Chapter 8

Gaelec

I washed and put away the dishes while Ophelia showered. I still struggled with my feelings about the task ahead. Before meeting her, the word dread dominated. Now, nervousness would be a more adequate term.

I actually liked her.

Ophelia was smart, kind-hearted, and seemed sincerely interested in my thoughts and feelings. My chest still warmed at her reaction to my blunder with the food. Not only was she not upset at all with me, but she turned the whole thing into a rather fun experience as we tested the appropriate preparation for her. My mind still reeled at the thought that she wanted to cook and do other things for me.

Unless a male was critically ill or severely incapacitated, females didn’t cater to our needs. And even then, they would normally assign another male to that chore. Younglings were the only exception to that rule. That didn’t mean females never cooked, or repaired weapons and tools, or performed any other labor necessary to the good functioning of the village. However, them doing things for us was not expected and rarely occurred.

Things could really work out between us.

A spark of hope and excitement filled my heart at that prospect. I wanted to believe that the person Ophelia was showing herself to be so far was genuine, and not just a front. I could see myself falling in love with someone like that.

I just needed to make sure not to make a mess of things tonight.

My innards twisted painfully with preemptive worry. I’d been celibate for the past twelve years since my incarceration. Had she been a Nazhral female, this whole thing would be a breeze, despite me being rusty. You had to be beyond pathetically incompetent to fail at satisfying our females. Even if you tried, you couldn’t miss their clitoris. In fact, our partners usually achieved multiple orgasms before we even got a first one, thanks to our penile spikes further enhancing their pleasure.

But what if she finds that freaky?

I looked into their males’ reproductive parts. Although our cocks shared similarities, the spikes and under ridges significantly differed. To me, human men were lacking. What kind of pleasure could they possibly give their women with that smooth, unfinished thing?

My people also didn’t do that thing humans called foreplay. We just got straight to business. The fact that both our males and females self-lubricated spared us the need for initial preparation. In a way, you could say that we did things in reverse. Only once sated did Nazhral couples proceed to cuddle, which included gentle caresses and grooming. That was my favorite moment.

Is she a cuddler?

I would be heartbroken if she wasn’t. Being wrapped up into the arms of our partner, surrounded by their heat and the softness of their fur was sublime.

But she doesn’t have fur.

None of the various breeds among her people did. A few men possessed a lot more body hair than others, but it was a minority. The things most human males seemed to share included facial hair called a beard, as well as patches under their armpits and around their pelvic area. Depending on their breed—which I believed they called ethnic groups—they had varying amounts of hair on their forearms and legs. Strangely enough, for those with hairy patches on their chests, if it trickled down their abdominal muscles towards their groin, humans called it a happy trail.

What was so happy about it?

But the real concern was that many articles I read implied that women were not too fond of hairy men. In fact, they had entire trade skills devoted to ensuring the removal of any pilosity they could. Men had countless tools to shave their beards daily. I was still mentally scarred by the visibly painful method involving hot wax to yank their hair right off their bodies. If you really did not want those natural features, why not use the less brutal methods such as a laser?

I almost went into a full-blown panic at the thought Ophelia might request I do the same. As determined as I was to please my mate in every way reasonably possible, this was where I would draw a hard line.

She said my fur looks nice and fluffy.

That thought alleviated some of the worry twisting my insides. I knew that I was way overthinking the whole thing. Considering how stoic I normally was, this level of nervousness couldn’t have been more out of character. Then again, I’d never been only moments from my wedding night with a species foreign to me.

My stomach did a couple of backflips when the sound of my female exiting the hygiene room reached my ears. My mind began racing about possible ways to further delay the inevitable. I washed and groomed before picking her up at the spaceport a few hours ago. Would she expect me to wash again even though I was still clean?

Let me shower once more.

If nothing else, it would grant me some extra time to mentally prepare.

Stop acting like it’s a fucking chore!

The force with which the little voice at the back of my head chastised me both took me by surprise and shamed me. I was seriously being overly dramatic about the whole thing. Mating with my wife was bound to be a wonderful experience that would bring us closer. Even though we barely knew each other, we were soulmates. Despite being completely different species, our bodies were meant for each other. We would find a way to harmoniously come together.

It was as if a switch flicked on in my head. Saying that all anxiety about it flew right out the window would be a lie. However, it did seem like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I quickly washed, dried myself, and brushed my fur.

