Episode Twenty-Two Insect-Man

A zael

I'm a jealous male and don't want to even think about how it will feel to watch another male take my mate. But even I am not selfish enough to want Nadira to have to mate with… this.

I thought I'd seen every species alive in our part of the world, but I've never seen anything like this before. A male, almost a head taller than me and not much thicker than a sapling, walks toward us, chittering as he approaches. He has a shiny black exterior that reminds me of a beetle's back. His mouth opens sideways and the top of his two pairs of arms aren't much thicker than my thumb.

"I've come to…" I can't understand his words, although he's taking great care to speak slowly and carefully with that sideways mouth of his.

Although it's hard to tear my eyes from his now spittle-covered face, I glance at my mate and find her throat swallowing convulsively as she courteously forces herself to look him in his six, unblinking eyes.

"Pardon?" she asks sweetly.

"Mate." Evidently, he decided to speak in one-word responses to help us understand.

"Well, thank you for applying. Tell me, sir, how many of your kind can you bring to help with our cause? We're creating an army and looking for alliances."

So this is why my mate bombarded me with questions all morning. My brilliant mate is trying to be strategic. But mate with this insect? Surely, she can't be serious.

"Few. Mayhap five."

"Well, you're my first interview, so I don't want to make a hasty decision. Thank you for applying."

He nods his head and steps away from our booth. There are at least a dozen males lined up waiting for their turn at the table. I hold up my hand to keep the next from approaching and tip my head close to Nadira.

"You're seriously considering… that?"

"Of course not," she whispers in my ear. "I just see no reason to be mean."

"I love you for this," I say, "and so many other reasons."

For the first time since we arrived, she gives me a loving smile.

The next eight males come and go, some quicker than others. Nadira treats them all with respect and asks her serious questions.

"The line is getting longer, not shorter," I complain, as a wolven leaves our booth. Although I have nothing against wolven in general, this one wasn't smart enough to earn my mate's hand. At that, words I've been trying to keep to myself burst out of my mouth.

"I hate this, Nadira. I hate everything about this. I can't apologize enough for being the reason you're forced into this."

She places her hand over mine on the tabletop and looks at me with her beautiful blue eyes.

"What's done is done. This was already set in motion. We're going to build our army, Azael. You were right about packs consisting of different species being the foundation of strong alliances. Don't worry. I won't love anyone but you."

Now that my heart is settled, I look up to see a huge orc break from the back of the line and stride to our booth.

I know this male. He's the orc leader I spoke with not that long ago in my campaign to get all species to agree to my insane idea about forming multi-species packs as a precursor to war with the males Up Above. He was a singularly vulgar individual. Now he's all too eager to get in line for a human mate.

Look at him, swaggering toward us as if it's his right to barge to the front of the line and take what he wants. I'll be surprised if Nadira gives this brute the time of day.