will be miserable. We do not want to take away your joy.”
She begins to sob, pulling away from Owiin and Adeema, but we can’t have that.
I crawl on top of her, careful not to place my weight on top of her, nuzzling her neck. “I say this because I only wish for your happiness, my mate. I would rather us be miserable for the rest of our lives without you, than to see you turn into the silent humans the other triads are living with.”
“What if they are undergoing changes as well?” Adeema asks. “The Violetian males I know would never agree to all of this, which makes me think they have gotten programming that somehow changed their perception, or their insight, or something. I do not think it is only Margaret at risk. The kruul’s mate seems to be taking control, seeking a utopia in which she is master. The kruul would never go against her, never temper her desires. I think we are all at risk if we stay.”
“What are the chances this is a misunderstanding? Are we considering throwing away everything, without seeking an audience with the kruul?” My mate flinches, making me realize how that could have sounded to her, so I am quick to reassure her. “Margaret, I mean that we are throwing away the lives we have built on this ship, nothing else.”
“I’m not worth this trouble. This was supposed to be a good thing, but it seems to come with nothing but trouble for all of us. Maybe I should just go home. Maybe it’s not too late to get my condo back.”
“We must delay our bonding. If we continue to strengthen it, then we will be closer to Margaret having to undergo changes. I refuse.” It is the only thing I can think of just now that will protect her in any way. I hate it, but if it helps her, it will be worth it.
Adeema, who has been scrolling through his wristband to look for further information, sucks in a harsh breath and lets out a string of curses. “Earth will no longer take humans that have joined with Violetians; their leaders are nervous we could use them in some way to bring their land to ruin.”
“When did that happen?” Margaret’s raspy voice asks, frantic. “So, I’m stuck here? I have to…I can’t! I just wanted to ride alien dick!” She starts sobbing, falling back to the bed and covering her face with her arm.
Owiin’s large palm lands on her lower belly, rubbing circles, his thinking face firmly in place. Ultimately, it will be up to him what we do because he is our leader. “Let me message a few friends and ask to meet with them. We need to hear from other males that have been stationed here, with mates, before we make any decisions. We need to hear their side of it, learn their experience.”
He looks up at our mate, crowding her, making sure she hears him. “We are going to find a way to take care of you. If that means we leave our entire culture behind and start somewhere new so you’ll be free to be yourself, then that will be our path forward. For now, I need you to understand you’re safe with us, and you will always be safe with us.”
His message sinks in as he kisses her salty tears away, then moves to press tender kisses over her throat where she pains.
Adeema and I rest a hand on Owiin’s back in support, standing strong as a triad.
When the moment is ready for it, I voice my support to my alpha for everyone to witness. “It is wise to seek counsel from others, their experiences may be invaluable to us.”
It is somewhat trying to be experiencing the heaviness of this situation while still pressed against Margaret’s curves, my cock doesn’t get the memo that it’s not the time to be active, but it knows how close to his mate it is and is reaching for her.
Margaret’s hips shift below me, allowing me more room, and it is physically painful to remove myself from the heat her body offers. “I want nothing more than to feel your bare skin against me, my mate, but we need to protect you. We need to try and distance ourselves from each other in any way possible so that your changes happen slower.”
“I understand. I want to be pissed, but it makes sense.”
“Drink some water,” Adeema commands, reaching for a glass we left on the side table earlier.
“Wait,” Owiin barks, reaching for the glass himself. “I want to be overly cautious. If they are producing changes in Violetian males as well as the human females, there has to be a way they are doing it. I sound like a crazy being saying so, but what if there’s something they’ve introduced to the water to alter our thoughts? Do we have any pre-bottled water from the ship? That would have been sealed long before these changes went into effect.”
I nod, remembering exactly what we had on board. “We do. I can go collect some.”
“I will accompany you,” Adeema says as he brushes a kiss to Margaret’s forehead. “We are going to take care of you, mate, no matter what. Do not fret. We will find a way out of this.”
“Together?” She asks, eyes wide and sad. “I think I’m starting to…feel the bond starting. I don’t think I could handle separating. I don’t want to separate. Maybe I’m buying into your thoughts about the universe placing us together for a reason.”
This is good, but under terrible circumstances. It is as if we’ve been cheated out of a proper early mating, unable to get our mate secure and settled. Once more, we must leave her side to do something we don’t really want to do. But I acknowledge that getting pure water could be beneficial, so I will not complain.
As Adeema and I navigate our way down the halls, it is difficult not to become lost in the depth of sadness lingering in our mate’s eyes as we left our residence. Adeema takes my hand as we walk, trying to comfort me.
“We will get this sorted one way or another,” he tells me. I just wish I could believe the forced sense of hope in his voice.
“But at what cost?” I lower my voice, wanting this conversation to stay private. “Is it absurd, that I consider running away with her to some far away planet to be better than subjecting her to here?”
“I think it shows you are committed to her well-being,” Adeema replies, nodding hello to everybody we pass. “There are changes happening here, ones that do not benefit us. There are other settlements we could apply for, places that might be more welcoming to human mates. We can't be the only ones feeling unsettled by all these new rules.”