As I stood in front of the hygiene room’s closed door, I debated what to do about my nudity. Technically, putting clothes back on didn’t make much sense as I would be stripping right out of them. At the same time, it felt quite presumptuous to just strut right in with my cock on full display.

My limp cock at that.

I flinched and groaned inwardly that I would have allowed that wretched thought to perk its head up. I wouldn’t feed it any energy by dwelling on the possibility of such a horrendous turn of events.

Forcing my mind back onto the issue at hand, I realized how limited my options were as all my clean garments and loincloths sat inside the drawers in the bedroom. So unless I wanted to don the same breeches I previously wore, I would either have to enter the room fully bare or get creative.

Annoyed to drag this whole thing longer than necessary, I emitted a frustrated growl and grabbed a clean towel from the shelf. I wrapped it around my waist and tucked the back below my tail so it wouldn’t make my rear look twice its size on top of risking an absent-minded movement of my tail pulling open the towel by accident.

Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the hygiene room and crossed the couple of steps into the master bedroom. My breath hitched upon catching the first glimpse of my mate. She was sitting cross-legged on the right side of the bed. Her long mane cascaded down her back some of it in front of her shoulders, draping her in its fiery strands. It contrasted sharply with the paleness of her skin. Beneath her lustrous hair, a sheer green fabric drew my attention. It appeared to be one of those semi-transparent garments that women wore to seduce and entice their partners.

It both flattered and shamed me that she would have taken the time to plan to make herself more attractive for our wedding night, and I couldn’t even have planned for a change of clothes after showering. To be fair, Nazhrals didn’t have such rituals. And as far as I knew, human males also didn’t wear special outfits to make themselves more appealing in bed. But I could have inquired further about it instead of just what their genitals looked like.

She jerked her head up from the tablet she had been reading on to look at me. The abrupt way she did so implied she had not heard me approach. Her light surprise faded almost instantly. Without averting her eyes from me, Ophelia blindly put the tablet down on the nightstand to her left. She gracefully slipped off the bed and stood facing me with a smile.

Although timid, it contained no fear. That did the craziest thing to me. On top of all the other things my stupid mind kept panicking over, I had also worried that Ophelia might need me to reassure her about being safe with me.

I returned her smile and caught myself scratching my nape, unsure what to do or say next.

“Do you want to talk?” Ophelia asked in a soft voice.

I blinked. “Talk?” I repeated, my confusion audible.

“About this,” she said, gesturing in turn between me and her. “As there’s a bigger burden on males, I figured you might wish for us to discuss this whole thing. We’re kind of getting thrown in, headfirst,” she added with a nervous giggle.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. Did she think me impotent? Did I give off such strong vibes of lacking attraction towards her that she felt the need to give me an easy way out in case I couldn’t perform?

But what if I indeed can’t get it up?

To my undying shame, I wasn’t feeling hard at all right now. My cock didn’t even remotely seem in the mood for venturing anywhere, least of all into foreign territories.

“Hmmm, yes. Sure,” I said, fighting the urge to squirm.

Her smile broadened, and her shoulders dipped with what I could only interpret as relief. It suddenly struck me that this whole time I was selfishly worrying about a potentially disastrous performance on my part, my poor mate had likely also been worrying about this moment. After all, I was significantly bigger and stronger than she was. It had to be terrifying for her to find herself halfway across the galaxy, among strange people who had not shown her the warmest welcome, and to be expected to lie down with an ex-convict she’d only met a few hours prior. I couldn’t begin to imagine finding myself in such a vulnerable position.

And yet, she was still displaying that impressive stoicism that screamed of great inner strength and character.

She circled around the bed to its feet and sat down at the edge. Still smiling at me, Ophelia patted the mattress next to her. Without hesitation, I joined my mate and settled beside her. I wasn’t so close that we touched, but enough to feel the heat of her body.

Ophelia examined my features for a few moments, her expression soft even as she clearly searched for her words before starting to speak.

“You’re not overly attracted to me, right?” she asked in a gentle voice.

I flinched, instantly angry with myself that my reactions towards her might have made her feel unwanted. Simultaneously, a powerful urge to protect and reassure her swelled within me.

“It’s not that, my mate. It’s just that…”

My voice trailed off, and it was my turn to look for my words. Ophelia raised an inquisitive eyebrow when the silence stretched.

