Chapter 8

I woke up groggily. I was so relaxed that I didn't want to move. It was the first time I had ever felt so content and comfortable. Eve was nestled in my arms, her little head resting on the crook of my arm, and her round behind pressed against my already stiff and aching member. I had worshiped her body all night, but I still craved her. People had told me that it could be like this, where your body and soul were always craving the connection with your fated mate. But the intensity of it was overwhelming.

A brief chuckle escaped my lips. The connection between me and her might have been intense, but I would never want anything different, anyone different. She was mine now, and I could definitely get used to this.

My movements woke Eve up. She blinked at me sleepily, smiled shyly, and the pink coloring returned to her cheeks.

"Good morning, Balroth," she muttered, biting her lips.

I leaned in and captured her lip between mine, pecking and licking the poorly abused flesh. "It is good to wake up beside you. Did you sleep well?"

Eve snorted, then threw her head back in laughter. "You know I didn't exactly get much sleep last night." Despite her words, there was no accusation or heat behind them. In fact, she grinned at me.

Now that she was awake, I saw no reason to lie in bed. Well, I did, but this was not exactly the environment that I would like Eve to live in. She deserved comforts, companionship, and of course, the necessities such as food.

I pulled out a small bag of trail rations of berries and nuts from my bag, knowing that she kept her eyes on me the entire time. When others watched me, it was disconcerting. When she did, I had the overwhelming desire to impress her. I would do anything, say anything, to see her smile and hear her laugh again.

"I know this isn't much, but it should ease any hunger until I can hunt for you, my mate." I struggled to keep my tail from swinging back and forth wildly behind me, my pleasure at the moment overwhelming.

"Your mate, huh?" Eve took my offering. She sniffed the brown bar before tentatively biting on it. It was clear her flat teeth struggled with the strange brick-like substance she consumed, but she didn't voice any complaints.

I was raising a plump berry to my mouth when she asked, "So what does that mean, exactly?"

"Do your people not have mates?" I asked as dread toiled in my stomach.

Eve shook her head. "I've heard of the word. But I've never really paid that much attention to it since I figured I'd never meet an alien. It never really applied to me."

"It means you are mine." I stole a glance at her, but she didn't flinch or show any displeasure. "And I am yours. I provide for your needs, I see to your happiness. If fate decrees it, which I hope it will, you will carry and nurse my younglings. And then we will grow old together."

Eve thought this over for a moment. "Sounds a bit like marriage."

"Marriage?"

"Indeed, when two people on my world love each other, they get married. Usually, the couple has a kid or two and lives happily ever after." She grimaced, and I wondered what thought had caused the displeased expression to cross her face. "Though sometimes they don't even have to like each other to get married."

"Do you want this love?" I asked.

Eve smiled at me, though happiness never reached her eyes. "Everyone wants to be loved. The idea of someone by their side, no matter what life throws at them, with that person being there because they actually want to be. Unfortunately, not all of us get it."

It was a mystery to me what hardships my Eve had faced in her life. But I could promise her one thing. Stepping closer, I gently guided her face towards mine so that our gazes met.

"For the rest of my life, I will cherish you. I thank the gods, the fates, that you are mine."

Her eyes widened. I was left more confused than ever when she pulled away from me, placing distance between us.

"It's a bit early for that, don't you think? We barely know each other."

Suppressing the growl of frustration, I remained composed. Every time I sensed that Eve was becoming more trusting towards me, she continued to retreat and be wary. But if being a hunter had taught me one thing, it was patience. I would give her the opportunity to realize that her love for me was as strong as my already intense devotion to her.

"So, why did you come here? To my planet?"

She looked grateful that I'd changed the topic. Little did she realize that I was getting to know her, taking the chance for her to get to know me as well.

"So you know about space travel, then?" At my nod, she continued. "I am part of the crew from Earth, my home planet. Humans need a new planet to colonize, to live peacefully. We have the support of the Galactic Federation, too. We deemed this planet one of the most hospitable for our species. I honestly had no idea that people were living here. None of us knew."

There was a lot to take in. I cared less about her tribe and more about her, though. "Is that why you came here? To find a new place to live?"

Eve screwed up her face, her nose wrinkling adorably. "I guess. A few years ago, our planet was invaded by aliens. Life changed a lot since then, especially for women. Atraxis represented hope for me, a chance at a life I'd never get to have if I had stayed on Earth. But I had to agree to things before I came here, like working. I am a soil engineer. My job is to find an ideal site for a future town. We needed access to water, somewhere that we could grow some crops and lumber. This region also had an exorbitant amount of valuable ore that we could use to fund expansion of the settlement and trade in the future, which was ideal. If we can't find a place here, we will probably have to move to the next quadrant, which will be quite far away from here."

I nodded as she listed off the long list of requirements that her people desired for a place to settle. My desire was for Eve to stay, and if she chose not to join my tribe, then I would go live with hers. I was not leaving her.

"Camping here was a wise decision. The nearby river and the possibility of redirecting a stream from the mountainside made it convenient. The steep cliff walls also provided protection from predators."

Eve pointed a finger at me, and I glanced at it curiously. What did the gesture mean? Her grin at me suggested something I said was pleasing to her, though.

"We were told to expect large beasts, but I haven't seen any at all! Since it was a solo mission, they gave me a stun gun. Maybe I was just lucky." She shrugged her shoulders, dismissing the seriousness of the situation.

Shaking my head at Eve's ignorance, I prepared to break her false sense of security. "I spent a lot of time hunting and keeping the predators in the area at bay."

Her eyes widened as she looked up at me. "You were protecting me all along?"

Looking deeply into her eyes, I nodded at her. "You are important to me, Eve. There is nothing I want more than to get to know you. Everything about you. The good and the bad. My greatest joy is hearing your laughter, bringing a smile to your face. I would travel to the ends of this land if it would make you happy. It is a blessing to be by your side, and I'll never take your presence for granted."

"You really believe that, don't you?"

"I do not know how your people come together and find their mates. For us, finding a female who cares for us in return is considered extremely lucky." I held out my arms to her. "These marks on my arms mean you are more than just any female. You are my one. My only. Eve, every fiber of my being is built for you. If you do not trust my words, then please let my actions every day for the rest of our lives show you how much I care about you."

Suddenly, Eve bowled into me, knocking me onto the ground. She kissed my face furiously with small pecks. I lapped up the attention.

Much later, when we lay together underneath my bed furs, Eve turned to me. "Will you meet with my people? Will you help convince them that this place can be our new home?"

I rolled on the covers, coming to lie over the top of her. Eve's face flushed with a rosy hue, her breath coming in excited little gasps. "Anything for you, my mate. Anything."