Chapter 14 Grogen

Grogen pulled the hood low over his face, feeling like the total stalker he was. But he couldn’t stay away from Abby.

He’d told himself that he would go home the minute he saw her face, that he just wanted to make sure she was doing all right. But the second he’d seen that damned azak flower in her hair, the possessive instinct in him demanded that he stay. The thought of her giving that flower to anyone else had his blood boiling.

He’d never felt so irrational about anyone before, and it terrified him—though he’d never admit it.

He’d watched as male after male placed the berry garlands around her neck, watched as she’d smiled and thanked them. It had taken all the control in his body not to stomp over and rip them off again. But then, one by one, she’d removed the offerings. That had soothed him. Until she didn’t.

Did she know these last few males? Was she seriously considering them, or had she simply gotten sick of playing the game? While she had been in the baths, he’d made sure to warn the males away, but that hadn’t stopped more garlands from appearing around her neck.

She was spending the day with a pair of friends, a Tallean-human couple. He recognized the male from back when he’d worked as a guard briefly before opening his repair shop.

“I’ve never seen you at a celebration before, Grogen.”

Grogen turned to see Holden, one of the colony’s directors. He was much younger than Grogen, but happily mated in a triad.

“I thought I’d see what it’s all about,” he lied.

“And that’s why you’re hiding in the shadows?”

Busted. Holden had always been perceptive; it was what made him good at his job.

The director looked over to where Abby and her friends were still talking. “Ah. I see.”

“She is my receptionist.” Grogen didn’t know why he felt he had to explain himself.

An older human male approached Abby from behind and she turned, her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. Was this the useless sire she spoke of?

Tension coiled in his limbs, but he resisted the urge to go and protect her. He knew she could take care of herself. Then he realized that two more males were behind the first. Holden’s posture stiffened as well, ready to charge in to break up any disagreements.

When the first male suddenly grabbed Abby, pulling her out of the joulka line and toward the other two males, Grogen’s body took over. He stormed over, red filling his vision even as Abby tried to wrestle herself out of the male’s grip.

“Release her!” Grogen snarled, getting between the two and shoving the other male away.

Abby’s eyes grew wide when she saw Grogen. Then she immediately ducked behind him.

The male looked up at him, fear filling his face momentarily until his two buddies joined him. That gave him courage, even though Grogen towered over them. Abby’s intelligence had not come from this side of the family.

“This is family business, guard. None of your concern.”

So this was her sire, and he thought Grogen a mere guard.

“It is my concern. Abby is mine.” He felt Abby’s hands tightening on the back of his arm.

“Who the fuck’s that?” asked one of the other males. “You said she ain’t no alien whore.”

“Never seen him before. She comes home every night, I swear.”

Grogen reached out, grabbed Abby’s sire by the throat, and lifted him into the air. “She is my mate. You will leave her alone from now on.” He shook him a few times for emphasis. “If I ever see you around her again, I will tear you apart. Is that clear?” Then he threw him at the other two, and the three landed in a tangle of limbs.

By now, they’d attracted a crowd. Fuck. He hated crowds.

Holden and the actual guard were approaching now. “Escort these two to their homes,” the director said.

“Hey! No fair,” cried one of the humans as the guard guided them firmly to his transport.

“I don’t have a home,” whined Abby’s sire. “That ungrateful bitch threw me out.”

“You never once helped with rent. You steal and sell my shit to buy booze and gamble. I should have never let you back into my life.”

With the troublemakers gone and the crowd dispersing, Abby turned to the director and quietly explained that her sire had tried to sell her to pay a debt. Grogen could see Holden’s face hardening. The director commed the guard to have the males detained instead of transported home.

“We will look into it, see if anyone else has been harmed. I recognize one of the males: he’s one infraction away from being exiled.” Holden turned to Grogen. “I trust you to make sure this female gets home safely.”

“She will.”

It was only now that Grogen realized Abby still had the berry garlands around her neck. He grabbed the lengths of red and purple berries and ripped them from her neck before tossing them aside. He looked about for new strands to claim as his own. He hadn’t come prepared. Usually, males strung their own garlands.

A sharp whistle caught his attention, and he turned to see the male of the couple Abby had spent time in the baths with tossing him a garland stolen off a banister. Grogen caught it and promptly wrapped it possessively around Abby’s neck.

Abby’s smile was radiant as she fingered the colorful berries. Then, wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him. At that moment, he didn’t even mind the crowd. There was nobody in the world but them.

It was a male wondering loudly if they were going to get a show that had him breaking off the kiss before his body had other ideas. Sex wasn’t hidden in Tallean culture, but he didn’t think Abby was an exhibitionist. Besides, there were many humans here too, and they were less accepting of public sexual displays. And Grogen preferred his privacy anyway.

A group of humans singing traditional Christmas songs coming down the aisle between the food stands scattered the group of bystanders. The second they got out of the way of the carolers and were tucked into a more private corner, Abby reached for the flower in her hair and placed the bloom firmly into his hand.

“You’re the one I want. No contest.”

“I accept, little mate.” She didn’t need to know that he’d scared off most of her other suitors anyway and would fight off anyone else who tried to offer her a garland now.

She blinked up at him. “Yeah…about that… I wasn’t sure I heard correctly earlier,” Abby admitted.

“It’s true. You are mine.” He held her firmly, worried that she’d reject him because he’d said something too soon. He’d looked it up; humans were used to long periods of “dating” before announcing their feelings.

But instead of pushing him away and asking for more time, Abby threw her arms around him and peppered his face with a thousand kisses.

“You are not upset? It is not too soon?”

“Too soon?” She looked at him incredulously. “We’ve worked together for years, Grogen. I know you. You’re strong and capable—okay, yes, grumpy too. But also sweet when you need to be. I couldn’t ask for a better mate.” Her cheeks turned pink. “You know, I’ve always had a crush on you. I just hope you don’t end up regretting this.”

“Never!” He held her close. “I’ve wanted you and loved you from a distance for ages, thinking I wasn’t good enough.”

“Love?” Her lower lip started to quiver. “Do you mean it?”

“More than anything in the universe.”

She threw herself at him again. “I love you too. I know it’s fast for a human, but I don’t care. When I’m around you, everything feels right.”

“Then it is decided. You will move in with me tomorrow. Today, we will enjoy the festival.”

The corners of her lips lifted mischievously. “And tonight?”

“We will make up for all the lost time.”

“I don’t think we can do that in just one night,” she said, winking.

“Then we will take forever, if we need to. Just know this, little mate: now that I’ve found you, I’m never letting you go.”