I cleared my throat and scratched my nape again. “It’s just that I have never been with a human before.”

She smiled, her beautiful green eyes sparkling with a mix of understanding and amusement.

“I get it. I’ve never been with a Nazhral either.”

I snorted and nodded in concession, before shifting uneasily. “There’s also the fact that it has been a little over twelve years for me since I’ve been with a female.”

The words nearly scorched my lips as I spoke them. I nervously glanced sideways at her to find her gaping at me. The air of uncertainty that descended on her features took me aback.

“Did… did something happen?” she asked cautiously.

My mind went blank for half a beat as I tried to make sense of what she meant. And then it hit me.

“Oh, no! Nothing of the sort. I mean, everything works as intended. If that’s what you were asking…?” I added hesitantly, suddenly wondering if I had misunderstood.

“Oh, good!” she said, her cheeks taking on that crimson color that was seriously growing on me.

“There were only two females in my Quadrant during my incarceration,” I explained sheepishly. “Neither of them appealed to me, nor were they drawn to me. Anyways, both were Raitheans who also happened to be mated. In case you are unaware, Raitheans mate for life. It is physically impossible for them to cheat on their partners.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” she said with sympathy.

She opened her mouth as if to ask another question before appearing to change her mind. I suspected it was to ask me why I had not slept with one of our females since my return. Considering three weeks had gone by, it was a fair question. I wanted to believe she remembered the issues I listed earlier during our meal, and which basically turned me off getting involved with anyone.

Back on Molvi, males held recurring discussions about how much sex they intended to get once they were back home, and all the traditional food they desperately missed that they would gorge on. I expected to behave in a similar fashion. But it was strange how once something became accessible again, it lost a lot of its mythical appeal. Having so much of it openly thrown at me had in fact the exact opposite effect.

She licked her lips nervously and cast another uncertain look my way before going for it.

“You know, we don’t have to do anything tonight,” she said carefully.

I recoiled and stared at her in shock. A part of me felt outraged by that suggestion, while another feared she was in fact so reluctant to be intimate with me that she was trying to wiggle out of it. That hurt my feelings. But at the same time, I could never force myself on a woman who wouldn’t be with me willingly.

“The contract states we must, as Kayog clearly reminded us before his departure,” I argued, my voice tense.

Ophelia shrugged dismissively. “I don’t care about the contract, Gaelec. This is about you and me, and hopefully the rest of our lives. Anyway, it’s not like they have hidden cameras here or that they’re going to send an inspector in the morning to make sure we did the deed.”

I snorted. For a ridiculous reason, I pictured the Temern hanging on to the windowsill to try and peep into our room through the night to make sure we honored our end of the deal.

Although she couldn’t possibly guess what absurd thought flashed through my head, Ophelia relaxed at my reaction and gave me a shy smile.

“I like you, Gaelec. I like everything that I’ve seen about you so far, and I want you to like me as well. Above all, I want you to feel comfortable with me. Our first time together should be something we both want, not some chore, not something we’re stressing over or feeling coerced to do,” she explained calmly. “Kayog makes a valid point about early intimacy helping to quickly tighten the bond between a couple. But intimacy doesn’t have to mean sex. Maybe we could just snuggle and cuddle? Then we wouldn’t be so awkward around each other.”

My heart leapt upon hearing her words. “Snuggles are nice,” I said with a bit too much enthusiasm. “I do love cuddling,” I added sheepishly. “So you will never get any complaints from me on that front.”

By the way Ophelia’s eyes widened, she had not expected such an eager response from me. As I had pretty much made it a point to keep my hands to myself around her, she had no reasons to believe I could be the affectionate type. Quickly recovering from her shock, my mate beamed at me. My chest filled with warmth. She truly looked lovely when she smiled like that.

“I’m happy to hear it!” she replied. “I’m a big hugger and snuggler as well.”

“It pleases me tremendously to hear it,” I said in all sincerity. “I was hoping it would be the case. That said, just so you know, I do not mean to appear distant or reluctant. The past years have made me quite guarded. In this instance, I admit that I’m overthinking the entire situation. On the shuttle from the spaceport, you said that you weren’t disappointed by me. But I do worry you might be… distraught by the parts of me you haven’t seen yet. We’re quite different from human men.”