I know he's right, but I still feel very alone in this. We are both lost in our own thoughts as we continue on to ship storage, making me wonder where everybody is. But then again, if humans are not allowed to be roaming about right now, it's likely their mates are staying in with them.
We do happen upon a few members of a mated triad in storage, whispering aggressively in the corner to each other. They stiffen when we enter the area, remaining quiet as we type in the codes to access our ship. We offer them a friendly wave, trying not to seem threatening. But they might be exactly who we need to talk to.
I tug on Adeema's hand, indicating we should approach them. They were mated shortly before we left for earth rotation, so they would have been here at the height of the new rule implementation.
“Greetings, Triad,” I offer when we get in range. One of them is hiding something behind his back, and I'm curious, because overall they seem to be a bit secretive; it's difficult to know if we can trust them or not with what we really need to ask.
Saving me the anxiety of starting the conversation, Adeema takes over. “We wonder if we might ask you a few questions. Our mate is having a little bit of a difficult time adjusting to her new life here, and we seek advice. It is good luck we find you here.”
Tonriir, the triad’s head, is quick to respond, if not slightly irritated. “Of course, Triad. How may we assist you?”
Adeema reaches for words, and I stand there like an imbecile, being no help to him. “I suppose,” he finally says, “we’d like to know how you are finding the new… restrictive rules for humans, and how your mate is adjusting to them. Has she found ways to ease the strain of them? Has she found fulfillment here? If so, do you have any advice we can pass on to our mate? We very recently arrived back, and Margaret hasn't received the best impression of our home.”
Tonriir takes stock of us, eyes scanning us up and down, trying to read the subtext of our words. “That's right, this is all new to you, isn't it? You wouldn't have been aware of these rules when you set out to find your mate.”
We both shake our heads, affirming this assumption.
“If I may,” his partner behind him pipes up, interjecting, “have you finished your bond yet? I know you said you just got in last night, but I'm unaware of how long you were in rotation before arriving back here.”
I think all of us are playing a game of subtlety, trying not to say something offensive that would implicate each other if it were to get back to the kruul, but we are all Violetians here, all subject to the same way of life and I firmly believe we need to help each other out.
“May I speak plainly, Triad? I wish not to speak ill of our kruul, for he has given us so many great things, but this matter is highly sensitive and is specifically in regard to our mate. We do not wish you to think ill of us for having... different opinions on rules that have been introduced lately.”
Tonriir’s face relaxes along with his body. “We were just about to retrieve something from our ship that we need for our home. Would you care to follow us? Perhaps you'd be interested as well to see it.” He does not wait for us to answer; he simply begins to walk to a different corner where his ship must be stored.
Adeema weighs the situation and looks to me for input, but all I can offer is a shrug. We wanted answers, perhaps this is the best way to go about getting them.
I follow behind Tonriir, tugging Adeema with me.
I am surprised to walk onto a ship that is not in hibernation mode. In fact, all the lights are on and warm with the engines running. Tonriir stops suddenly as we cross the threshold, eyes widening as he pulls us into a secret. “We are fleeing,” he whispers. “This station is no longer conducive to a happy mating life; they've already mutilated our beautiful mate, and we could not stop them.
“They introduced the rule shortly after our bond had completed, and they took her during one of the morning meetings that are required. We thought they were merely for information. When we went to retrieve her, we were told we could find her in the infirmary in a few hours’ time. She's much changed now and is in a near-constant state of depression. We fear it is our fault for bringing her here.”
“What about yourselves?” Adeema asks. “Have you noticed any changes? We've been trying to figure out what's happening, and we found some information hinting there’s a possibility that male Violetians might be affected in some manner.”
“All I know is our heads feels clouded,” Tonriir’s partner says. “I find it hard to remember certain details, and it's not uncommon for any of us to remain quiet for many hours at a time. Something has definitely been happening to us, and the closer we get to our mate’s possibility of conceiving, the greater danger we are in.”
I’m confused. “What do you mean? Why would she be in greater danger because of her likelihood of getting pregnant?”
Tonriir looks around, rocking back on his heels. “We find it odd that no triads have had young in a while. There is talk, rumors we can't confirm or deny, and we fear they might try to do something else with our mate when she's in a required meeting. What if they decide it is in the best interest of the ship that she's sterilized, and we are unable to stop it? Our mate has always wanted a baby. We will not take that from her as well. Without her mammary glands, feeding will be a trial, but that's why we're going to station Trial Two. Everything we've heard says they have a high human population and are able to care for them during pregnancy.
“We cannot tell you what to do, but do not let your guard down when your mate is not with you. The kruul’s mate has strong ideas about our human mates, and it is being said that the kruul tires of his job. He will not rein her in, so we are leaving.”
I take in the running ship again, understanding dawning on me. “Now? You're leaving now ?”
“We are,” Tonriir’s partner says. “We had to sneak our mate through the halls due to the time of the day, because we cannot remain here any longer. We wish you well.”
“Safe travels,” Adeema offers, stepping back off the ship and pulling me with him.
The doors close in front of us, ending the conversation with a heavy note of finality.
“I suppose that answered almost all of our questions,” I say uselessly.
“Indeed. We have much to consider. Let us get the water and return back so we may talk to our alpha.”