Chapter 31

31

Anna

The very next morning, Drak tried to put some alien device on me. A health monitoring bracelet that I didn't want to hear about, let alone be subjected to wearing. Though, I suppose he didn't so much as try to put it on me as ask me to wear it. I refused, for obvious reasons. I do not want to be monitored by technology I don't understand and don't actually need.

He took it well enough, appearing a bit bummed until I told him that I'd wear it if I had to. Because he's effortlessly honest and sincere, he admitted that if I were to get pregnant, it would bring him a lot of relief to see me wearing it. He flat-out said he would be very worried for me, especially with what happened to his mom. Which, if I'm being truthful, is the saddest but sweetest damn thing.

I readily agreed that if I get knocked up, I'll slap the bracelet on. I can deal with a bit of uncertainty about it if seeing my vitals and health status keeps his mind at ease. After all, I learned that all the other girls are wearing them only hours later while sharing lunch at Terum's house.

The devices look sort of like futuristic fit-bits and none of the girls seem to mind them. I hear Stevie and Sarah each wear one too, but I haven't seen them yet. Apparently we'll be catching up later on this week, after we've had more time to settle in.

Megan, though, tried to talk up the bracelets to me, showing me hers while we all ate lunch together. Impressively, I didn't scowl at her and brush her off. I let her gab on about how much she likes it, only tuning her out a bit. When she asked if she changed my mind, I bluntly told her no before adding a mumbled thank you for your input.

I think I shocked the hell out of her because she fucking hugged me after, telling me that she couldn't wait for us to be better friends. It was alarming… but sort of nice.

Now that the meal is long over, Drak, Caleb, and I are about to start walking back to our place. I'm definitely going to need a nap. After all of the food I was instructed to try and the amount of polite social conversation, I'm wiped.

Aprixian food is good, very flavorful, and fresh, but I think I'm so stuffed I won't be able to eat even a bite more when dinner comes rolling around. But seeing Terum alone on the back porch, I tell my brother and my mate to go on without me.

"You will have someone walk you back?" Drak asks, squeezing my hand softly.

I barely contain an eye roll. "I'm perfectly capable of walking myself back home, babe."

Despite my attitude, he grins. Reaching behind his back, he unholsters his laser blaster and passes it to me. "If you insist, you will do it armed."

Utterly pleased, I lift up to my tiptoes and smack a kiss to the side of his handsome face. "You know me so well, my love."

"The best," he agrees, pressing his own kiss to the top of my head. "Until we reunite, my mate."

Caleb groans. "We're going like a quarter mile away, you guys are so dramatic."

"Wait until you meet Rem," Drak jokes, earning a small chuckle from me.

Rem is definitely a character.

We part ways and I blow out a breath, looking over my shoulder to see that Terum is still alone. I force my feet to move before I can change my mind, heading straight for him.

He doesn't turn around, hearing my footsteps, but I can see his dark gray ears twitch. They're partially covered by his long green hair, the pointy tips only peeking out of the back of his locks. His head remains forward, though, facing the great view from beyond the elevated porch.

"I wondered if you would seek words with me," he eventually says.

"Maybe I'm just here for the view."

I'm not.

"You possess the same view from your home," Terum challenges.

My hands wrap around the metal barrier, using the fence-like structure to attempt to ground myself. "It's so obvious you're the dad of the group, you know that?"

He chuckles lightly. "Because I am the oldest?"

"You're stoic," I correct. "You remind me of wise fathers in old western movies. You clearly care about everyone but you're quiet about it."

Glancing at me, he lifts an eyebrow. "I am unsure if I am being insulted or not."

Internally, I wince. "It wasn't an insult. I'm not a jerk all of the time."

"I do not believe you are a jerk at all," he responds evenly.

"No?" I ask doubtfully.

"There is a difference," he muses, "between being mean-hearted and using words to disguise yourself, An-nana."

I swallow, blinking at him in surprise.

"You warned me about hurting Drak," I mumble, shaking my head. "And I still did. I mucked it all up pretty epically."

"I warned you to mind his heart," he corrects softly. "It seems that you take quite good care of his heart—recent events ignored."

Sadly, I look out to the horizon. "Recent events are hard to ignore."

He hums. "From my understanding, the miscommunication has been corrected."

"And yet, I still hurt him. Can't exactly forgive myself for that overnight, now can I?" I ask bitterly, tightening my hands around the bar in front of us.

"Drak has," he tells me. "He would not wish for you to trouble yourself over it any longer."

"Yes, well," I mutter, clearing some emotion from my throat. "Drak is better than I am."

There's a few moments where neither of us speaks.

"Drak's father was not a good man," Terum informs me. "He was cold and uncaring. Losing his mate, it ruined him. It could have ruined Drak, but it did not. Do you know why?"