Ophelia snorted. Her green eyes sparkled with amusement even as her cheeks reddened. “Yes, I’m aware. You’re not the only one who did a bit of research. I read up on your people… about everything ... if you know what I mean.”

I burst out laughing, the face she made being both hilarious and incredibly adorable.

“Well, since we are in confession mode, I also read about everything regarding your people, especially female anatomy.”

It was silly, but we were grinning at each other like two teenagers witnessing something raunchy for the first time. I liked the complicity it created between us.

“So… it’s true that you guys have spikes down there?” she asked, her cheeks so red they seemed on the verge of bursting into flames.

I nodded, surprised to find my smile broadening instead of fading with the anxiety I previously felt regarding that.

“We do. There are usually three or four rows of them all around the circumference,” I said with a hint of amusement.

“Are they hard?” she asked, looking half guilty, half worried.

I laughed again and shook my head. “No, Ophelia. They are not hard. You are not going to get torn to shreds by them. Our spikes are hard enough to provide a pleasant sensation to the female, but soft and flexible enough not to cause any pain or discomfort. The tips are also rounded, not pointy. I assure you, that while their sight might be unnerving to you the first time you see them, they will procure you nothing but intense pleasure.”

The way she shifted at the edge of the bed lit a strange spark in the pit of my stomach. At a visceral level, I knew with unshakable certainty that she just imagined how those spikes would feel inside her. That subtle response from me to her reaction boded well.

“I’m happy to hear it. We’re pretty soft inside, so the thought of spikes had me a little nervous. Those websites have a way of showing the most intimidating pictures. Even the spikes on your tongue look like a bunch of claws ready to shred even the hardest material to pieces.”

I chuckled. “You are correct. Close up imagery of both our penile and lingual spikes can appear terrifying. But… hmmm… I understand that women have their clitoris outside instead of within, like our females?”

“We do,” Ophelia replied before her face took on a grumpy expression. “And despite that, men pathetically fail at finding it.”

“By the Gods, so it’s true?!” I exclaimed, flabbergasted.

Ophelia burst out laughing before shaking her head. “It’s not true. Well, let’s just say that it’s partially true. Too many men fail to give it the proper level of attention. Many women struggle at reaching their climax purely from penetration. A lot of us absolutely need clitoral stimulation to achieve it.”

I bit back the instinctive urge to say that such an unfortunate outcome wasn’t surprising considering how pathetically unimpressive and ill adapted the human males’ cocks were compared to their women’s sex.

“I promise that I will give your clitoris an abundance of attention,” I pledged with a confidence that bordered on smugness.

This time, my mate didn’t only squirm where she sat, but her scent also shifted. Although it differed from our females, I instantly recognized the subtle hints of her blossoming arousal. To my pleasant surprise, the enticing, spicy scent resonated straight in my loins. At long last, I felt the first stirring in my nether region.

“Remember you offered when I hold you to your promise,” Ophelia replied, her eyes darkening.

“I will expect you to do just that, not that it will be required. I’m a male of my word, and I will be damned before I’m ever accused of leaving my mate unsatisfied.”

Something had shifted in the past couple of minutes. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the cause, but I was finally becoming the one more assertive while my mate was the one becoming shy. The more dominant side I miserably failed to display since this whole conversation began sure took its sweet time to join the party.

“But what of your teats?” I asked before immediately cringing, even as my female snorted. “I’m sorry, I meant your breasts. From what I read, it says women like for them to be given some attention as well.”

Ophelia nodded, her gaze flicking down towards her chest for a few seconds before she looked back at me.

“Yes. Breasts are quite erogenous for us humans—including our men—but especially for women. We like to get them fondled, pinched, and even bitten. But not too hard,” she amended quickly. “A little sting is exciting, pain not so much, unless you’re into the whole sadism kink, which definitely isn’t one of mine.”

Although I nodded slowly, my eyes remained locked on her chest. By Nazhral standards, my woman’s breasts were humongous. Our females had four teats on their chests, two on each side—that were just slightly bigger than my own. Technically it wasn’t so much the very narrow areola, but rather the size of the nipple itself. It was a bit plumper and longer to make it easier for our younglings to latch onto them. But each teat was merely more than a slight bump on their chest. You couldn’t grab a handful with our females unlike with my mate. And those generous bulges on my woman’s chest looked like each would fit snugly in my large palms.

