“I will be,” I said slowly, then decided there was no better time. “But our baby is fine.”
He froze around me, pulling back like he was moving in slow motion, the slits of his eyes comically wide. He looked almost like an actor who was failing at his lines because he was too into the role, but it was genuine on him. “What?”
I waited, because I knew he would figure it out. Then he did, and he almost fell to one knee, clutching at my shoulders. I hadn’t been prepared for that, which meant I almost went down under him, but managed to stay standing somehow.
“Truly?” This time he spoke in a whisper, his gaze searching mine as if there was a chance I was teasing him.
“Truly,” I agreed. “I’m not far along, maybe three or four weeks, but I checked with one of the healer women before we left and—”
N’Ashtar let out a loud whoop and grabbed me and spun me around in his arms, the delight clear in his face. “Pregnant. You’re having my young!”
“Tell everyone, why don’t you,” I teased, although I couldn’t stop the smile on my face. Knowing him, there was no way he could have kept it a secret. Besides, I wanted him to know.
Apparently, he realized what he was doing mid-twirl because he immediately stopped and set me down like I was fragile glass. “You should be resting,” he told me.
Yeah, that was a no. “What was that about how women could grow young and be badass? Was that you?” I put a hand behind my ear to cup it. “Or was I hearing things?”
His scowl was playful, and he shook his head as if he genuinely didn’t approve. “As your mate, if I insisted, would you?”
I snorted. “I would tell you to fuck yourself.” I was an adult, I knew my own limits. Could I occasionally push myself past them more than I should? Probably. But if that was the case, I would know and wouldn’t get grumpy over his interference.
N’Ashtar looked momentarily thoughtful. “I haven’t yet figured that one out, but if you wish, you could assist me in this ‘fucking myself’.”
I facepalmed, but I was smiling. I had a feeling he was joking, his knowledge of human expressions growing steadily now that we were living together full-time.
Then N’Ashtar swept me up into his arms, because apparently being pregnant meant I couldn’t walk. I squawked, because really, I wasn’t even showing yet, but he merely tightened his arms around me and started the way back to our camp.
“I have legs,” I said tartly.
“As do I,” N’Ashtar agreed.
I scowled at him even though I knew it wouldn’t do anything. He didn’t stop until he set me down next to the fire. Hetta, Jackie, and Erica were all watching with raised eyebrows, although Hetta’s were knowing. The smirk Jackie gave me told me she had an idea, too. Mentally I shook my head because, really, privacy was going to be a thing of the past and I just needed to get used to it. “I’m pregnant,” I said finally.
“We know,” Jackie drawled. “We could hear.”
I scowled at her for good measure, not surprised when she just beamed back. Intimidation didn’t work well on her. I turned towards the fire, closing my eyes and drawing some warmth from it. That was only amplified when N’Ashtar sat down next to me, pulling me into his lap as he wrapped his arms around me so he could hold me close. I snuggled closer to him despite myself, so very grateful for whatever deity or fate had put that man in my life.
“We head home tomorrow,” N’Ashtar murmured. “Squire has been assisting the elders in putting up sensors in farther-reaching areas.”
My heart skipped a beat and I smiled. It made me warm inside, how easily my Caterri friend had been accepted by the rest of the tribe after saving a lot of lives. There would always be the odd dissent, but it wasn’t nearly the problem I would have expected at first.
“Father is thinking of retiring when we return.” N’Ashtar kissed the side of my head. “What would you think of that?”
I tensed in his arms, thinking of what I had talked with Jackie about, because the last thing I wanted was to fail him, too. But then I thought more about what she said. I was a good diplomat, and I could learn to be a good leader. Hell, I already was learning. With N’Ashtar at my side, I didn’t think there was anything we couldn’t do.
“I think that’d be perfect,” I told him with a smile. And I did. I could be the co-chief he needs, the mother to our children, and no matter what happened, we would dig our feet in, survive, and flourish. Thoheria may not have been our choice, but we were going to make it home. What better way to do that than with the man I loved by my side?
Get ready for book 1 in my upcoming Series Intergalactic Exchange Program, Mated To An Alien Prince
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N’Ashtar The Alien Prince
Thoherian Warriors – Book 2
Roxie Ray
© 2020
Disclaimer
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and events are all fictitious for the reader’s pleasure. Any similarities to real people, places, events, living or dead are all coincidental.
This book contains sexually explicit content that is intended for ADULTS ONLY (+18).
