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Olivia

FOUR MONTHS HAD GONE by in a flash since I first found myself on an alien slave planet. It was insane. I never expected to hear myself utter those words. ‘I was abducted by aliens.’

Shaking my head, I reminded myself that my life began to fall apart two months before that. When I told my boyfriend, Roger, I was pregnant, and he ended our relationship.

Then, while driving home from work, my car broke down on a side road, leaving me stranded. As if things couldn’t get any worse, I was taken away by aliens while sitting in my car crying over the state of my life.

In a world where humans inhabited colonies and space stations throughout the Milky Way and beyond, encounters with aliens were no longer a rare occurrence.

Despite my knowledge of alien existence, I had never come face to face with one.

It was a shocking experience to wake up and realize that I was stranded on an alien planet. Several more women had been abducted, which was the only saving grace. Having them around prevented me from getting too overwhelmed and losing my mind.

The Krilex, an alien race, had plans to enslave us after purchasing us from our abductors, the Zinids. We were fortunate that the Protectorate warriors saved us in time to stop the reptilian aliens from taking us.

On the Protectorate spaceship, we were guarded by a gorgeous warrior protector named Orin. My heart fluttered every time I thought about him even though he didn’t acknowledge me now that we were on the planet Alara. Well, he did sometimes smile and say hello. But that was the extent of it.

My smile faded as I looked at my reflection staring back at me.

Running my hands over my light-brown curls, I took a moment to appreciate how the pale blue dress with navy accents hugged my growing belly and swollen bosom.

My pregnancy bump had become increasingly noticeable each week, and at about eight months pregnant, it was impossible to hide.

Not that I wanted to hide it. I was excited to meet my baby despite everything.

“Olivia, it is time to meet Queen Grace for lunch.” The male AI voice made me jump.

You would think I’d be used to it by now. “Thanks,” I said aloud.

The AI system provided a small reprieve from the loneliness and isolation in my spacious apartment.

Technically, where I lived was one of the palace's guest suites. At first, it felt strange living in a palace. Not that it looked like one. It resembled a fancy hotel, similar to ones on Earth. Only far more hi-tech.

My accommodations were larger than my old apartment back home, with multiple bedrooms, a huge balcony, three bathrooms, and a massive living room with two long sofas.

In the kitchen, there was a sink and a food prep area equipped with a complicated food replicator.

Thankfully, there was a dining hall which I sometimes attended for my meals when I wanted some company.

Sometimes I ate with Grace and Trex in their private apartment, but I liked to give them their privacy.

There were days I still couldn't believe how vastly different my life had become.

It was odd to think that soon I’d be a single mother raising a human child on a strange new world.

I hadn’t made many new friends since I rarely left the palace. Aside from Clor, one of the kitchen staff, my friends included only Grace and Trex. Rekna, whom I met on the Protectorate ship, was someone I also considered a friend, but we didn’t hang out or anything.

He now served as the palace medic and was very protective of my baby and would give me grief if my body showed even the slightest hint of poor nutrition or dehydration.

Luckily, my checkups showed the pregnancy was going well for both me and the baby. Rekna seemed thrilled about my baby's upcoming birth and was always reminding me that Alara needed more younglings. He was the only one I trusted to help deliver my baby when the time came.

Orin was the one person I desired beyond friendship, but that was a pipe dream. Since I was already pregnant when I was abducted, I was under no illusion that he would want to be with me. But I couldn't deny he was all I had thought about since I first saw him.

Because he was our chief guard on the Chetok, I got used to seeing him every day. Though he didn’t smile often and rarely spoke, I’d looked forward to seeing him and the pleasant tingles I felt every time I caught him looking at me.

His handsome blue-green face, pointed ears, shoulder-length brown hair, and dark-blue eyes drew me in every time. I couldn’t help but be attracted to him.

Once or twice the usually somber warrior smiled at me, which filled me with hope he might feel something for me too. I was left disappointed, though.

Glancing at the time, I sighed and rushed out of my apartment to avoid wallowing any further.

As I waddled out of my suite, I glimpsed Clor heading in my direction. “Hello,” he grinned, stopping in front of me and holding up a plate of Alaran baked goodies that made my stomach growl. “I brought something for you.”

I glanced at the plate, then back at him, and my lips curved downward. “Actually, I am heading to the garden to have lunch with Queen Grace, but thanks for thinking of me.”

My frown turned into a grin when I saw the smile didn’t leave his face. I sensed he may have wanted to hang out for a while, so I added, “If you want to come by later this afternoon, we can visit and share these goodies?”

He nodded and pulled the plate back. “Then I will bring these with me when I visit you later. I don't want to make you late for lunch with the Queen.” He sidestepped, and we walked down the hallway together.