Her words replayed in my mind. I couldn’t wait to see how she responded to the rough texture of my tongue on her nipples. I read they hardened the more aroused the woman became. I couldn’t wait to witness that phenomenon.

“You’re staring,” Ophelia mumbled after a while.

My eyes snapped back up to lock with hers, and I felt as embarrassed as she seemed. I had not meant to ogle her breasts. But seeing their impressive size up close had completely derailed my train of thought.

“Apologies. I was just thinking how fascinating our anatomical differences are.

Not wanting to allow any type of awkwardness to ruin the momentum we had gotten going, I considered bringing up the other things I had looked up so far then thought better of it. Several of them felt a little too edgy to be addressed now. Instead, I settled for something a little safer.

“From what I’ve seen, kissing appears to occupy a prominent place in human relationships and intimacy,” I said carefully.

The way Ophelia perked up immediately felt like instant trouble for me.

She nodded, an air of wariness creeping onto her features. “Yes, kissing is a big deal to us, at least certainly to me.”

I tried to force a neutral expression on my face as I responded. “It is a strange ritual.”

Ophelia’s crestfallen expression struck me hard. “You didn’t like it,” she said, her shoulders drooping.

“I wouldn’t say that,” I cautiously replied. “In truth, it had been much too brief to get a good sense of it, not that I was really focusing on it,” I admitted sheepishly. “Not to mention that it made my nose twitch and tickled my whiskers. But judging by your reaction, I’m guessing it means you enjoy it?”

My mate nodded frantically. “I’m a huge kisser,” Ophelia said firmly.

“I see,” I replied in a noncommittal fashion. “In that case, I will learn to enjoy it.”

My female stiffened and frowned. “No, Gaelec. Intimacy cannot be forced. Kissing should make both people participating feel good. I don’t want you to ever do something that you don’t like or that makes you feel uncomfortable merely out of a sense of obligation. Whatever happens between us must always be because we both want to. There are plenty of other ways for us to show affection.”

“I hear you, my mate. And I thank you for showing such consideration towards me. However, if something gives you pleasure, I will feel the urge to do it for that specific outcome. So don’t be surprised by how things will evolve over the upcoming days as we get to know each other better.”

“Fair enough. But what of you? I couldn’t find anything about ways to please a Nazhral,” Ophelia said, scrunching her face.

I chuckled. “Because there is nothing to be listed. Like I said, Nazhrals don’t do preliminaries. As our females self-lubricate, and so do males, then whenever we choose to couple, we simply move to penetration. We cuddle after the fact.”

“Ugh,” Ophelia said with a distraught expression. “We don’t self-lubricate. A woman needs those preliminaries, or at least to be heavily aroused for her to get wet. Otherwise, penetration can be quite painful and more difficult, especially if the male is well endowed.”

The subtle but wary glance she discreetly cast towards my groin almost made me laugh again. And yet, worry should have dominated over amusement. I was indeed well-endowed. Hopefully, our first coupling wouldn’t be too challenging in spite of that. I would have to put extra effort into making sure she received the proper amount of preparation.

That, too, made me chuckle. “Fear not, my mate. I will give you all the preliminaries you require. And please, do not hesitate to correct me if I do it the wrong way, like with the meat.”

Ophelia gave me that shy smile again that was seriously growing on me. The way her gaze darkened also indicated that her mind went right back to imagining things happening between us. I truly loved how she seemed aroused at the prospect of intimacy with me, despite our differences. She made me feel wanted, for me, not just what she could get out of me.

“Okay,” she said with a nervous giggle. “So long as you promise to also be open with me about the things you like and don’t like, and if I’m messing things up.”

“Deal. Now, the last topic I think we need to address—unless you have something else in mind that hasn’t been brought up yet—we should discuss the matter of offspring,” I said carefully.

Ophelia stiffened. The wariness on her face immediately had my own anxiety spiking. For Nazhral females, having offspring ranked high in their main priorities once they reached maturity. From what little I gathered about humans, it wasn’t uncommon for them to choose to have very few or no younglings at all. Did she share those preferences?

“Why?” she asked, her voice tense. “You don’t want kids?”

Kids was a strange word to refer to cubs, but I was too focused on trying to interpret her body language to dwell on such a superficial matter.

“Actually, I hope to eventually be a father in the future,” I said, in a neutral and cautious tone.