"Because he had you?" I guess.

"Because he did not need his father to have a family," he corrects. "He embraced the friends surrounding him. He allowed the big feelings to move through him because he did not have to do it alone. And yes, I now view him as my own son. And I know that my son would never accept his mate believing that she is not worthy of him."

I open my mouth to protest, but he stops me by holding up a single hand.

"Drak got lucky to have turned out the way he has. Some creatures, I have found, push others away when vulnerable. Some pull them in, and some cannot bear the thought of sharing a space with anyone who may possibly harm them once more. Big feelings hurt you more than they hurt others, An-nana. That does not mean that you are wrong or that you are weak. It only means that you are yourself."

A silent tear rolls down my cheek, and I swipe it, trying to gather my wits.

"How can you even say these things?" I ask, the words ghosting from my lips. "You hardly know me at all."

I watch as his lips spread into a proud smile. "I know everything there is to know of my son's mate. The female who demanded for his soul seed to shine for her. The female who makes him laugh with her angry words and harmless scowls. I know that there is no other person Drak would accept as his own. Everything else will come with time."

Refusing to be overwhelmed and emotional from his kind words, I shake them off and lift my chin. "Well, thank you. If it's not too much of a bother, I actually came out here to ask you a favor. It's for Drak."

His smile lifts. "What may I help you with, An-nana?"

Rolling my shoulders back, I smile too.

"Do you know where I can get a R'win?"

An hour and some change later, I return home but I am not alone. I had to explain my idea to Terum, telling him that I wanted to do something to show my mate that I truly care about him. That I remember everything he's ever told me. That I was listening, even if I was being rude or pretending to ignore him.

He deserves to be loved on the same level that he shows me. I've got a long way to go in being a better partner, but I think this is a good start. After all, if we're going to have a kid, we should probably practice taking care of something together first.

What a better way to start than here? After Terum confirmed that some R'win were domesticated pets, he told me he knew exactly where I could get one. Thankfully, there isn't an overcrowding of animals here that need homes, and the ones that do are usually scooped up quickly. If I believed in fate, I'd say it was responsible for my amazing timing. There just so happened to be a little guy looking for a place to live.

Drak was right when he described his favorite creature as a tiny puppy. It has the energy of one, too. I thought that might be daunting, but so far, it's not. I actually adore the tiny orange thing in my arms. Big floppy ears, large eyes, curly tail, and all.

Cradling him close to my chest, I let myself into the house and follow quiet voices until I find Drak. He's laughing with Caleb, the two of them sharing a drink in the kitchen.

"Got room for two more?" I ask fondly, watching as their gazes snap over to me. The little R'win pops his head up, sniffing the air as he notices them too. "Surprise."

"Oh my god, that's the cutest thing in the world," Caleb gushes, his eyes softening on the R'win. "Did you just find him?"

I shake my head, biting my lip as I watch Drak's gaze become disbelieving.

"I got him," I admit. "For Drak."

Walking over to the pair of them, I extend the creature, passing him into my mate's awaiting hands. From the corner of my eye, I watch as Caleb quietly exits the kitchen, giving us a moment alone. I'll remember to thank him for that later.

Drak's sharp intake of breath is the only thing to be heard before he's immediately petting the baby, scratching gently behind its ear. Purring starts, and my heart clenches. It seems our new pet is already a daddy's boy. I didn't even know he could purr.

"An-nana," Drak whispers. "You did this?"

"R'win are your favorite, aren't they?"

His eyes become damn-near glassy. "You… you remembered?"

"I remember everything, Drak," I whisper, kissing the top of the R'win's head. "Do you like him?"

"I adore him," he rasps. "I adore you, my mate. Thank you for this gift. Have you named him?"

"I wanted to, but I didn't," I confess. "He's yours, you should name him, baby."

"What did you wish to name him?"

I chuckle. "It's silly, but if I had an orange dog like this on Earth, I would have named him Pumpkin in a heartbeat."

"I love it," Drak declares. "Pun-kin, he shall be."

Holding back tears, I tuck myself into his side for a hug. "Pun-kin is perfect, Drak." The R'win makes a happy noise, and I grin. "I think he likes it, too."

"He is a smart creature, then," Drak tells me.

"You'll have to show me how best to take care of him," I warn.

"It will be fun," my mate assures me. "R'win are easy creatures to care for."

I hum happily, nestled against his side. "A good gift, then?"

"An extraordinary one."

"Good," I croak, emotions getting the better of me. "I want you to know that I appreciate you, Drak. You make me feel like my life is full of meaning. I couldn't see myself ever surviving without you."

His lips brush against my temple. "Nor I without you, An-nana."