The journey from palace to garden resembled an art gallery, showcasing intricate tapestries and paintings depicting past rulers. The fancy rugs in certain halls made me feel like I was committing a crime by stepping on them.

“I’ve missed seeing you since you stopped helping us in the kitchen. The market visits are less interesting now too,” said Clor.

Then when I didn't respond he asked, “How do you feel today?”

“The baby has been kicking up a storm, but otherwise nothing exciting to report.” I grinned. He didn’t need to know about the various side effects of my pregnancy, such as swollen ankles and a persistent feeling of bloating. Not to mention the frequent trips to the toilet.

We didn’t have that kind of relationship.

Grace and Rekna were the only ones I complained to, and even then, I felt self-conscious if I divulged too much.

“Your Terran language has such descriptive vocabulary.” Clor shook his head, looking amused.

“I suppose we do.” I laughed. Alaran’s weren’t much for colloquialisms or sayings. Clor frequently chuckled at my remarks, but he never made me feel stupid for the things I said. Which I appreciated.

Not long after I offered to work in the kitchen, I became friends with Clor, a kind, and mixed race Alaran. Making a new friend was great, but since Alara’s inhabitants were mostly male, I had to accept that any new friends would probably be male too.

It was a bit of a change since there was a fine line to walk regarding the males, and I still wasn’t clear on all Alaran customs yet. I kept things light in all my chats with guys at the palace so as not to give any of the males the wrong impression.

It was important that I treaded carefully where they were concerned. I didn't want a romantic partner at the moment. Unless Orin had a sudden willingness to be with me, of course. Which didn't look like a possibility.

Sighing, I smoothed some hair off my face and redirected my attention to Clor.

The friendly male, standing at almost seven feet tall, towered over me and was at least half-a-foot taller than Orin or other pure Alarans. Adorning his head were two gold-colored horns, with one extending from each temple that curled around his pointed ears.

All pure Alarans possessed blue-green skin, but Clor’s teal skin also had a shimmery silver hue to it. His hair was white as snow and cut short. Although he seemed close in age to me, I wasn’t sure how old he was.

The two large bumps on his back were almost hidden by his typical attire of pale trousers and a billowy beige top. The bumps confused me. Once I got to know him, I asked about them and he confessed that his mother was Ixul from the planet Graacux.

He was born with wings like his mother and confided in me he had never shown them to anyone in public. He kept them hidden. Even from me. Clor did not possess the same level of telepathy as pure-blooded Alarans, but he appeared to have strong empathic abilities.

Despite their differences, I stopped perceiving the people around me as aliens.

Rather than fighting against my new circumstances, I realized it was easier to accept my new life and try to adapt best I could. That included accepting that the people on Alara looked different from me, and I was one of only two humans on the planet.

I got the impression that Clor wasn't comfortable with long silences. Because when we hung out, he talked. A lot. Today was no different, and Clor didn’t stop talking while he filled me in on the latest juicy palace gossip.

“...and someone witnessed them exiting the closet,” he finished, then widened his eyes, giving a scandalous glance.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the way Clor told stories with all the drama in his voice. It was delightful that this seven-foot tall being that appeared intimidating was lighthearted and funny.

He sighed, and I noticed a wistful look on his face, but it vanished when he caught me staring. We were both lonely, but avoided discussing it with one another. I didn’t want to hurt Clor or lead him on. My heart belonged to someone who would never want me. But it didn’t stop my longing for Orin.

We neared the doors to the gardens, and Clor turned his head to gaze at me. “Have you considered where you'll live after the baby is born? Are you still thinking of leaving Alara?”

My eyes met his. “I haven't decided yet.” I responded with a casual shrug.

The reality was that I couldn’t decide whether to stay on Alara.

Should I choose to stay, Grace would be the only female friend I had, and I’d still feel lonely. Especially since I couldn’t see myself settling down with anyone but Orin.

Being surrounded by thousands of other humans in a human colony would help me feel less isolated. There, I wouldn't bump into Orin and be reminded that he had no desire to be with me.

“I understand.” Clor nodded, looking disappointed. “I’ll make my way back to the kitchen.” He smiled. “I promise to bring extra yudatillo cakes when I visit later.”

We said goodbye, and he headed toward the kitchen.

When I turned, I saw Orin walking in the opposite direction. It had been weeks since I last saw him and I couldn’t resist calling out just to get a glimpse of his face.

My mouth fell open when he stopped and gazed back in my direction. He squinted at Clor’s back, then grumbled something about the city guard, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

Without a second look, he walked away. If I didn’t know any better, I would think he was jealous. I laughed at my thoughts. Yeah, right. Good one, Liv.