“Eventually?” she repeated, although some of the tension drained from her back, which struck me as a good sign.

I nodded. “Assuming you also want offspring, I think we should wait until our situation is a bit more stable before we bring in younglings into the equation.”

To my delight, Ophelia beamed at me and nodded vigorously. “I fully agree. I wouldn’t want my children to be in a precarious situation, not knowing if we’re coming or going. And above all, I want to make sure they will be in a safe environment where they will be welcome and accepted just the way they are.”

I smiled, fighting the sudden urge to draw her into my embrace and rub my temple against hers to mark her with my scent. That impromptu wave of possessiveness took me by surprise, but I welcomed it.

“Our females’ ovulation is induced by penetration,” I explained. “There is a natural juice they consume when they want to prevent pregnancies, as they are very picky about which male they want siring their offspring.”

Ophelia waved a dismissive hand. “That’s not necessary. I have a contraceptive implant. It’s still valid for four years. So there is no possibility for me to become pregnant. Once we are ready to start our family, I’ll just have it removed and then within the next couple of weeks, I’ll be fertile again.”

“Excellent. Hopefully, you will be able to remove it long before it meets its expiry date,” I replied.

She smiled and nodded. “Until then, we just get to practice lots and lots.”

The way her eyes widened, and her face reddened as soon as she spoke those words indicated she had not meant to blurt them out. I was beginning to realize that my mate tended to let her mouth run away with her. It surprised me considering what impressive control she displayed during our audience with the Matriarchs. But I suspected this occurred when she was in what she perceived as a safe environment, and when she felt relaxed.

If my assumption was accurate, it pleased me that she would feel this way in my presence.

She emitted a nervous giggle to which I responded with a shy smile. And then the most awkward silence settled between us. I could see her wheels spinning as she was furiously looking for something to get the conversation going again. My own mind was going blank. It was truly pathetic.

By the Gods, Gaelec! Get a grip! Act like the Alpha male you’re supposed to be!

I cleared my throat and gave her another sideways glance before going for it. “So, about the cuddling you were mentioning earlier, should we proceed with that?”

Looking relieved, Ophelia grinned, and her eyes flicked to my chest with a covetous expression that rekindled that spark that had started fading in the pit of my stomach.

“I would like that. Your chest fur looks so soft and fluffy. Can I touch it?”

The hopefulness in her voice made me snort. “Of course, you can. I’m your husband. That gives you the right to touch me whenever you want, and however you want. My body is yours.”

The greedy way in which she licked her lips turned that timid spark into an open flame.

“Don’t mind if I do,” she whispered, slightly turning to the side to face me.

She carefully lifted her palm to my chest and sank her fingers through my chest fur. I studied her face as it took an air of pure awe. She gently scratched my chest, before running her palm over it, and slipping her fingers through it.

“ Putain! It’s so soft!” she whispered to herself.

There was that word again. We all spoke to Ophelia in Universal, as she did with us, since she didn’t speak our language. But there were a few small words like that ‘pootain’ she had just said which I’d never heard before. They struck me as expletives. Living with a variety of species on Molvi, I’d been exposed to a plethora of them. None of them sounded anything like that one or that other word ‘boardell’ she also used a few times. I wanted to question her about it, but felt the timing wasn’t quite appropriate to have a foreign language discussion.

It had taken us long enough to finally get to some sort of physical contact, I wasn’t going to allow my stupid over analytical mind ruin the moment. Anyway, her touch was driving me to distraction. It was incredibly pleasant, making my stomach flutter. Then, to my shock, Ophelia leaned forward and rubbed her face over it.

A bolt of desire struck hard, deep in my belly. My cock jerked in response beneath the towel still wrapped around my waist. I barely managed to swallow back the purr trying to rise in my throat. To my chagrin, my mate stopped and lifted her head to look at me.

“You do realize that, from this moment forward, your chest has officially become my new pillow, right?”

I burst out laughing and nodded in concession. “As I said, my body is yours. But as that also implies cuddling and snuggling, then I am even more for it.”

Her smile broadened, then her eyes sparkled with excitement and something else I couldn’t define. It didn’t matter. I just loved the way it made me feel.

My breath hitched when she resumed her exploration of me. This time, she didn’t limit her touch to my chest fur, but her palm glided down slowly over my abdominal muscles, her fingertips tracing each crease. I couldn’t decide if it tickled more than it turned me on. Either way, I didn’t want her to stop.

“Your body is really amazing,” she whispered more to herself than to me before glancing back up and locking eyes with me. “Men would kill to have chiseled abs like yours. I often wondered what it would be like to be married to a man with the physique of a fitness model. I never imagined that it would actually happen.”

“I’m glad my body pleases you, my mate,” I replied, my voice sounding a bit more gravelly from my own growing arousal.

Her palms resting on my stomach, Ophelia continued to stare at me for a silent moment. Something passed between us, some kind of connection or unspoken understanding. My mate stretching her neck and leaning forward to kiss me broke the magic.

Knowing how it had gone down the first time, I mentally braced for it, intent on focusing on the nicer aspect of that odd practice. However, her lips no sooner touched mine than my nose began to twitch. It tickled, and I couldn’t resist the urge to chuckle against her lips.

Although disappointed, Ophelia chuckled as well and slightly pulled back to give me a sympathetic look.

“I’m sorry. It tickles. I think it’s because of the way your nose brushes against my whiskers,” I said sheepishly. “But aside from that, your lips are really soft. The sensation is not unpleasant.”

With a will of its own, my hand settled on her nape, and gently tilted her head back. My mate’s eyes widened in surprise, which quickly gave way to excitement when I leaned forward. I tilted my head at a light angle before pressing my lips to hers. This time, although her nose once again slightly brushed against my whiskers, the tickling wasn’t as intense, allowing me to properly savor the experience.

It was indeed strange, but also nice. Nazhrals were familiar with kissing, just not mouth to mouth. The smoothness of the cushion of her lips made it unlike anything I’d ever tried before. Whether consciously or not, Ophelia leaned into me, and I found myself wrapping an arm around her body, drawing her closer even as I pressed my mouth a bit harder against hers. She slipped the fingers of one hand into my mane, her blunt nails gently scraping my nape. After a few more moments, I broke the kiss and locked eyes with her.

Something shifted between us, and that odd connection seemed to deepen. I absent-mindedly caressed her back. A violent shiver coursed through my woman, and her skin instantly erupted in those tiny bumps that freaked me out at the spaceport. This time, knowing it was a display of pleasure in response to something I did, I smiled and effortlessly picked her up to settle her in my lap, facing me, her knees on each side of my legs.

To my surprise, Ophelia appeared emboldened by this. Fisting my mane on my nape with both hands, she began brushing her lips over my right cheek in a gentle caress, then peppering soft kisses on every inch of my face. My chest vibrated with an approving sound. Yanking my head back, she pursued her ministrations, down my neck and my chest while I slipped my hands beneath the flimsy and sheer fabric of the sleeveless top of the lingerie she was wearing. As a single ribbon kept it attached between her breasts, it gave me no challenge in accessing her bare skin underneath.

By the Gods, she was so warm and incredibly soft. I never imagined anything could be silkier than perfectly groomed fur. But this exceeded anything I could have imagined. She shivered again as I greedily caressed her back, feeling so bold as to let my hands glide all the way down to the round curves of her behind. The underwear she wore was but a tiny string that disappeared between the seam of her rear, leaving the entire softness of each plump cheek exposed for me to explore.

Then my mate straightened and pushed against my shoulders. On instinct, I initially resisted before giving in when she insisted. She rewarded me with a smile as I lay down on my back, flicking my tail to the side to avoid crushing it under me.

The hungry way with which Ophelia’s gaze roamed over my body awakened a dull throbbing between my thighs. My mate was truly drawn to me. I never realized what a potent aphrodisiac it could be. She caressed and kissed every inch of my chest and stomach. When she lingered around my nipples, licking and nipping at them, my blood instantly rushed to my groin. No one had ever done this to me. I didn’t know if this was her subtle way of showing me the type of attentions she wanted in return, but it certainly showed me how pleasurable having one’s breasts fondled could be.

My stomach knotted when her dainty fingers started fiddling with the knot I made to secure the towel around my waist. It took her a little longer than normal because she wasn’t looking at what her hands were doing as her face was still pressed against my stomach while her tongue tickled and teased my navel.

I fleetingly considered stopping her and taking over. After all, as her mate, I had a duty to see to her pleasure first. I almost did just that before it dawned on me that, as much pleasure as I derived from her attentions, this was a necessary step for Ophelia to familiarize herself with my body. In turn, it would help alleviate the remaining fears she no doubt still held.

My breath hitched, and my spine stiffened as the thick fabric of the towel parted, leaving me exposed. My mate, who had been crawling backwards as she kissed a path down my body, gracefully slid down the bed and knelt between my parted legs. Heart pounding, I studied her expression as she examined my cock with a look that equally screamed shock and wonder.

Although I was still nowhere near erect, my cock was no longer fully flaccid either, thanks to how her caresses and kisses stirred me. But before worry could have it go limp again, Ophelia licked her lips in a way that whipped the fire in my loins back into action.

“Putain!” she whispered with awe.

There’s that word again. Does it mean ‘Wow!’ or something else along those lines?

Ophelia reaching for my cock with one hand slapped any such thought right out of my brain. My abdominal muscles constricted painfully when the tip of her index finger started tracing one of the two vertical ridges that framed the underside of my cock from the base up to two thirds of my shaft. But the moment she brushed it over the row of spikes right below the head of my cock, I emitted a low hiss through my clenched teeth.

My mate immediately yanked her hand away, her eyes darting towards mine with a glimmer of panic.

“Sorry!” she exclaimed with an air of guilt. “Did that hurt?”

“No,” I said in a grumbling voice as my cock throbbed. “It’s just sensitive.”

“Sensitive as in painful?” she asked hesitantly, while I felt the urge to grab her hand and put it right back on my needy length.

“No, not painful at all. It’s very pleasant,” I said in a controlled voice.

Ophelia instantly relaxed, her smile returning and illuminating her lovely face.

“Oh, pleasant is good! Very good!” she said before doing it again.

I clenched my teeth as blood rushed to my groin. My mate’s grin broadened as my cock hardened in seconds as she continued to stroke my highly erogenous spikes.

“ Houlà! Pleasant indeed,” she said triumphantly.

In that instant, whatever tension still lingered faded away. Although my excessively long period of abstinence could have been the cause for me having such a strong response to that intimate touch, I didn’t believe it was the case. Ophelia was the one turning me on. The way she touched and looked at me made me crave more… from her and no one else. The strengthening scent of her own arousal was also whipping my blood into a frenzy. And watching her nipples pebble and then poke against the sheer fabric of her lingerie only made me even harder.

I inhaled sharply as her hand closed around the base of my shaft, and she slowly started stroking me. A blissful growl tumbled out in me from the delightful warmth of her palm, and its insane softness against my length. I fisted the blanket on top of the bed to help me remain stoic as my mate had her way with me. As pleasure built in my loins, I closed my eyes to will myself to refrain from giving in to the intense pleasure her touch gave me, especially when her hand ran over my spikes.

Big mistake.

The darkness only seemed to enhance every sensation, which nearly had me spilling. I snapped my eyes open again at the same time a silky sensation caressed my thighs. To my shock, I lifted my head just in time to see Ophelia leaning over my groin. The long strands of her hair brushing against me felt like rolda—the most luxurious and softest fabric in the land.

Poking her tongue out, my mate licked my spikes. A sharp cry escaped me as a bolt of fire exploded in my loins. I nearly lost all control.

“Ophelia,” I growled, my voice sounding almost beastly to my own ears as I battled to restrain myself. “You must stop. I won’t be able to—”

The rest of my sentence died in a strangled shout, halfway between a growl and a cry. As if fearing I would stop her, Ophelia opened her mouth wide to swallow as much of my cock as possible. An endless string of moans and growls tumbled out of me as she began to bob over me. My entire body was on fire as the lava in the pit of my stomach spread down my legs and up my chest. Despite her hand being too small to fully wrap around my shaft, she closed it tightly at the base, stroking me in counterpoint to the movement of her mouth on me.

I needed her to stop even as I prayed that she wouldn’t. My brain stopped functioning from the insane pleasure crashing over me. I felt on the verge of combusting. The little voice at the back of my head trying to shame me for being on the receiving end instead of catering to my female’s needs was buried by the sound of my blood pounding in my ears and the endless flow of bliss sweeping me away.

And then Ophelia raked her teeth on my spikes.

My spine seized, and a blinding light exploded before my eyes. I roared. And in a split second of lucidity, I yanked my woman’s head away from my cock as liquid ecstasy shot out of me.